Bronx Briefing: Hughes Needs To Come Up Huge

By Neil Keefe
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I'm scared for Phil Hughes and nervous about what will become of the Yankees rotation without an effective Hughes in it. After getting crushed in his first two starts of the season, Hughes' third start of the season on Thursday night against the Orioles has become more important than a third start of the season should be. It has become important enough that if he isn't good he might not be in the rotation anymore.

I'm OK with Hughes being removed from the rotation for the time being if he is forced to leave in the second or third inning against the Orioles because his velocity is still down. I'm fine with Joe Girardi deciding to skip Hughes' next start or giving that next start to Bartolo Colon (yes, I just said that), or even having Hughes make a phantom DL trip.

In October against the Rangers in the ALCS when Hughes was as bad as he's ever been, I thought it was just him being fatigued from pitching the most he's ever pitched in a season in his life. But now, Hughes' struggles have carried over to this season and after being as bad in the ALCS as Chien-Ming Wang was in the 2007 ALDS against the Indians, he's actually been worse in his two regular season starts this year.

Two starts against Rangers in ALCS: 0-2, 8.2 IP, 14 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 7 BB, 6 K, 11.42 ERA

Two starts this season: 0-1, 6.0 IP, 12 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 3 HR, 16.50 ERA

After striking out 146 in 176 1/3 innings last season, Hughes has struck out just one of the 33 batters he has faced this season thanks to a loss in velocity and inability to locate. And at Fenway Park last Friday, I'm not sure I remember a single swing-and-miss from the Red Sox against Hughes.

I've always been a fan of the Phranchise and have defended and supported him against the critics, but after a poor finish to the 2010 regular season and a letdown against the Rangers in the ALCS (he did shutout the Twins for seven innings in Game 3 of the ALDS), it's getting harder to defend him when he hasn't been consistently good since this time last year. If Hughes isn't hurt, he needs to figure out where his fastball has gone because with the AL East shaping up to be the tightest it's possibly ever been, the Yankees can't afford to have Hughes throwing 87 mph every five days.

Ivan Nova's still dipping his toe into the water and trying to figure out how to maneuver through a lineup the third time, and Freddy Garcia enters his Friday start against the Rangers as a complete mystery. But CC Sabathia has been dominant despite not having the record to show for it, and A.J. Burnett has answered the bell early and put an end to the offseason criticism for the time being. Now it's Hughes' turn to join the party and get back on track. If he can't, he can be replaced.