Hughes' velocity sounds alarm

There are quite a few pitchers who don't seem to get their velocity on the fastball where it needs to be to start the season. John Lester, also struggled to hit 90 on the gun. If it's still a problem in 3 weeks, then start to be concerned.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 08:25 AM ET  04.04 by jnorman41

There are quite a few pitchers who don't seem to get their velocity on the fastball where it needs to be to start the season. John Lester, also struggled to hit 90 on the gun. If it's still a problem in 3 weeks, then start to be concerned.

Exactly what I was going to say. When a pitchers comes out throwing slow the first outing, it is more of something to watch for his next few starts, not something to panic about right away. No need to make any rash decisions

They should be concerned. He got knocked around pretty good second half of last year too.
Sunday he was awful. Looked like batting practice.

Crazy, 3 games into the season and there are all of these concerns about many players out there. I was surprised to see Barry Zito decent yesterday. Aside from his horrible mustache, he threw 2 bad pitches in the first inning, but finished with 6 pretty solid innings and his fastball was only registering 87 to 88 mph.

First game of the season. He was probably a little amped up and tense. Gripping the ball too hard causes losses of both velocity and accuracy. No need to panic after one start.

87-89 mph, batting practice is what it was. Good reason to be concerned when you've lost 5 mph on your fastball.

Not too much of a cause for concern. Despite this horrid fastball only two players really hit well against him, Cabrera and Boesch. The rest of the lineup was hitless against him.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 10:05 AM ET  04.04 by Yogi-Zen

87-89 mph, batting practice is what it was. Good reason to be concerned when you've lost 5 mph on your fastball.

That is what I saw. Two more starts like that and he looks like the long relief guy to me. That was ugly.

If he were in Arizona this wouldn't even make the back page of the Penny Saver.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:13 AM ET  04.04 by 50yearfan

They should be concerned. He got knocked around pretty good second half of last year too.Sunday he was awful. Looked like batting practice.

It wasn't just the second half. He got knocked around pretty good for about the last 80% of the season.

From May 13th on, he had an ERA of 4.98 and averaged less than six innings per start.

Of course, I'm sure I'll hear from some Yankees fans telling me about his 18-8 win/loss record last year, but that's much more of a function of him receiving an average of 6.75 runs of support per game -- something that's not likely to happen again this year.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 10:52 AM ET  04.04 by DENVERROB

If he were in Arizona this wouldn't even make the back page of the Penny Saver.

They play baseball in Arizona?

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 08:25 AM ET  04.04 by jnorman41

There are quite a few pitchers who don't seem to get their velocity on the fastball where it needs to be to start the season. John Lester, also struggled to hit 90 on the gun. If it's still a problem in 3 weeks, then start to be concerned.

They've had over a month in spring training to work on velocity. Nothing wrong with being a little concerned now.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 10:05 AM ET  04.04 by Yogi-Zen

87-89 mph, batting practice is what it was. Good reason to be concerned when you've lost 5 mph on your fastball.

Hughes will be this year's Javier Vazquez, who I'm sure to the horror of Trooper was absolutely shelled by the Mets this weekend.

QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 11:43 AM ET  04.04 by Piltdown Rabbit

Hughes will be this year's Javier Vazquez, who I'm sure to the horror of Trooper was absolutely shelled by the Mets this weekend.

Doubt it. One start doesn't tell you much. He had some great starts for NY last year. That doesn't change the fact that he finished with a 5.32 ERA or that his career AL ERA is .61 higher than his NL ERA.

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 10:09 AM ET  04.04 by 50yearfan

That is what I saw. Two more starts like that and he looks like the long relief guy to me. That was ugly.

Yeah it was ugly.
We're going to have to bring big lumber to the yard on some days this year.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 12:01 PM ET  04.04 by SlinkyRedfoot

Doubt it. One start doesn't tell you much. He had some great starts for NY last year. That doesn't change the fact that he finished with a 5.32 ERA or that his career AL ERA is .61 higher than his NL ERA.

Vazquez? The comparison was the Vazquez move from a low to mid 90s fastball to a high 80s fastball and the resulting ineffectivness, as inferred that Hughes was experiencing

The worst pitcher I saw this weekend, Vazquez aside, was Brandon Lyons the Astros closer. He blew a two or three run lead agains the Phillies, who were not hitting anything against Brett Myers & the rest of the Astros bullpen. But Lyons had absolutely nothing & gave up like five hits in a row to blow the save and the game.

QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 11:43 AM ET  04.04 by Piltdown Rabbit

Hughes will be this year's Javier Vazquez, who I'm sure to the horror of Trooper was absolutely shelled by the Mets this weekend.

Haha! Yes, but in the AL East he would have given up like 13 runs in that start.