I'd have a far easier time thinking your point was reasonable if you were comparing his performance to the expectations people had for him. In that light, his performance (as a starter) has clearly been disappointing. Compared to the rest of the league, though, or even in terms of what the Yankees need, Hughes just as clearly has significant value.
this discussion dates back to October 2010, when you said you'd take Hughes as a #3 compared to most any other team, when we were comparing playoff rotations.
Wow. Cute internet grudge you got there. But what's your point? Baseball is a dynamic game. In 2010, Johan Santana was probably still considered elite. And Clay Buchholz was going to be an ace. Shit changes. 23-year-old Hughes coming off a decent year projected better than 25-year-old Hughes coming off of a strange, injury-plagued year. And even so, I still don't see what's wrong with that statement. Hughes is clearly a talented, if inconsistent, pitcher. His biggest problem has been staying healthy. He's had one full, healthy year as a starter, and however you want to parse it, his aggregate performance was as good as any other #3 AL starter heading into the 2010 playoffs.
Not an "Internet grudge". I just want to know when you're going to admit you were wrong and quit blaming everything on injuries. Not true.
Wrong about what? I'm not interested - and never have been interested - in making absolute predictions that I expect to hold true for all time. As I said before, shit changes. Did I expect Hughes would have more success than he has so far? Yes. He didn't. Big whoop. Find where I was predicting that he was definitely going to have that success. Like I said, I don't deal in those kinds of absolutes. That shit is for crazy people. I deal with the facts and make decisions based on the facts. In fall of 2010, there was a lot more reason for hope surrounding Hughes. One fewer injury-plagued year. One fewer year of inconsistency. And it's not a question of "blaming everything on injuries." That's just a statement of fact. 2008 was almost completely lost to injury. 2009 had him in the bullpen, not starting. 2010 was a solid (if inconsistent) year. 2011 looks a lot better if you take out the first three starts where Hughes was *gasp* injured. Even so, Hughes hasn't performed as well as he projected. For whatever reasons.
We'll check back in June. I still disagree about 2010. 2011 has to look better if you take out three awful starts, yes.
Context matters for those three awful starts. His velocity was down 3-4 mph. He was hurt. It's why they shut him down. He came back with better velocity and saw improved results. And what are we going to check back about in June?
To see how Hughes is doing, of course. He could get shut down again this season if he continues to pitch poorly.
What I'm asking is, more specifically, what does checking back in June have to do with anything I'm saying now or have said before? You're making it sound like something will be proven one way or the other by June. ETA: And they're not likely to shut him down this year just because he pitches poorly. They'll just move him to the pen. Cute, though.
And replace him with whom? Garcia may be heading to the pen this week as Giardi hasn't named him for his scheduled Saturday start. Pineda is out for who knows how long and I don't think they dare put Phelps in a starting role yet..this would be Cashman being Cashman all over again.
When is going to prove he's an effective starting pitcher? Don't get me wrong, I hope they keep him in the starting rotation regardless.
"Effective" is a meaningless term here without context. The real question is does he have value to the Yankees in the rotation, and more value than any other options? The answer is yes to both. Until that changes, there's no reason for him not to be in the rotation. And at what point is anything "proven" in this game? And for how long? Barry Zito used to be a very, very good pitcher. Then he wasn't. Was it wrong to value him highly in 2003? Was it wrong to think he was crappy by 2008? Shit changes. It was obviously more reasonable to think very highly of Hughes's chances to reach his potential in May 2010 than it was in September 2011. Experience tempers judgment in all but the very foolish. And you're insane to think "checking back" in June will mean much of anything with regard to this conversation.
No, I'm not insane. You're insane to say that. I get it, you won't admit you were wrong about Hughes.
Nunez has been surprisingly legit at the plate this year: 24 plate appearances, 10 hits 2 walks 3 RBI 3 SB and only 1 SO.
