Posted by VDesai:

Posted by Bonn1997:

So far he's looked great in about 50 innings as a Yankee, but that is a small sample. He could be anything from the next Remiro Mendoza to the next Aaron Small.

He has actually has good stuff, which is why he's a better bet than Aaron Small, who was a junkballer who had many years of mediocre pitching on his resume

Posted by djsunyc:

i'm gonna sound like a loon...but y'all think hughes could be the heir apparent to mo?

they both share the same demeanor on the mound...and hughes is ready to go. he even said he had the adrenaline flowing coming into the game protecting a 1 run lead. said he had some extra gas in the tank.

i think hughes will be a very good starter...but man...i think he could be one heck of a closer too...

Posted by djsunyc:

i'm gonna sound like a loon...but y'all think hughes could be the heir apparent to mo?

they both share the same demeanor on the mound...and hughes is ready to go. he even said he had the adrenaline flowing coming into the game protecting a 1 run lead. said he had some extra gas in the tank.

i think hughes will be a very good starter...but man...i think he could be one heck of a closer too...

Posted by jimimou:

Posted by TMS:

i think Mo's gonna be good for another couple years at least... all this talk that he's losing it, i hear it every year & every year he bounces back & proves his naysayers wrong... i know he's 39 but i've seen him struggle w/his cutter before & get lit up only to come back stronger than ever before so many times i've given up trying to guess when it's time for him to hang it up... i think he'll be our closer for as long as he wants to be... i don't think Mo is the type to hang on when it's clear he's finished like so many other greats of the past have done in other sports... i think Mo will know when he's done & he'll retire w/class the way he's done it his whole career.

that said, i think Hughes is meant to be a starter... Joba i thought was a better fit for the bullpen & still think that's our best bet to win championships, especially now w/Wang back in the rotation... but it doesn't matter what any of us think, the Yankees want both these kids to be starters & i don't expect Hughes to be in the bullpen after this season.

[Edited by - TMS on 06-09-2009 12:18 AM]

btw - mo just etched in save 496 - 4 more to 500. hopefully it happens over the wknd while we're trouncing the mets....

Biographical Data
Player Name: Slade Heathcott
Position: Outfield
School: Texas HS (Texas)
School Type: High School
Academic Class: Senior
Birthdate: 9/28/90
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 196 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Report Date: 3/21/09
Game(s): New Iberia Tournament


Focus Area

Comments
Hitting ability: Heathcott has plus hitting ability from the left side of the plate.
Power: He has plus power to all fields.
Running speed: Even with a knee brace, he showed above-average speed.
Base running: Has great instincts on the bases and will be a base-stealer in the future.
Arm strength: Also clocking in at 95 mph in the past off the mound, his arm from the outfield is a big plus.
Fielding: He's a plus defender who can play all three outfield positions well.
Range: His speed and his instincts allow him to cover a lot of ground.
Physical Description: Heathcott is muscular with broad shoulders and a v-cut torso.
Medical Update: He had ACL reconstruction surgery in November and has been playing with a knee brace, but shows no ill effects. He recently sprained a shoulder diving for a ball in the outfield, but sustained no structural damage.
Strengths: Plus tools across the board. Intense competitor with instincts beyond his years.
Weaknesses: There are some off-the-field issues that concern some. His makeup on the field is fine, but his character is the question.
Summary: Heathcott is a very interesting high school outfielder with plus tools across the board. Even after November ACL surgery, he runs extremely well, has a plus arm from the outfield and can really hit for average and power from the left side of the plate. He's an intense competitor, but there is some concern over character issues off the field. The team that gets those questions answered could be the one to take him on Draft Day.