The Scoop On Fifth Starter

When I used to work for a living, I was rarely rewarded for failure. If I had known better, I would have run an investment bank or a hedge fund.

I could even have worked in Congress, and started a war based on a made up story.

Instead, I am sitting at an Italian restaurant reading about how great Phil Hughes' outing was yesterday. On tv, it looked a bit different than the stories emanating out of Yankee Central.

His first pitch was drilled over the wall in left despite 40 mph winds blowing in. He did get out of a lead-off triple...or at least I know that a Phillie was on third with one out and did not score.

Then, two home runs later ( including the walk-off ), on fastballs down the middle, which moved nary a mille-fraction, we get a rash of Kudos for Phil, who pretty much locked up the fifth starting slot. Of course, he'll be on an innings count all year.

It helped, of course, that Joba could not get any of the AA players out in the intra-squad game across the way.

Now Chad is Gaudin, and Mitre sits waiting for an injury to a starter to show that he is the better choice.

I can't help but feel Phil has not progressed much. He reminds me of Ian Kennedy again.

I see him always giving up 4 runs in 5 innings. Usually on three dingers.

Can someone calculate the ERA?

And Joba will soon be setting up Dave Robertson, who will be setting up our lifeline.