Baseball Is A Hell Of A Drug
by colintj on Jul 27, 2008 7:26 PM CDT
in White Sox Game Recaps
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PrintJustin Verlander and his ace stuff and command (well okay it was a little off) proved to be no problem for our boys yesterday. And indeed, since the All Star break we've absolutely mashed. But today? Against Zach Miner? Shut. Down. And that's just how it works sometimes I guess. I don't have much insight there, since batting isn't really my thing and, to be sure, I'm perfectly content with our effort. We didn't battle as much, like yesterday, but from this contributing author's perspective, it seemed like the foulballs and good counts that were available yesterday simply weren't there today.
Baseball, it is often said though perhaps in other specific terms, is a game of failure. So it was today when Javier Vazquez ("Javy Dent") flipped the coin badly a few times and ended up with serious issues. He was giving up untimely doubles and dongs all day, even if the final line wasn't completely ugly. What I hope to examine shortly is my idea for a command metric using the pitch f/x data. Either way, the fastball seemed to be consistently finding the heart of the plate. Is there anything to be concerned about? It's hard to say. I said in the first inning that it didn't look like Javy's stuff was all there, but his offspeed stuff looked okay. It was the fastball that saw significant damage against. What to do? As a fan, there aren't too many real options. For a pitching coach, I imagine it's a matter of keeping the mechanics reined in (which I thought they were) so he can get back to finding the command we saw earlier in the season and much of last. I'm not overly concerned. These are the vagueries of pitching and, in general, predicting performance. It's a difficult task working with traditional metrics which leave "luck" in the equation. Barring further explanation, that's all we're left with sadly.
But is it really such a tough loss? We won 2 of 3 on the road and that certainly goes against the year long trend to date. These are the series results we need going forward and to lament this overly isn't taking the proper perspective. Even without further additions to the team, the White Sox are prepped to compete long term with the Twins and have a current 2.5 game lead to make good with. We stole the previous two games going bullpen against bullpen and sometimes that's what it really comes down to. We're going through a bad stretch as far as the pitching goes and those tend to even out over time. Don't get freaked, just remember what we expected going into this season and how well KW has done exceeeding our expectations in general. As I briefly admonished yesterday about Ozzie I will again about KW: he's damn good. If he decides there's nothing worth it on the market, he deserves the benefit of the doubt at this point and if it doesn't work out take heart. This is team has a committed owner, a skillful GM, a talented GM-in-waiting, and an excellent manager. Considering the heartbreak and annoying failure we've known in the past, this is pretty damn good, no?
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Well said
The pitching staff is going through a rough stretch but I think it might be more than a coincidence that they’re going through it facing Texas and Detroit. Taking two out of three from a Detroit offense who looks like they’re really clicking is nothing to scoff at. It was a good start to their road trip and this week in Minnesota should be interesting. Seeing all the trouble they had against Laffey today, maybe having three lefties starting could be a good thing.
by El Duque's Raft on Jul 27, 2008 7:56 PM CDT reply actions
Dodger Fans, Rest Easy
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/07/dodger-fans-rest-easy.html
and driveline mechanics on the subject
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
Disappointing loss
Obviously 2 of 3 in DET is great, but given the pitching matchup I was hoping for more. Vazquez last start wasn’t bad at all really (3 ER against TEX in 7 innings) and I was optimistic he was working out of his slump. But he looked lousy today—worse than his line if I may be unscientific. That really was more disappointing than the loss. The Sox have 1 starting pitcher going well right now (although Floyd really has been OK outside of Texas). They need more than that.
I’d like to see the Sox pull off a deal for a pitcher (although I’m sure Beane would want more than Fields and Poreda for Duchsehrehre, I would do that deal). In the absence of that, the Sox really need to get Vazquez turned around and hope Richard just deals in his next start. I don’t want to see a repeat of 2006 when pitchers that were falling apart (I’m looking at you Contreras) kept getting sent out to the mound.
Here’s hoping the Sox can split in Minnesota…
Announcer: [A fan] from Frederick, Maryland, wants to know why you don't go out and get some more team speed.
Weaver: Team speed, for Chrissake, you get BLEEP god damn little fleas on the bases getting picked off trying to steal, getting thrown out, taking runs away from you. You get them big BLEEP who can hit the BLEEP ball out of the BLEEP ballpark and you can't make any god damn mistakes.
The nice thing is that a split would be just fine...
but it would be even nicer to see the Sox add to their lead.
Larry: "god, you’re fucking stupid."
I listened to it on the radio
and Stone and Farmer sounded really frustated by the three 9th inning Strike Outs on 3-2 counts. They said all 3 pitchers were high for ball four. Thoughts?
they all could have been taken for ball four, that is true.
fuck you, that's my name!! you know why, mister? 'cause you drove a hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar bmw. that's my name!!
by MarketMaker on Jul 27, 2008 10:09 PM CDT up reply actions
JD had the same 3-2 fastball
He’s our hottest hitter (no duh) and barely laid off. Hard to fault Uribe for fouling back ball 4 and then striking out – he’s not quite as selective as JD (again, no duh). Aggressive hitters will find it hard to lay off – our guys are aggressive.
Javy continues to disappoint me – his stuff looks great, yet I’m not sure he can put it where he wants (as opposed to MB who seems to be hitting the glove pretty well).
shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.
High Fastballs
All 3 batters worked hard to get that count to 3-2….Rodney is a fastball/change up pitcher. As a pitcher myself he/Rodriguez made outstanding calls to go with the high heat over the change up. Batters would have taken anything off speed and low. High fastballs are hard to lay off of in that count. I didn’t win more titles in a row than MJ for nothing folks ;-)
Kenwo4life=ratings
Anyone who has played ball knows how hard it is to lay off that high heat,
or any high pitch for that matter.When the ball is that close to your eyes it looks like a volley ball and if you’re an agressive hitter your reactions override your brain.You can try to teach patience at the plate,but it all goes out the window when the eye-high fastball is en route,especially in clutch situations.Happens in Little League as well as the Bigs…
"Stay thirsty my friends."
I bet no one threw it high to him
for fear of being poleaxed. SSH = intimidating in the box.
shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.
Yes, they were high
But they were also fastballs from a fastball pitcher on 3-2 that were travelling in excess of 95MPH, I mean: shit happens. Especially on hard thrown fastball up in the zone on 3-2.
Minor had good stuff today, but the Sox didn’t make him work, with 9 first pitch outs. Javy seems to be a guy that is forever at the borderline between great and mediocre. If he isn’t throwing his fastball at 93-94 on the corners his breaking stuff isn’t good enough to be thrown behind in the count. And with not great control he often gets behind in the count.
And shit happens.
OH well, good Tigers lineup out there all 3 games and can’t complain when you add a game to the lead on the road when the RD is even for the series.
A split at the Metrodome would be excellent.
I'm thinking a split in the Metrodome would be acceptable
I hope they can go 3-1, with sweeping the twins being excellent.
But this is just picking nits, I realize.
read the whole thing you stroke artist - kenwo4life
From Cowley's Twatter...
Ozzie Guillen said that he was still sticking with Paul Konerko, but could move him further down in the order to “relax him.”
Larry: "god, you’re fucking stupid."
Hitting with men on base in front of him increases the pressure to perform?
While continually failing to drive in runs reduces his confidence?
Why so serious?
by reardenmettle on Jul 27, 2008 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I would stick with Paulie awhile longer...
...maybe through the Boston series before any serious thoughts of benching him.
Over the long haul, do we really think Wise and/or Anderson are going to make up for his (potential) stick?
Unless he’s playing hurt and not saying anything (as Joe Crede was), I can’t believe he’ll hit around .220 the rest of the season. Although, admittedly, this has been a hell of a slump…maybe more mental than physical these days.
"Everybody looks at the Cubs. Look at the White Sox. They're a pretty good ballclub." - Lou Piniella (6/29/08)
he doesn't look physically unable to perform to me
are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM
He's done for the year
This guy has mental problems. I am not saying he will not have another good year in his career but this year he is done. Even if he starts to hit .250 it will not be enough to over come the lack of defense/speed/team play that happens if he is not in the line up. Are Wise and Anderson the answer? Short term maybe…long term maybe not….but the sox are a better team without him.
Kenwo4life=ratings
Nicely done, colin
Agree completely.
My only obersvation on Vazquez is that I still don’t think he’s in any way ‘losing stuff’, although I would be curious to see where his average fastball MPH ranks this season compared to prior seasons, Command still looks to be his problem—he certainly seems (from my ametur point of view) to miss AJ’s mitt a lot over the course of the game, and I mean miss badly (like one side of the plate to the other).
I think the fastball is down from previous years...
I know the guns may be way off but I see a lot of 91’s from Vazquez and I seem to remember a lot more 93’s in the past.
Larry: "god, you’re fucking stupid."
Looking at some data from fangraphs
He appearts to be the same pitcher he’s been over the past 4 years. K rate, BB rate, FIP, it’s almost remarkable how consistant he’s been over the past 4 years. The only thing that really stood out is that last year he managed to ahve his LD% rate gainst fall over 5 points. This year it’s back up his usual 21%.
Average FB is 91.3 according to Pitch Fx.
whose the talented gm in waiting yo?
He was a catcher with the Orioles back in the day. Sorry looking (expletive). My brother had his card. He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelms knuckle ball five (expletive) years.
by onlysoxfaninboston on Jul 28, 2008 8:33 AM CDT reply actions
ozzie
"I guess I’m lucky," Guillen said. "Every time I get a little upset, the team reacts. But I don’t want to get a heart attack just to win a game."http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/baseball/cjenkins/20080727-9999-1s27bbcol.html
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
ozzie always a good quote
He was a catcher with the Orioles back in the day. Sorry looking (expletive). My brother had his card. He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelms knuckle ball five (expletive) years.
by onlysoxfaninboston on Jul 28, 2008 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions
No rushing Contreras back into rotation
Jose Contreras will resume pitching Monday with a bullpen session, but he’s unlikely to come off the 15-day disabled list when he becomes eligible Saturday.http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-080727-jose-contreras-chicago-white-sox,1,1878632.story“He’ll pitch Saturday somewhere in the minors,” pitching coach Don Cooper said Sunday.
That means rookie left-hander Clayton Richard,who struck out seven in four innings in his major-league debut Wednesday against Texas, will get at least two more starts. ...
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
UPDATE
Jose Contreras threw a bullpen session without any discomfort. He will throw on Thursday before going on a minor lleague rehab assignment Sunday.http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/07/mondays-white-s.html
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
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