Game 45. Tit for Tat. O’s win in 10, 3-2.

Last night the Yanks beat the Orioles in 10, tonight it was the other way around as the O’s got a walk-off HR from Nate McLouth in the 10th to win 3-2.

Phil Hughes went six and gave up 2 runs. Much better than his last outing of 7 R in 2/3 of an inning. Ex-Yankee Chris Dickerson tormented his former club with 2 solo HR off of Hughes.

The Yanks got a run in the first on a double by Gardner and a single by Hafner. Hafner pretty much was the whole Yanks offense tonight with 2 H and both RBI. The Yanks only had three other hits all night.

Dickerson’s 1st HR of the night tied it at one in the third.

In the fourth, Wells doubled and Hafner singled. 2-1 Yanks, but Dickerson’s second HR off Hughes tied it in the fifth.

In the seventh, a play that could have turned the game around. With two out, David Adams (doing well since his callup) singled. Jayson Nix lined on to the gap that Nick Markasis made a diving catch on. If it gets by him and to the wall, it’s a double, Adams scores, and the Yanks go up 3-2.

Hughes 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 5 K. The good Phil. We never know what we will good. When good, he’s very good. When bad, he’s very bad. A decent effort tonight, ERA to 5.51 (still way too high).

Logan 2/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 1.93.

Kelley 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 5.30.

Robertson 1 IP. 3 up, 3 down all by K. 2.79.

Claiborne 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. He still hasn’t given up a run since being called up to the majors. 0.00.

Vidal Nuno came in (his 3rd MLB game) and gave up a HR to the first batter he faced. Ballgame over. Nuno 1-1, 1.13.

Curtis Granderson is struggling since coming off the DL. .174.

Game 43. Cano (2), Hafner HRs lead Yanks, 7-2.

Robbie Cano was slumping, hitting just .204-2-8 since May 5th. He broke out of it today with two two-run HRs and four RBI as the Yanks beat Toronto 7-2.

Travis Hafner had missed a couple of games due to a shoulder issue, but he got a two-run HR as well.

David Phelps (W, 2-2, 3.83) pitched seven innings, 1 R, 6 H, 3 walks and 8 K.

David Robertson the 8th, 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and a K. ERA to 3.12.

Boone Logan the 9th. 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.13.

The Yanks got three in the third on an RBI single by Gardner and Robbie’s first two-run dinger. Toronto got one back in the fourth.

Robbie’s second two-run HR in the fifth made it 5-1. Toronto got a HR by Encarnacion in the 8th to cut it to 5-2 but Hafner’s two-run HR in the bottom of the 8th closed the scoring.

Phelps has done well filling in for Nova. I hope Hughes was watching and noticing.

Game 40. Hughes, Yanks, hammered, 12-2.

We hit the quarter pole with the Yanks at a surprising 25-15 considering all the injuries.

The bad news is the loss tonight, a 12-2 pasting by Seattle, and it was led by our old buddy, Raul Ibanez.

Phil Hughes is an enigma. When good, he can be very good. When bad, he can be horrendous. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Tonight he was very, very bad.

He only lasted 2/3 of an inning, giving up 7 R (a grand slam to Raul), 6 H, 2 walks and 0 K. He falls to 2-3, 5.88.

His first two starts this year were not good. That could be written off because he missed a lot of spring training due to a bulging disc in his back. He then rattled off four good outings in which his ERA in those outings was 1.93. Now two bad outings.

You don’t know what you’ll get. That is his problem. He must be more consistent. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The last pitcher I used that on was … A.J. Burnett. Hughes is like Burnett right now. You don’t know which one—good or bad—will show up.

From the LOHUD blog:

In his first two and his last two – the starts when he’s struggled — he’s had a combined ERA of 14.17 with seven strikeouts. In his middle four starts, he’s had a combined ERA of 1.93 with 30 strikeouts.

Preston Claiborne continued his impressive beginning of his MLB career with 2 1/3 scoreless innings. His ERA is still 0.00.

Brett Marshall then made his MLB debut, and unfortunately for him, it was a forgettable one. With the Yanks down by a bunch, he kind of “took one for the team.” He went 5 2/3, 5 R, 9 H, 5 walks and 1 K. He gave up 2 dingers.

The last out was recorded by SS Alberto Gonzalez, who faced one batter and got a flyout. He recorded just one less out than Hughes.

I hope Hughes was watching Monday when Phelps and Nuno did well. For if he continues the inconsistency, then he must know there are others ready to step in. I’ve defended Hughes, but there is no defense for tonight. He was awful. It’s the kind of performance that makes you wonder if he is disguising an injury. If not, there is no need to panic yet. But eight starts into the season, an ERA of 5.88 isn’t anywhere near good enough.

Before the game, David Adams was activated from AAA, and he played 3B, his first MLB game. Recently acquired 3B Chris Nelson was DFA’d. Adams went 1 for 4.

The Yanks got their runs from HR by Vernon Wells (10) and Chris Stewart (3).

It’s funny. Wells, who the Angels couldn’t wait to dump (salary) after two subpar years for them, has more HR combined than Pujols & Hamilton.

Game 34. Overbay leads Yanks to 11-6 win.

I’ll defend Phil Hughes, who had four great outings before tonight but even though he got the win tonight, I won’t defend him tonight.

The Yanks did win, though, 11-6.

In the top of the second, the Yanks went up 4-0 on 2-Run HRs by Ichiro  (2) and Overbay (6).

Hughes then pissed me off. 4-0 lead. He gave up a walk and a single. He then struck out the next two batters and had an 0-2 count on the next hitter, the #9 hitter. A fat fastball becomes a 3-run HR.

Phil, I defend you but there is NO DEFENSE FOR THAT. NONE.

Overbay’s double in the 4th made in 5-3 Yanks. Phil gives up two in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up.

The Yanks come back with five in the top of the sixth to make it 10-5 Yanks. Overbay doubled in a run, and Chris Nelson singled in two. After a forceout, Gardner tripled in a run and Cano singled in another. 10-5 Yankees.

Whereupon Hughes gave up a HR to cut it to 10-6. Hey Phil. You blew a 4-0 lead and now you give up a HR when they restored your lead to 10-5. Unacceptable. You must protect leads.

Hughes got an ugly win. 5 2/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 2 walks and 3 K. 2 HR. He goes to 2-2, 4.43.

Shawn Kelley 2 1/3, 0 R, o H, 0 walks and 6 K. 6 K out of 7 outs and clearly his best outing as a Yankee. ERA to 6.14.

Boone Logan the scoreless 9th with 2 K. ERA to 2.70.

Gardner and Cano each with 2 H, RBI. Ichiro 3 h, 2 RBI.

Overbay with 4 hits, HR, 2 doubles, & 5 RBI tonight.

2 H, 2 RBI for Chris Nelson.

Somehow, this cast of no-names is getting it done.

Game 29. Hughes gets his first win of the season, 4-2.

Phil Hughes pitched eight shutout innings and notched his first win of the year as the Yanks beat Oakland 4-2.

After two tough starts to open the season, one of which was supposed to be a minor league rehab start, Hughes has pitched four good games, with his ERA being 1.93 in those four games.

And to think, some people wanted to ditch Hughes after his second start of this year. Hughes won 16 (tying for the team lead) last year and 18 in 2010. There aren’t too many pitchers out there that could say that they won 16 or more in two of the last three seasons. Yes, he gives up homers and his ERA isn’t the greatest, but he did win 16 last year, 18 in 2010 and still hasn’t turned 27.

For the season, Hughes is now 1-2, 3.60. We hope this roll continues.

The Yanks went up 1-0 in the third when Chris Stewart homered off of Bartolo Colon. Stewart’s HR (2) was only the sixth of his career.

Lyle Overbay made it 2-0 in the fifth with his fifth HR of the season. A double by Cano and single by Hafner, who prior to the single was 0 for 17 off of Colon, made it 3-0 in the sixth.

A triple by Nunez and single by Gardner made it 4-0 in the seventh.

Shawn Kelley started the ninth, gave up a hit and was pulled for Mo. Mo wasn’t his best, but got the outs to end the game. It wasn’t a save situation.

Kelley 0 IP, 1 batter, 1 R, 1 H, no walks or K. ERA to 8.71. Ugh.

Mariano 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K.    ERA to 2.19.

 

Gm 24. Yanks finish sweep of Jays, 3-2.

Phil Hughes didn’t get the win, but he pitched six strong innings and the Yanks rode HRs by Brennan Boesch (2) and Lyle Overbay (3) to a 3-2 win over Toronto today, sweeping all four games of the series.

Hughes line: 6 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 1 walk and 9 K. ERA to 4.67. He’s settled down after two shaky starts to start the season. In his last three starts, he’s given up six runs in 20 innings. That’s an ERA of 2.70. That’s more like it.

Hughes faced last year’s NL CYA winner, R.A. Dickey. Boesch hit a HR in the 2nd to put the Yanks up 1-0.

Toronto got a couple cheapie hits off Hughes to tie the game up at one in the fourth, then Hughes gave up another run in the sixth, when apparently he was tiring. However with men at 2nd and 3rd, two out in the sixth, Hughes struck out Henry Blanco on his final pitch to limit the damage. It was Hughes’ 111th pitch of the game.

The bullpen took over. Boone Logan (W, 1-1, 2.84) pitched a scoreless 7th, while Lyle Overbay hit a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 7th to put the Yanks up 3-2. The Yanks only managed four hits in the game, but the HRs by Boesch and Overbay were enough.

Robertson (2.79) pitched a scoreless 8th, then it was time for Mo.

Funny. He isn’t pitching like a 43 year old about to retire. Mo did his usual.
1-2-3. He is now 9 for 9 in save opportunities this year. Save #617 of his remarkable career lowered his ERA to 1.80.

Meanwhile, the guys cast off by others and picked up by the Yanks continue to do the job. The Yanks are now 15-9. Did you expect that after the 1-4 start?

Gm 19. Not a Hughes win, but a Huge win. 4-3.

It wasn’t a Hughes win, but it was a huge win for the Yanks tonight as they won 4-3 to improve their record to 11-8.

Hughes started and for the second straight outing, did well. 2 R in 7 IP. After his first two starts (one being a start which was SUPPPOSED to be a rehab start and the other on long rest) were lousy, some people wanted the Yanks to dump the guy. I argued that you had to give him time. Yes, he gives up HR. But you CANNOT give up on a guy who isn’t 27 yet and who gave you 16 wins (tied for the team lead) last year and 18 in 2010.

The Yanks NEEDED a good outing from Hughes tonight for he was facing last year’s CYA winner in David Price. Not only were the Yanks facing last year’s CYA winner, but Price is a lefty and the Yanks’ lineup vs. lefties lately is pathetic.

How pathetic? Consider this. Youk is out with a bothersome back. That left the Yanks with four lefty hitters in the lineup (Ichiro, Gardner, Overbay and Cano) against a lefty CYA winner. Of the other five (righty) hitters in the lineup, three—Francisco, Nunez and Nix—entered the game a combined 16 for 100. .160. Ugh.

But Hughes came up huge. 7 IP, 2 R, 6, 2 walks and 6 K (ERA now 5.14). With the Yanks lineup depleted (no Jeter, Teix, Youk, A-Rod), he needed to come up big. After giving up one run in the first, with a man on third and one out, Hughes struck out Longoria & Joyce. He limited the damage. Huge.

The Yanks got a gift run in the 4th which meant the ballgame. Nunez struck out but reached on a WP by Price. Cano singled and Wells singled to tie the game at 1.

After the Rays went ahead in the 7th, the Yanks tied it in the 8th. With one out, the slumping Ichiro singled. He then showed great baserunning skills in going to third on a single to left by Nix (he was running on the pitch). Gardner hit an infield chopper that tied the game. I was hoping for a squeeze (good runner at third in Ichiro, good, fast runner and bunter at the plate in Gardner) but it worked as well. 2-2.

I was a bit upset at Hughes for the 2nd Rays’ run. 1 out, 2 on and he left a pitch too far up on Jose Molina which Molina fisted into RF to put the Rays up 2-1. Molina can’t run. Get it down and make him hit into a DP.

Anyway, 2-2, top of the 9th. Cano singled and stole second. You don’t see too many SB from Robbie. Hafner and Overbay walked. Bases loaded for Ichiro, who, as I said, was slumping coming into tonight. He singled up the middle for two runs.

The Yanks needed those runs. Robertson (W, 1-0, 2.70) pitched a scoreless 8th, but Mo gave up a HR to Longoria leading off the 9th. He then retired the next three for save #6 on the year and #614 for his career.

Ben Francisco batted 5th. Fifth. He is now  2 for 25 for the year. Ronnier Mustelier can’t replace him soon enough as far as I’m concerned.

Mo wasn’t MO, but he got save #6 on the year and #614 of his career. Thank goodness he had a 2-run lead for he gave up a leadoff HR to Longoria.

Gm 17. Yanks lose 8-4, drop to 10-7.

Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova should look over their shoulders. Chien Ming Wang had a good outing yesterday for SWB, and Vidal Nuno did today (see the minors report, to come).

Hughes is 0-2, 6.43 after three starts, and Nova is 1-1, 6.14. It’s still too early to make a move (after all, it’s just April 21) but not too early to suggest that they have to step it up or they could be replaced come mid-May.

Nova struggled today, going 5+, 4 R, 7 H, 4 walks, 5 K in getting a ND. Since his good rookie year of 2011 (16-4, 3.70), he’s gone 13-9, 5.11. Very Burnett-like. A.J. like also in that he has stuff, but the results have you scratching your head. You think it’s not the arm (like A.J.) but what’s between the ears.

Still, Nova had a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. I thought he threw enough pitches and would not have brought him out for the sixth. A walk and a double later, my fears were justified, that Nova should have been pulled. He threw 101 pitches in those 5+ innings.

But the bullpen didn’t help. Boone Logan faced one batter. RBI single.

0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks or K, ERA to 3.38.

Phelps came in and didn’t have it. He had a bad outing against Arizona on the 18th and another one today. 3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 walks and 3 K. I was surprised Girardi left him out there for more than one inning (it was obvious he didn’t have it) but I guess Girardi wanted to save his bullpen.

So Phelps will be unavailable for a while. Meanwhile, Adam Warren has pitched in just two games this year, and none since April 9th.

But Nova has to step it up. 13-9, 5.11 in his last 31 starts isn’t cutting it. If, say, Nuno (now 2-0, 1.54) or Wang (1 start, 5 1/3 scoreless) is doing well in four weeks and Nova continues to struggle, … then there are replacements.

That goes for the bullpen, too. Mark Montgomery (0-1, 1.12) at AAA entered today with 15 K in 8 IP at SWB. (He didn’t pitch today).

Chris Stewart had a solo HR for the Yanks in the 3rd. Bases loaded walks to Overbay and Nunez brought in two runs in the 5th and Gardner had a SF in the 6th.

Hopefully Nova does better next time. If not, …

Gm. 14. Hughes good, Phelps not as Yanks lose 6-2 in 12.

The Yanks lost in 12 to Arizona tonight, 6-2 to snap their three game winning streak.

After two poor outings, Phil Hughes had a good one, giving up 2 R (2 solo HR, natch) in 7 IP. Hughes is a fly ball pitcher in Yankee Stadium, which is a problem. He’ll give up the HR. But two solo ones tonight…. if only the bats were working. We can only hope that Hughes gives this kind of outing every time out from here on in.

Robbie Cano got a HR in the 6th (5) to cut it to 2-1, but the Yanks missed their chance to win the game in the bottom of the 8th. Down 2-1, they had the bases loaded with one out. Cano and Youk both struck out.

The Yanks lineup against lefty pitching, to me, seems weak. They didn’t get any help today from the news that Derek Jeter has a small crack (fracture) in that ankle of his and won’t be back until after the All-Star break… meaning after he turns 39. I really wonder… can he ever play SS again (look at the age and injury again), or when he does come back (and I think it is safe to wonder if ever) will he strictly be a DH?

Anyway, they blew a golden opportunity in the 8th, only to see Cervelli tie it in the bottom of the 9th with his 2nd HR. But Cervelli got called for catcher’s interference not once, but TWICE in this ballgame.

Boone Logan (2/3) and Joba (1 1/3) kept Arizona at two, and David Robertson (1) pitched a scoreless inning. David Phelps got out of big trouble in the 11th, but blew it in the 12th, giving up 4 R, 3 ER. Ex-Yank Eric Chavez sealed the deal with a 3-run double.

More on Hughes.

In my previous post, I explained that although Hughes could lose his starting rotation position with a few bad starts, that now, after just two starts, is too early to pull the plug.

Am I disappointed in his starts so far? Yes. But I realize that he may be behind because of the bulging disk he had in his back in spring training. He probably should have had a couple of rehab starts.

But having two bad starts to begin a season doesn’t automatically mean someone should be pulled from the rotation right away. As I mentioned in my previous post, Catfish Hunter, fresh off a 1974 CYA and three cons. WS titles, not to mention signing a big, fat, free agent contract with the Yanks, started 1975 0-3, 7.36 in his first four starts. He finished the year 23-14, 2.58.

This isn’t to say that Hughes will win 23. I’ll be happy with the usual 14 or 15. Perhaps the biggest curse put on Hughes was when he was called a “young Roger Clemens” a few years ago. He isn’t Clemens. (Of course, we would hope he isn’t taking PED’s either, or messing around with teenage country female singers). What he is, is an average to a little above average major league starting pitcher. A solid #4 starter, nothing more, maybe a #3. Not an ace.

But as I wrote before, he has won 16 or more in two of the previous three seasons. Granted his ERA wasn’t great. Around the 4.20 mark. But some pitchers, admittedly better ones, didn’t win 16 or more in two of the previous three years (2010-2012). King Felix doesn’t get the run support. Neither did Kershaw. Neither of them did it. Not Hamels or Lee. Not Kuroda. Pettitte was retired in 2011. Not Greinke. Not Beckett. Not Matt Cain. Not Lincecum. Not Jon Lester. Not James Shields or Jeremy Hellickson. Not Dickey or Buehrle or Josh Johnson or Ian Kennedy or Matt Harrison or Ervin Santana.  Johan Santana’s been hurt. Same for Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, both of whom missed all or most of a season in the time span. Gee, I listed a lot of pitchers you think would have joined Hughes as far as winning 16 or more in two of the three years 2010-2012.

To people who want to dump Hughes now, I reiterate, how many teams would want someone who isn’t 27 yet and who won 16 in 2012 and 18 in 2010? The answer: probably all of them.

Yes, Hughes gives up HR. He is a flyball pitcher in Yankee Stadium. He gave up 35 HR last year. But people who bitch and moan need to look at baseballreference.com sometimes.

People don’t know, or remember the past.

Catfish Hunter gave up 39 HR in 1973 when he went 21-5. In 1986, Bert Blyleven gave up 50! HR in going 17-14. Blyleven gave up 46 the next year when he went 15-12. Both HOF. Robin Roberts, another HOF, gave up 505 HR in his career. He gave up 41 in 1955 when he went 23-14, and there was no DH then!

The key is to be sure they are solo HR.

So I read elsewhere where 16-13 (Hughes record last year) isn’t that great. Well, Nolan Ryan won 324 and lost 279 in his career. Divide that by 20. You get 20 16-14 seasons, roughly. Mel Stottlemyre averaged 16-13 for his career. Don Sutton 14-11, Phil Niekro 14-12. Roberts 15-13. That’s their 162 g. averages.

When is the proper time to give up on someone? I remember when Doug Drabek went 7-8, 4.10 for the 1986 Yanks at the age of 23. He was traded to Pittsburgh because the Yanks had no patience and for Rick Rhoden, who had a decent 1987 and average 1988 for the Yanks. Meanwhile, Drabek wins the 1990 CYA for Pittsburgh in a season when the Yanks finished last. Maybe some people don’t remember the Yanks 1989-1992 seasons. Maybe they are spoiled by the recent run of success. I do remember those seasons and of getting rid of — too early — young talents like a Drabek, Jay Buhner or Bob Tewksbury. Tewksbury was 9-5 for that 1986 team. After a slow start in 1987, the Yanks gave up on him. He went on to win 16 in 1992 for St. Louis and 17 the next year.

In Dec. 1960, Sandy Koufax turned 25. He already had six years in the majors and was 36-40. His ERA was 4.10. Imagine if the Dodgers gave up on him and traded him.

In 2003, a 23 yr. old Blue Jay pitcher went 4-7, 10.64. 10.64! Toronto didn’t give up on him. Guy named Roy Halladay.

At the age of 31, Dazzy Vance was a failed major league pitcher. 11 games, 4 starts for his whole career. ERA 4.91. From that point on, he won 197 games and made the HOF. He won the 1924 MVP (beating out a .424 hitting Rogers Hornsby) and led the league in K each year from 1922-1928.

Allie Reynolds was just 51-47, 3.31 when the Yanks got him. He was 30 when he began his first season with the Yanks in 1947. In just one year before that did he win over 11 games. We know how he was with the Yankees. Eddie Lopat was 29 when the Yanks got him. He was 50-49, 3.18. We know how he teamed up with Raschi and Reynolds.

I am not saying Hughes will make the HOF or be another Vance or Reynolds.

But I’m pointing out the danger of being impatient. He may not be “the next Clemens”, not even close.

What he is is not 27 yet. He is just entering into what, barring injury, should be his prime years. He won 16 in 2012, 18 in 2010 and few pitchers in baseball could claim winning 16 or more in two of the previous three years.

He may not be an ace. But, as long as he rights himself, he’s consistent, and should be counted on for 14 or so wins in a season. He won’t be the pre-cocaine Dwight Gooden, but he seems to me to be more a Ron Darling type (to use a mid-1980s Mets analogy). Darling was a solid, if unspectacular, pitcher from 1984-1992, averaging 13-10 a season, having an ERA+ of 99 (100 is average). He won 15 once, 16 once and 17 once in that span. Sounds a bit like Hughes and his 4.20 ERA while winning 16 and 18. Maybe we should look more at Hughes as a Darling-type pitcher and temper our too high expectations.

Accept reality. He’s decent, not great. Maybe he can become great. But if he does after you trade him, then what good is that?

He probably will continue being decent. And I can accept eight more years of him being a Ron Darling-type pitcher (no offense to Darling). If over the next eight years, Hughes (if he stays a Yankee) averages 14-10 a year, that really isn’t too bad.

But also, we should quit treating EACH game like a be all and end all game. Each game isn’t the Super Bowl. A baseball season is 162 games long. Even if you lose 40% of the time you go 97-65 or so. You don’t throw someone under the bus for two bad starts, nor do you give up on someone not quite 27 who won 16 for you last year and 18 in 2010.

Regarding Hughes, whines (wines) and boos (booze) belong in a bar, not in a baseball Stadium when we still haven’t hit mid-April yet. Yes, he was bad yesterday. If he continues like that into May, he deserves to be pulled from the rotation.

But he’s only two starts into the season. Give him time to straighten himself out. Be patient. It’s too early for boos, whines and panicking.