BOSTON — Phil Hughes awoke yesterday and went through his normal post-pitching routine. He stretched out his arms, he bent at his waist to touch the floor, he took a few hesitant steps.
And nothing.
“It felt like I didn’t pitch at all,” Hughes said.
He did, however. Oh boy did he pitch Monday. And that effort — just 11 pitches in all — turned into one of the most seductive events of this Yankees season. Because before Hughes lifted his arm against the Rays in the seventh inning the plan was for him to soon return to Triple-A to continue to be stretched out as a starter.
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But a dominating 1-2-3 inning later, and pitching coach Dave Eiland was saying, “You can’t turn a blind eye to it.”
Translation: The Yanks’ greatest weakness is set-up relief and how do you just send your potential best option to Triple-A? Especially when you have a $200 million payroll invested in winning now. Especially when the biggest on-field advantage that the Red Sox enjoy over the Yankees is set-up crew vs. set-up crew. Especially when Hughes’ stuff was crisper than normal for a short stint and his body felt so great the day after.
“Obviously down the line I want to be a starter,” Hughes said. “But if this is my beat opportunity to be with this team now and help this team win, then I am perfectly happy to stay in the bullpen.”
Now this was just one outing. It came after seven days of rest. So there is no telling how Hughes’ body and arm will react to more regular use. Mark Melancon, the Yanks’ top relief prospect, looked tremendous in his first two outings, and was back in the minors two brutal outings later.
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Also, with Hughes and Alfredo Aceves in the pen, and Ian Kennedy healing from surgery to remove an aneurysm, the Yanks are without a viable Triple-A pitcher who can make a spot in the majors. That is unless retreads such as Josh Towers or Casey Fossum thrill you or — gulp — you would enjoy another Kei Igawa sighting. So there is risk if the Yanks allow Hughes to lose the endurance in his arm.
But the biggest question is future vs. now. In the big picture, the Yanks envision Hughes as a vital part of the rotation in 2010 and beyond. The best way to prepare him for that is to leave him as a starter now. However, the Yanks always have to win this year and after watching Hughes deal Monday it was easier to envision him helping most in 2009 out of the pen.
He did not go 1-2-3 against second-rate players. He overwhelmed B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria. As a starter, Hughes will reach back for a 94-95 mph fastball on rare occasions, but mainly pitch at 90-92. But his first pitch Monday was 94 mph. He threw five fastballs in all. None slower than 94.
Suddenly, his lack of a high-end third pitch was not as much of a factor. His fastball-curve repertoire was more than enough in a short spurt. It looked elite, in fact.
“If, and I emphasize if, he pitches like that, we have a lot to think about,” Eiland said. “But one inning is not going to tell the whole story. There are a lot of unanswered questions there.”
Suddenly, the Yanks are willing to ask all of those questions. Because they already have begun the process of refurbishing their pen. Jonathan Albaladejo and Edwar Ramirez are back at Triple-A, and Jose Veras would be there, too, if he had any options left. Instead, he has been relegated to the last option in the pen. Aceves and Brett Tomko are pitching more important innings, at least until Brian Bruney returns from the DL, perhaps next week.
In general the Yanks are feeling better about this area. Still, this remains a phase in the Rivalry in which it is advantage Red Sox. Unless, perhaps, Hughes is more than someone who looked and felt good in one relief outing.
Hughes woke up Tuesday and felt great. So did the Yankees.