WHY HUGHES' FAILURES WILL BE PETTITTE'S GAIN

Expect the Yankees to waste no time pulling the plug on Phil Hughes after a few more failed starts. After all, Hughes has both experience in the Yankees pen as well as starter and it really doesn’t matter to Yankee management that it’s April...this season will be a World Championship season. Why? Well, you don’t trade away Jesus Montero, the guy they “refused” to trade for Cliff Lee the year before (Read HERE), but then go after a 23 year old future superstar by dangling Jesus to the Mariners all over again. The Yanks got a very important piece to their rotation puzzle with Pineda in that trade this winter and stacked the rotation with CC Sabathia, veteran Hiroki Kuroda, Super Nova and a kid named Phil Hughes who they've been waiting for to really start dominating consistently. The point is, this year is important and Phil Hughes needs to deliver or he’ll be delivered… to the pen, or worse... to another team.

Meanwhile Andy Pettitte is making nice progress and is looking for an opening in the Yankees rotation. You clearly aren’t going to mess with 2-0 Ivan Nova and CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda appear to be untouchable, but Phil Hughes isn’t, and neither is Freddy Garcia. 2 slots with 2 replacements on the way…Man, we thought the competition between Garcia and Hughes was over…No, it’s just starting.

On Sunday Andy Pettitte pitched 4 scoreless innings in Class A Advanced Tampa. You can read the full story with MLB.com’s Adam Berry HERE. 31 of the 47 pitches he threw were strikes. I’ll take that. He allowed 2 hits and struck out 3. Of his outing, Pettitte said “Everything feels pretty good.” His next outing is in 5 days and Cashman confirmed Pettitte will definitely get 1 more start in the minors(read HERE.) For sure though, Pettitte’s on his way, and if I’m Phil Hughes, I’d be concerned for myself.

Hughes needs to go out in his next outing and be lights out. Much like he capitalized the moment Freddy Garcia took a come backer to his hand and missed a start this spring, Hughes needs to dig deep and pound the strike zone like his life depended on it, because there is no doubt that Pettitte and Michael Pineda will soon be breathing down his neck.

There comes a time and place where Yankeeland gets fed up with losing pitchers and it’s getting pretty close to no more “do overs” for Phil Hughes. It’s now the time to shine or else. Sure the bullpen could be next, but let’s be honest…is there room for Phil Hughes? And could AAA be an option, maybe…and maybe it’s just a holding place until they figure out if perhaps they should deal Hughes for someone else. One things for sure, time’s ticking for the Golden Boy. Yes, I find the whole mess disappointing, after all, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes were supposed to be our future, but we’ve had more doctor’s bills and stop downs then wins and that’s something to be concerned about.

Any way you slice it…if shit don’t get better, shit’s going down…for the better of the New York Yankees.

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