WILL THE REAL PHIL HUGHES PLEASE STAND UP?

For those of you old enough to remember, in 1976 there was a movie called “Sybil” that was about a woman with multiple personalities.  It was a disturbing portrayal of a person trying to overcome deep-rooted issues within themselves.

Phil Hughes is the Yankees version of my Sybil, because lately, his career has been a veritable roller coaster ride filled with high peaks and deep valleys. 

In 2009, the last World Championship for the Bombers, Hughes was used as a spot starter and long reliever.  He went 8 – 3 with a 3.03 ERA.  Clearly at 23 years of age he was a rising star for the team.

In 2010, the “rise” continued as a member of the rotation.  The right-hander went 18 – 8 with a respectable 4.19 ERA.  The only point of concern was the 25 home runs he allowed – perhaps a sign of things to come?

The following season was a fall from grace for Hughes.  He reported to camp appearing out of shape and with a sudden loss of velocity on his fastball.   Many speculated that he was taking his spot among the starting five for granted.   The results were a season bouncing on and off the disabled list while trying to re-discover his heat.  A 5 – 5 record and 5.79 ERA meant he’d have to work to regain security in the rotation.

Last season was one with signs that the “old” Phil Hughes was back.  While the HR count continued to climb (he allowed 35 round-trippers), he managed to go 16 – 13 with a 4.23 ERA and pitched the most innings of his career – 191.  Included was a stretch during June and July where he went 6 – 3 with a 2.87 ERA.  What made that run so important was it happened when two of the team’s top starters – Sabathia and Pettitte – went on the DL on the same day.  Hughes came through for us when we needed him the most.

2013 seems to be a summary of the hurler’s six-plus years in Major League Baseball.  To date, a graph of Hughes’ performance this year would look like an EKG. 

• In his first two starts he was horrendous in taking two losses, pitching just seven innings and yielding eight earned runs (10.29 ERA).

• Over his next 28 innings he gave up just six earned runs (1.93 ERA) and went 1 – 0.

• Apparently because he doesn’t handle success too well, Hughes stayed on the mound just 6.1 innings over his next two starts and gave up 13 runs (18.47 ERA).

• The end of May gave us the “brilliant” Phil Hughes.  Over two starts (with no decision) he gave up just 3 earned runs in 13 innings (2.07 ERA).

• However, that wasn’t a “turning of the corner” for our “Sybil”.  In the first three weeks of June he regressed (again) and teams scored 13 earned runs against him in 21 and two-thirds innings through June 19^th (A 5.40 ERA and he went 1 – 3 during that span).

• Like Sybil, Phil would again bounce back and give us hope.  In his following three starts he pitched 19 innings to a 2.37 ERA (five earned runs) but still only went 1 – 2.

• The last phase of the current season has seen Phil once again bottom out.  In his last 17 innings Hughes has allowed nine earned runs (4.77 ERA).

I couldn’t even try to tell you what to expect.

Or, maybe I can?  Do we expect the next couple of starts to be the “good” Phil Hughes?  Will the latest “bad” run be the norm?

What I do know is this – the Yankees patience is wearing thin.  The once promising star was the topic of trade rumors leading up to the MLB trade deadline and with David Phelps soon to return, his spot in the rotation is tentative at best.

If Michael Pineda starts to flash his untapped potential in Scranton, it will be another threat to Hughes as a starting pitcher.

I’m pulling for Hughes to right his ship.  I like his maturity on the mound and hope he can develop some consistency with his performances. 

If he can’t, I’ll understand the Yankees putting him into the bullpen (maybe that’s what he needs?) and giving some other deserving pitcher their shot.

For now, I’ll just keep hoping that the real Phil Hughes comes forward.

   
--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1

 

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