Phil Hughes the right choice?

At the beginning of spring training, the New York Yankees only had one position not filled going into the season. That position was the 5th starter, and there were about 5 pitchers competing for that spot. Realistically the competition was only between Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Both Hughes and Chamberlain were highly touted pitching prospects that came through the Yankees system.

Joba Chamberlain was drafted 41st overall in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, he had attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In college Joba was a starting pitcher and only played two years of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, transferring from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. His college numbers were outstanding posting a 16-7 record in 32 games with a 3.37 era. The numbers that really stood out was 232 strikeouts in 208 innings. He then spent nearly a full season playing minor league baseball, when he was called upon by the Yankees at the end of the 2007 season. Chamberlain was flat out electric when he first came up to the big leagues, fooling hitters and making them look dumb. He was what the Yankees needed in the 8th inning to form a bridge to the greatest closer in baseball history Mariano Rivera. After the Yankees failed in the playoffs in 2007, Chamberlain was named to start in the bullpen for the 2008 season, but that didn't last that long. In May of the 2008 season the Yankees started the slow transition to move Chamberlain to the starting rotation. The transition wasn't easy as the Yankees watched his pitch count like a hawk and by doing so; Chamberlain's starts were very short. He finished the 2008 season with a 3-1 record along with eight no decisions most due to the fact that he didn't pitch past the 5th inning, because of his pitch count. Going into 2009 the Yankees said that Chamberlain would be a starting pitcher. But again due to babying Chamberlain he was never able to get a rhythm going, like he did when he was in the bullpen. Also he velocity dropped drastically from the electric 98mph plus to about 92mph. Many thought that Chamberlain was hurt, but many Yankee fans and I believe this is due to the babying the Yankees front office conducted with Chamberlain. In the postseason though it seemed like Chamberlain had come back to his 2007 form by showing a great performance in the 2009 postseason being the 7th inning man in front of Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera.

Phil Hughes was drafted 23rd overall in the 2004 Major League Draft right out of high school, which was a risky pick, due to the long history of hard throwing high school pitchers whose arms burn out. Hughes arm didn't burn out; because he had become more then just a thrower he became a complete pitcher. He spent the 2005, 2006 and the beginning of the 2007 season in the Minor leagues putting up ridiculous numbers. At the beginning of 2007 Baseball Digest named Hughes at the 2nd best prospect in the Yankees system, and even though he had the stuff and the skill to start in the big leagues, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wanted Hughes to start the season in Triple A. Due to injuries Hughes got his first big league start on April 26th, 2007 against the Toronto Blue Jays, he only lasted 4.1 innings and got the lose. His second start though was phenomenal he went 6.1 innings throwing a no hitter and was forced to leave because of a pulled hamstring. He was out for most of the season and returned in August and was named to the playoff roster. During the postseason, he came in for Roger Clemens in relief and pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball and earned his first postseason win and the only one for the Yankees that year. Going into the 2008 season it seemed, as the sky was the limit for Hughes. But due to injuries Hughes missed most of the 2008 season and returned at the end of the season with a few spot starts. Going into the 2009 the Yankees had already named that Chamberlain would be one of the starters which meant that Hughes was the odd man out and was to start the season in Triple A. When Chien-Ming Wang was injured at the beginning of the season it was Hughes who was called upon to take his starts. When Wang returned Hughes was moved to the bullpen and due to the Yankees shaky bullpen Hughes became the set-up man to Mariano Rivera and flourished there. After the a decent postseason in 2009, the Yankees front office said that Hughes would be in competition for the 5th spot in the rotation to compete with Chamberlain.

Like I said before the only big thing going on at Yankees spring training was the competition for the 5th spot in the rotation. Most of spring training both Hughes and Chamberlain were neck in neck and in the end Joe Girardi choose Hughes for the last spot in the rotation. That choice was agreed upon among most Yankee fans that have been fed up with waiting and waiting for Chamberlain to finally be the pitcher he is suppose to be. Is that fair to Chamberlain? No its not, because the Yankees front office babied him and basically ruined him. Hughes on the other hand had to be the favorite the whole time, he is younger and he arm is already stretched out to be a starting pitcher. Even though the season is well under way and Hughes has been flat out nasty, and Chamberlain seems to be on his way to being the set-up man he once was. But what do you think should happen with the future of these two young studs?