The 2009 Baseball Season Thread

[Paulie]

I like first place.

Me too.

2 of 3 from the Yanks in their home ain't too shabby.

I'm a little worried about Lidge though.

And we thank you for it.

Srsly ... what's up with Lidge?

From what I've seen, nothing is really "up" with him. He's making good pitches, but hitters are being way more patient and waiting for their pitch.

Everyone knows he doesn't throw the slider for a strike, so you wait until you see a ball in the zone and maybe this season hitters are just getting a little luckier and guessing right that it's the fastball.

When I say I'm worried about him, I just mean I'm worried that maybe hitters have figured him out. It's certainly not like he's hanging the slider, I haven't seen that YET. A-rod's homer the other day was a slider low in the zone that he just got enough of.

 

[Article 15]

Me too.

2 of 3 from the Yanks in their home ain't too shabby.

I'm a little worried about Lidge though.

And we thank you for it.

Srsly ... what's up with Lidge?

From what I've seen, nothing is really "up" with him. He's making good pitches, but hitters are being way more patient and waiting for their pitch.

Everyone knows he doesn't throw the slider for a strike, so you wait until you see a ball in the zone and maybe this season hitters are just getting a little luckier and guessing right that it's the fastball.

When I say I'm worried about him, I just mean I'm worried that maybe hitters have figured him out. It's certainly not like he's hanging the slider, I haven't seen that YET. A-rod's homer the other day was a slider low in the zone that he just got enough of.

The same thing is sorta happening to Papelbon recently. A lot of hitters seem to be jumping on his first pitch fastball which is almost always in the zone. He has also given up bombs in his last two appearances and already has more walks issued than all of last season.

 

[Paulie]

And we thank you for it.

Srsly ... what's up with Lidge?

From what I've seen, nothing is really "up" with him. He's making good pitches, but hitters are being way more patient and waiting for their pitch.

Everyone knows he doesn't throw the slider for a strike, so you wait until you see a ball in the zone and maybe this season hitters are just getting a little luckier and guessing right that it's the fastball.

When I say I'm worried about him, I just mean I'm worried that maybe hitters have figured him out. It's certainly not like he's hanging the slider, I haven't seen that YET. A-rod's homer the other day was a slider low in the zone that he just got enough of.

The same thing is sorta happening to Papelbon recently. A lot of hitters seem to be jumping on his first pitch fastball which is almost always in the zone. He has also given up bombs in his last two appearances and already has more walks issued than all of last season.

It happens from time to time. You almost have to reinvent yourself, otherwise big league hitters are inevitably going to adjust. That's why they're in the big leagues, afterall.

Maybe Lidge should learn a changeup, that would definitely be a huge asset. Papelbon has one, right?

 

[Article 15]

From what I've seen, nothing is really "up" with him. He's making good pitches, but hitters are being way more patient and waiting for their pitch.

Everyone knows he doesn't throw the slider for a strike, so you wait until you see a ball in the zone and maybe this season hitters are just getting a little luckier and guessing right that it's the fastball.

When I say I'm worried about him, I just mean I'm worried that maybe hitters have figured him out. It's certainly not like he's hanging the slider, I haven't seen that YET. A-rod's homer the other day was a slider low in the zone that he just got enough of.

The same thing is sorta happening to Papelbon recently. A lot of hitters seem to be jumping on his first pitch fastball which is almost always in the zone. He has also given up bombs in his last two appearances and already has more walks issued than all of last season.

It happens from time to time. You almost have to reinvent yourself, otherwise big league hitters are inevitably going to adjust. That's why they're in the big leagues, afterall.

Maybe Lidge should learn a changeup, that would definitely be a huge asset. Papelbon has one, right?

True with the exception of Mariano Rivera who seems to have been doing it with one pitch all along.

Paps doesn't really feature a change up.

 

[Paulie]

The same thing is sorta happening to Papelbon recently. A lot of hitters seem to be jumping on his first pitch fastball which is almost always in the zone. He has also given up bombs in his last two appearances and already has more walks issued than all of last season.

It happens from time to time. You almost have to reinvent yourself, otherwise big league hitters are inevitably going to adjust. That's why they're in the big leagues, afterall.

Maybe Lidge should learn a changeup, that would definitely be a huge asset. Papelbon has one, right?

True with the exception of Mariano Rivera who seems to have been doing it with one pitch all along.

Paps doesn't really feature a change up.

That cutter is something damn special, though. It's the latest breaking pitch I've ever seen, and I've never seen anyone else throw one that does anything close to what Mo's does. You can't blame the ones who've been made to look stupid all these years.

 

[del]

pedro in his prime had the best changeup i've ever seen.

 

[Article 15]

pedro in his prime had the best changeup i've ever seen.

Pedro made the best hitters the world that steroids could produce look like fools at the plate because of that changeup.

 

[Xenophon]

Mo's cutter has been his bread and butter, but his real secret is he's always thrown strikes.

Even the cut fastball is usually in the zone, walks and being behind is why pitchers fail.

 

[del]

Mo's cutter has been his bread and butter, but his real secret is he's always thrown strikes.

Even the cut fastball is usually in the zone, walks and being behind is why pitchers fail.

pound the strike zone should be the first commandment of pitching.

 

[Article 15]

Mo's cutter has been his bread and butter, but his real secret is he's always thrown strikes.

Even the cut fastball is usually in the zone, walks and being behind is why pitchers fail.

pound the strike zone should be the first commandment of pitching.

Someone get Dice-K to Church!

 

[del]

Mo's cutter has been his bread and butter, but his real secret is he's always thrown strikes.

Even the cut fastball is usually in the zone, walks and being behind is why pitchers fail.

pound the strike zone should be the first commandment of pitching.

Someone get Dice-K to Church!

no shit. he nibbles WAY too much.

 

[Xenophon]

He's not alone.

It's Joba's #1 fault, he gets ahead 0-2, and it's three breaking pitches off the zone, and 100 pitches by the fifth inning.

DAMN annoying.

 

[del]

He's not alone.

It's Joba's #1 fault, he gets ahead 0-2, and it's three breaking pitches off the zone, and 100 pitches by the fifth inning.

DAMN annoying.

sometimes they think too much.

they don't get paid to think.

 

[Paulie]

99 times out of 100 a hitter expects a breaking ball when down 0-2.

Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give em the heater!

 

[Xenophon]

Hughes is starting to figure that out, he was getting the Rangers all day yesterday with 0-2 heat.

 

[Article 15]

Lester allows another big inning, kills my fantasty team.

 

[Xenophon]

Believe it or not, it's raining in Texas and the yankee game is delayed.

 

[tigerbob]

Bollocks.

We cruised the first game against KC (Verlander is on fire at present), but last night ran into Zack Greinke again. At least the one run we scored against him was earned this time, but he is hugely impressive. Every time he got in trouble he somehow induced a DP.

The rubber game is today. Our 20 year old rookie Rick Porcello (5-3, 3.55 ERA) is going for his 4th straight win. In the previous 3 he's given up 1 run or less. If he does it again, he'll be the first pitcher that young to do it since Fernando Valenzuela's rookie year in 1981. Of course, Fernando did it seven times in a row!

 

[sealybobo]

Bollocks.

We cruised the first game against KC (Verlander is on fire at present), but last night ran into Zack Greinke again. At least the one run we scored against him was earned this time, but he is hugely impressive. Every time he got in trouble he somehow induced a DP.

The rubber game is today. Our 20 year old rookie Rick Porcello (5-3, 3.55 ERA) is going for his 4th straight win. In the previous 3 he's given up 1 run or less. If he does it again, he'll be the first pitcher that young to do it since Fernando Valenzuela's rookie year in 1981. Of course, Fernando did it seven times in a row!

I came here to ask people outside of Detroit if they realize how good our team is yet. This team could go all the way. Sad we didn't a couple years ago. Seemed like we were destined to do it then too. I think we didn't have enough good pitchers. Is it me, or does it seem like we got a lot of good pitchers this year?

This year:

37 Brandon Lyon P Right Right 29 6'1" 195 8/10/1979 8 Salt Lake City, UT
44 Bobby Seay P Left Left 30 6'2" 235 6/20/1978 8 Sarasota, FL
56 Fernando Rodney P Right Right 32 5'11" 218 3/18/1977 7 Samana, DR
29 Nate Robertson P Right Left 31 6'2" 225 9/3/1977 7 Wichita, KS
38 Jeremy Bonderman P Right Right 26 6'2" 220 10/28/1982 6 Kennewick, WA
21 Dontrelle Willis P Left Left 27 6'4" 225 1/12/1982 6 Oakland, CA
36 Edwin Jackson P Right Right 25 6'3" 210 9/9/1983 6 Neu-Ulm, West Germany
35 Justin Verlander P Right Right 26 6'5" 225 2/20/1983 4 Manakin-Sabot, VA
54 Joel Zumaya P Right Right 24 6'3" 210 11/9/1984 3 Chula Vista, CA
31 Zach Miner P Right Right 27 6'3" 200 3/12/1982 3 St. Louis, MO
58 Armando Galarraga P Right Right 27 6'4" 180 1/15/1982 2 Cumana, Venezuela
48 Rick Porcello P Right Right 20 6'5" 200 12/27/1988 0 Morristown, NJ
45 Ryan Perry P Right Right 22 6'4" 200 2/13/1987 0 Pomona, CA

Compared to 1984:

RosterSchedule
# Pitchers Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
17 Glenn Abbott 6-06 200 Right Right 1951-02-16
40 Doug Bair 6-00 180 Right Right 1949-08-22
44 Juan Berenguer 5-11 215 Right Right 1954-11-30
21 Willie Hernandez 6-03 180 Left Left 1954-11-14
29 Aurelio Lopez 6-00 220 Right Right 1948-09-21
48 Roger Mason 6-06 220 Right Right 1958-09-18
42 Sid Monge 6-02 195 Left Both 1951-04-11
47 Jack Morris 6-03 200 Right Right 1955-05-16
49 Randy O'Neal 6-02 195 Right Right 1960-08-30
46 Dan Petry 6-04 200 Right Right 1958-11-13
19 Dave Rozema 6-04 200 Right Right 1956-08-05
17 Bill Scherrer 6-04 180 Left Left 1958-01-20
39 Milt Wilcox 6-02 185 Right Right 1950-04-20
28 Carl Willis 6-04 213 Right Left 1960-12-28

We had a lot of good pitchers back then too. I remember 8 of these guys. I only know 7 of the guys names from this year, so far anyways.

 

[tigerbob]

What a difference a year makes.

Detroit Tigers..........RECORD.........ERA.........SHO..........WHIP..........WIN RANK #..........SV..........BSV..........SV%
2008 season.............74-88..........4.91............0.............1.51..................12.................34...........28..............55
2009 to date.............25-19..........3.88............6.............1.33...................5..................9............5..............64

Cleveland Indians.....RECORD........ERA.........SHO..........WHIP..........WIN RANK #...........SV..........BSV............SV%
2008 season.............81-81..........4.45............5............1.37.....................8................31............20..............61
2009 to date.............19-28..........5.49............1............1.56....................13...............10.............9...............53

I know Cleveland has had several changes to their pitching staff, but the biggest difference I see is that the Tigers got a new pitching coach (Rick Knapp) during the offseason and their old coach (Chuck Hernandez) went to.....CLEVELAND!