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From: HTP on 8 Oct 2009 17:05 On Oct 8, 12:41 pm, t...(a)nomail.please (JustTom) wrote: > On Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:57:49 -0700 (PDT), HTP <tmbowma...(a)yahoo.com> > wrote: > > > > >This article says that Baileys success (at Louisville) could be > >attributed to minor mechanical changes. But theres 3 points about this > >article > > >1. its from May > >2. It does not mention the Skip Johnson story > >3. Bailey was horrendous for a number of starts after being recalled > >from Louisville > > >I'd like more details > > >------------------------------------------- > > Bailey himself seems to credit 2 significant events that have helped > him get better this year. > > The articles I saw said that he visited Johnson over the winter, and > that's where he fixed the flaw that was robbing his velocity. > > This coincides with Bob/Danny observations from spring training that > he had the best stuff there. However, it doesn't mean he was > instantly better. > > The second came in late May, which was Lehr teaching him a splitter > grip that he could instantly handle, and then his insisting that he > was going to use it. This doesn't make him instantly better either.. > > But each of those things adds confidence. Also factor in the > changeup. With his discovery of the split, he got to also stop > throwing the change, which he has admitted that he was uncomfortable > with, and only threw because the org insisted. Change ups are hard > to have confidence in, and you'll get killed if you can't sell it. > > So, add 6-8 mph on your fastball, gain a new devastating out pitch > you're comfortable with, and drop one you're not, and you've got a > whole lot more confidence. > > Before, his downfall seemed to be mostly due to his nibbling because > he didn't believe in his stuff anymore. He doesn't have good enough > control to be a nibbler, so that results in a washout. Having a 96 > mph heater instead of 90 removes the urge, as does not having to throw > the change, and I think by the end of the season we're seeing some of > that with the reduction in walks. The thing that raised my eyebrows > was that he's now throwing just as hard or harder in the 8th. Not > many can do that. > > Think about Volquez. He never had a problem with velocity, but he > struggled big time until 25, when the light appears to have came on, > for whatever reason. I'm thinking Soto had a bit to do with it, but > you just never can tell. > > Hopefully, Homer has now had his epiphany. > > And maybe Arroyo as well, which is that pitchers with carpal tunnel > should be playing the friggin' guitar all the time! He seems to > have noticed that not playing it during the season helped his second > half, so maybe he'll consider not playing it in the offseason so that > he can start off just as well. I'm just about absolutely convinced > that his struggles are usually due to carpal tunnel issues affecting > his grip. > > I'm thinking that Cueto may have also had his, which is that winter > ball is too damn much for his arm . We'll see, because I know ties at > home are tough to fight. > > If we go to spring next year simply with these guys truly enlightened, > then next year's rotation got a whole lot better without spending a > cent. Thats probably as good an explanation as i'll get. Were in a good period for Reds pitching. I hope everyone comes to appreciate what we have now.
From: John Kasupski on 8 Oct 2009 18:57 On Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:05:01 -0700 (PDT), HTP <tmbowman25(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >Were in a good period for Reds pitching. I hope everyone comes to >appreciate what we have now. I, for one, certainly do. Who could forget Jose Acevedo, Jimmy Haynes, Joey Hamilton, Joe Valentine, Brandon Claussen, Todd Van Poppel, Eric Milton, Ricky Stone, Chris Booker, Dave Williams, Gary Majewski, Mike Gosling, Mike Stanton, Kirk Saarloos, Phil Dumatrait, Rheal Cormier, Josh Fogg, and the countless other Cy Young candidates the Reds have employed in the last ten years or so? Or the brilliant idea of moving Aunt Bea's Pickles to the starting rotation? I also haven't forgotten 2005, when the Reds led the NL in runs scored and finished 27 games back in the division because the pitching staff was the absolute worst in the league. Of course, it also didn't help that they had the second-worst defensive efficiency rating in the league. But that season forever cured me of the idea that you can forget about pitching and just simply bludgeon your way into contention. If you can't pitch, you have about as much chance of making the playoffs as Madonna being invited to Cynthia Rodriguez's birthday party. JK
From: john smith on 8 Oct 2009 19:23 In regard to Stubbs, I just hope he doesn't get power happy due to his recent power surge. We all know it is dangerous for a lead-off hitter to think homerun first, especially one who has a propensity to strike out as much as Stubbs ... I would find it interesting to know how much the Reds hitters strikeout out in comparison to the rest of MLB? They all have long loopy swings. I also heard Ron Darling mention a pitching stat I was not aware of that they kept. It has to do with the shut down inning. The inning a pitcher goes to the mound after his team has scored and his ability to shut down the opposition in the next inning. I am curious to know the major league average ERA and Reds team ERA on this stat?Also curious about Mr. Harang's ERA in this situation and how they all stack up? I know John K. can get this stuff done in a flash... I always thought this was a key to a pitchers success..
From: tom dunne on 8 Oct 2009 21:39 On Oct 8, 7:23 pm, eddyg...(a)msn.com (john smith) wrote: > In regard to Stubbs, I just hope he doesn't get power happy due to his > recent power surge. We all know it is dangerous for a lead-off hitter to > think homerun first, especially one who has a propensity to strike out > as much as Stubbs ... > > I would find it interesting to know how much the Reds hitters strikeout > out in comparison to the rest of MLB? They all have long loopy swings. I > also heard Ron Darling mention a pitching stat I was not aware of that > they kept. It has to do with the shut down inning. The inning a pitcher > goes to the mound after his team has scored and his ability to shut down > the opposition in the next inning. I am curious to know the major league > average ERA and Reds team ERA on this stat?Also curious about Mr. > Harang's ERA in this situation and how they all stack up? I know John K. > can get this stuff done in a flash... I always thought this was a key to > a pitchers success.. Stubbs's power in the majors wasn't really that out of line with what he did in his minor league career before this year. From what I hear, the coaches at Louisville tried to get him to walk more and strike out less, but it seemed to just sap his power. He clearly spent his time in the majors swinging for the fences, and had decent results. Aside from his speed, his style of play makes me think he's best suited lower in the order. Of course, he's a center fielder, which means he's automatically the leadoff man on a Dusty Baker team. The 2009 Reds were 14th out of 30 teams in strikeouts, almost exactly spot-on for the MLB average. You can always look this stuff up with just a few clicks at baseball-reference.com
From: David Short on 8 Oct 2009 22:08
"tom dunne" <dunnetg(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:62a80a71-dcb1-4853-90f5-7ef2b2345c6f(a)m18g2000vbs.googlegroups.com... > >Stubbs's power in the majors wasn't really that out of line with what >he did in his minor league career before this year. From what I hear, >the coaches at Louisville tried to get him to walk more and strike out >less, but it seemed to just sap his power. He clearly spent his time >in the majors swinging for the fences, and had decent results. That's not what I saw. He wasn't overswinging. He's a strong guy. When he makes good contact, it goes a long way. >Aside >from his speed, his style of play makes me think he's best suited >lower in the order. Of course, he's a center fielder, which means >he's automatically the leadoff man on a Dusty Baker team. He's as well suited to the role as anybody on the roster. dfs |