Phil Hughes knows where the pitching speed is displayed at Fenway Park, but said he’s going to do everything he can not to glance at the number this afternoon.
If it’s ugly, you can bet everyone else will be looking at it.
As the Yankees open a three-game series against the Red Sox in Boston, Hughes will make his second start of the season today after getting beat up in his season debut last Sunday by the Tigers. Hughes’ velocity dipped around 89-90 miles per hour for most of that game, something that has been a point of concern for the 24-year-old starter.
He said he will do his best not to pay attention to the radar gun reading today.
“It’s tough, especially when you kind of know it’s not there and you try to make up for it,” Hughes said. “I think that’s what I did the other day. [Pitching coach Larry Rothschild] said just pitch with what you have and the rest will sort itself out. It can be difficult sometimes because every stadium’s got [speed readings] staring at you in the face.”
Hughes spent this week doing extra long-toss sessions to build up his arm strength and trying to correct some mechanical flaws he and Rotschild found. Hughes did not make his first start last year until April 15, and the Yankees hope that means Hughes’ velocity might just be arriving late this season.
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Derek Jeter went 2-for-4 with a hard-hit double in the first inning of yesterday’s 4-3 victory over the Twins at Yankee Stadium.
Jeter spent the spring working on his new stride, and has been tweaking it this week. The double up the third-base line was his first extra-base hit of the season.
“I said I felt good a couple days ago,” Jeter said. “For me, I just want to feel comfortable. Sometimes you’re comfortable and the results aren’t there. Sometimes you’re uncomfortable and you have results. Today was a little bit of both, but I’ll take it.”
With the two hits, Jeter passed Jake Beckley and Rogers Hornsby for sole possession of 33rd place on the all-time hits list with 2,931.
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Manager Joe Girardi said starting pitcher Freddy Garcia was available out of the bullpen yesterday after his first scheduled start was rained out Wednesday night.
Garcia is not scheduled to pitch until April 15 against the Rangers. If the Yankees can’t get him into a game, they will probably have to have him throw a simulated game or a minor-league game to stay sharp.
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Injured reliever Pedro Feliciano did not play catch this week after team doctors told him to wait until next week to give his injured shoulder more time to rest. . . . The Yankees have not lost a home series to an AL Central team since May 2008, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. . . . Mariano Rivera saved the Yankees’ first four wins of the season for the second time in his career (he also did it in 2000).
