Phil Hughes had no life on his pitches yesterday–Jon DeRosa called it “weak sauce” in an e-mail to me last night–and he couldn’t locate either.
Here’s Bill Madden in the News:
“He was up in the zone … he left some sliders up,” [Joe] Girardi said after his team’s 10-7 loss. “I was more concerned about his locating the baseball and the fact that he didn’t do it today. Sometimes guys who throw harder take a while longer (to get their velocity up). The big concern is not locating.”
…My velocity is not where I would like it to be at this stage,” [Hughes] conceded, “and so when I’m not hitting my spots that’s what happens.”
“I think he’s trying to generate velocity and losing location because of it,” reasoned Rothschild, who later added: “There’s going to be concern until you see it.”
In the Post, Joel Sherman reports the troubling news:
…That this has been going on for weeks. That pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Hughes already have tried a bunch of remedies throughout spring training and — as of this moment — have unearthed neither a reason why the righty has lost fastball life nor a way to solve the deficiency.
Hughes thinks his arm swing is too long. Rothschild says that maybe more long tossing will provide a solution. Joe Girardi talks still about Hughes needing to build arm strength when we just finished that little thing called spring training which — above all else — is stretched to six weeks so pitchers can build arm strength.
“It’s a little disconcerting, right now,” Hughes said.
Of course, we Yankee fans are prone to panic and hysteria. Anyone ready to get nervous over this yet? Or would that be too un-Dude?
[0] "Anyone ready to get nervous over this yet?"
Nope.
Long season.
For anyone who read Sunday NYT, Sal Maglie pitched for Giants against Yankees in 1951 WS. He played for the Yankees in 1957 and 1958. Hit a homer against Washington On May 18, 1958, a game in which the mick also hit one.
1) Good, me neither. 2) The Barber!
[3] Indeed, Hughes isn't the only pitcher in even the AL East having this apparent problem. (Happened to Cecil last year too.)
Hughes didn't look good, but he wasn't the worst I ever seen. He might've even lucked into a QS but for those meatballs to Cabrera (who is no schlub). Location on his off-speed stuff seemed more of a problem than velocity, his curve esp. had no crispness.
[3] Phil Rizzuto always spoke of Maglie as The Barber -- is that where you learned of his nickname? (I do miss the Scooter.)
Hmmm .... anyone for moving Joba into the rotation NOW?
Courtesy of fangraphs;
07: 66.2% (91.0)
08: 62.4% (91.2)
09: 62.8% (93.8)
10: 63.6% (92.6)
I'm not going to worry about Hughes' velocity after one start in April.