Hughes Dominant in Bullpen Debut

Let the debate begin. Joba Chamberlain has been there. The media and Yankee fans alike, have argued back and forth on what role he is most fit for. Phil Hughes might find himself in a similar situation. That's right, the young righty made his way to the mound in the same manner as future hall of famer, Mariano Rivera does. He began warming up in the 6th inning in preparation for his debut as a Yankee reliever. To the unknown, this wasn't his first rodeo. It took only 11 pitches for Hughes to retire BJ Upton, Carl Crawford, and Evan Longoria in the 7th inning in helping the Yankees beat the Rays 5-3 on Monday. Using a 96 mph fastball and a sharp breaking ball, he induced two groundouts and a strikeout on the three Ray phenoms. Could this be the start of things to come? I wouldn't bet against it. With this performance, it springs thoughts of optimism coming out of the Yankee bullpen. Especially if you start thinking about this staff come, say...October. Think about it. Shall the Yanks reach postseason play, it is a very good possibility that this bullpen could be compiled with the likes of Joba, Hughes, Aceves, Bruney, and of course Mo. That kind of combination could immensely shorten the game for a four-man postseason rotation. I realize this is only the first test for Hughes, the reliever. But with his performance on Monday, it only sheds optimism for the rest of this season. Phil Hughes: starter or reliever? Let the debate begin. Go Yanks!!