Talking Phil Hughes the Morning After

Phil Hughes was lucky enough to be the starter in yesterday’s Yankees game against Team USA. It was an interesting start because we got to see Hughes go up against a legitimate lineup that was not filled with the usual minor leaguers that fill out spring rosters.

In his second start this spring my initial reaction was a mixed one. His speed was up from his first start sitting at 90 and topping out at 92. An improvement from the 87-90 MPH he was hitting last week. Its early and those things are to be expected.

Also to be expected is the resistance to use all of his pitches. In his first start it was mostly fastballs and his second start featured all of his pitches, but still mostly heaters.

When he did throw his other pitches they had mixed results. His always shaky changeup was all over the place and he barely threw his cutter. One cutter did catch the outside corner to catch a hitter looking at strike three. Not bad, I’d like to see more.

The one pitch that really impressed me was his curveball. Gone was the big loopy curve that hitters waited on and crushed and in its place was a sharp breaking curve that was un-hittable yesterday. Well it turns out he’s done a bit of tinkering with it and apparently that is the curve we should get used to.

“It’s hard to change because you get used to throwing a pitch a certain way,” he said. “In games, you tend to go back to what is comfortable. But they’ve been staying on me to throw the power curve more. I have to trust it and I do.”

Peter Abraham explained the change, “Hughes explained that he’s throwing his curve with the same arm speed as his fastball. So instead of a big loop (picture Mike Mussina’s curve), it goes to the plate on a straighter plane but still has some action as it gets there. It’s how A.J. Burnett throws his curve.

“Hughes devoted a lot of time in the Arizona Fall League to working on that particular pitch.”

Abraham also explained that he is still working on his changeup a pitch he now throws more like a splitter.

In the third inning of yesterday’s game Hughes showed he’s still got a ways to go in spring training. His fastball lost velocity sitting in the upper 80’s by the third inning. It also lost it’s late movement and a couple hitters took advantage of it. But that’s natural in spring as he gets his conditioning back to the level he needs it to be at to compete.

Good signs to see the 22-year-old is constantly working on his pitches and isn’t simply relying on the same things that got him to the big leagues. He could be a serious force this season if he gets a chance. With the number of injury risks in the Yankees rotation that shouldn’t take long.