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February 17, 2008
The Story Of Phil Hughes Fastball
Last season, Phil Hughes' fastballs were averaging 89 to 92 miles an hour. However, reports said that Phil usually threw around 92 to 95 MPH. Even Brian Cashman noticed the drop in velocity last year.
Yesterday, Peter Abraham offered an explanation to this issue, from Hughes himself:
Watched Phil Hughes throw and was impressed with his fastball. After his leg injury in May, he said his heater was 91-92 instead of the usual 93-95 it is. “It wasn’t until the playoffs when I felt complete confidence in my leg,” he said. “That was when I got my fastball back.”
Hughes said it’s not so much velocity that he counts on. It’s more the “late life” when he can throw harder. “You need your legs to follow throw and get that little extra on the pitch,” he said. “I wasn’t getting that.”
This ties back to something Hughes wrote, on his own blog, back on January 23rd:
After coming back from my injury last season my mechanics were a little out of whack. This led to a little loss of velocity and command. When Dave arrived in September we were able to work out some things and I think that had a lot to do with the success I had at the end of the season. It was nice to finish off the year on a good note so I have something to work toward to get back to my normal self in 2008.
So, the root cause for the drop in MPH, per Hughes, was a lack of confidence in his leg and a matter of his mechanics being out of whack. This seems to make sense.
However, Phil Hughes hurt his hamstring on May 1st of last year. And, before that game, it was noticed that Phil was living in the low 90's as opposed to the mid-90's with his fastball.
Of course, maybe Phil's hamstring was shot and on it's way out just before the game in which he blew it out? But, if true, how was he able to hold the Rangers hitless in that game? That's hard enough to do with two legs - much less just one.
So, we have a little disconnect here, it seems.
In any event, it will be very interesting to see the radar readings for Hughes his season. Will it be 91-92 MPH or 93-95 MPH on the fastball? We'll soon see, won't we?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at February 17, 2008 09:36 AM
Comments
After calling IPK, Joba and Phil The *Second* Big Three, probably the next thing on the list of never-to-be-brought-up-again is Phil's velocity. I know this is an obsession of yours. I'm not sure how many times this has to be vivisected. Phil was not throwing 91-92 in the Texas game. I've seen the highlights many times and his velocity was all over the place -- anywhere from 91 to 95. The radar gun readings were all over the place during the year, too -- we're talking normally 91, but dipping to 89, and also going up to as high as 96 (even during his "hurt" period in Detroit). And different guns had different readings. The YES gun seems to be pretty inconsistent -- up one day, down another. I recall someone saying the Texas broadcast had him sitting 94-95.
Radar gun readings are just general. In Phil's last start, where he was great, they had him throwing 89-91, but people were swinging through it. In the playoffs, the gun was saying 92-93. Which was right? Which was more accurate? Does it matter, since the result was the same?
The bottom line: velocity only matters in how the hitters react to the pitch, and even when Phil wasn't at one hundred percent and throwing "only" 91, he still had great late life and was getting people to swing right through his fastball.
And for what it's worth, when Eiland was interviewed while the AA pitching coach, he said Phil's velocity was 90-94, so I don't think seeing Phil sitting 91-93 again on occasion this year should come as a surprise.
Posted by: baileywalk ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 17, 2008 11:24 AM
I recall someone saying the Texas broadcast had him sitting 94-95.
__
This is true.
The other thing to keep in mind is that it often takes a month or so into the season for some pitchers to build up maximum arm strength.
Posted by: Rich at February 17, 2008 11:36 AM
It's not so much the pure velocity, it's about the life on the pitch - how much it moves, how much velocity it loses on the way to the plate, etc. Hughes said himself he lost that life after the injury.
91-92 is perfectly fine for a starter, 93-95 is a bit of a luxury. Go watch the clips of Hughes' games in Sept, the radar says 91, but the hitters are reacting like it's 96.
Posted by: Mike A. at February 17, 2008 01:28 PM
the Texas game had his FB anywhere from 86 to 96. they announcers also said how the Stadium gun was different than their TV gun.
in the LDS, his fb speed wasn't that high, 91-94, but he got a lot of swinging strikes. 5.2 ip, 6 k, 0 bb in the playoffs.
Posted by: Travis G. at February 17, 2008 03:49 PM
Jeez, cut Steve a break. I don't read the post as saying Hughes is going to suck because he throws 91 instead of 94. But, his velocity is somewhat relevant as a predictor of success - considering it was one of the components that caused him to be so highly ranked (as compared with IPK, who was prospect ranking was high despite an acknowledged lack of velocity). I'm not saying Hughes can't or won't be successful if he throws "just" 90 mph ...just saying I agree with Steve that it is something to watch
Posted by: unger at February 17, 2008 04:41 PM
Dead, solid, perfect unger - thanks!
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at February 17, 2008 06:40 PM