My first game was May 29th, 2011 with the Sox visiting the Tigers @ Comerica Park.
Clay Buchholz (of all people) started that game, and he and a rookie named Andy Oliver produced identical 6 IP/3 ER lines. The game stayed deadlocked until the 9th, when Papi took Valverde and his douchey hat and delivery deep giving the Sox the lead, then Papelblows (Papelbon at the time) came in and pitched a perfect 9th for the win. Bunch of pissed off Tigers fans and a very happy User Name?.
I remember reading somewhere a couple days ago that he knows why he's been so good in his final years: He's working pitchers instead of pitchers working him.
With the history these guys have, the comment is not only warranted, but necessary. He (TBSB) was also scolded for a similar comment directed towards me last night.
It wasn't the rotation. The Mets had a weak defense all over the diamond and a BP that got exposed. They lost that series because their staff's strikeout potential hid the negative impact of the defense all year long, then they ran into a team that was almost impossible to strike out and forced the defense to make plays, and they were not able to.
Verlander is a prime resurgence candidate like what Sabathia is doing for the Yankees right now, but he's sustaining better velocity and obviously has a better body for the long-run. I was thinking the same thing this morning. It's like you're me, but you don't live in a place where machete fights are still a thing.
I don't like his mechanics or demeanor. That is, of course, just personal opinion, and I am in no way, shape or form a talent evaluator, scout, or biomechanical expert.
This makes no sense. And there's a basis for the way major networks do their poll. Some use a computer algorithm, others poll a panel of experts (ex-players, writers, SABR people) and use their analysis as the basis for rankings.
And they already have too many stats? Are you going to tell me to get off your lawn next?