POOR MANAGING DOESN'T HELP

Is 3 weeks into the season long enough to criticize the manager? I hope so, because here it goes.

1. Phil Hughes wasn't the greatest tonight, he struggled, but he should have been able to complete the 6th inning. Instead he was pulled after the A-Rod error. Hughes was the victim there, if "A" makes that play, he's still in the game with 2 outs. I know he was at 97 pitches, God forbid that a young viable arm should throw more, but let him finish the inning.

I HATE pitch counts! ESPECIALLY when you turn it over to a SUSPECT bull pen.

In 1967, 22 year old rookie Tom Seaver pitched 251 innings. Seaver went on to pitch 200+ innings every season until 1980 when he was 35.

1986, 23 year old Roger Clemens pitched 254. 1984, 19 year old Dwight Gooden, 218. 2005, Dontrelle Willis hurled 236 innings at 23. John Smoltz in 1989 checked in with 208 innings at 22 years old.

So my question to the pitching department is when do the limits end? When will you let go of the leash and turn them loose? Between 25 and 30? Give me a number!

Phil Hughes at 97 pitches is still better than LaTrash Hawkins at 0 pitches.

2. When a pitcher warms up in the bullpen, he is preparing to come in to THROW STRIKES. Hawkins comes in and is ordered to throw 4 softies for an IBB.

Let the OUTGOING pitcher serve up the IBB and let the new pitcher do what he was warming up to do, THROW STRIKES!

3. So in comes Hawkins and....

4. Jonathan Albaladejo was sent back to AAA.

Albie is better than Bruney, better than Traber and certainly better than Hawkins.

Meanwhile, Hawkins can only get 1 out sandwiched in between a couple of RBI hits and its game over.

Hawkins STINKS. How long will it be before Girardi and crew realize this? There is a reason this cluck has been with FIVE teams in FOUR years!

Joe and Dave Eiland are going to have to do better than this.