From Sam Borden (LoHud):
As I said on Twitter, Phil Hughes ducked the media after walking two to lead off the eighth. Dave Eiland said Hughes tried to be “too perfect,” but expressed confidence the team will continue to utilize him in the same role. “Sure, why not,” Eiland said. “He’s had a heckuva lot more good outings than bad. We’re not going to throw the towel on him yet.”
At this point, “Sure, why not,” doesn’t really inspire much confidence nor does it sound at all convincing. Perhaps the Yankees would be better served piecing together a bridge to Mariano Rivera through matchups rather than set roles related to innings, with Damaso Marte and Phil Coke against lefties and either David Robertson, Phil Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain against the righties. Not only has Hughes lost his death grip on the 8th inning, specifically, but he has lost his grip on high leverage innings in general, therefore, the situation must be altered for winning’s sake.
I’m also not averse to calling upon Mariano Rivera for multiple six-out saves. Hell, bring him in every night. Why not? Let him rest in the offseason. To some, that comment may sound somewhat icy, but abusing his golden arm for a few games is likely necessary to win right now. You have to conserve his arm, of course, however, if the Yankees bullpen chucks every lead into the trash or fails to keep the games close, then he won’t see any time during the series.
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6 Responses to Warning: Broken Bridge
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TIQ IQ
I definitely still have faith in Hughes. His entire season of good outings carries a lot more weight than a few consecutive bad ones.
No it doesn’t! Hughes is always been the type of guy who thrives with no pressure but as soon as there are expectations and pressure he crumbles! He gets moved to the pen where there is no pressure and he is a set up man, as soon as the playoffs come around he has look terrified out on the mound since the Twins series! Remember when he did good out of the pen in the playoffs a few years ago? When we had all but been eliminated, put those situations in a tight game and he falls apart it’s Hughes MO. The guy is a head case!
If the Yankees go to Hughes tonight and he blows the lead, do you go to him tomorrow if the same situation arises?
Right now if I’m Girardi Robertson is my set-up man for the rest of the post season (however long that will be) because he is the only one who doesn’t look scared and he is the only one who looks like he believes in his pitches. Chamberlain doesn’t look like he trusts anything (and with good reasoning) and Hughes looks scared and he wants to throw 100 now and not in the zone because he is afraid of giving up hits so he is a walk machine again.
I agree, Chris.
Maybe pitching where the yankees have a good lead will let him (Hughes)get grounded again.
Let’s hope.
If the Yankees ever get a big lead, we really don’t have the luxury of letting Hughes “find himself” that was suppose to be done already, but once again he let the pressure get to him and he has failed… Ever wonder why he never turned into the hype he originally was gotten with? Pressure sinks Phil Hughes!