Call Up The Kid

Last night's loss to the Indians highlighted how much the Yankee lineup misses Sheffield and Matsui, and Cano for that matter. The bottom 4 of the lineup 1 hit in 15 ABs. That's not going to get the job done. The Yanks had some opportunities, but the resources weren't available to do the job. It was over a month ago when the lineup lost Sheffield and Matsui. At the time, everyone wondered when Yankee GM Brian Cashman was going to trade for some relief. The smart Yankee fans knew he should hold off to see how things developed. I was from the school of thought that as soon as any real distance was put between the Yankees and the division leader, something needed to happen. Considering the injuries and the time missed by the everyday guys, being only 4 games behind Boston is not real distance. I'm glad no deals have been made to this point. I've heard the stories/rumors about deals Cashman may or may not have been working on, and frankly I'm glad nothing has been done to this point. It's removing the desperation factor from the equation. It's also allowing better talent to be had at a cheaper price as each day passes. I'm sorry, but for me, Reggie Sanders wouldn't cut it. A guy like Bobby Abreu, I can live with. As the the trading deadline approaches and teams fall further and further behind, guys like Abreu are going to be cheaper. Cashman has done a good job showcasing the Yankee talent pools and has plenty of resources to get something done. Hopefully, he has the sense to keep guys like Cano and Wang in pinstripes. I think he does.
I think the Yankees need pitching help, more than they need help in the lineup. Though after yesterday, they definitely need help in the lineup. The biggest question I have, and I know a lot of Yankee fans wonder the same thing, is why is Jaret Wright starting every fifth day? He's done nothing but put the Yankees in a bad position. In his 13 starts this year, he has never pitched more than 6 innings. Only 4 times was he able to complete 6 innings. His recent outing against the Mets lasted an inning and a third. When you can't go deep into the ball game, you do nothing but kill the bullpen, which directly affects the following games. The back end of the rotation was so bad, Joe Torre had to change the rotation around so Wang would pitch between Wright and Chacon in an attempt to not burn the bullpen on back-to-back days. We saw how much this hurt when we played Washington. First game of the series, Wright pitches and lasts 5 innings. Now you have to use Proctor, Farnsworth and Rivera to nail down the win. Chacon pitches game two and last only 4 and a third. What's worse is the Yankees gave him a 7 run lead. So the bullpen gets used again. An overused Rivera blows the save and gets the loss. This then carries over into the final game of the series. The bullpen is so shot that you need Wang to pitch a gem. He does, and the game was so close in the 9th that you expected to see Rivera pitch. Since the bullpen was overused the previous 2 games, Wang is left out in the 9th and gives up the game winning HR. What easily could have been a sweep, turns into a series lost.
So where does this leave us? I have 2 suggestions. 1) Let Ron Villone start a few games. I know he's better suited for the bullpen, but Wright and Chacon aren't getting it done. Villone has 93 career starts, none since 2004. Give the guy a shot. He's capable. 2) This is something I'm surprised we haven't seen yet and it's the move I'm most fond of and it's to call up Phillip Hughes. The kid has what it takes to win ball games. I'd feel better with this 20-year-old kid on the bump, then I would with Wright. Hughes spent some time in A ball this year but was promoted to AA after only 3 weeks in Tampa. Combined, he's started 17 games and pitched 102 innings. He's given up 71 hits and 25 walks, a WHIP of 0.94. That's pretty **** good. His ERA is 2.47 and he's flirted with two no-hitters. He also strikes out more than a batter per inning, and he keeps the ball in the yard, giving up on average 1 HR every 20.4 innings. Someone tell me why he's still in the minors? We've seen the success other teams have had with bringing up good, young pitchers. From what I've seen and read, Hughes would by far be the cream of that crop. And the Yankees know first hand that it's tough to hit a pitcher you're unfamiliar with. I'd like to see the kid get a shot to see what he can do on the major league level before he gets traded (which I hope doesn't happen but I think is inevitable). Hughes vs. Wright as the number 5? To me, it's a no-brainer. It makes sense.
Chacon gets the ball tonight. It should be an adventure.
J