The plan for Phil Hughes

The Yankees came up with this plan for Phil Hughes, he won't make his first start of the season until April 15th. On April 5th he will throw 90-100 pitches in a extended spring start. This is basically the equivalent of a minor league spring training game. He will fly to Boston after the game to join the rest of the team. April 10th- He will make another extended spring start in the middle of a series in Tampa against the Rays. He will most likely be backed off to about 70 pitches, it is just like the other pitchers were in their last starts. April 15- He will make his season debut at home against the Angels. He will be stretched out just like the rest of the other pitchers at that point. Joe Girardi said they chose to do it this way because it will help to further control his innings. The innings he pitches in extended spring won't count against his total for the season. He said he was only throwing 50 pitches at times when the other guys were throwing 50 and they feel this is a good way to get him up to where he should be. He said the innings don't count because it is a controlled environment. If he throws 20 pitches in a inning and they want to stop the inning they can. In a real game you can't do this. Why wouldn't the Yankees option him to the minors and bring him up when needed. "There is a situation that might arise where you need him to make a spot start, or you get rained out and they want to play a double header. If he were optioned they would have to wait 10 days before calling him up. This seems like a pretty reasonable plan, I guess I like this plan. I think it will work out fine, I was thinking send him down but with Girardi explaining this I can understand what they are thinking. The notes come from Chad Jennings of the Lohud Yankees blog and Journal News.