See What Sticks: Phil Hughes

[SirLoin]

MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that the Yankees are aggressively pursuing a deal for Phil Hughes.

 

Yankees Aggressively Pushing Chamberlain, Hughes: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

 

What would it take for the Twins to make a deal for Hughes? Or does his salary preclude any consideration whatsoever? Maybe it's a case of tunnel vision, but his strikeout rate and WHIP would be an upgrade over anyone currently in the rotation.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Eh, the price would have to be pretty low. Guys like Hughes are readily available on the FA market every year and you don't have to give up a prospect to get them.

[Otto von Ballpark]

As noted in the linked article, Hughes is a free agent after this season. If you have to give up anything more than org filler, there's not much benefit to trading for him now. Maybe if you targeted him for bullpen conversion and wanted to work with him early in that role.

[gunnarthor]

He's a FA at the end of the year so we won't trade for him now. I think there was a quote a few weeks ago about Hughes being a possible target for next year though. Personally, I think he's a good bet for a change of scenery guy. If I was the Nats or another team looking for that 5th starter, I'd like him since he shouldn't cost too much and his upside could be better than you'd think.

 

Also, if you read Yankee blogs, he and Joba should be enough for Mauer. (I exaggerate only slightly).

[Brock Beauchamp]

As noted in the linked article, Hughes is a free agent after this season. If you have to give up anything more than org filler, there's not much benefit to trading for him now. Maybe if you targeted him for bullpen conversion and wanted to work with him early in that role.

 

Ah, for some reason, I thought he had one more year of arb.

 

In that case, the price would have to be really low.

[SirLoin]

In that case, the price would have to be really low.

 

So, Drew Butera?

 

Looks like he might be a good FA target for next year. Since he's only 27, he could be someone that could stick around for a couple years if the price is right.

[Brock Beauchamp]

So, Drew Butera?

 

Looks like he might be a good FA target for next year. Since he's only 27, he could be someone that could stick around for a couple years if the price is right.

 

I'd give up Drew Butera for half a bag of balls and a Big Gulp.

[Willihammer]

Doogy tweeted that the Twins would probably pursue him. Assuming he's not extended by someone by then, of course.

 

[DaveW]

I'd like to bring Joba in, he has always been one of my favorite players and I think he could be a nice little bullpen asset with a change of scenery.

 

I would definitely like to bring Hughes in on a 2 year deal this off-season, a new ballpark could help him methinks.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Doogy tweeted that the Twins would probably pursue him. Assuming he's not extended by someone by then, of course.

 

 

It'd be a good pick-up. The guy is a bit like Scott Baker. Decent K rate, decent BB rate, extreme flyball pitcher. He might do okay in Target Field.

[nicksaviking]

Because he plays in NY and was at one point a high prospect, Hughes has the advantage of being a much bigger name than his production warrents. I wouldn't be surprised if he snags a disgustingly undeserved contract next year due to his name appeal and lack of quality starters on the market.

[Monkeypaws]

If only we still had Santana to trade....

[DaveW]

Because he plays in NY and was at one point a high prospect, Hughes has the advantage of being a much bigger name than his production warrents. I wouldn't be surprised if he snags a disgustingly undeserved contract next year due to his name appeal and lack of quality starters on the market.

The same could be said about Pelfrey and he wasn't exactly given some massive contract...teams aren't stupid.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I don't see the purpose of this for anything but org filler. The Twins aren't in a race where adding a marginal pitching upgrade makes sense. Go after him this winter if they want him.

[TheLeviathan]

I'd love this if it came at a mediocre price and we signed him to a reasonable extension. (5-7M for a year or two type of thing)

 

Perfect kind of buy-low move. I await the inevitable comparison to Jeff Gray however.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'd love this if it came at a mediocre price and we signed him to a reasonable extension. (5-7M for a year or two type of thing)

 

Perfect kind of buy-low move. I await the inevitable comparison to Jeff Gray however.

 

I'd easily offer Hughes 2/$16m or 3/$24m. In a heartbeat. I'd go 3/$30m on the guy, honestly. Wouldn't even blink twice at that price.

 

Get him out of that stadium and he turns into a much more effective pitcher. Get him out of the AL East and he turns into an even more effective pitcher.

 

Here's hoping Ryan sees that as well.

[Siehbiscuit]

I acutally think Hughes and Joba are worth taking a flier on (in the offseason). Playing in the spotlight can be so emotionally exhausting and wear a guy down. The change of scenery could mean more to players leaving New York than it would for any other city. The potential is there for both of these guys (compared to guys like Correia, Hendriks, Hernandez, De Vries, any of our other AAAA pitchers). Target Field and getting out of the NY pressure cooker could be all either one of them need to succeed. Just my 2 cents.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I acutally think Hughes and Joba are worth taking a flier on (in the offseason). Playing in the spotlight can be so emotionally exhausting and wear a guy down. The change of scenery could mean more to players leaving New York than it would for any other city. The potential is there for both of these guys (compared to guys like Correia, Hendriks, Hernandez, De Vries, any of our other AAAA pitchers). Target Field and getting out of the NY pressure cooker could be all either one of them need to succeed. Just my 2 cents.

 

There's a lot more to it than the pressure cooker of NY, though that may play a small part.

 

Over 46% of Hughes' balls in play are flyballs.

 

In Yankee Stadium.

 

Boom goes the dynamite, so to speak.

 

On top of that, he gets to pitch to AL East hitters ~80 times a season. How fun for him.

[TheLeviathan]

I'd easily offer Hughes 2/$16m or 3/$24m. In a heartbeat. I'd go 3/$30m on the guy, honestly. Wouldn't even blink twice at that price.

 

Get him out of that stadium and he turns into a much more effective pitcher. Get him out of the AL East and he turns into an even more effective pitcher.

 

Here's hoping Ryan sees that as well.

 

Couldn't agree more. I'd be pretty happy with a Ryan-esque contract extension if they could land this guy. He hasn't pitched all that well, but he's got pedigree and some talent.

 

We sure as hell have spots in our pitching staff to offer him to prove he's still the talent everyone once thought.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Couldn't agree more. I'd be pretty happy with a Ryan-esque contract extension if they could land this guy. He hasn't pitched all that well, but he's got pedigree and some talent.

 

We sure as hell have spots in our pitching staff to offer him to prove he's still the talent everyone once thought.

 

The guy lines up pretty well with Edwin Jackson, though I think Hughes actually has potential to improve where Jackson is pretty much a league-average guy.

 

It will be interesting to see how much money Hughes commands in comparison to the enigmatic Jackson.

[Otto von Ballpark]

He's been right around average ERA+ for a starting pitcher, and he hasn't missed much time recently (about a half season in 2011, another half season way back in 2008). A lesser, but healthier and younger, version of Scott Baker.

[Brock Beauchamp]

He's been right around average ERA+ for a starting pitcher, and he hasn't missed much time recently (about a half season in 2011, another half season way back in 2008). A lesser, but healthier and younger, version of Scott Baker.

 

Get him out of Yankee Stadium and he turns into a Scott Baker clone. He gives up less hits, has a 0.70 lower ERA, gives up half as many HRs, and has a BABIP .015 lower on the road.

 

I'm telling you, Yankee Stadium kills this guy. It's going to kill anyone who gives up 46% of contact as flyballs.

 

And then he gets to go pitch in places like Fenway a couple times a year.

[beckmt]

I agree, take a flyer on both of them in the offseason. Do not need them now. Twins should have plenty of money to spend as much of the money comes off the books at the end of the year.

[TheLeviathan]

For some people hearing a comp to Scott Baker is going to scare them. For me....I like the sound of that. Very underrated pitcher.

[Brock Beauchamp]

For some people hearing a comp to Scott Baker is going to scare them. For me....I like the sound of that. Very underrated pitcher.

 

I never understood why people were down on Baker. He was a very good pitcher when healthy.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

The guy lines up pretty well with Edwin Jackson, though I think Hughes actually has potential to improve where Jackson is pretty much a league-average guy.

 

It will be interesting to see how much money Hughes commands in comparison to the enigmatic Jackson.

As we've seen over and over, there needs to be players at the bottom to put other players at the middle, top, and elite. Considering our best might be league average, and the other 4 rotation fillers are 4 and 5 types, I'll take league average. The Twins aren't the only team with this problem, there will be suitors.

[jay]

If we announce an extension along with the trade, I think it makes plenty of sense to give up a little something now. That exclusivity and ability to do the extension now is worth something. The odds of both sides wanting to do this are low, but I'd be okay with it.

[greengoblinrulz]

Under no circumstances would I think that Terry Ryan would even take a sniff of Hughes, who I really like.

[DaveW]

Morneau+Morales+Clete Thomas+ some mid range 20-25 prospect for Hughes.

[DaveW]

Under no circumstances would I think that Terry Ryan would even take a sniff of Hughes, who I really like.

Why?