Trades? Hughes isn't going anywhere
Photo credit: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun | New York Yankees' Phil Hughes works against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 23, 2009 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Hughes got the save as the Yankees beat the Athletics 6-3. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
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Brian Cashman has declined to give up Phil Hughes before, most notably in 2007, when it would have taken a package including the young righty to land Johan Santana.
So it came as little surprise that according to an SI.com report Friday, the Yankees' interest in acquiring lefthander Cliff Lee from Cleveland cooled when the Indians insisted on either Hughes or Joba Chamberlain as part of any deal.
"It's encouraging that they think so much of me and want me to be a part of this organization,'' Hughes said Friday. " . . . It's a nice compliment, though at the same time, you have to go out and prove that them keeping you was a good decision."
Hughes certainly has demonstrated that since moving to the bullpen in early June. He earned his first career save Thursday, retiring all six batters he faced. It was his 15th straight relief outing (192/3 innings) without giving up a run.
Even with Hughes dominating as a reliever (a 0.74 ERA in 17 appearances in which he has allowed 12 hits and five walks with 28 strikeouts in 241/3 innings), Joe Girardi won't rule out a return to the rotation this season. But that's not Girardi's first choice. Either way, it appears Hughes will be a Yankee. "I've heard my name come up, the past five years it seems like, and every year I'm still around," he said with a smile. "It's a nice thing, but like I said, you have to go out and prove that you belong and prove that them keeping you was a good choice."
