Yanks say NOhan to the Twins when it comes down to Hughes

ESPN reports that the Twins have reached agreement with the Mets to trade Johan Santana in exchange for four prospects:

I don't care if this helps the Mets, I'm just hoping it helps the Yankees. I have been against the Yanks acquiring Santana from the start, especially when it came down to Phil Hughes.

"Phil Franchise," as he has so eloquently been dubbed by Bloggers everywhere, may never become the pitcher that Santana is. He may never become the #1 Starter that scouts have predicted. Maybe he'll only be a serviceable major league starter...a #3 at best, who knows. Even if he fizzles out and fails to live up to the hype, I would still agree with this 'non-trade'.

Yankees fans love Joba because of his electric stuff and his ability to decimate a lineup. To put it simply Joba = domination. Yankees fans love Phil Hughes for a different reason. They love Phil Hughes because of what his name means. Sure, we've all heard him compared to a young Clemens and as the future ace of the Yankees, but what "Phil Hughes" means is much more. Phil Hughes is the change in philosophy in the Bronx. "The Untouchable".

How many times have we heard the hype surrounding a prospect, only to see them packaged in a deal for a washed up slugger, or over the hill veteran? Not Hughes. There was only one person in baseball that anyone would consider trading this kid for -- the kind of player that makes an 'Untouchable' touchable.

That player is Johan Santana, he is the most dominating pitcher in baseball, a strikeout machine, a lefthanded ace - and still the Yankees balked. This non-move is a testament to the changing philosophy of the Yankees, one of fiscal responsibility and building from within.

We will now have an opportunity to see what Hughes can become, not in someone else's uniform, but in Yankee pinstripes.

We already know what he is capable of. He is a 21 year-old righthander who nearly no hit the Texas Rangers until he suffered a hamstring injury. He is a 21 year-old kid who battled back from an ankle injury, learned to pitch without his best stuff, and still won. He is the kid who pitched great down the stretch in September. He is the kid who took the ball from Roger Clemens in Game 3 of the ALDS and stood up to the pressure.

He is a Yankee, and to put it simply Phil Hughes = "Untouchable."