Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Yankees 10. Rangers 1

You start with the kid.

Phil Hughes.

In my lifetime, who have I seen, coming up from the Yankee minors, with this much promise?

Gator.

Rags.

Drabek, maybe.

Leiter.

Taylor, and never mind that punk.

Mo.

Pettitte.

And then, and then, and gentlemen, and then . . .

Ah, not so much.

Lilly? No. Ridiculously overpaid.

I thought it was nice in the first few innings, how Hughes worked around a few walks for a couple of double plays.

And then.

And then, and then, and gentlemen, and then . . .

Jeeeeeeeesus. Anybody get a load of this kid's stuff?

I had thought Bert Blyleven's slow curve was the best I'd ever seen.

And then.

And then Hughes threw a ball that started at a batter's teeth and dropped over his shoes.

A pitch you can't hit--thrown for a strike, no less.

Holy crap.

The kid's got speed, control, location. Movement. He throws high fastballs no one catches up to, curves he can spot, changeups that make the hit-happy Rangers look like fools.

So, of course, given this season, he leaves in the seventh. No-hitter going.

Hamstring.

All things Yankee. Circa 2007.

But, uh, the kid stays in the picture.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Watched the whole game. The horrible Texas Rangers announcers were reluctanly saying pretty much what you said. And he seemed to get BETTER the second time thru the order. That 12/6 curve is a thing of beauty. After helulls you to sleep with all the off-speed stuff, he comes back with a 97MPH heater....ah but the hammy.

A quick shout-out to Travis Buck. The rookie and former Sun Devil took Papelbon deeeeeep in the 9th yesterday as the A's beat the Sox in 10. Nice work T-Buck!