Trouble in the Bronx: 10 Trade Options for Yankees if Phil Hughes Can’t Hack It
April 10, 2011 · Dan Hiergesell · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The Yankees are like that good-looking high school chick who seems to have it all, but there are always some underlying problems.
With an explosive offense, solid defense and a top-of-the-rotation pitcher in C.C. Sabathia, the Bronx Bombers have everything in place to be penciled in for October, right?
Not just yet.
While everything is glitter and glamor on the outside, the underlying problems are quickly rising to the surface. These alarming issues are led by the starting pitching, with Phil Hughes acting as the front-man.
Considering that Hughes’ “potential” was a major reason the Yankees felt comfortable in not signing a big-name arm in the offseason, his performance thus far has been downright sluggish.
The 24-year-old is currently 0-1 with a 16.50 ERA, with only one strikeout in six innings through his first two starts of the season.
It may, however, be too early to diagnose Hughes as the main suspect in the Yankees’ rotation. But, considering Hughes has been a notoriously mediocre second-half pitcher, you can only imagine what his season will look like if he doesn’t pick it up soon.
His first two starts this season have shown that he can neither beat an above-average offense like the Detroit Tigers nor compete with a top notch in-division opponent like the Boston Red Sox.
If New York is aiming to land a spot in October-fest, they’ll surely need better pitching than what Hughes is currently giving them.
With that said, if the young gun is unable to right the ship and falls faster into the depths of inconsistent pitching, who would be most suitable to take on a big-time pitching role in the Bronx?
With Felix Hernandez, Andy Pettitte and Francisco Liriano making headway, here are the top 10 candidates to replace Phil Hughes and bolster the Yankees’ rotation.
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