Written by Greg Fertel
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11 April 2007
Mike Mussina is down. He is likely headed to the DL. Chase Wright, pitching on the same day as Mussina, just had the most dominant start of his career. He is the only healthy starter extra starter on our 40-man. I've already seen three different fans who suggested calling him up. mThe Yankees would be making a grave mistake by calling him up.
Chase Wright is in a groove. When a pitcher is in a groove, you don't mess with the groove! He has pitched 14 innings and allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and a 2.29 GO/FO ratio. He has strukc out 19. Wright spent all of 2006 tearing apart the Florida State League, earning him the spot on the Yankee 40-man as protection from the Rule V draft. But his total experience above High A ball consists of those 14 innings, which is in no way preparation for the major leagues.
Remember the last time we had a 24 year old left handed starter in a groove in AA, but then called him up? Yeah, Sean Henn in 2005. The call up derailed his progress and eventually his starting career. At the time, he was a potential big-time left starter. He got destroyed in the big leagues, and fell back to his previous habits.
The Yankees need to let Wright pitch. They should not move him up to AAA (not that they have the space there anyway). They should not call him up. They should let him spend the majority of this season learning how to tear down Eastern League hitters. His needs to get some experience under his belt with his new slurvey-slider, and he needs to get some miles on his arm.
What should the Yankees do? Darrell Rasner, thanks to the off day, can fill in for Mussina on the next turn. Hopefully Wang or Karstens will be close to ready Moose's next start. Until then, T.J. Beam or Chris Britton can provide the Yanks with more MLB bullpen depth. Hughes, Clippard, Ohlendorf and Jackson should not be options. They are all working on things in AAA, and are not on the 40-man. I've said it before: I want Hughes up to stay once he is called up. Not just for 2 starts.
Of course, events could turn up in a way that the Yankees force their hand on Hughes. Phil starts tomorrow. Let's say he absolutely blows the hitters away for a 7 IP, 10 K, 1 BB, 0 ER line or something. The Yankees may be pressured in to calling him up. If I am Brian Cashman, I publicly state before Scranton's game tomorrow that Hughes is not an option at this time.
