HUGHES DA MAN PHENOM COMPARED TO ROCKET, SCHILLING
By GEORGE KING
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February 23, 2007 -- TAMPA - The Yankees can't play the media card ever again concerning Philip Hughes. No longer is he a product of the hype machine. As of yesterday, every story concerning the right-hander will start with glowing observations from Jason Giambi and Todd Pratt.
The two veterans with a combined 24 years of big-league experience compared the 20-year-old to Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, this after one batting practice session against Hughes at Legends Field.
"We could have used him last year," said Giambi, who didn't get a fair ball out of the cage against Hughes. "He looks like a young Rocket."
Pratt and Schilling were raised in the Red Sox organization in the 1980s. Pratt grew up to be a journeyman big-league catcher. The self-centered Schilling developed into one of the top hurlers of his generation. Twenty-plus years later, Pratt sees Schilling's ability in Hughes.
"[Philadelphia's] Brett Myers and Schilling," the veteran catcher said, when asked whom Hughes reminded him of. "He has life on the fastball and movement on the slider. His curveball is deadly. That reminded me of Myers."
The Yankees insist the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Hughes is going to start the season at Scranton (Triple-A), but listening to Giambi, it will be hard for the Yankees to keep Hughes away from The Bronx for long.
Even after blaming the media for over-hyping Hughes, pitching coach Ron Guidry gushed over the prospect.
"You know the kid is special," Guidry said of Hughes, who was 2-3 with a 1.80 ERA for Tampa (Single-A) and 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA for Trenton (Double-A). Hughes, the club's first-round pick in 2004 out of Foothills (Calif.) High School, logged a combined 119 innings and had his frames cut back on purpose because he had just 911/3 professional innings in two seasons until the start of last year. In those 119 innings, Hughes fanned 168 and walked 34.
"He's got great ability," Guidry said.
Hughes also has immense expectations, which were fueled by Giambi and Pratt.
"It's good to hear that, but I haven't done anything," said Hughes, who faced Raul Chavez, Hideki Matsui, Pratt and Giambi. Hughes allowed two balls to be hit fair.
He is the centerpiece of GM Brian Cashman's efforts to rebuild the Yankees staff into a young one. Cashman received three neophyte arms from Detroit for Gary Sheffield and three more from Arizona for Randy Johnson. While the Yankees are high on Humberto Sanchez, Ross Ohlen dorf and Ste ven Jackson, they view Hughes as their future ace.
"For the first day, it looks like a corral," Pratt said. "There a bunch of horses. With them I would be pretty happy if I was Mr. Cashman."
Hughes, Sanchez, Ohlendorf and Jackson represent the future, something that never used to matter around the Yankees. But on a crystal clear morning that featured a cobalt blue sky and palm trees that danced lightly in the breeze, the future looked good.
"Personality-wise, he doesn't seem to be overwhelmed by anything," said Joe Torre.
Hughes' arsenal includes two-plus fastballs, a curveball that catcher Ben Davis called "devastating," a developing change-up, a slider in mothballs that is slowly seeing daylight, and a deceiving delivery. With that type of repertoire, it's no wonder Hughes dreams of the big leagues. Still, he embraces the Yankees' strategy.
"Anybody would want to start the season [in the big leagues]," Hughes said. "I have an understanding of their plans for me."
george.king@nypost.com
'''May 2, 2007'''

20-year-old pitching phenom Phil Hughes cruised through hitters in just his second start for the New York Yankees, but the end result created even more frustration for the organization and fans everywhere.

Hughes retired 19 Texas Rangers without allowing a hit on Tuesday at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.  Established big league stars such as Kenny Lofton, Mark Teixeira and Michael Young could not solve the youngster's blazing fastball or sharply biting curve.  Hughes was on the verge of history.  Even as his pitch count rose, the Yankees allowed him to keep firing.  "He was fine," manager Joe Torre said of the 2004 first round draft pick.  "We were going to allow him to go 100 pitches last time, so I didn't think that would be a problem." 

Just when the Yankees thought they found an answer to their early struggles, the organization was treated to an agonizing sight.  After Teixeira fouled off an 0-2 pitch with one out in the sixth inning, Hughes grabbed his leg, having suffered a hamstring injury.  His no-hit bid ended there (Texas would break up the no-hitter in the eighth inning off reliever Mike Myers), though he did earn his first big league win in a 10-1 Yankee romp over Texas.  He walked off the mound under his own power, but will reportedly miss 4-6 weeks.  
  
Hughes voiced his frustration afterwards: "It's tough.  It puts a damper on the whole thing."  He added, "I'm at a point now where our rotation really needs it," referring to his presence on the New York pitching staff.  Several Yankees have already voiced their excitement for the righthander's chances in the big leagues.  For his part, Yankees star Jason Giambi compared him to Roger Clemens during Spring Training: "He looks like a young Rocket."  

The Yankees are currently just 10-14, thanks in large part to injuries that have befallen pitchers Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano and Jeff Karstens.  In a related story from today, the Yankees fired strength and conditioning coach Marty Miller.  Reportedly, this was out of general manager Brian Cashman's concern for the alarming number of hamstring injuries so far this season.