The (Still) Young Guns

by jscape2000 on Feb 16, 2009 4:53 PM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

The NYTimes is focusing on the youth of Phil Hughes and IPK in a story today. I'm particularly interested in a passage detailing what Hughes did to prep for the coming season:

After losing Hughes to injuries for much of the last two seasons — a hamstring and an ankle in 2007, a fractured rib last year — the Yankees paid for him to train at the Athletes’ Performance Institute in Los Angeles. He spent four days a week there, concentrating on upper body strength and adding eight pounds.

Hughes now weighs 240, the same weight he was in high school and during his last healthy season, 2006. He said he hoped to reduce his injury risk.

I believe I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I try to see the realistic risks, and I hope for the best out of plans A, B and C.

If you're in this category with me, you recognize that at least one of our starters is guaranteed to go down during the season. So Phil Hughes and IPK are our backup plans.

I'll be happy to see Phranchise start the season in AAA, but hopefully he'll have a strong enough spring to be at the front of the line to fill the gap.

After the centerfield watch, these two young arms will decide the finl standings in the AL East.

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re: the finl standings in the AL East.

So let me get this straight. You are saying that centerfield and then two minor league pitchers are going to determine the final standings in the division? They are really going to make a bigger impact than all five of the other starters, Mark Teixeira, and Arod?

by Rob Abruzzese on Feb 16, 2009 5:20 PM EST reply actions

Yeah

pitching depth is so important. the only thing I would add to the post is the healthy of Jorge. He is vital to our team this year.

Cano is a Pimp

by yankeechaser on Feb 16, 2009 8:25 PM EST up reply actions

My point

is really that I believe the Yanks and Red Sox to be so evenly matched, with the Rays only a step behind, that it will be the odd performance that makes the difference- if one team’s starters all stay healthy all season like last year’s Rays, or a question mark (think Melky, Lowrie and Varitek, Gabe Gross/RF) puts together a near All-Star season.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Feb 16, 2009 10:45 PM EST up reply actions

Boost from the youth

Every team that contends and all the eventual champions get a boost from some young players at some point during the season.

As counter-intuitive as it might seem to be, I think a positive contribution from Hughes or Gardner this season might be the diffference between this Yankee team being a contender that fizzles at the end of the season (like the last several years) or a team that makes a strong push in September and October.

Go young guys!

Go Yankees!

My dying words will be 'Go Giants!'"

by wankerboy on Feb 17, 2009 9:25 AM EST reply actions