General Baseball Thread 2012

[houghtam]

Originally Posted by SouthStndJunkie

This is where we b**** about our Tigers....so deal with it.

Tigers are worthy of discussion in any thread, at any time. No matter how bad their season is.

We lived through 2003, dammit.

Ya'll can deal with it and like it.

[SouthStndJunkie]

2003....I was so happy when we won 5 out of 6 games to end the season and avoided having the worst record of all-time.

[houghtam]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Yet you and SSJ give us updates every single day. Save it for worthiness like every 5 days when Verlander pitches.

You asked for it!

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320624123

Justin Verlander pitched a five-hitter Sunday, Quintin Berry hit a two-run shot for his first major league home run and the Detroit Tigers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.

[elsid13]

Youk to the White Sox. I hope him the best for great memories.

[SouthStndJunkie]

I love Pittsburgh's stadium, it's probably the nicest park I've been to.

[OrangeSe7en]

I just read Youkilis is only hitting .161. What's up with that?

[SouthStndJunkie]

Originally Posted by OrangeSe7en

I just read Youkilis is only hitting .161. What's up with that?

He is batting .233 as of yesterday.

[elsid13]

Originally Posted by OrangeSe7en

I just read Youkilis is only hitting .161. What's up with that?

He has struggled all year, some of it because the lack of AB and some of it is injuries. He really needs to be playing 1st because his body is starting to break down.

[Kaylore]

Really? No one has posted Bob Apodaca is out as pitching coach? I am ok with this, but it doesn't address the real problem: Dan O'Dowd.

[TheChamp24]

My gosh the Rockies pitching is awful, and to think they traded away a guy who is pitching lights out in Baltimore right now.

[Drunken.Broncoholic]

Giants closing the gap on the Dodgers. Who can't seem to score last 18 innings against them.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by TheChamp24

My gosh the Rockies pitching is awful, and to think they traded away a guy who is pitching lights out in Baltimore right now.

Turned out better for the Orioles to be sure but I almost wonder if it was something of a fluke. Check out how negative these Baltimore Sun guys were about the trade back when it happened.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...matt-lindstrom

[TheChamp24]

Originally Posted by TonyR

Turned out better for the Orioles to be sure but I almost wonder if it was something of a fluke. Check out how negative these Baltimore Sun guys were about the trade back when it happened.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...matt-lindstrom

To me, this year for Hammel has been a fluke. No way is he really this good. He always had the stuff to be a solid starter, but not the way he is pitching now.

That said, to me, it was ridiculous trading for an older pitcher who isn't an upgrade over Hammel really.

I have always believe what you really need are pitchers with high K rate at Coors Field, and pitchers with low walk rates. Sure, every team needs those, but its more important at Coors to avoid the batter making contact in the field of play since the field is so vast.

[OrangeSe7en]

Originally Posted by SouthStndJunkie

He is batting .233 as of yesterday.

Don't shoot the messenger.

No, but really, I did read that but they must have been talking about a certain range of time where he was hitting what I mentioned.

[OrangeSe7en]

Originally Posted by TheChamp24

To me, this year for Hammel has been a fluke. No way is he really this good. He always had the stuff to be a solid starter, but not the way he is pitching now.

That said, to me, it was ridiculous trading for an older pitcher who isn't an upgrade over Hammel really.

I have always believe what you really need are pitchers with high K rate at Coors Field, and pitchers with low walk rates. Sure, every team needs those, but its more important at Coors to avoid the batter making contact in the field of play since the field is so vast.

But what if the high K rate is being driven by certain pitches that don't work as well at altitude? I don't know if there's an exact template of what an altitude pitcher looks like. But I'd think that getting strikeouts by changing speeds weighs more heavily than the break. I'd also think that keeping the ball down on most hitters (some HR hitters are actually low ball hitters) is especially useful in keeping the ball in the infield and avoiding that massive OF that you mentioned.

[TheChamp24]

Originally Posted by OrangeSe7en

But what if the high K rate is being driven by certain pitches that don't work as well at altitude? I don't know if there's an exact template of what an altitude pitcher looks like. But I'd think that getting strikeouts by changing speeds weighs more heavily than the break. I'd also think that keeping the ball down on most hitters (some HR hitters are actually low ball hitters) is especially useful in keeping the ball in the infield and avoiding that massive OF that you mentioned.

The funny thing though, is I've seen plenty of HOF pitchers get rocked in Coors Field.
It is incredibly difficult to pitch there, regardless of how good you are. One guy who comes to mind that was pretty incredible there was Tom Glavine though.

I honestly think the Rockies need to focus on having a bunch of average/control pitchers and spend out the wazoo on hitters. You aren't going to be able to afford to go out and get a pitcher, and it won't be worthwhile. Throwing money at a new 1B would be wiser than throwing money at a SP.

And the guys they have went after were actually some pretty good pitchers in the past. Darryl Kile, Mike Hampton, those guys were solid pitchers who just could not for the life of them pitch well in Colorado.

[TonyR]

Yanks put both Sabathia and Pettitte on the DL after sweeping the Tribe.

[OrangeSe7en]

Originally Posted by TheChamp24

The funny thing though, is I've seen plenty of HOF pitchers get rocked in Coors Field.
It is incredibly difficult to pitch there, regardless of how good you are. One guy who comes to mind that was pretty incredible there was Tom Glavine though.

I honestly think the Rockies need to focus on having a bunch of average/control pitchers and spend out the wazoo on hitters. You aren't going to be able to afford to go out and get a pitcher, and it won't be worthwhile. Throwing money at a new 1B would be wiser than throwing money at a SP.

And the guys they have went after were actually some pretty good pitchers in the past. Darryl Kile, Mike Hampton, those guys were solid pitchers who just could not for the life of them pitch well in Colorado.

Kile is the classic example of what I was referring to though when I mentioned guys who rely on the breaking action of their pitches. I think that guy that Colorado traded to Houston (Jennings?) would have been a good guy to hang on to. Sorry for ending the sentence with a preposition but I don't feel like being like a brit.

As for how and who they target is concerned, I think you make a lot of sense.

[OrangeSe7en]

Originally Posted by TonyR

Yanks put both Sabathia and Pettitte on the DL after sweeping the Tribe.

Im sure there will be talk of them getting another pitcher in a trade. Too bad they have next to nothing to trade though.

[WolfpackGuy]

Originally Posted by TonyR

Yanks put both Sabathia and Pettitte on the DL after sweeping the Tribe.

Talk about a costly series.

Looks like Phelps is coming back up.

[WolfpackGuy]

Originally Posted by OrangeSe7en

Im sure there will be talk of them getting another pitcher in a trade. Too bad they have next to nothing to trade though.

I can see them going after Garza or (gulp) Dempster.

Cubs are looking to dump contracts, and I'm sure the Yankees can scrounge up a couple "prospects" in exchange for a summer rental.

[TheChamp24]

Originally Posted by OrangeSe7en

Kile is the classic example of what I was referring to though when I mentioned guys who rely on the breaking action of their pitches. I think that guy that Colorado traded to Houston (Jennings?) would have been a good guy to hang on to. Sorry for ending the sentence with a preposition but I don't feel like being like a brit.

As for how and who they target is concerned, I think you make a lot of sense.

Yeah, Kile's curve was pretty flat in Coors and he also had a bad walk rate most of his career, which is a recipe for disaster at Coors.
Jennings was decent as he was able to throw a sinker to get a lot of ground balls, but he also had a high walk rate and allowed a lot of baserunners. The trade of him to Houston was a bit of a controversial move, but the players involved helped the Rockies make the World Series in 2007.
Rockies need speed and power. I love Helton, he is a great guy, was a great player, but he just doesn't bring enough to the table anymore. He is signed through 2013 I believe, and that will probably be the end for him. The Rockies need some pop from their 1B. I don't know what the brass plans to do, but 1B and 3B need some good production from those positions.

[socalorado]

[socalorado]

[socalorado]