Not Philling his role yet

Is it time to start worrying about Phil Hughes? I know that’s a question that is going to be asked a lot, especially after his stinker at Fenway last night. But let’s not forget that this guy is still just 21, and he was/is bound to hit a few bumps along the road this season. I still think Hughes is going to be a big-time pitcher. Very few guys reach the majors at his age, and even fewer dominate when they get there. Everyone in the game believes Felix Hernandez is going to be an ace for several years, but if you look at King Felix’s first two full years in the majors, you saw an unsteady rookie year (12-14, 4.52) and a better sophomore effort (14-7, 3.93). Let’s give Hughes 10 or 15 starts before we start shouting for him to be yanked from the rotation. He and Ian Kennedy are going to have days like this. But let’s not forget that Hughes pitched very well against a good Toronto team in his first start. He has the stuff and the mental makeup to succeed. ... [link]