Viva El Birdos: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: Sounder At Heart for Seattle Sounders Fans!

2-2 Pitch Selection, Dunkin's Fault?

I've wondered about this for a long time, and I wonder if someone can give me some insight on this.  I think Cards' pitchers have been throwing up way too many balls on a 2-2 count leading to a large number of 3-2 counts.  I used to think that this is a product of our large cadre of inexperienced pitchers not wanting to challenge hitters on a 2-2 count.  Instead, I think it is the way Dave Dunkin wants the pitchers to pictch on a 2-2 count, i.e. to waste a pitch on 2-2 hoping the hitter would chase a bad pitch.  I can probably point to many examples, but a prime example is Isringhausen's 2-2 pitch to Shawn Greene last night (Tue 6/26/07).  Kelly Stinnet clearly set up outside the strike zone, and Izzy hit the spot.  I've heard Joe Morgan talk about how he feels the 2-2 should be pitched, and he seems to put more urgency on the 2-2 than what I've seem the Cards pitchers do.  This is all the more frustrating as I've seen Cards pitchers walk batters after going 0-2.  I can understanding wasting two pitches to go to 2-2.  But why waste another one and go full?  If one is able to get in two strikes, why does it have to be so hard to throw a third one?  I've never played baseball on any significant level, so my perspective is purely from a fan's point of view.  I know Dave Dunkins is almost god in Cardinals Nation because he is an amazing pitching coach, but is he wrong about the 2-2 count?

Thanks for any insights.

Total Loser

0 recs  |  Comment 3 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Last night on the SNY broadcast
and Ron Darling was talking about Dave Duncan as a pitching coach.  He said Dave Duncan's best asset is that he gives his pitchers 'sequences' to get certain hitters out.

From his massive book of pitch charts and hitter's tendancies, he compiles pitch sequences for the pitcher to use to get that guy out.

This could be part of their anger towards Reyes and preparing for games (not paying enough attention to 'what' will get certain guys out).  A catcher can call fastball in, but a smart pitcher will know that the fastball in needs to stay either 'up' or 'down' on THIS hitter because he has a hole there.

Interested in pre-1990 Cardinals games on tape

by Hardcore Legend on Jun 27, 2007 7:53 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Just like Tony
Forcing guys to watch the first pitch all of the time. It makes me want to hurl a Newcastle at the TV.
A walk is a waste of three pitches-Bob Gibson

by orlando card on Jun 28, 2007 12:39 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

wasting pitches
I complain a lot about wasted pitches.  There's no reason to locate a pitch a foot outside the strike zone.  I can see trying to get get a batter to chase with two strikes, but that breaking pitch has to start in the strike zone, or the fastball should be just out of the zone.

Besides, aren't they pitching to contact?  Wasting pitches to give the batter a different "look" isn't following that philosphy, and defeats the purpose of it - minimizing pitch counts.

by hit and run on Jun 29, 2007 10:39 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the Internet's #1 St. Louis Cardinals blog.
Start posting about the Cardinals »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Stl_ia_card_45_-_dark_small
Jeff Pearlman Thinks Of Hair Clumps When He Thinks Of The Thief McGwire
Black-spider-monkey_small
Losing my religion (w/ baseball)

Recent FanPosts

Small
40 Man Question..
Cathybachebay1_small
The current Busine$$ of Baseball...how long can it last?
Avatar_small
VEB CheBird T-Shirt for Sale - Red or Powder Blue, CLEARANCE
Stl_ia_card_45_-_dark_small
October Lore: One In A Million
St-louis-cardinals-script_small
A Team of Free Agents
St-louis-cardinals_small
Report: LaRussa Will Return
Small
Skip's Lament: The Curse of Too Many Decent Players
Stlcardinals4070_small
Closer Fail

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Managers

Jack_benny_small DanUpBaby

Editors

Bender1_small azruavatar

Adam1_small chuckb

Trigun_001_small the red baron