It’s now a thing in major league baseball when a young pitcher in the starting rotation.  Having an innings limit on a young pitcher helps keep him healthy for the end of the year, as well as their future.  The theory is not to increase the young pitcher’s workload year after year so they are more effective.

When Joba Chamberlain was in the starting rotation, there emerged the ever famous “Joba Rules.”  At the beginning of the 2009 season, the Yankees had made public that Joba was to pitch 140 innings during the year.

Joba as a starter didn’t really work for me, or him apparently.  He was barely pitching past three or four innings in most games during the 2009 season.  Joba’s velocity and location consistently only has great effect in just a few innings per game.  Having him as the set up man for Mo in the bullpen was the better fit for him.

Now it’s 2010.  Joba is rightfully in the bullpen and Phil Hughes is taken the fifth spot in the rotation.  Hughes has proved that he is more than capable of handling the starting pitching position.  On average he lasts seven innings a game.  He flirted with a no-hit bid in April against the Oakland A’s giving up the only hit in the eight inning.  He has great velocity and location and keeps it consistantly throughout all of his starts and innings.

This week it was announced that when the Yankees visit the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow, Hughes’ start will be skipped.  The reasoning was for inning limitations, but it’s being kept private how many innings Hughes is expected to pitch this season.  If I were to guess, I think Hughes’ innings will go up to 170 this season.  Hughes was disappointed that he was to be skipped, but saw it coming (as did many of us).

“There’s no talking him out of it,” says Hughes.  “It’s an orgainizational decision and that’s that.  You just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

The “Hughes Rules” will not have the same effect as it did on Joba Chamberlain.  Like I said, Joba has stuff that’s more fitting for the bullpen since his electricity doesn’t last more than four innings.  Phil Hughes, however, has that stuff to last six or seven innings per game.  His fastball stays at 90 mph and he knows how to consistently hit his targets.  I expect Hughes to keep his stuff throughout the rest of the season.  He will be in the rotation come postseason.