<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>TAMPA, Fla. ? Phil Hughes is throwing his slider again, a favored pitch from high school (Foothill High in Santa Ana, Calif.) that the New York Yankees forbid him from throwing in his first two seasons with the organization.The post-2004 draft plan was to take away Hughes' pet breaking ball, requiring him to develop a curveball. In little more than a season, his curve was big-league ready (like his mid-90s fastball) and only then was it time to reintroduce the slider.So, he threw in the bullpen Saturday morning at Legends Field, Jorge Posada his catcher and pitching coach Ron Guidry hanging over his left shoulder, threading sliders with two fastball variations (two- and four-seam), a changeup and, of course, a curveball."Last year they gave me permission to throw it," Hughes said, "but I pretty much stuck with the curveball."Posada, who in last year's camp announced Hughes was very close, said it again Saturday."He's legit," Posada said. "He's going to be in the big leagues soon. Hopefully, this year. He's a no-doubt."Hughes won't be 21 until June and the Yankees would prefer he start the season in Triple-A, both for his development and what it might otherwise mean for the health of their rotation. They've got Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Kei Igawa and Carl Pavano, assuming Igawa can pitch here and Pavano wants to pitch here. Even then, Yankees heads for the short-term have Hughes somewhere behind the likes of Jeff Karstens, Darrell Rasner and Humberto Sanchez, too, even if they see a better pitcher in Hughes right now."He wants to make the club," Guidry said. "So does everyone else. He might be a step above a lot of guys with his ability. Just because you have ability, you still have to know what to do with it. He had tremendous success in the minors and he never struggled. That's how good he was. Here, it will be different. We'll finally see him react to big-league hitters."A year later, Posada said, he sees the same "outstanding" curveball, but now flicking the edge of the strike zone, back-dooring it, rather than boring through the middle of it. He liked the two-seamers. He liked the changeups.And now the slider, which, for Hughes, is like a bottle of wine stashed in the closet for a special occasion. The grip and the action still feel familiar, he said, "Not bad to have in my back pocket.""I don't know if I necessarily need it," he said, "but I've had experience with it. It's kind of like riding a bike."</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Feb 19 2007, 12:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I moved this for you since I'm a slave.</div>Where did I leave it?
I'm not sure what to think by Hughes, sounds like he is going to be great, but I can't see him in the Major Leagues until at least June or July just because the Yankees are going to want to Micro-Manage his Innings over the First Half of the year for a potential stretch run. Mike Pelfrey is still going to be better though lol j/k.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Feb 19 2007, 11:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Feb 19 2007, 12:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I moved this for you since I'm a slave.</div>Where did I leave it?</div>Off-Topic place.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ Feb 20 2007, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Smardzija will be better than him. lol</div>I doubt that. :LMAO:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rex Grossman 8 @ Feb 23 2007, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ Feb 20 2007, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Smardzija will be better than him. lol</div>I doubt that. :LMAO:</div>I think Samardzija is very overrated as a Baseball Prospect personally because of being a 2-Sport Athlete. Coming out of High School, he went completely undrafted in the 50 plus Round Baseball Draft and didn't begin to make noise as a Baseball Prospect until he had the breakout season for Notre Dame in Football. We're talking about someone who posted a 4.33 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in 2006 in the Big East Baseball (Which isn't exactly the best Baseball Conference). The year before he put up a 3.89 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. If he had future Major Leaguer written all over him, he should be dominating at this level. Yeah, he dominated some Low A ball hitters, but honestly, who doesn't Dominate Low A ball hitters?For a comparisons sake, When Aaron Heilman went to Notre Dame he put up a 15-0 record, a 1.74 ERA, and a 0.89 WHIP his Senior Season, and he can't even make the Mets rotation because he's a 2 pitch pitcher. Samardzija, meanwhile, only has a Fastball. He shoulda stayed a Football Prospect IMO.
Phil Hughes = BEAST. When santana becomes a FA, we dont even need him. We will already have two aces in Wang and HughesEDIT - Ha, our rotation will be led by a Huge (Hughes) Wang....hehe that was lame
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Feb 23 2007, 04:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rex Grossman 8 @ Feb 23 2007, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ Feb 20 2007, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Smardzija will be better than him. lol</div>I doubt that. :LMAO: </div>I think Samardzija is very overrated as a Baseball Prospect personally because of being a 2-Sport Athlete. Coming out of High School, he went completely undrafted in the 50 plus Round Baseball Draft and didn't begin to make noise as a Baseball Prospect until he had the breakout season for Notre Dame in Football. We're talking about someone who posted a 4.33 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in 2006 in the Big East Baseball (Which isn't exactly the best Baseball Conference). The year before he put up a 3.89 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. If he had future Major Leaguer written all over him, he should be dominating at this level. Yeah, he dominated some Low A ball hitters, but honestly, who doesn't Dominate Low A ball hitters?For a comparisons sake, When Aaron Heilman went to Notre Dame he put up a 15-0 record, a 1.74 ERA, and a 0.89 WHIP his Senior Season, and he can't even make the Mets rotation because he's a 2 pitch pitcher. Samardzija, meanwhile, only has a Fastball. He shoulda stayed a Football Prospect IMO.</div>Samardzija, could ask for some advice from Wood and Prior on how to win the "throwing the towel" league. Also, if he needs K's, just ask Prior. He leads the league in simulated K's. :LMAO:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Feb 23 2007, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Phil Hughes = BEAST. When santana becomes a FA, we dont even need him. We will already have two aces in Wang and HughesEDIT - Ha, our rotation will be led by a Huge (Hughes) Wang....hehe that was lame</div>let me get this straight, you wouldnt take Johan Santana, the MOST PROVEN PITCHER IN BASEBALL over two guys that havent proven jack shit. dude, thats just dumb. Wang had one good year. Hughes hasnt even had a year. Get real man. If you offered Wang and Hughes for Santana they'd laugh in your face because they arent proven.
oh i kbnow. Im saying that by that time, we wouldnt NEED santana. obviously santana is better than Wang and Hughes
ok, i guess i missread that, but, come on, any team in the freakin MLB would take Santana. anyway, santana will never hit the FA market. if the twins dont resign him, they will trade him to an NL team that will. santana wont stay in the AL unless its with the Twins.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (iknobaer @ Feb 23 2007, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>ok, i guess i missread that, but, come on, any team in the freakin MLB would take Santana. anyway, santana will never hit the FA market. if the twins dont resign him, they will trade him to an NL team that will. santana wont stay in the AL unless its with the Twins.</div>Im saying that that money could be spent in a wiser place. I get wht you mean though - most dominant SP in the league by far. Andrew Brackman? I know for a fact - loves the cock.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (iknobaer @ Feb 23 2007, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>ok, i guess i missread that, but, come on, any team in the freakin MLB would take Santana. anyway, santana will never hit the FA market. if the twins dont resign him, they will trade him to an NL team that will. santana wont stay in the AL unless its with the Twins.</div>If Santana hit FA, and the Yankees laid down a 5 year, 150 million dollar contract.... how could he say no?Not that he'll ever hit Free Agency, but you know he's worth a fat contract only the Yankees or Bosox could afford.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Feb 23 2007, 09:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Not that he'll ever hit Free Agency, but you know he's worth a fat contract only the Yankees or Bosox could afford.</div>I got your point, but just playing a bit of Devil's advocate...Top Salaries 2006 1. New York Yankees: $195,834,779 2. Boston Red Sox: $121,246,424 3. Chicago White Sox: $102,750,667 4. New York Mets: $102,091,323 5. Los Angeles Dodgers: $99,120,015 6. Chicago Cubs: $96,424,499 7. Los Angeles Angels: $95,472,000 8. Houston Astros: $92,551,503 9. Atlanta Braves: $90,136,876 10. San Francisco Giants: $89,669,419 11. St. Louis Cardinals: $88,891,371 12. Philadelphia Phillies: $87,923,333 13. Seattle Mariners: $87,628,833 14. Detroit Tigers: $82,612,866 15. Toronto Blue Jays: $79,915,000 I'd tend to think at least the Top 8 teams COULD afford that contract (I would have included Atlanta except with their notoriously cheap ownership in recent years and Declining Attendance, I'm not sure they would even consider spending that much money). Probably more, considering that teams are bound to lose players over the years that will open up salary room by the time Santana hits the market.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rex Grossman 8 @ Feb 23 2007, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DevinHester23 @ Feb 20 2007, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Smardzija will be better than him. lol</div>I doubt that. :LMAO:</div>He'll be better than those scrubs the White Sox are counting on to replace B-Mac and Garcia. What a dumb move trading him away. JR only cares about making money. Is it any surprise he ordered the bulls breakup and caused the 94 strike
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>1. New York Yankees: $195,834,7792. Boston Red Sox: $121,246,4243. Chicago White Sox: $102,750,6674. New York Mets: $102,091,3235. Los Angeles Dodgers: $99,120,0156. Chicago Cubs: $96,424,4997. Los Angeles Angels: $95,472,0008. Houston Astros: $92,551,5039. Atlanta Braves: $90,136,87610. San Francisco Giants: $89,669,41911. St. Louis Cardinals: $88,891,37112. Philadelphia Phillies: $87,923,33313. Seattle Mariners: $87,628,83314. Detroit Tigers: $82,612,866 15. Toronto Blue Jays: $79,915,000</div>proves why there should be a salary cap limit. $100mill at the most. what a joke baseball is. thats why samardja chose baseball, in teh long run, he'll make more money in that then in football.
