[新聞] Hughes' slow start means quick hook

[abc12812 ()]

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=marchand_andrew&id=6287077



NEW YORK -- Phil Hughes knows he can't live under these speed limits. He
makes too many mistakes to have his fastball consistently at 89-91 mph. To
match his 2010 All-Star form, Hughes needs to be at 92-94.

Hughes couldn't get there on Sunday and a problem that was whispered about in
spring training came roaring along like the 4 train in Hughes' first
regular-season start of 2011. Hughes couldn't find his velocity and Miguel
Cabrera kept finding the seats.

"It is a little disconcerting right now," Hughes said after his four innings
of five-run pitching in the Yankees' first defeat of the season, a 10-7 home
run fest against the Tigers.

Hughes took the loss, but the bigger concern is whether his fastball will
disappear like Javy Vazquez's did last year, or Joba Chamberlain's did the
year before.

If Hughes stays at 89-91, then what?

"I make too many mistakes over the plate to live at that," Hughes said. "[The
retired] Jamie Moyer has been doing it for years. I attack guys and I am
aggressive. When my velocity is a tick down I can't get away with as many
mistakes as I normally do."

Pitching coach Larry Rothschild put it more succinctly.

"That is not his game really," Rothschild said.

On Sunday, Rothschild thought Hughes overcompensated, tried to pump up his
fastball and instead dialed down his mechanics and, thus, lost location.
Cabrera smacked two two-run bombs and Hughes didn't make it to the fifth
inning.

Hughes is just 24, so maybe his velocity will come back soon -- but the only
one who is playing down the severity of the issue is Yankees manager Joe
Girardi. In 24 hours, Girardi went from "curious" about Hughes' lack of
spring velocity to "not real concerned" about his pitcher's lack of a
fastball in a real game.

Of course, Girardi downplayed Vazquez's lack of velocity last season until he
finally removed Vazquez from the rotation.

Hughes is not Vazquez -- not yet, anyway -- but he is a lot like Chamberlain,
a pitcher the Yankees have stamped, "Handle With Care." Chamberlain couldn't
consistently pump up his fastball anymore, and now is relegated to middle
relief -- the setup man for the setup man.

Hughes isn't going anywhere, but neither will the discussion about his
fastball until his velocity comes back.

This spring, a scout said Hughes didn't look the same. Hughes' velocity was
down to a point that if it didn't go up, the scout saw bad news ahead. Prior
to Sunday's 2011 debut, Rothschild admitted to being "a little bit" concerned
about Hughes' lack of heat.

Still, Girardi and Hughes both said it's the same situation as it was last
spring. In 2010, Hughes' missing velocity came back by the time his first
regular-season start occurred.

In Tampa this spring, Girardi said Hughes was at 88-90. That didn't change
much Sunday.

In his four innings, Hughes averaged 89.3 mph on his four-seam fastball,
according to Pitch F/X, which charts such things. Last year, his four-seamer
was 92.5 mph. Where did those three miles per hour go?

Did Hughes' career-high 191 innings last season abuse his arm too much? Is he
hurt? Did fired pitching coach Dave Eiland take Hughes' heat with him when he
cleaned out his office?

Hughes and Rothschild both said Hughes is not hurt. There is no evidence of
that, but between throwing more and throwing less they haven't been able to
figure out how to get higher readings on the gun.

"There is not an easy way to get there," Rothschild said.

On Sunday, Hughes threw 40 four-seam fastballs and 37 cutters. He averaged
83.5 mph on his cutter, maxing out at 88.8. Last year, that 88.8 mph max was
his season average. But here is why Hughes can't live at these speed limits:
Of the 77 fastballs he threw, only two were swinging strikes, according to
Pitch F/X.

"It is more an arm strength thing," Hughes said. "Hopefully, it comes around.
It did last year."

If it doesn't, then move over A.J. Burnett, the Yankees have a new bigger,
more pressing problem. There seems to be a lot of reasons to believe Hughes
will get it back -- his youth being first and foremost -- but until Hughes
breaks the 92 mph speed limit, his fastball will continue to be a major issue.

"There is going to be concern until you see it," Rothschild said.

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◆ From: 140.112.25.133
推 meier0112   :控球問題更大,速球完全沒控球,新cutter非常不穩定
→ meier0112   :曲球還是投不進好球帶,變速球還是show-me pitch
推 meier0112   :他應該去看看同期的Ian Kennedy 沒90mile怎麼投球
推 jayin07     :他昨天outpitch幾乎通通都用new cutter
→ jayin07     :非常奇怪的現象，Martin自己應該也看的出來
→ jayin07     :感覺這場是拿玩的-_-
→ subcrew02   :cutter的球速沒出來
→ subcrew02   :大約落在85~88 mph..
→ jdtrue      :他的新cutter不是本來就這麼慢？
推 yamatai     :控球問題非常大，加上球速出不來，真的是非常嚴重
→ yamatai     :他原本在RP很殺的武器是mid-90速球加優良的控球
→ yamatai     :現在這個武器完全消失。新的卡特好的時候有 JOBA
→ yamatai     :災難滑球的那個幅度，現在幅度小又慢，騙不到人
→ yamatai     :至於曲球，我建議大家忘記他吧..........
推 meier0112   :越想越氣,卡特狂,超固執 你以為你背號42號阿 凸
→ journeytou  :樓上氣成這樣= =...
推 externaload :但是他春訓的cutter不是丟的還不錯? 開季怎變這樣
→ externaload :昨天被米糕卡布尻的第一發cutter 平平的進去..根本
→ externaload :在餵球....
→ yamatai     :他春訓的時候那顆幅度很大，現在很小。春訓就被米糕
→ yamatai     :狠狠轟出去過了