Hughes sharp against R-Phils
Yankees’ top pitching prospect lives up to hype in exhibition.
VAN ROSE
vrose@timesleader.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- Philip Hughes got bumped from starting for
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Ottawa on Thursday in favor of New York
Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang.
Hughes wound up starting for Double-A Trenton, which took on the Reading
Phillies on an adjacent field. As things turned out, the young man
regarded as baseball’s top pitching prospect had a better day.
The 20-year-old right-hander pitched four innings of shutout ball. He
struck out five, gave up just three hits and issued one walk.
Wang, meanwhile, struggled a bit against the former Red Barons. He gave
up three runs and four hits in six innings of work, including home runs
to Pedro Swann and Danny Sandoval.
Hughes displayed the form that has made him the most talked-about Yankee
pitching prospect to come along in recent years.
“I’m happy with the outing,” said Hughes, who made only his second
start since being sent down to minor league camp last week. “I had a
chance to work on some different things. I threw a lot of changeups,
which is something I don’t normally do.
“I felt comfortable with the way the ball came out of my hand.”
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Hughes is an intimidating presence when he
takes the mound. He possesses a 95-mph fastball that explodes when it
reaches the plate, making it seem like a jet air stream.
Hughes’ money pitch, however, is a great curveball.
“I like to mix up pitches, but basically I use my fastball to set up
the curveball,” he said. “I feel stronger every time I pitch.”
Hughes threw 63 pitches Thursday. He hopes to work at least five innings
in his next start, then work his way up to 95 or 100 pitches in his
final spring outing late next week.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitching coach Dave Eiland was impressed with
Hughes’ effort against Reading.
“He’s getting his work in, and had an opportunity to develop his
changeup,” Eiland said. “He got a little fatigued in the fourth
inning, and left a couple of pitches up. But he’s having a good spring.
”
Hughes had a fantastic season in 2006 at Trenton, where he simply
dominated the Eastern League. He was 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA and 128
strikeouts.
Considered by many to be among the most important names in the entire
Yankee organization, there’s talk of Hughes joining New York’s
starting rotation after a few appearances in Triple-A.
Hughes appears to be handling all the hype with ease.
“My goal right now is to get ready to start the season (at
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre),” he said. “I had a good big league camp. I’m
much more relaxed that I was in spring training last year.”
A native of Mission Viejo, Calif., Hughes was selected by the Yankees in
the first round of the 2004 draft. During his high school career, he set
a school record with 23 wins and a 0.64 ERA.
Hughes will anchor the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitching staff that also
will include top prospects Ross Ohlendorf and Tyler Clippard.
A major league staff
The SWB pitching staff definitely had a major league look on Thursday.
Besides Wang, relievers Chris Britton and Scott Proctor also played in
the Triple-A game.
Britton, who was obtained from the Baltimore Orioles during the
offseason in the trade for Jaret Wright, looked exceptionally sharp. He
struck out three and gave up one hit in two innings.
Scott Proctor also worked two innings. He struck out two and gave up a
pair of hits.
Last year, Proctor set a New York Yankees’ single-season record with 83
appearances.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre edged Ottawa, 4-3. Eric Duncan singled in the
winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
Jackson to start
Steven Jackson, a 24-year-old right-hander who was acquired by the
Yankees from Arizona in the Randy Johnson trade, is scheduled to start
for SWB today against the Durham Bulls.
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