Friday, May 05, 2006

Why Phil Hughes is so great

From NJ.com:

After ringing up hitters in the Florida State League as if he were working a cash register at Wal-Mart, Hughes appeared rattled, was uncharacteristically wild and allowed seven hits and a career-high four earned runs before being lifted after six innings during a 5-3 loss to the R-Phils.

Renowned for his pinpoint control since being signed to a $1.4 million bonus as the 23rd player taken overall in the 2004 first-year player draft, Hughes walked two batters in a game for just the second time in 26 career outings. He fell behind 12 of the first 17 batters he faced, 15 of 26 for the game and unfurled a first inning wild pitch -- his first since May 25 of 2005 against Class-A Lakewood -- which accounted for the game's first run.

"I was maybe a little over excited, and it probably showed when I wasn't getting ahead of a lot of guys," Hughes (0-1) admitted.

"But it won't happen again I know that. I'll be a little more settled in for my next outing. It was just a case where I wasn't hitting my spots, I wasn't throwing strikes and when you do that you have to go back at them with hittable fastballs. It was just one of those things."


They say that the jump from A ball to AA is harder than the jump to the majors. I bolded some sentences that display just how good this kid is. We could very well see him in a September call up this year. Major leagues in 2007? You never know.