That’s just sad.  I can still see 3 chins on C.C.  Maybe we should call him C.C.C. Sabathia.

[1] But, he does seem to have a bit less of a paunch. I’m not really seeing the weight loss on Hughes though.

me either, Hughes looks the same to me. it would be easier to tell if they all took their shirts off, Robertson should go first.

This is Hughes last September.

Looks like a bit less of a gut on him, although the different angle/uniform means it could just be an optical illusion.

I’m looking mostly at his face. It still looks like he’s got a bt of a stomach in the top picture, but it does appear to be less than the second photo you have.

It remains interesting to me that sitting down with a prized employee to discuss their weight gain is awkward, but disclosing that conversation to the media is not.

They ALL look doughy… the Yanks might have the chubbiest starting staff in the majors this year. Is it too much to ask professional athletes to keep in shape year-round?

Nova looks doughy? Seriously?

[7] In shape for a pitcher is a lot different from in shape for an middle infielder or outfielder.

Ideally all of the Yankees would be paragons of fitness in the 5-8% body fat range. But realistically, they are not endurance athletes and the extra weight (up to a point) is not a huge deal. In general they look fine, CC is never going to be close to slim and Hughes looks like he’s got some love handles, but what ultimately matters is how well they are going to be able to throw.

Now if Garnder showed up out of shape and carrying some “doughyness” I would be a bit worried since he relies on his speed and every extra pound is a lost fraction of a second running down a fly ball or stealing a base.

What’s with the Reservoir Dogs photo?

Sorry to spillover with the sushi discussion…though maybe it is relevant to weight gain…right?

If you have a local place you like, and there’s not crazy shit on the menu, you’re not likely to get salted squid guts as a surprise.  Plus most places will ask if there’s anything you don’t want, they’re not stupid.  That does defeat the purpose a bit, but you should still expect the chef to choose what’s best and freshest and maybe do some interesting preparations.  Our local joint is excellent, one of the best places I’ve ever been to, and when I’ve tried to second guess him by ordering uni when he didn’t see fit to include it, I discovered that he was right not to serve it.  It wasn’t BAD, just not up to the standard of the rest of the meal.

[10] The Chef is always right. He also has a lot of really sharp knives.

It’s expensive even at the local joints, but I pretty much let the sushi chef decide when I go for sushi.

Then again, I eat pretty much everything.

I haven’t had good Sushi in years now. Central Texas has some good food, I have not tried any Sushi yet though.

[2] Only one way to find out for sure: naked Phil Hughes pics.

[14] And we are at the home of the Original Naked Phil Hughes picture.

Stop slacking SG.

Chavez lands a guaranteed ML contract with NYY, pending physical.

[16] I hope Sterling didn’t spend too much time working on his home run call for Bill Hall.

[16] That’s a big pending.

[18] That’s what she said.

So Hall gets called up on April 29th? Or will it be Laird?

[13] My friends in Austin tell me Uchi is very good.

Abreu says play me or trade me. Pittsburgh must be preparing a very attractive package of short-season Single A’ers and a reliever recently signed from the Long Island Ducks.

How bad would Hall be as a BU SS/2B

[23] Bad. Like sea urchin. One of the very few foods I’ve found inedible.

[23]  Hall of Infamy?

[25] I guess Senor Melvin Hall will have the final say.

Maybe the awkward part for Cashman was he demanded that CC strip so that he can have a good look at his shape.

The AJ-lessness of this photo is wonderful.

[27] I’m sure it was just so he could have a good look at his shape

*nudge nudge, wink wink*

Sea urchin is a stronger or more intense version of shrimp/lobster/crab brain, liver, tamale, roe, or whatever it is.

Some people like that part of the shellfish straight up. But for the less adventurous, often the better seafood risotto has all the seemingly yucky stuff in there (or in the stock base).

Something looks off about Hughes’s stride - his balance, or the pronation of his right foot, perhaps.  He looks like he’s almost recovered from a skiing accident, but not really; or like he’s trying to walk off a Charlie horse.  Or maybe this is normal and photographers just throw out such pictures when they can because the uninformed think their subjects can’t walk.

[31] His glove arm is unnaturally high for normal walking. It looks as if he’s a second away from catching a ball tossed to him. Or, given the ball in his hand, about to toss it to someone else.

Sabathia not wearing the official hat of Captain Crunch, a good sign early this spring. We’ll see if he can maintain. Those sugary cereal salesman and their slippery ways… reminds me of this…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vh5y82GXIs

(sorry for the low quality. But my goodness gracious, it didn’t get better than The Simpsons at one point in time)

[24] Though I didn’t find sea urchin inedible, it is (so far) the only sushi I would not order again.