Twins extend Hughes

Interesting choice. Hughes had 2/$16 mm left to go on the three year deal he signed last winter. The Twins just extended him for three additional seasons. His 2015-16 salary will be bumped to $9.2 mm/yr, and in 2017-19 he'll be getting $13.2 mm per. This will take him through his age 33 season.

Interesting choice. Hughes had 2/$16 mm left to go on the three year deal he signed last winter. The Twins just extended him for three additional seasons. His 2015-16 salary will be bumped to $9.2 mm/yr, and in 2017-19 he'll be getting $13.2 mm per. This will take him through his age 33 season.

I am not convinced that the Twins are well run these days.

I am not convinced that the Twins are well run these days.

Yeah this doesn't make a lot of sense for the team. I could see giving him an extra million the next two years as a good faith gesture for just missing his inning bonus, but the extra three years is crazy. Maybe they are afraid they won't develop their starting pitching.

Maybe they are afraid they won't develop their starting pitching.

It doesn't matter. It's Phil Hughes! If they need a pitcher in three years, we can give them Ubaldo.

It doesn't matter. It's Phil Hughes! If they need a pitcher in three years, we can give them Ubaldo.

Hughes had a very good year in 2014, finishing 7th in the Cy Young voting. The most interesting thing was that he had a Koji-like year with respect to avoiding walks: 16 walks in 32 starts. That's rather amazing, and totally out of line with the rest of his career. So, maybe he figured out something with respect to his command of his pitches that the Twins think will cause him to be consistently good from here on out. And maybe they're right, but why not wait to find out?

Best year ever for a control pitcher last year. Could be a big bargain contract if he does that again.

Hughes had a very good year in 2014, finishing 7th in the Cy Young voting. The most interesting thing was that he had a Koji-like year with respect to avoiding walks: 16 walks in 32 starts. That's rather amazing, and totally out of line with the rest of his career. So, maybe he figured out something with respect to his command of his pitches that the Twins think will cause him to be consistently good from here on out. And maybe they're right, but why not wait to find out?

Best year ever for a control pitcher last year. Could be a big bargain contract if he does that again.

What if the strike zone is made smaller to increase offense? It's Phil Hughes!

The most interesting thing was that he had a Koji-like year with respect to avoiding walks: 16 walks in 32 starts. That's rather amazing, and totally out of line with the rest of his career. So, maybe he figured out something with respect to his command of his pitches that the Twins think will cause him to be consistently good from here on out. And maybe they're right, but why not wait to find out?

It is pretty amazing.

I know he scrapped his slider and went to a cutter last year, but I was kind of surprised that fangraphs also shows him as basically scrapping his curveball for a knuckle curve variety last year. Hughes always did have a great live arm and a strong pedigree (perhaps overhyped as a Yankee prospect though). I'm sure pitching away from Yankee Stadium has done wonders for him too.