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04/24/2007 7:33 PM ET
Hughes ready for highly touted debut in Bronx
- Yankees staff's injuries quicken timetable for top pitching prospect
By Lisa Winston / MLB.com
MOOSIC, Pa. -- Phil Hughes' cell phone bill for April won't be pretty after
Monday night.
Fortunately, the 20-year-old right-hander will be able to pay for it out of a
Major League paycheck.
Hughes, the New York Yankees' top pitching prospect, had his phone ringing
non-stop Monday night when it was announced that he would make his big-league
debut Thursday night against Toronto.
"It's definitely exciting and I'm looking forward to it, thrilled to have
this opportunity," Hughes said Tuesday afternoon at PNC Field in Moosic,
adding that he was particularly happy to be getting the start at Yankee
Stadium. "Wherever it was going to be, it would be exciting. But Yankee
Stadium is Yankee Stadium. And it's always better to have the home crowd
behind you."
The Yankees' first-round pick in 2004 out of high school in southern
California, Hughes emerged last season as the most highly touted pitcher in
the Minors. He started the 2006 season at Class Advanced A Tampa before
moving up to Double-A Trenton midway through the summer, combining to strike
out 168 batters in 146 innings. In his first three pro seasons, he combined
to go 21-7 with a 2.12 ERA.
This year, Hughes went 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in his first three Minor League
starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, including a stellar outing April 18
when he struck out 10 in six innings of two-hit shutout ball against the
Syracuse Chiefs (Blue Jays).
Coming into the season, the common speculation was that he'd spend the first
half of the year with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and perhaps be up in the Majors
by the All-Star break. But the tribulations of the Yankees rotation
accelerated that plan by a few months.
Hughes got an inkling the situation might have changed while he was shopping
at the Viewmont Mall in nearby Dickson City on Monday. He got that all
important cell call from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitching coach Dave Eiland.
"He asked me to come to the park and throw a bullpen because there was a
chance I might start this Thursday," Hughes said. "So I came and threw, and
they found out for sure right after that."
Monday night found him with his phone glued to his ear, as he estimated he
received about 100 calls.
"I think I got a call from every beat writer in New York," he joked,
admitting that the only calls he returned were those from his family and
friends.
"I was definitely excited [Monday] night," he said. "I've calmed down a
little and am just thinking about what I need to do to get ready."
While Hughes was surprised by the quick callup, he thinks it may have been a
blessing in disguise.
"It's probably better to find out on short notice so I don't have too much
time to think about it," he said. "But I feel like I was ready to go. It
happened earlier than I expected, but it's still a good opportunity."
Hughes is aware a lot of eyes will be on him and expectations will be high,
because of his reputation, his status as top prospect and the surprising
desperate early need for pitching in New York. But he's not going to let that
faze him.
"I'm only pitching one day out of every five so I know I can't go up there
and help every problem they have," Hughes said. "They're calling on me to
give them some help and I just want to do that."
At this point, he doesn't know what, if any, plans have been made for him
beyond the first start. But he hopes to help make that decision easier for
the team by pitching well enough to make them want to keep him around for
good.
"I haven't heard anything yet, so I don't know if it's going to be one start
or if it's going to be all season," he said. "I'm going to go up there and
pitch to the best of my ability and I don't have any intention of coming
back."
Hughes still had a few errands to take care of before heading up to New York
on Wednesday morning, including pickup of his dry cleaning and his lone good
suit. Fortunately, even with the short notice, there was enough time for his
family to book plane tickets to fly in from Los Angeles for his debut.
They will be among the 30 to 50 tickets he estimates he'll have to leave for
family and friends.
"But not as bad as it would have been if it was in Anaheim," he laughed.
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