FOR HUGHES, TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

For Phil Hughes, "Tonight is the Night" by Outasight may be his song. His start tonight is where the rubber meets the road..

Cliches aside, tonight really is an important start for Phil. If Hughes pitches the way he has so far this year, it may be his last time as a starter. The Yankees have called up DJ Mitchell as a reliever from Scanton. With David Phelps taking Freddy Garcia's start, DJ is the one they will go to if Phil struggles early in the game. If that happens and Mitchell comes through, the Yankees would be crazy not to move Phil to the pen and keep Mitchell in as a starter. It's all up to Hughes and how he does against Baltimore.

I personally think Phil Hughes is a relief pitcher. He did he best pitching in 2009 as just that. Unfortunately, every young pitcher wants to be a starter. It's where the fame and money are (or so they think). In baseball, if you are highly successful at what you do, fame and money will come; regardless of what role you play-just ask Mariano Rivera.

Whatever happens tonight - Phil Hughes needs to find the thing that got him to the big leagues in the first place, which is confidence. Whether it's as a confident starter or reliever.

Good luck to Phil Huges tonight and...

As always, GO YANKEES!!