When the Yankees balked at the Minnesota Twin's asking price for Johan Santana this off-season they were making a commitment to their young pitchers.
A rough April has left many fans and Hank Steinbrenner wondering if that was the right move. But they must remember after finishing the first month of the season just one game under .500 and just two games out of first place things are certainly better than last season.
Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy were the two pitchers the team decided it would stake this season on when they didn't acquire Santana. So far neither pitcher has held up his end of the bargain.
Hughes, now on the DL until at least early July because of a fractured rib, was expected to be the better of the two young starters and has perhaps been the most disappointing. In six April starts he had a record of 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA and walked just as many batters as he struck out. He has also been a major tax on the bullpen as he averaged just over three innings per start.
Kennedy did not have a much better April. In five starts, and one relief outing, he had a 0-2 record with a terrible 8.37 ERA. Just like Hughes he has also been causing the bullpen to extend its mileage averaging barely over four innings each time out.
That stress might be the reason Kennedy ends up back in the minors. After his last start against the Tigers where he lasted just four and two-thirds innings manager
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“Again, he doesn’t get to the fifth inning, and that’s tough ‘cause you can’t continue to do that because it kills your bullpen,” Girardi said. “And we need more, and we’re gonna have to figure out what’s best.
The problem with both pitchers seems to be similar – not enough experience. That is to be expected with pitchers who are 21 and 23 especially when you realize how fast each of them flew through the minors. Watching them pitch you get the feeling that they dominated minor league hitters so well that neither learned how to pitch in critical situations with men on. You can see this in the way they try to be too fine with runners on base and in tough situations each runs up their pitch count.
These are all issues teams typically face when dealing with young pitchers. The problem is the Yankees don't usually develop young pitchers which is why Steinbrenner and the fans are feeling remorse right now. A lot of the focus on these two also comes from other issues the Bombers have had to deal with.
During the month of April the Yankees played more road games than any other team in the major leagues. They played 18 games on the road in April over a 21 day span and their only break was a two game home stand against the Boston Red Sox. This kind of tough schedule affects the entire team which puts the spotlight on under performing and experienced players.
Injuries to the offense is probably another reason the fan's collective finger is hovering over the panic button. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Jorge Posada have all missed time due to injuries and these guys are the heart of the Yankee lineup. Without them every pitcher, not just Hughes and Kennedy, must elevate their game.
Posada's injury could be the most significant. Without the veteran catcher behind the plate the team has had to rely on players who are calling the games that don't know their pitchers so well or the hitters they are facing.
The Yankees, Steinbrenner, and their fans should realize that all young pitchers go through growing pains even Santana. It takes time dealing with 21 year olds pitching to crowds of 50,000-plus. What they must realize is the payoff can be huge as the last two pitchers the Yankees developed still anchor their rotation – Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang.
This article originally apeared @ Hot Stove New York.com.
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