Good stuff from YES Network’s Jack Curry on Phil Hughes, who pitches tonight for the Yankees against the Red Sox, reminding me of my “attack, attack, attack” characterization:

Phil Hughes looks different on the mound this season, different in a positive way. He acts more assertive and more fearless. He has the demeanor of a pitcher who is anxious to throw the ball because he doesn’t expect batters to do any damage. He looks that cool for the Yankees.

Watch how Hughes performs when he faces the Red Sox Monday night. He rarely strays from the rubber because he doesn’t want to waste time between pitches. He shows little emotion because he is focused on the next pitch. While Hughes’ friends have told him that they have noticed a difference in his presence, he believes the most crucial difference is what has transpired above his neck.

When Hughes thinks about what has allowed him to rumble to a 5-0 record with a 1.38 earned run average, he centers on “confidence and aggressiveness.” Yes, Hughes has used his cut fastball more often and will toss it in any count. Yes, his curveball is better and he has added a changeup. But Hughes feels the mental adjustments have been more important to his ascension than any physical changes.

Hughes is throwing the cutter 28 percent of the time, up from 16.4 percent last year — a level that Curry cautions may be bordering on overexposure: “As valuable as Hughes’s cutter has been, he must be wary of not always throwing it when he is behind in the count. Hitters aren’t idiots. If Hughes throws his cutter every time he is behind, hitters will make adjustments and simply wait for it.”

So true, but still, whatever Hughes is doing, it’s working. His 1.38 ERA leads the league, he’s striking out a batter per inning, and he’s allowed just one homer in 39 innings. He’s simply a gas to watch these days.