Comments on: Blame Girardi all you want, last night is on Hughes

By: Chris H.

Chris H. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:25:17 +0000

Agreed, Peter.

By: Chris H.

Chris H. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:24:54 +0000

Couldn’t Robertson have pitched the 7th? Roberton and Marte? I think Robertson could have retired Mathis and Aybar and then you could have brought in Coke or Marte to sit down Figgins. Then either pitcher would have started the 8th against Abreu and then Hughes comes in.

By: Chris H.

Chris H. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:23:58 +0000

“Recent context” also includes the first inning, when Burnett’s mechanics were out of whack and he gave up 4 ER without retiring a single batter. I think it’s better to be overly cautious than it is overly optimistic.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:08:28 +0000

Not only is it wrong to blame Hughes for last night, it is just unfair. AJ Burnett should have been given a hand shake and been told to hit the showers after the Yanks miraculously scored 6 runs in the top of the 7th. Instead Girardi goes back to him after he sat in the dugout for 25+ min as the Yanks came all the way back. The Yankees have a late inning formula. Joba in the 7th, Hughes in the 8th, and Mo in the 9th. But no, Girardi leaves in AJ and after a walk (surprise surprise) and a base hit, Girardi then asks a 22 year old Phil Hughes to save the game with guys on second and third and 1 out (after Figgins bunted). That’s dumb freaking baseball. What a dumb decision it was to let an erratic AJ Burnett come out for the 7th after it was a borderline miracle that he got through 6th without giving up a run in innings 2-6.

I know Hughes was missing his spots, but who the hell is calling the pitches? I know its not Hughes and whoever is (Eliand or Jorge) they should have known to go back to the curve instead of throwing Vlad a fastball. Did you see Vlad’s swing on the curve before!? Holy crap, go right back to it.

By: StandingO'Neill

StandingO'Neill — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:29:30 +0000

Exactly, and who would have pitched the 7th? Probably Joba, who hasn’t looked all that sharp lately himself. AJ was the man in the spot he just came up short. Now lets put it behind us and move on to Game 6.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:34:29 +0000

It also speaks to Girardi’s failing faith in the pen. Outside Riveria there is no absolute trust. Under the circumstances it was completely reasonable to have A.J. still in the game.

By: Tom Gaffney

Tom Gaffney — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:48:18 +0000

Hughes simply had zero command of his fastball last night. It happens – very rarely for Phil who usually has pinpoint command, but it happens. There’s not much you can do about it. It’s too bad b/c his curve was filthy.

By: Moshe Mandel

Moshe Mandel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:34:25 +0000

You keep saying this, and keep ignoring perfectly reasonable explanations. You said yourself that managers need to consider “recent context.” Well, AJ’s performance in the previous 5 innings said that leaving him in was the right move.

By: Chris H.

Chris H. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:24:44 +0000

How can you not blame Girardi after he failed to pull Burnett prior to the 7th? The notion that he his “stuff was still good” seems far fetched since he wasn’t striking anyone out and had already given up 4 earned runs. Sure, Hughes coughed up the game by allowing the inherited runners to score, but why were they on base to begin with? That was Girardi’s fault.

By: The Scout

The Scout — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:34:38 +0000

On Hughes shaking off Posada to throw Vlad a fastball, I am reminded of the line in “Bull Durham” whan Crash Davis tells Nuke, “Don’t think. It can only hurt the ball club.”