Archive for June, 2009
June 29, 2009
Brad Lidge returned to the mound for the Philles last night, having been activated from the 15 day DL for a knee injury. He closed out a 5-4 game against the Blue Jays, securing Jamie Moyer’s 252nd career victory. Although this was Lidge’s first appearance since returning (and for that we must not be as critical), he was far from dominant.
Lidge threw 15 pitches in one inning of work. He didn’t strike out a single batter, and he walked one and surrendered one hit. That’s a 2.00 WHIP and a 0/1 SO/BB ratio.
Now this is just one appearance so we can’t analyze his stats too much. Moreover, he did in fact nail down the save. So where’s my qualm?
It lies in Lidge’s present ability. What is it??
The Philles have no chance of getting far into the playoffs without a dominant closer. Lidge was an integral part of their championship run in 2008 and, without him, no such run is possible in 2009. More specifically, without a dependable closer, no such run is possible.
So if Lidge proves in the near future that he is not healthy enough or not able enough (for whatever reason) to close out games, the Phillies will have to look elsewhere, whether it is within their bullpen or farm system, or out on the trade market in the coming weeks.
But I think Lidge will be reliable. I don’t think he’s going to be nearly as dominant as he was last year, but I think that, when he is handed the ball, he will get the job done more often than not. It may not be as pretty or spectacular as in the past, but a save is a save.
Tags:Blue Jays, Brad Lidge, Closer, Jamie Moyer, Philadelphia, Philles, Toronto
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June 28, 2009
For the second time in one week, Mariano Rivera came up to bat. He stepped into the box with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth inning against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez.
He was ahead in the count 2-0 to K-Rod before Rodriguez leveled the count at 2-2. Rivera then fouled one off. Rodriguez then threw one up to fill the count. He then, laughably, WALKED Mariano Rivera. A great at bat by Rivera, adding an insurance run to make it 4-2.
It was Rivera’s first career RBI.
Rodriguez struck out Mark Teixeira on a questionable swing to end the inning.
Rivera struck out one in the eighth, before going groundout, strikeout, single, groundout in the ninth to earn his 500th career save. He joins Trevor Hoffman as the only closers to reach that milestone.
Tags:Batting, Closer, Francisco Rodriguez, K-Rod, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, Mets, New York, Trevor Hoffman, yankees
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June 28, 2009
In 2005, he came on the scene for the Seattle Mariners and dominated. He threw 84.1 innings, posting a 2.67 ERA, a sub-1 WHIP and a career high 3.35 SO to BB ratio. He was anointed King Felix.
The following season, he made 31 starts and threw less than 200 innings. His ERA jumped nearly two points, his WHIP almost .4, and his SO to BB ratio plunged below 3. 2007 saw an improvement. 2008 saw maturity, as his numbers remained mostly the same.
But it must be noted: He had been prematurely given his regal title. He had not earned anything. He had proven, over the following three years, that he was human. But everything has changed this season.
2009 is seeing dominance. Flat out power pitching, precisely executed. Consider the following numbers:
His last seven starts do not even require elaboration. Just look at them for a few moments and let reality sink in. Then look at his entire body of work over the season. Let that sink in. Then look at his numbers since 2005 and note the progression. Put his numbers up against anyone else’s this year: He is 3rd in the AL in IP, tied for 1st in starts, 3rd in SO and 3rd in W.
Roy Halladay is coming off an injury, Zack Greinke, for all his dominance, will not maintain a sub-2 ERA the entire season, and, as well as Josh Beckett is pitching, King Felix is pitching better. He has as good a chance as anybody to win the Cy Young award this year. And he’s only 23 years old.
King Felix has arrived.
Tags:Felix Hernandez, Josh Beckett, King Felix, Mariners, Pitching, Roy Halladay, Seattle, Zack Greinke
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June 27, 2009
In yesterday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cub Milton Bradley was told to strip out of his uniform and leave the game by manager Lou Piniella. In the top of the sixth inning, Bradley flied out to left field. He then came into the dugout and attacked the water cooler and threw his helmet. Piniella, witness to the incident, approached Bradley and told him to leave the field. He then followed him down the tunnel and exchanged further words.
After the game, Piniella said, “This has been a common occurrence and I’ve looked the other way a lot and I’m tired…” But Piniella went on to say that Bradley will be in the lineup tomorrow.
Yesterday I talked about how closers’ inappropriate elation on the mound detracts from the game. As much as I stand by that claim, I believe Bradley’s tantrum is representative of an even bigger problem in baseball. K-Rod at least accomplished something; Bradley erred and did not know how to control his rage.
This is unacceptable. If you make an out, you go into the dugout, you go out to the field, you talk to your teammates about the pitcher, you do whatever you have to do, so that next time you step up to the plate you are better prepared to face the pitcher. Throwing helmets and taking out the proverbial water cooler solve nothing.
And just like the K-Rod thing, you’re disrespecting the game; that’s the biggest offense. People criticized Ken Griffey Jr. when he turned his hat around during batting practice because it was a slap in the face to the traditional game of baseball. That may be, but it pales in comparison to the offenses of the Mets closer and the Cubs right fielder.
Bradley has a reputation in baseball for his short temper. This is a guy who has been accused of throwing his bat at umpires and attempting to charge into press boxes to ‘speak’ with announcers, among other allegations.
Bradley has much talent. He is a very good fielder, a competent hitter, and a solid base runner. But he is a cancer. Just as the Philles dealt Scott Rolen because he was poisoning the clubhouse and, more famously, the Red Sox dealt Manny Ramirez for his notorious actions, Bradley needs to be dealt as well. The way Piniella spoke of him, you can tell the two do not have a good relationship. And I doubt that, all of a sudden, Milton Bradley is going to change his ways.
But he must. For it is just a matter of time before the Cubs’ brass is fed up. And then he will have to move on to another team. And don’t think he won’t bring his poison with him.
The saga is never-ending with cancers like Milton Bradley.
Tags:Manny Ramirez, Batting, Red Sox, Boston, New York, Manager, Philadelphia, K-Rod, Mets, Cubs, Chicago, Milton Bradley, Lou Piniella, Ken Griffey Jr., Scott Rolen, Philles
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June 26, 2009
According to ESPN.com, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod) regrets his June 14th confrontation with Yankees reliever Brian Bruney: “I shouldn’t have done that, because I didn’t want to make it bigger and the fans were in there…” Rodriguez was responding to Bruney’s post-game comments the night before in which he spoke of the closer’s blown save and his behavior on the mound, which he called a “tired act.”
I don’t think Bruney has proven himself enough on the mound to be able to take shots at the single season save record holder, but, at the same time, I take issue with Rodriguez’s exuberance.
There is no need to jump for joy, point to the heavens, and shout like a madman every time you close out a game. That’s your job. You’re supposed to save the game. You shouldn’t be shocked you did it. And you shouldn’t be acting as if what you did is the greatest feat in sports history. More to the point, you shouldn’t show up the other team. You should simply put your head down, shake your catcher’s hand, and take solace in the fact that you did your job and were an integral part in your team winning the game.
You want to pump your first, that’s fine. And if it’s a big game down the stretch or a playoff game, perhaps a little more emotion is acceptable. But there is no need to act in the manner of K-Rod. Watch a batter hit a home run. He may stare at it for a moment, but afterwards, he will put his head down and run the bases. Yes, a typical home run is not the same as a typical save in terms of emotion and adrenaline, but the principle remains the same.
Watch Mariano Rivera the next time he closes out a game. He will not celebrate. He will not really even smile. He will walk toward home plate, shake Jorge Posada’s hand and then shake his teammates’ hands.
K-Rod is a great talent. But I truly hope he tones down his emotion. It’s a slap in the face to the opponent and, more importantly, to the game of baseball.
Tags:Pitching, yankees, home run, New York, Mariano Rivera, Closer, Francisco Rodriguez, K-Rod, Mets, Brian Bruney, Jorge Posada, Save
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June 25, 2009
A great blog, MLB INSIGHTS, posted this link today. It discusses how the traditional offset camera angle in centerfield is misleading. Worth checking out.
Tags:Camera, Pitching
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June 25, 2009
John Smoltz will make his Red Sox debut tonight in Washington against the Nationals. Coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum, he threw only 28 innings last year due to injury. This is his first year out of Atlanta, where he pitched for 20 seasons. The Braves, an organization that has gotten into the habit of spurning its icons (cough, Tom Glavine, cough), did not offer Smoltz a contract and thus allowed Boston the opportunity to swoop in and lure the first ballot Hall of Famer into Red Sox Nation.
Smoltz is going to pitch well this year. He is not going to have his 1996 Cy Young season by any means, but he is going to be more than effective. Consider this: Coming off three years (2002-2004) of being one of the elite closers in the game, Smoltz put up the following numbers:
This guy can still pitch. These numbers came after three years of closing and one year of being in between starting and closing. The two years prior to this four-year stretch (1998-1999) saw Smoltz starting just 26 and 29 games, respectively. He then went on to dominate hitters in the ninth for several years, proving his ability to come back healthy and still be one of the game’s top hurlers.
I understand that after these two injury-plagued seasons, Smoltz’s new role as closer had him throwing many less innings than in previous years. And this is one reason why he was so effective. But I would argue that the stronger reason is because of Smoltz’s mentality and overall ability; the guy knows how to pitch. Not everyone can just step on the mound in the ninth inning night in and night out and close out games. And not everyone can go on to toss 200+ innings for three years after closing the way he did.
The man is the epitome of versatility and adaptability. Now, at age 42, he has one more challenge ahead of him: pitching in the American League.
Smoltz will not blow people away this year. But he will not put up a 5.00 ERA either. He will take the ball every five days, give the Sox 100 pitches of grit and toughness, and have a very successful season.
In other news, Brad Lidge returns from the DL tonight for the final game of a series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Phillies can only hope that Lidge’s knee has healed enough to allow him to get out of his 2009 funk. But considering he has been experiencing knee pain since late 2008, I doubt that two weeks of inactivity will have much of an impact.
I hope he proves me wrong.
Tags:American League, Atlanta, Boston, Brad Lidge, Braves, Closer, Hall of Fame, John Smoltz, Nationals, Philadelphia, Phillies, Pitching, Rays, Red Sox, Starter, Tampa Bay, Tom Glavine, Washington
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June 24, 2009
In the top of the 9th inning tonight against the Atlanta Braves, Mariano Rivera stepped into the box for his second career at bat. He took a called strike and then managed to put a good swing on the ball, flying out to center field.
Rivera came on in the eighth to begin a four out save, striking out Kelly Johnson.
He went on to strike out all four batters he faced, earning his 16th save.
Tags:Atlanta, Batting, Braves, Kelly Johnson, Mariano Rivera, New York, Pitching, yankees
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June 24, 2009
In yesterday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Chien-Ming Wang threw five innings of three-run ball. He pitched four very good innings, but had a slip-up in the third when he surrendered three runs. Other than that one inning, Wang pitched more than adequately. But he still gave up three runs in five innings. That’s not spectacular—5.40 ERA. But perhaps he could have lowered his numbers had his manger, Joe Girardi, let him continue to pitch instead of taking him out in the sixth for a pinch hitter.
That makes sense, right? Take out the struggling Wang for a pinch hitter? Sure. But not when he has only thrown 62 pitches!
The quintessential micro-manager of our times, Joe Girardi is currently running the New York Yankees franchise into the ground. His mismanagement of Wang, coupled with his mismanagement of the franchise’s two biggest young arms, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, is causing an implosion in the Bronx.
Girardi has relegated Hughes to the bullpen. Here are his numbers since being ‘demoted’:
10.2 innings, 2 earned runs, 14 strikeouts, 2 walks
It is understandable why Hughes is in the pen. CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett signed major contracts, the veteran Andy Pettitte is back for a one-year farewell, Wang is a two-time 19 game winner and Chamberlain developed quicker. There is no room for him. Fine. But Girardi must stop babying Hughes. He lets the guy throw 20-30 pitches and then yanks him so he can use three other relievers per game. Hughes is a starter, plain and simple. He must be treated as such even though he is not currently starting.
Moreover, Sabathia may now be hurt, Wang (even though I think he’ll pull through) is up in the air, Burnett’s arm could fall off any outing now, Pettitte oscillates between brilliance and vomit-inducing dread, and Chamberlain is looking as if he and Hughes will be switching spots sooner than later. Therefore, Girardi must preserve Hughes’ stamina.
If he doesn’t, then we will have another Joba-Becomes-A-Starter transformation all over again. His pitch count will start at 65. Then he’ll be allowed to throw 75 next outing. Then 85. Then 100. They’ll waste precious time re-acclimating him to the starter’s role when he be could throwing 110 pitches tomorrow. These guys aren’t babies, and they should stop being treated as such. If you can’t throw 100+ pitches once a week, you are not a starter. Hughes can go the distance, as he threw eight shutout innings earlier this year. He must be put back into the rotation.
Back to Wang: 62 pitches in five innings. Girardi, are you kidding me? You are ruining three arms at once! Stop depleting your bullpen night in and night out. If guys are pitching well, let them throw more than one inning per appearance. I understand starters aren’t giving length at the moment, but you do not need to burn four relievers every time your starter goes only five.
If Girardi does not stop micro-managing, he will manage to keep the Yankees out of the playoffs again. And maybe—just maybe—he will find himself without a job this time next year.
Tags:AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Atlanta, Braves, CC Sabathia, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Manager, New York, Phil Hughes, Pitching, Playoffs, yankees
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