A Crucial Night For The Yankees And Philip Hughes

This evening’s game (4/28) looms large for the Yankees.  The ship is sinking fast.  Captain Ahab – ah – Girardi is issuing orders, but the white whale is devouring the season.  The team is in a free fall.  Last evening’s lackluster performance in Detroit demonstrated that the disasters in Boston have left the team with a collective loss of confidence.

The Yankees need some hope.  That hope may be arriving tonite.  Its name is Philip Hughes.

Philip Hughes has been The Next Big Thing for three years.  He has been lauded as the second coming of Walter Johnson.  In his brief career, he has shown flashes of brilliance, invariably followed by physical breakdown.  This Spring he looked like he was finally ready to contribute, but the crowded Yankee rotation forced him down to AAA.

Tonite he pitches against the Tigers, and the Yankees desperately need him to do well.  A strong showing would provide hope for the future, both short term and long term.  In the short run, the Yankees need a big win to restore their confidence and right what can only be described as a sinking ship.  In the long run, they need to know that a viable replacement exists for Chien Ming Wang, if Wang cannot overcome his physical problems.  

And in the longer run, the Yankees need to see that the long-promised young arms are real, and that true rebuilding is ongoing.  Sunday night the Red Sox showed off their young arms and humiliated the veteran Yankees.  The Yank need to show they have a positive future in front of them.

A great deal rides on Philip Hughes shoulders tonite.  Yankee fans should cross their fingers, knock on wood, and hold their collective breath. 

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