Pineiro's terrific changeup?
by chuckb on Apr 23, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
in St. Louis Cardinals News
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PrintPineiro thrived last night by pounding the bottom of the zone. I used MLB’s gameday to chart how Pineiro got his outs. According to Gameday, he got 5 outs w/ his fastball or sinker, 1 w/ his curveball, 4 w/ his slider, and a whopping 12 w/ his changeup. Sounds like a lot w/ his changeup, doesn’t it? So it occurred to me to look through all his pitches to see what was going on. Gameday told me that Pineiro threw 22 fastballs and sinkers, 6 curveballs, 9 sliders, and 48 changeups. (somehow I missed a few pitches). Anyway, for his career 12.8% of his pitches have been changeups. He’s always been much more of a fastball-slider guy than a changeup guy. Initially, when I saw all those changeup outs, I figured that he and Yadi locked onto the fact that his changeup must be really sharp so they’re just going to go w/ it. Then I noticed that the changeup speeds were in the 87-88 mph range. Those aren’t changeups from Pineiro. Motte…maybe. Not Joel Pineiro.
The bulk of those changeups must have been sinkers and the sink on the pitch fooled Gameday into thinking they were changeups. He was pounding the bottom of the zone w/ really good sinkers last night. Still, it’s not like 2/3 of his pitches were strikes. So was it great pitching or bad offense? Probably a little bit of both. As I said, he wasn’t exactly throwing one strike after another and yet the Mets only saw more than 4 pitches in a PA 4 times in 8+ innings – 30 batters worth. Pineiro’s low pitch count is indicative of someone who had a much higher strike % than he did last night. The Mets swung at almost everything.
The 1 thing that’s concerning about Pineiro’s outing, except for the fact that it’s going to be difficult to reproduce w/o facing a similarly impatient lineup, is that when the Mets swung, they made contact. Pineiro had 18 called strikes last night, and Mets’ hitters made contact – either w/ a foul ball or by putting the ball in play – 32 times against him. Pineiro only got 1 swinging strike – by Delgado in the 6th. He’s only thrown the ball by a hitter 12 times in his 3 starts so far this season. That said, Pineiro’s formula for success this year is pretty clear – throw strikes and keep the ball down. In his 2 quality starts, he has 30 ground ball outs and 10 fly ball outs. In his 1 poor start (where he was still credited w/ a win), he got 4 ground ball outs and 8 fly ball outs. He must keep the ball down b/c he’s not going to throw it by anyone. He’s struck out just 5 against 6 walks in 19.2 IP so far this season.
This just in – Colby Rasmus is pretty good. Remember when a number of Cards’ fans were suggesting that he begin the year at Memphis since he tends to begin the season very slowly anyway. Well, I hope he is starting the year slowly b/c he’s playing very well so far. He had 2 more hits last night to raise his BA up to .270. He also has the highest BB% on the team – yes, even higher than Albert’s – at 17.1% and has now raised his OBP up to .386. I know it’s early but he has a great approach at the plate – so far, more BBs than Ks – and can really swing the bat. The only thing he really hasn’t done to this point is hit for any power, but it will come. He does have 2 doubles but his other 8 hits have all been singles. Additionally, he’s only swung at 11.8% of the pitches he’s seen outside the strike zone.
Defensively, he’s the only OF to have played all 3 OF positions and, according to UZR, he has been the best defender on the team so far this season. Granted, it’s very early and we’re dealing w/ dreadfully small sample sizes, and defensive numbers are not always as clear-cut as offensive numbers, but he’s been worth 1.7 runs in the OF so far this season. The good news – Colby’s only 22 and will only get better. To be sure, he’s going to suffer from some growing pains at times, but I think we’ve got a keeper!
Game thread goes up around lunch time as the Cards play yet another day game today. This will be, I believe, their 37th day game out of the 16 they’ve played so far. Yippee! Another game I don’t get to watch! I’ll try to follow along on Gameday at work. Hopefully, it’s better in determining Lohse’s pitches than it was w/ Pineiro!
A couple other notes -- Geoff Young over at THT has an interesting review of the famed Ozzie -- Garry Templeton trade from 1982. Take a look.
You should also take a look at Harry Pavlidis' fanpost on the Cards' hitters' plate discipline. Terrific work, as always, Harry.
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So Rick went 0-4 with no walks
Did he show ANYTHING promising last night?
Pretty cool moustache
Lou Brock loves Lamp.
by birdjam on Apr 23, 2009 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
From what I remember...
He hit the ball pretty hard once, but it was right at Schneider in RF. One of the strikeouts was his typical swing and miss at a fastball way up and in.
I don’t remember his other two outs. I do know one of them was another strikeout, though.
The thought that I have is that the season is over. And that everybody in the game; a fan, a coach, a player, a manager, front office, scouts...surrender. They say, "that's enough," especially after a game like this. But then Christmas comes, New Years, contracts are signed, trades are made, free agents are signed; and then baseball, like the rose beneath the April snow will force it's way to the front again. And we'll have the fever once more.
-Jack
Also grounded out to second
But yes, the lineout to Church in the third was hit hard.
Lou Brock loves Lamp.
Dangit...I meant Church.
I’m an idot.
The thought that I have is that the season is over. And that everybody in the game; a fan, a coach, a player, a manager, front office, scouts...surrender. They say, "that's enough," especially after a game like this. But then Christmas comes, New Years, contracts are signed, trades are made, free agents are signed; and then baseball, like the rose beneath the April snow will force it's way to the front again. And we'll have the fever once more.
-Jack
Other K
Was on a slider way out of the zone. He had the look of ’I’m swinging no matter what’. I’m pretty sure I heard an audible F-bomb on the way back to the dugout.
i thought this strikeout
pretty much sums up Ankiel’s slump since middle of last year. Low and away with no chance of putting the bat on the ball. He knew it as soon as he started to swing and was heading to the dugout on the follow through. Everyone of us knew that strikeout was coming.
Milt Thompson FTW!
It just looks soooo terrible when he does it
and he does it repeatedly. I’m not saying major league pitchers are easy to figure out and that their stuff is easy to lay off, but major leage hitters are able to figure them out and make adjustments instead of repeatedly looking overmatched.
by Ray Lankford on Apr 23, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions
To his defense
King on that pitch is common for lefthanded hitters.
Still, of course, it makes me cringe.
Not just Rasmus
Yadi, Greene, Duncan and Skip all sport K/BB ratios so far this year that are better than their career norm. Bitching at the hitting coach when the offense is going bad is a time-honored pasttime, so maybe it’s time to give Hal McCrae some props for getting most of these guys off to a good start this year.
Interesting
we should revisit this in, say, June and see how it looks.
if not mistaken
I think the guys came out of ST last year with a looking for the good pitches. You hit it on the head, give credit to Hal McRae. You notice K. Greene is sporting a .350 OBP with a .220avg? Only the struggling Ankiel is not waiting on his pitch. WOW, maybe that is why he is struggling?
Andy S
me no gooder english
delete “with a” from that post:)
Andy S
I think hitting coaches
get too much blame and too much credit for how players hit.
as someone who gives hitting lessons
I take offence to that…but I also agree…
"Baseball is dull only to dull minds." - Red Barber
Yeah, I'm a loser...
No offense meant
to your craft. I think you can teach players good mechanics. You can coach them on an approach. But a lot of hitting comes down to physical ability, as well as whether the guy is “hot.”
Well,
and isn’t there a world of difference between a major league hitting coach and pretty much any other type of hitting coach? A major leaguer surely pretty much has his technique down, and his hitting coach is just trying to keep him on track, whereas (say) a HS coach is trying to help the kid build the track in the first place.
"Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals." --Churchill
I would think a major league coach could help mostly with stuff like
taking pitches, reinforcing to the player which approach getst he best results, etc. I assume that major leaguers just don’t make significant changes to their hitting mechanics very often. But I could totally buy that, say, McRae could convince Greene to be more patient. Gets him on base more, which helps the team. Being more selective makes him harder to get out, which could also potentially lead to better chance of positive results after putting the ball into play, etc. etc.
Sorry, I didnt really take offence to that
but I do agree with you. the only thing a hitting coach can do is give his ideas. It is up to to the player to work hard and put in the time to implement it and build on them. So the player is ultimately responsible for success and failures…
"Baseball is dull only to dull minds." - Red Barber
Yeah, I'm a loser...
Yeah
I didn’t really think you did, I was just expanding on why I thought hitting coaches had a limited ability to affect a hitter’s success.
Ankiel is trying
too hard to be himself, i.e., the Swingin’ Dick Ankiel of lore. He ought to try to be Yadi Molina for awhile and just wait for good pitches and hit the damn ball.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions
KBOT
was walked in 5 straight at bats—maybe that’s why Tony wanted to try him in the two, but I must say I really like the combo of Greene/Thurston at the bottom of the lineup. GIDP is not going to be too common, and sac bunts from our SPs will be common. That’s St. Louis Baseball!
Stupid Sexy Flanders!!!
by timmycardinals on Apr 23, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I wonder how many of these guys take BP with Albert
I mean, Ryan Howard trains with Albert. These guys wouldn’t all talk about learning from the best hitter in the universe if they weren’t learning from the best hitter in the universe, right?
We may never quantify the Albert Effect, but the guys who mention him vs. mentioning their hitting coach has always struck me as an interesting trend.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Apr 23, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
He's definitely done a good job with K-bot
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Reminds me
of all the cubs fans last year that claimed Fukudome’s patient presence in the lineup rubbed off on the rest of the cubs hitters. I didn’t buy it. Albert might be awesome enough to have a small affect, but I’m not sure how much of one.
How about Spockoli? It seems like everytime I check the boxscore he has 2 or 3 walks.
*Rasmus is to CF as Longoria is to 3B*
I hope he keeps it up
he will be a much more effective offensive player if he does…
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Apr 23, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
McCrae props
Agreed on giving McCrae his due. I still don’t like how he wears his cap.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
Rasmus
Just wanted to mention in my non-metric way that Colby looked very comfortable at the plate each time last night. He looks to have an above average eye so far. I really wanted to see him get a crack with the bases juiced but I understand going to RBI-wick.
Actually that would have
been a time to leave the kid in there … thus allowing Luddy to PH for Duncan a couple of innings later when Casey Fossum came in. (Though to Dunc’s credit he did hit the ball hard against Fossum.)
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought it was a poor decision...
to bat Luddy for Rasmus there, too. Take your best defensive OFer and most patient hitter out of the game when you have a 4 run lead in the 8th (or 7th?)? Colby doesn’t seem to have much of a platoon split, and IMO gives you just as good a shot at driving in runs there as Luddy.
Sometimes I wonder,
"Why is that frisbee getting bigger?"
...and then it hits me!!
I'm surprised TLR didn't send Ludwick to the plate and then immediately yank him for Ryan.
Just kidding.
Lou Brock loves Lamp.
by birdjam on Apr 23, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I completely agree
I’ve heard TLR say he likes to give the young guys pressure situations to test them for later in the year sometimes. Well with a late lead already, it made sense to stick with Rasmus.
Yes, it would have been much better pinch hitting for Duncan later in the game with Luddy.
Milt Thompson FTW!
Maybe TLR has the yips
after all the grief he got for the Ryan/Ludwick fiasco last week. He feels the need to plug Luddy in as early as possible, a move he might not otherwise have made. If that’s true, I guess we can take some comfort that Tony is at least hearing the criticism.
OTOH, I might be wrong.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Fungoes
Did a really interesting analysis of the Ludwick / Ryan controversy and came to the conclusion that it was a complete wash, statistically speaking. The analysis is available here:
http://stl-sabr.bajink.com/fungoes/?p=1753
See, I didn't like that analysis all that much...
Maybe I misread some of it, but it hinges too much on the double play vs. strikeout dichotomy, which I think misses the most simple and important question: who is more likely to make an out? I mean, weren’t the bases loaded? If you don’t make an out, the team scores a run. Am I making a false assumption or missing something entirely here?
He doesn't do anything to evaluate the potential positive outcomes
It might be an evaluation of “who’s more likely to have bad things happen” but it doesn’t evaluate the positives.
Also, I’ve seen no evidence that splits based on where runners are located currently on base are predictive of future performance in the same scenarios. I’d guess that you’d be far better off using career data or a simple runners on vs. norunners on (pitcher in the windup vs. stretch) split.
There’s enough flaws that I think the conclusion is a lot of inference.
azru - you were right about that fukudome article, btw.
it was sloppy.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
I guess maybe what he was trying to say was...
If you buy Tony’s premises (which most of us wouldn’t) the logical conclusion is that there isn’t much of a difference.
i'd guess that what he was trying to say
was that
Perhaps it’s that neither TLR nor the hypercritical fans and media should get too bent out of shape over it, especially without at least considering some numbers.
Since that’s what he said.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
See, I admittedly had forgotten about that quote
But I still don’t think he makes much of a point. In order to come to the conclusion that it was not that big a deal, didn’t have have to massage the very numbers he talks about considering?
yeah, it's pretty bad
first off, he used splits that include 2-out situations to calculate his GIDP probability. The number really should be “odds of hitting a ground ball * odds of that ball being fielded by an infielder.” For balls in play by BR, that’s (.471 GB/AB * (1-.274) ) or 34.1% GIDP, for RL it was (.321 GB/AB * (1-.292)) or 22.7% GIDP likelyhood. That also fails to consider Luddy’s superior ability to take walks and HBP’s, 10.5% for luddy vs 8.4% for ryan over the last 3 years.
Also, he overestimates BR’s ability to get a run home on “other” (not all fly balls result in SF), etc, and underestimates RL’s ability to drive in 2, 3, or 4 runs.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
he also made a false equivalence between hitting into a double play
which ends the inning, and a strikeout, which does not, giving the next batter the chance to drive in a run with two outs.
you’re right about the GB%, but chuck’s article was much better in looking at the FB rate, looking at the chance of a sac fly. looking at the different KINDS of outs that one could produce, some of which are productive, some of which are not.
but when you consider that ludwick’s overall chances of making an out were lower (1.000 – OBP) and his chances of making a productive out (e.g., sac fly) were higher, it’s hard to defend the decision.
all in all, i thought the riff of “oh, well maybe we get a DP, maybe we get a K, it’s all about the same, nothing to see here” was a cop-out and really sloppy.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
After reading it
It seems that the author had come to conclusion and then went around soliciting evidence to support his pre-determined conclusion that it didn’t make any difference who hit in that situation. Whenever that happens, you’re bound to get really bad discrepancies in your data, because you make assumptions based on your already determined conclusion.
In other words, “You are a poor excuse for a scientist, Dr. Venkman”.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
I felt the same way
Seems like a perfect spot to “test” Rasmus, if that is a goal. I’m starting to feel like I’ll never get my Colby Jack salami sandwich…
colby's discipline and walk rate are all the more impressive given that he's hitting #2 so often.
not many pitchers want to throw balls in front of albert.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
Choosing Between Duncan & Ankiel
is just a matter of time. The Cards may go all year with 4 outfielders and continue the outfield shuffle but there is no way that they pay the big bucks to Ankiel and keep Duncan as well. It is very early and things can change in a hurry but Rasmus looks very good and the future may just be right now for this young man. I think that Rasmus in CF and Ludwick in RF or LF playing everyday is just a matter of time. For me the battle is between Ankiel and Duncan.
Far too early to predict
I think El Diablo from the P-D discussed this a bit Wednesday. Still too early to commit to one over the other. But that said, I think we can safely assume that we have at least three quality outfielders, and a fourth who could be traded.
I suggest patience. Rick will break out of his funk. One of the other outfielders will slump at some point in compensation. And we’re bound to have an injury or two at some stage. Enjoy the surplus while it lasts.
I'll second that for the time being, but
my gut tells me Dunc is the one to keep. The crappy ABs that Ank is taking right now will remain a pattern, i.e., he is always going to be fighting his hacktastic tendencies, while Duncan is a genuinely more patient hitter. Rick will come out of his current funk, but there will be many more funks to come in his career.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree
And most troubling for Ankiel’s playing time may be the fact that Duncan hasn’t looked as gawd-awful in the field lately. In fact, didn’t he make two not-so-shabby catches last night near the line?
by Ray Lankford on Apr 23, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Hey made two nice catches yesterday
But that’s Duncan’s M.O.—he seems to occasionally come up with a sweet diving play, but then the next inning drop a routine flyball like his mitt was made of vulcanized rubber. He’s just a big oaf out there. But I still like his bat in the lineup enough to make up for all the fielding fiascos.
by cloistermaximus on Apr 23, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Come on.....
You all act like he drops balls left and right. He probably won’t “drop” more than 3-4 balls all season.
His defense isn’t as bad as he is given credit for. His range is a little limited, yes, but he generally makes the plays he gets to, no matter how “ugly” it looks.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
by SoonerfanTU on Apr 23, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
duncan had what should have been
a 3 error game last week but for the grace of the scorer. so, there is at least 2 of your 3-4 balls all season
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on Apr 23, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
He dropped 3 balls last week in a game?
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
by SoonerfanTU on Apr 23, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
I feel like his defense in LF
is pretty bad. His arm is below average, his range is below average, and he seems to make bad reads. Some of the times he ends up diving are because he broke the wrong way. I think Duncan is a useful player when he’s hitting. He has pop and will take the occassional walk. His defense, though, for a major league outfielder, is well below average, in my opinion.
Agreed
When he dove for that ball, it looked great sure. But most LFs make that same play and it’s not as “impressive.” It’s routine.
Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
Yeah
I’m not saying Dunc is a great , adequate fielder. I’m saying that he looked less horrendous than usual last night, and that if he continues to be less horrendous, there is less downside to him playing over Ankiel, given the canyon-wide disparity between their offensive production right now.
by Ray Lankford on Apr 23, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
That could
be true. Ankiel is definitely in a funk. It’s a tough situation, because you want to get him out of the funk, but letting him play out of it takes at bats away from one of the other three guys.
Ankiel doesn't always get great reads on the ball either.
He is deff. better than Duncan but besides his cannon of an arm he is an averqage outfielder
oh, crikey, I may be the biggest duncan homer on the boards,
but even i know he will drop much more than just 3-4 flyballs in the season.
he does have episodically good defense, but he also has more than his fair share of misadventures and a terrible arm. his best hope is to get as close to average defense as possible and make up for it with his hitting.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
I don't care...
…what the cards do with Duncan or Ankiel. Outfield is such a huge organizational strength that we will have someone ready (John Jay) next year to take one of their spots pretty easily. Potentially they will have DJ Tools up the year after that. It looks like the person to pay is Ludwick and save you money after that.
by BigJawnMize on Apr 23, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
And how about this
I’m not convinced Wallace can play 3b. I’m thinking he might be… in LF.
Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
Let's just agree that
we’ll need to get used to shielding our eyes on fly balls to left for the foreseeable future …
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
i don't think anybody really projects wallace there.
his problem at 3b is his (and I love this phrase) “fall-down range.” just because you have weak defense doesn’t mean you should go to LF.
by comp, imagine yadi (who is a great catcher, not a weak defender, but who has a comparable body type) patrolling LF.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
i agree on not playing LF...
…but let’s take tom s.’s Yadi/Wallace body-type comparison a stype further…
The Grand Solution: Wallace at Catcher.
We’ll call it the “Reverse Inge.”
Seriously.
Laying aside emotional consequences (there will surely be some when Ankiel leaves), Dick is a really fungible commodity. Let him walk, take the draft picks, write him some Christmas cards, I don’t care. Surely TLR and Duncan will retire in a year or two or three, and surely there’s a team (AL?) that could use the big lub and trade us SOMETHING useful. Colby and Ludwick is a nice outfield even with a below average third (corner) OF and a replacement level 4th OF, and our system pretty much HAS to have that, right?
"Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals." --Churchill
I think you sum it up pretty well there
Even though it will be tinged with melancholy, the “so long Rick Ankiel” stuff will be kind of fun as well. Great story. Wish him the best. But I think it’s inevitable that he leaves us fairly soon, unless the organization suddenly forgets its whole “build from within” movement.
Ankiel will have a two-week stretch
at some point where he tears the cover off the ball. I just hope he’s still with us then.
Proud sponsor of the Official 2009 StL Cardinal theme song: Reason to Believe
Я люблю бейсбол! (Ya lyublyu beysbol!)
The Russian language video feed was really cool to watch last night, even though I couldn’t watch it for very long. Thanks to whoever posted it, I can’t remember. Flim to the Flam maybe?
ya toge lyublu beysbol! (too lazy too type it in russian)
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on Apr 23, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Yo no conozco Ruso
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Я говорю испанский язык, но я плохo говорю русский язык.
Ya gahvahryu ispanski yazeik, no ya plochah gahvahryu russki yazeik. (“ch” as in Chanukkah)
I speak Spanish (language) but I speak Russian badly.
Anyway, ESPN in Russian is actually better than regular ESPN. Although they seemed a little confused at first as to what OPS meant; I think they incorrectly called it “on base percentage” and later corrected it to be “on base percentage plus slugging percentage” but that’s mostly a guess, because as I said I don’t really speak Russian. Note to whoever may care; it’s a damn hard language to learn in one semester, meeting once a week, with a professor who even though he is totally awesome, is actually a physics professor who is fluent and lived in Russia but has never taught a language before, and who for most of the semester had us going through the textbook about twice as fast as we should have been going. I got an A!
Heh. I knew how to say it but my work computer doesn't have cyrillic font, I don't think so anyway.
So I cheated with a little copy-pasta from babelfish.
did you hear about the restaurant owner in bejing who used an internet translator to
add an english version of his restaurant’s name in time for the olympics?
I hear the food at “translation server error” was really good.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
Thurston
looks so much like Terry Pendleton, same batting stance, same manerisims, other than Pendleton being a little more bulkier you would think you’re looking Pendleton again. Even some facial resemblence.
I don't recall
Thurston playing with him self nearly as much as T.P. did
gonna need more franklins to get through this one.
by hoofhearted-pujols on Apr 23, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Boggs/PJ
I meant to post this yesterday, but forgot.
There was an article on the Rotoworld scroll bar yesterday or the day before stating that Boggs takes quite a bit longer to warm up than PJ. As I stated at the time, THAT was probably the main reason that Boggs didn’t come in for Miller in that Cubs’ game. You could make an argument about him starting the inning, but I think TLR wanted to get past Fukodome and Hoffpaiur(sp) with a lefty, and then let Boggs cruise through the bottom of the lineup the next inning.
Didn’t work out that way, but again, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Boggs couldn’t warm up quickly enough during an inning. The guy is a career starter.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
Same excuse they used with Reyes
I just don’t buy it, but maybe I don’t understand how important the routine is to a pitcher. Why can’t they just come up with a faster warm up for him?
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
I figured out
what happened. The word “code” got dropped from my title. Must’ve created that mess.
Classic underachiever.
But what is he doing to get loose
is he just throwing pitches or does he have an elaborate stretching routine? I know some pitchers have a few stretches they run through then start throwing where most starters do some jogging and such as well.
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
Right, but are they all needed
that is what I am getting at, can Duncan or Mason work with him on coming up with a shorter routine that still gets him loose
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
just because you're a career starter
doesn’t mean you can’t warm up fast. This is a specific thing w/ Boggs. I don’t think Walters has that problem, or Brad Thompson
"I think he's the best hitter of all time. I think there has never been a better hitter than him. And I know I didn't see them all, but I just don't think there could be." - Adam Wainwright on The Mang
Drat.
If only we had another RH reliever in the bullpen.
by Hardcore Legend on Apr 23, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Who knows who was available.....
Had to save some guys for later in the game, right? K-Mac was definitely out.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
by SoonerfanTU on Apr 23, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
If you're always hoarding guys for later
you’re going to lose a lot of games in the 6th and 7th inning. Any right handed reliever would have been a better option that Trevor Miller against righties. If you have to let Boggs pitch an inning later to compensate, so be it. Miller just shouldn’t be facing righties in anything short of a 5 run game.
by azruavatar on Apr 23, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And again.....
We might not have had enough guys available. Do the math, I don’t feel like “laying it out” again. If you assume 1-2 guys weren’t available, and you also leave some protection in case Boggs imploded, we really didn’t have another option.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
If Boggs implodes you're screwed anyway
Boggs has to go 2 solid innings for this situation to make any sense at all. At the point where he implodes you say fuck it and let the kid finish out the game for as long as it takes.
By the way
there’s no math involved. We’re counting arms. And your less than convincing when you “lay it out” for me.
There is math involved.....
You only have so many pitchers, that in theory, can only go so many innings. AND you have a game that is going to go at least 9 innings. The math part is dependent on who you have available. Sorry you don’t see that. Glad Tony does.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
If you squint real hard, that molehill looks like a mountain.
You’ve convinced me of nothing because you can’t see beyond the tip of TLR’s nose when making arguments. You never respond to anything with more substance than “we don’t know who was available”. That’s a bullshit cop out and it gives TLR latitude to do anything anytime with no questions asked.
aren't almost all relievers
career starters in the minor leagues? I know that the occasional relievers comes all the way up through the minors as a starter, but most are former starters, either in the minors or majors.
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
Lineup per Leach
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Rasmus LF
3. Pujols 1B
4. Ludwick RF
5. Ankiel CF
6. Barden 3B
7. Ryan SS
8. LaRue C
9. Lohse P
I would have thought that today Duncan should play over Ankiel since they’re facing a RHP but as long as Rasmus and Ludwick are in and Ryan isn’t leading off I’m happy.
The Godfather himself has decided to grace us with his presence. This is his damn house. He sleeps 20 feet away.
I figured Duncan over Pujols
I was more expecting Duncan at 1B, Schu on the bench, Ryan at SS, Thurston at 2B
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
I see
one of those “let’s put out the worst lineup possible” games?
The Godfather himself has decided to grace us with his presence. This is his damn house. He sleeps 20 feet away.
by thegodfather on Apr 23, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
games. I wasn’t asking a question, my bad.
The Godfather himself has decided to grace us with his presence. This is his damn house. He sleeps 20 feet away.
by thegodfather on Apr 23, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
It is a day game after a night game
and before a Cubs series. I was just expecting TLR to pull some crap like that.
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
I thought that at first too but
Pujols doesnt like to sit at home, IIRC. Fans pay to see him and all that so he prefers to sit for road games if he must…
"Baseball is dull only to dull minds." - Red Barber
Yeah, I'm a loser...
Pujols usually doesn't get days off at home
IIRC Tony doesn’t like to rest Albert at home because of all the fans who come to see him. I could be wrong though.
Barden
I’m interested to see how he does today, given that Thursty has been playing well at third…
by santiagofish on Apr 23, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Rick Ankiel is going to hit, damn it!
or he’ll die trying.
That seems to be the line of thinking here, offensive production be damned!
by Hardcore Legend on Apr 23, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Has to be pretty crushing for you...
That Rasmus and Pujols are both playing and Ryan isn’t in the outfield…
You’ll have to come up with some different material than planned for the “HL is smarter than Tony” portion of the game thread…
But at least Ankiel is in there, so you’re not left totally bare!
Whoa
Easy there, tiger
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
that's what I'm thinking
or was he being sarcastic?
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Apr 23, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
LMAO
Nicely played. HL will ALWAYS find something to complain about though.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
And Sooner will always find some way to contort himself
to TLR’s reasoning.
by azruavatar on Apr 23, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
No real complaints
This is a weird feeling
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm okay with it.....
Though I’m not sure why Greene isn’t playing, unless he just has bad numbers against the Mets’ starter today.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
by SoonerfanTU on Apr 23, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
It looked like he pulled back a swing and tweaked it a bit.
He stayed in the game and later TLR played it off as no big deal. Does Larue always catch loshe?
it seemed to me like the ball caught him on the check swing
i think it probably nicked his knuckle
"Sorry about him, he's dealing with being an inker. " - Chasing Amy
LaRue has made 1 start and that was 1 week ago so I think Wed. is his day to catch
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Apr 23, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
interesting quote from Goold today
Though Chris Duncan is two for three with a home run against Mets veteran righthander Livan Hernandez, Duncan, who has missed just one start, will sit for rookie Colby Rasmus
That 3 PA sample size must have been very, very hard for TLR to resist… go get ’em, kid.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
Article by Posnanski
I just read his latest article at si.com; he analyzes how often each pitch count (1-0, 2-2, etc.) results in an “action play,” meaning a result other than a ball, strike, or foul ball.
For the most part, the results are what you’d think they’d be, but it’s interesting to see in what particular way the stats support the conventional thinking, especially regarding the first pitch and the third pitch of a plate attempt.
I’m obviously a fan of Posnanski—his articles about Musial and Pujols made my heart flutter the whole week after I read them—but his current foray into David Foster Wallace footnote-in-text shenanigans (there’s that word again!) is, to me, less than successful. Still, he comes up with some good stats:
“My favorite pitcher, Greg Maddux, gave up 11 home runs in his entire career 0-2 — that’s in more than 1,600 at-bats. No, he did not like wasting pitches. Here’s another good Maddux statistic: He only walked 45 batters in his entire career after getting ahead 0-2. Maddux had a 32-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio after he got ahead 0-2.”
That Maddux bit is pretty amazing
Interestingly, when Albert Pujols gets to 0-2 I pretty much think the exact same thing I always think when he’s up to bat, which is “Albert’s gonna do something awesome in this at bat plate appearance.” I wonder what his pitch-count breakdown looks like?
i think poz has always done that footnote-in-text thing.
well, no, as he says.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
I like beating up on the Cubbies
as much as any red-blooded Cardinal fan, but somehow the thought of sweeping the Mutts makes me much, much more excited—a legacy of the 80’s rivalry that I can’t let go of. Let’s go Birds!
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions
They don't seem as strong this year.
There are glaring holes in their bullpen. They will get swept.
Probably not at wrigley.
But swept by us?
That’s what I meant. I just always assume that Cards/Cubs series will be bloody back and forth battles, even when the Cubs are bad (either that or they sweep us). Since they’re good now I feel it even more. Honestly, it’s part of the fun. I always expect something dramatic. And if we do happen to sweep them it will be all the sweeter.
Oh sorry, I misinterpretted.
Yeah, you are correct those games are always nuts. It’s been that way as long as I could remember, even when the Cubs sucked. If we swept them, WOW….that would be sweet.
cubs DFA'd Vizcaino
comparisons between boyer and vizcaino anyone?
quick glances at BR pages, they appear to be similar pitchers, but with ridiculously small sample sizes for the season, Vizcaino has been WAAAY better. Last season Boyer had an ERA+ of 78, Vizcaino’s was 87. Perhaps MO could have muddied the waters with Vizcaino and saved one Crabman?
"Baseball is like Church, many attend, few understand" - Wes Westrum
Boyer was DFA'd bfore the trade
we just claimed him and traded for him. The question becomes, would Boyer have cleared waivers and will Vizcaino?
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
Viz is making $3.5m
that will probably have an effect.
if he's DFA'd we only pay 400K right?
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Apr 23, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions
wasn't vizcaino the one sent from Colo. for bipolar betty?
maybe the cubs would have been better off keeping marquis. marquis, for all his faults > marshall.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
not to the cubs fans I've talked to
sean marshall is Jesus’ little brother and Marquis was in the crowd of Jews shouting “crucify him!”
(not a jewish joke, scouts honor)
how about a kennedy/vizcaino comparison
at least we didn’t trade for kennedy before releasing him this offseason ;)
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
Random, OT
What do y’all think of Larry Walker’s HOF chances? Would he wear an Expos or Rockies hat (doubt he’d put a Cards hat on for the 1.25 season he spent with us)?
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
+1
he played his best ball with the Rockies. I don’t think he makes it, either. Great player, though, but I think the park factors in CO will hurt him and I’m not sure he was dominant enough in relation to his era.
Agreed on the team
if he makes it I assume Rockies.
Based on BR’s HOF Monitor He is behind Jeff Bagwell, Todd Helton, Ichiro, Vlad and some other very good but not quite HOF worthy (at least yet) players.
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
Hmm, I've never seen that
The only eligible players with a higher score than him that aren’t in the HOF are Pete Rose, Mark McGwire and Roberto Alomar. Rose and McGwire would be in were it not for allegations of cheating. One of Walker’s problems is he played in a time where there were so many comparable hitters, he’ll likely get lost in the fold.
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Rickey Henderson too
But really it is odd to see.
BTW the HOF Monitor is basically a score assigned by looking at career stats and judging if the person is eligible (600 homers, 3000 hits, etc.). 130 seems to be the “cinch” point and Walker is at 147.
"People call me El Hombre," Pujols said. "But only Stan is the Man."
Didn't Rickey just get voted in though?
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
According to Yahoo Sports
The Mets’ offense may be struggling to score, but their biggest hitters have feasted on Lohse. David Wright and Carlos Delgado are a combined 13-for-31 (.419) with two homers, and Carlos Beltran has especially hammered the right-hander, hitting .529 (18-for-34) with four homers and 12 RBIs.
I fear not
for Kyle. He’s been pitching well so far. I think he’s a somewhat different pitcher now than he has been previously in his career.
/jinxing.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Apr 23, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Home v Road last year
Jun 30 at home – 7 IP 5H 1R 0ER 2BB 4SO 0HR
Jul 27 at Shea – 5 IP 11H 7R 7ER 1BB 2SO 3HR
Another example of Kyle liking to pitch at Busch III
Ozzie-Garry
Thanks for pointing out the article on the trade at THT.
I was at the first game Templeton played in St. Louis after his suspension and treatment for depression. He got a VERY warm welcome when he batted in the first inning, and then he doubled and was thrown out at third trying to hustle it into a triple. He received a standing ovation as he jogged back to the dugout.
I guess my point is that things didn’t HAVE to go sour for him in St. Louis. People were ready to give him another chance. But he and Herzog never really made up. That winter, before the trade, Herzog was quoted as saying, "I can’t win with that boy," and not only the racial insensitivity of that remark but its meaning made it clear that Templeton’s time in St. Louis was over.
As the article said, it was a trade that made sense for both teams. The first time Templeton was back in StL as a Padre, fans cheered crazily for everything Ozzie did. Hernandez was quoted, "Those cheers sounded like boos."
That summer of ’81 a little xerox’d poster of Templeton grabbing himself and shouting at the heckler made the rounds. At the top of the sheet were the words, "This Bud’s for you." I liked Templeton but thought it was pretty funny. For some reason it offended my girlfriend. I still married her.
To some people.....
Not to everybody.
"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."
by SoonerfanTU on Apr 23, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
used in that context
directed at an African-American, it’s a racial epithet. There’s no mistaking it. Perhaps he (Whitey) just misspoke, but let’s not try to pretend that there’s not a distinct racist connotation when using the word “boy” in that context.
+1
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on Apr 23, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not gonna comment on whether it's a racial epithet for sure
But I will point out how unfortunate it is that Herzog’s epithet is “Whitey”.
yeah, being named whitey probably made it hard to get away with much.
but “in that context”, i don’t think it is a racial remark. “Boy” only works when directed at a guy, I think- IE “git ovah hear, boy”. “I can’t win with that boy” is not the same kind of thing, unless he spit after saying “boy”, or something.
I have no idea how he said it, so I don’t know, but there’s definitely room for interpretation.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
in that context
it was directed at Garry Templeton. I’m not saying Whitey was a racist or even that he intended to make a racist remark. I can’t say that for sure. But, in that context, that comment reeks of racism. “I can’t win with that boy” implies a condemnation of an African-American. He’s not saying “Attaboy!” after Templeton hits a homer. It seems to say “that boy” is hurting the ballclub.
the racial overtones are also unmistakeable in that whitey's saying
essentially, he’s lazy and doesn’t want to work.
‘’I can’t win a pennant with that boy,‘’ Herzog, the field manager and general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals told a fund-raising dinner in suburban St. Louis. ’’I have an owner who’s the greatest man in the world, and I want to win a world championship for him. I feel I might do it if I get a shortstop who goes out there every day and hounds the ball. Templeton doesn’t want to play in St. Louis. He doesn’t want to play on (artificial) turf. He doesn’t want to play when we go to Montreal. He doesn’t want to play in the Astrodome. He doesn’t want to play in the rain. The other 80 games, he’s all right.’’
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
I read it as racist, but that may just be me
He’s a grown man. No need to demean him.
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 24, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
yes, only to the groups of people
to whom it was used to imply their inferiority. it was not a term of endearment.
I'm ordinarily critical of Joe Strauss
But from what I’ve so far read in<a href=“http://www.stltoday.com/discussions/sports/joe-strauss-live/LD041809728/all” his chat yesterday, he’s admirably reasonable and informative.
Lineup
I gave a very cursory scan of the comments, so if someone already posted today’s lineup, I apologize. Here it is from Official Siteman Leach:
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Rasmus LF
3. Pujols 1B
4. Ludwick RF
5. Ankiel CF
6. Barden 3B
7. Ryan SS
8. LaRue C
9. Lohse P
You’ve gotta like 1-6, IMO. But, I have to ask, when Greene has 5 walks in 2 games, do you really want to sit him? He’s clearly seeing the ball well. That’s just a quibble.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Look at it this way
With both Ryan and Ludwick already in the lineup, less pinch-hitting angst for Tony to deal with.
OK, I am gonna try to be nicer about the whole Ludwick thing from now on. Tony, please just make sure he starts getting more PAs and starts than the others. He doesn’t have to start every single game for the rest of the year, just more than other other three outfielders. Deal?
Strauss had this bit of intrigue in his JSL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! chat:
When asked about the OF situation:
Joe Strauss: There have been instances when veteran players are confounded by some of TLR’ permutations. Scott Rolen became a vocal credit, others less so. TLR has a relatively inexperienced bunch this season. The only potential rub appears to be dividing playing time among four talented OF. The Ryan Ludwick situation became an issue in Phoenix. Rick Ankiel spoke to the skipper in Chicago. Chris Duncan is receiving more time than expected against LH pitching. Colby Rasmus is frankly in no position to gripe. But there is an adjustment for all there.
So, Ankiel spoke with TLR about playing time in Chi-town? And, what does it mean when “[t]he Ryan Ludwick situation became an issue in Phoenix”?
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Forgot the link:
http://www.stltoday.com/discussions/sports/joe-strauss-live/LD041809728/all
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Try not to listen to Strauss to much
Fans and media were up in arms about Ludwick sitting in Phoenix. And it was more like Tony spoke to Ankiel in Chicago.
I love the back hand swipe at Colby
Because he and his .386 OBP with his superior defense should never see the light of day over Ankiel’s .208/.283/.271 line. Upstart kids — screw them!
Colby gets on base more than 10% more than Ankiel!!
Aughhh!
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
He's still young, one of these days he'll rock the stache-bah
At least, I, at almost 25 years old, am hoping I will someday… single tear…
I once went 2 months without shaving my upper lip
and then after applying just for men facial hair dye, had a mustache.
(I too am 25 and desperately want a mustache, possibly even a fu-man larue)
I'm almost 25 as well
My facial hair grows in pretty good, but it’s f’ing blond/red. So while I have the ability to get that sexy 5 o’clock shadow look that drives the broads mad, it doesn’t show up. It just looks like stubble. Grr!!
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Heh
See, my problem is a little different. I simply don’t think I have the density of facial hair to pull off a mustache, and certainly not a beard or goatee. It grows plenty fast, and I have to shave daily.
Furthermore, I think my rather light skintone makes it more noticeable, so I’m often stuck in this “dirty teenager trying to grow a mustache” look.
facial hair is overrated
i have to shave twice a day, so i just stopped. it’s red&blonde now & not one lovely lass is picking up what i’m dropping down.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I don't shave during the winter months
So I can grow a free ski-mask.
But in the summertime, I have to shave before and after work or I become pretty unpopular.
but i had mine
before it was the hip & cool thing to do
oh well, guess i’ll shave it off & remain uncool
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
Ladies like to look
at that, but they usually don’t like it when doing more than looking.
Classic underachiever.
Well, if you're looking
It’s a step in the right direction for me :P
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on Apr 23, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he just meant he's still carrying the Mang's checkerboard
YMMV
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
I noticed that as well
the best defender of the 4, or 5 since Skip is the defensive replacement, has no place to argue w/ getting any playing time whatsoever. Strauss is such a tool!
I think you're overinterpreting Strauss' cryptic
approach to English. In the PD there was a story that TLR had a talk with Ankiel, i.e., telling him to relax and get his swing back. I don’t think it was Ank approaching Tony.
And the Ludwick “situation” was the fact that fans and PD sportswriters made a big deal out of Ryan hitting for Luddy. I don’t read that as a player gripe.
Strauss has a very odd style, it’s easy to misunderstand him.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Apr 23, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
few comments back Pineiro
The sinkerball is Piñeiro’s money pitch and he said, "I’m going to trust it all year. It’s the pitch I’m going to every time I need a double play.
“I never trusted it like I did starting spring training. One of the things (pitching coach Dave) Duncan told me is, ’You’re going to throw that a lot this year.’”
Piñeiro said he didn’t once shake off catcher Yadier Molina’s pitch choice.
so it looks like A.) He has found his slider. (not a change up.) and B.) He has learnt to trust what Yaddi calls.
Now I don’t expect Jo-el to suddenly start pitching 8 innings every outing. But if those two things last this year it would really benifit this team. (i know, I’m so profound.) And hopefully he can at least keep it up until Carpenter comes back.
Watching the day game....
I just posted a FanPost (not sure if that’s really where it should go, but…) with instructions on how you can watch the game online w/o MLB’s package. Enjoy!
Isn't today the anniversary of Tatis' 2 slam game?
I sure hope history doesn’t repeat itself today, and I hope it’s not against Dennys.
Ticket
Two tickets to the game fell into my lap. Does anyone want to meet up and go?
"Never judge a taco by its price" - Dr. Gonzo
I would,
but due to previous encounters with people named “wang” my wife will not allow me to go…crazy asians
i would be in as well if i didn't have to work
went with a couple friends of mine to last night’s game. never been to two in a row.
"Sorry about him, he's dealing with being an inker. " - Chasing Amy
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