Who is the Biggest Problem Right Now?

[cp176]

I just became aware of these nuggets and I had to put them up for fun.

 

Good job

[mvp 78]

A career ERA of 3.31 (ERA+ of 118) in 4,970 innings isn't so bad.

 

Neither is Krackle. It's not so bad.

[Kimmi]

1 year doesn't give you signs of anything. Not in baseball, and his "youth" means nothing when you are untalented.

 

I think the results have spoken by itself.

 

I'm not basing anything off of just one year. What I posted in my previous post gives several indications that expecting Porcello to pitch like he did last year is a reasonable expectation.

 

Porcello has not had a good year. There is no denying that. However that does not mean that he will stink for the remainder of his contract.

[Kimmi]

Oh, it is not a matter of what I want to believe LOL! He is a terrible pitcher. The numbers are there.

 

I was just trying to translate his performance in those splits.

 

Said that, no one will help him from BABIP death since everyone makes him contact. Everyone. Sometimes he will stay semi-alive thanks to his defense but sometimes he will be destroyed make him inconsistent and very difficult to stay in ERAs below 4. Do not believe me? We have unfortunately 4 more years to see my prediction. Time is giving me reason thus far.

 

I honestly have no clue what you mean by his BABIP death. If he has a decent defense playing behind him, his BABIP will be fine. See 2014.

[Kimmi]

Oh Come on now Bellhorn. We have been instructed this year that new wave thinking considers a pitcher's win loss record not very important. Only old no nothings like me still consider this a reasonable stat to consider.

 

You are not a know nothing, but seriously, a pitcher's W-L record is almost meaningless, in and of itself.

 

I am so thankful that King Felix won the Cy Young over Sabathia a few years back.

[iortiz]

I honestly have no clue what you mean by his BABIP death. If he has a decent defense playing behind him, his BABIP will be fine. See 2014.

 

Thing is that even a good defense is not going to save him every night since everybody makes him contact... Every night. This will tax him sooner or later make him inconsistent and difficult to keep his ERA below 4.

Edited June 22, 2015 by iortiz

[iortiz]

I'm not basing anything off of just one year. What I posted in my previous post gives several indications that expecting Porcello to pitch like he did last year is a reasonable expectation.

 

Porcello has not had a good year. There is no denying that. However that does not mean that he will stink for the remainder of his contract.

 

Yup, but it is likely. As I said, I'm willing to bet my sign with you to make it interesting and fun.

[iortiz]

Kim, if the approach is the problem, when do you think, he is going to start adjusting the actual approach ... Next start? Next year?, when?

 

Also, Is it fair to say that his adjustments to the actual approach have already begun a couple of games ago but it has not worked out as he wished?

[mvp 78]

Thing is that even a good defense is not going to save him every night since everybody makes him contact... Every night. This will tax him sooner or later make him inconsistent and difficult to keep his ERA below 4.

 

This is wrong on many levels. Tons of great pitchers have pitched to contact. The reason he is worse this year is because he's trying to K more batters and isn't using his sinker enough.

[iortiz]

This is wrong on many levels. Tons of great pitchers have pitched to contact. The reason he is worse this year is because he's trying to K more batters and isn't using his sinker enough.

 

We'll see it next four years.

[cp176]

You are not a know nothing, but seriously, a pitcher's W-L record is almost meaningless, in and of itself.

 

I am so thankful that King Felix won the Cy Young over Sabathia a few years back.

 

thank you Kimmi - I do respect your comments. I think that the key words here are in and of itself. It isn't a stand alone stat. It can still have significant meaning over the long haul but taken separately it is no better than many other statistics.

[Kimmi]

Thing is that even a good defense is not going to save him every night since everybody makes him contact... Every night. This will tax him sooner or later make him inconsistent and difficult to keep his ERA below 4.

 

Of course even a good defense is not going to save him every night, but it will make a big difference. As I just posted in the other thread, if Detroit had even an average, not good, defense, Porcello's average ERA from 2012-2014 would have been 3.74. Put an above average defense behind him, which ours was supposed to be, and the results would be even better.

 

We must also not forget about the advantage that the Vazquez/Hanigan tandem was supposed to provide with their top rate pitch framing skills.

[Kimmi]

Yup, but it is likely. As I said, I'm willing to bet my sign with you to make it interesting and fun.

 

One of the reasons I don't like to bet is that it always seems to come back and bite me, as is happening with Porcello. It's very similar to why I won't have Sox players on my fantasy team. It's a jinx, even though I'm pulling and betting FOR my players.

 

I honestly do not understand how you can bet against them. And frankly, I do think you get more satisfaction out of being able to say you were right then you would from Porcello pitching well, despite what you say. Your posts tell me otherwise.

[Kimmi]

Kim, if the approach is the problem, when do you think, he is going to start adjusting the actual approach ... Next start? Next year?, when?

 

Also, Is it fair to say that his adjustments to the actual approach have already begun a couple of games ago but it has not worked out as he wished?

 

He has been working on it, but as I posted earlier, it's easier said than done. Throwing more fastballs has messed up his release point on the sinker, causing him to leave a lot of pitches up in the zone. He is most effective, obviously, when he can keep the sinker down.

[a700hitter]

He has been working on it, but as I posted earlier, it's easier said than done. Throwing more fastballs has messed up his release point on the sinker, causing him to leave a lot of pitches up in the zone. He is most effective, obviously, when he can keep the sinker down.

He increased his k rate to 7.2 in 2013 and his performance dramatically improved. I am not buying that his k rate of 7.0 this season has messed him up so badly. A loss of command can be the first sign of arm trouble. That's as likely to me as any of these other speculative excuses. I am just not buying that it is taking him half a season to make this adjustment. Sorry, but to me it is BS.

[sk7326]

I am not sure it is the strikeouts - but something has clearly happened to the ground ball rate - that is the entirety of his failings this season, leaving the ball up. That could be a matter of pitch selection, release point. The durability has not been an issue, it has just been leaving the ball up much too often.

[a700hitter]

I am not sure it is the strikeouts - but something has clearly happened to the ground ball rate - that is the entirety of his failings this season, leaving the ball up. That could be a matter of pitch selection, release point. The durability has not been an issue, it has just been leaving the ball up much too often.

He had a slightly higher k rate in 2013, so I can't conclude that his k rate of 7 is the reason. I really don't care to hear an explanation from Farrell or Porcello. I just want them to fix it if they think they have figured it out. If they have discovered the reason, it shouldn't take half a season to fix.

[SoxHop]

This changing approaches bugs me. I've seen it mentioned only on this site and haven't seen it elsewhere.

 

Porcello is definitely not pitching as many sinkers. And the FO would know this, and would change that if they felt it wasn't the right thing to do.

 

But also wouldn't the FO talk about changing the approach more and not let blame of him failing to pitch well fall almost entirely on Porcello?

[sk7326]

This changing approaches bugs me. I've seen it mentioned only on this site and haven't seen it elsewhere.

 

Porcello is definitely not pitching as many sinkers. And the FO would know this, and would change that if they felt it wasn't the right thing to do.

 

But also wouldn't the FO talk about changing the approach more and not let blame of him failing to pitch well fall almost entirely on Porcello?

 

I would not read too much into that - after all Nieves walked the plank, which could be read as an equivalent gesture.

[iortiz]

One of the reasons I don't like to bet is that it always seems to come back and bite me, as is happening with Porcello. It's very similar to why I won't have Sox players on my fantasy team. It's a jinx, even though I'm pulling and betting FOR my players.

 

I honestly do not understand how you can bet against them. And frankly, I do think you get more satisfaction out of being able to say you were right then you would from Porcello pitching well, despite what you say. Your posts tell me otherwise.

Well, when you bet you have to put behind your feelings, fandom and preferences otherwise you will lose big time; it is hard I know but if you want a real chance to win you have to do it.

 

Regarding Porcello, he simply is a bad pitcher, Kim. I already rest my case to prove that and time is giving me reason thus far. It is what it is. Probably some people around here still disagree with me and it is fine, but it won't change that fact.

 

I do not get satisfaction when he is pounded every 5th night, trust me... But it won't change the fact that he is a bad pitcher, and it is beyond my fandom, so the least thing I can do is take that opportunity and make some cash and you can not blame for that, it is as simple as that.

[iortiz]

This changing approaches bugs me. I've seen it mentioned only on this site and haven't seen it elsewhere.

 

Porcello is definitely not pitching as many sinkers. And the FO would know this, and would change that if they felt it wasn't the right thing to do.

 

But also wouldn't the FO talk about changing the approach more and not let blame of him failing to pitch well fall almost entirely on Porcello?

 

It is still pure speculation. IMO the coaching staff has nothing to do with this. This is exclusively on Porcello.

 

On the other hand and as you said, the FO would know this, and would change that if they felt it wasn't the right thing to do.

[iortiz]

He had a slightly higher k rate in 2013, so I can't conclude that his k rate of 7 is the reason. I really don't care to hear an explanation from Farrell or Porcello. I just want them to fix it if they think they have figured it out. If they have discovered the reason, it shouldn't take half a season to fix.

 

 

Is it me or do we have a Bard 2.0 gestating here? LOL!

[iortiz]

He increased his k rate to 7.2 in 2013 and his performance dramatically improved. I am not buying that his k rate of 7.0 this season has messed him up so badly. A loss of command can be the first sign of arm trouble. That's as likely to me as any of these other speculative excuses. I am just not buying that it is taking him half a season to make this adjustment. Sorry, but to me it is BS.

 

That's actually what the problem seems to be.

 

"You see misexecuted pitches that lead to pitches just off the edge," Farrell said. "Inside of those innings where those mislocations are happening it's in the middle of the plate, it's not to the extreme. That's what we're trying to slow the game down in those moments and be more clear with the execution."

[Bellhorn04]

Based on this story, Porcello started throwing the four-seamer more on his own and Farrell and Willis want him to throw it less.

 

http://t.co/qX2uxthwBk

[SoxnCycles]

Based on this story, Porcello started throwing the four-seamer more on his own and Farrell and Willis want him to throw it less.

 

http://t.co/qX2uxthwBk

 

Perhaps he's trying a little too hard to live up to the contract.

Wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

[iortiz]

As I said, When you sign a 80 M pitcher you let him perform as he used to. As I said it as well, it was very unlikely that this FO and coaching staff had something to do with this particular thing --Porcello's approach. I do not think they are that stupid.

 

Said that, It's going to be interesting to know why he decided to change his approach. Probably he tried to increase his K/9, IDK. Either way and if that is the reason, it has not worked out thus far. His K/9 is still mediocre (6.9). If the theory regarding his K/9 improvemt is correct, He has to realize that he is not by any means a K/9 pitcher for once and for all.

[User Name]

That's why I have had him on permanent ignore for more than a year. Based on past experience, nothing he posts is ever worth reading.

 

Actually, it's because you're a pussy and iortiz is dumber than a box of crayons. Let's call a spade a spade.

 

We've discussed this Porcello issue ad nauseum, it is what it is. He's a better pitcher than this, and whatever performance issues he's having fall largely on the shoulders of the Red Sox.

 

I find it hilarious that as much as the whiners on this site like to bash the FO, the one time they have a legitimate reason to do so, they don't, because they're banding behind iortiz' idiotic notion that getting a pitcher who's improved over the past three years at prime age for a below-market number of years is a bad idea. You people seriously need to get your head checked (and some need improvements to their english). That is all.

[User Name]

Based on this story, Porcello started throwing the four-seamer more on his own and Farrell and Willis want him to throw it less.

 

http://t.co/qX2uxthwBk

 

What else is he going to say? He's not going to throw them under the bus. This is 2015, pitchers have a game plan prepared before the game, and it's the coaching staff and catcher who call the pitches.

[User Name]

This is wrong on many levels. Tons of great pitchers have pitched to contact. The reason he is worse this year is because he's trying to K more batters and isn't using his sinker enough.

 

Man that Greg Maddux guy sure f***ing SUCKED.

 

And.....wait for it......remember how BADLY iortiz wanted the Red Sox to sign Mark Buehrle? He of the career 5.2 K rate? The inconsistencies of iortiz' thought process make Glenn Beck look like goddamn Plato.

[iortiz]

That's why I have had him on permanent ignore for more than a year. Based on past experience, nothing he posts is ever worth reading.

 

Yup, while everybody here is talking about baseball (regardless you agree or disagree), he always starts s*** up. Hopefully the mods are taking note.