Hughes looked sharp, but tough night for Yankees

Tough night for the Yankees, though one they handled with brains considering the circumstances. Phil Hughes looked sharp in his first two innings, throwing first-pitch strikes to five of the six hitters he faced. He faced the minimum six batters in those two frames, but a 51-minute rain delay left Joe Girardi with a decision: should he send Hughes back to the mound? He decided against it, and it was absolutely the correct move. One game in April isn’t worth the risk of injuring your team’s future. The Yankees have taken such precautions with Hughes during his time in the organization, why would you needlessly risk his health for one game? There is no reason to. Yes, the White Sox sent Gavin Floyd back to the mound after the delay, but Floyd has a few more years of experience than Hughes does, and he hasn’t been the gem of the White Sox system for the past four years. It was a risk Ozzie Guillen decided to take, which is his prerogative. Think of the beating Girardi would have taken ... (link)