fathom

QUOTE(bogie @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:56 AM) I agree that Hermanson didn't get the job done BUT Ozzie's bonehead move letting Buehrle bat is terrible. You have a chance at a big inning. Also, the fact that they didn't score changes the complexion of the game and adds pressure. Buehrle strikes out=added pressure on Pods; Pods strikes out adds pressure on Iguci. What the heck is Frank and Carl sitting there for? Here's the thing.....Ozzie's been trying to play smallball far too often for my taste this season, but it's hard to argue with our results, especially in 1-run games. However, it seems like so many teams that play for one run end up losing by one run.

QUOTE(ottawa_sox @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:52 AM) It could be a matter of splitting hairs here. And these guns give different readings. But the loss of 3 or perhaps 5 MPH can be critical. His out pitch has been the splitter, but the threat of his fastball sets it up. The threat doesn't seem to be there at the moment. The baseball world seems to be catching up to him, in general. I think this is going to provide further impetus for Kenny to go after another reliever. Hermanson always seems to throw that little cutter/slider to try and get ahead of the count on hitters. I can probably count on one hand the number of times he's actually thrown a fastball past a hitter this year.

I'll admit an astonishing thing that happened tonight.....I actually wanted Neal Cotts to come in to close the game in the 9th. Kudos to Cotts for his amazing improvements lately.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:46 AM) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/stor...phil&id=2072998 I just know that I watched a ton of Giants games down the stretch last year as I cheered them on to beat the Cubs for the wild card. For the life of me, I don't recall Hermanson ever throwing over 91 mph when I watched him.

QUOTE(Jake @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:45 AM) Unfortunately true. Shingo/Viz needs to see some time in the minors. Bring up Baj, he's done his time he deserves a shot. I wouldn't rule out Jenks either if he keeps doing well in July/August/September. I don't think Baj really impressed Ozzie too much last year. I can guarantee you that Ozzie would rather pitch Vizcaino 20 straight days than have Baj pitch in a close situation.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:42 AM) For all of those b****ing about Hermanson, please provide a name of who shoulda been pitching the ninth.... Neal Cotts. With two lefty batters that inning, I think Cotts could have done the job. And yes, I know that lefties hit Cotts better than righties....but you also have a batter in Klesko who hits better against righties. Anyways, there was no chance that Ozzie was going to let Cotts pitch that inning instead of Hermanson.

QUOTE(mmmmmbeeer @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:42 AM) So what're you going to tell him? "Hey hermey, you've got a 1.00 ERA and haven't blown a save this season, but hey, you looked a little vulnerable last Tuesday so we're going to let someone else close." No, you don't do that. Until he falters, which he did tonight, you can't just yank the guy out of a role he's excelled at. I understand what you're saying about his velocity, but it hasn't hurt him until tonight. The homer to Hernandez had nothing to do with velocity anyway, it was a hanging breaking ball. Agreed. You dance with the date you brought to the dance. Until Hermanson blew the game, there was no chance Ozzie was going to not go to him in a save situation.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:42 AM) He threw mid 90s last year. I can guarantee you that he didnt.

QUOTE(ottawa_sox @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:41 AM) Well the original question was about his velocity. He seems to top out at 86. Didn't he throw harder earlier in the year when he was more dominant? I'm not sure what his maximum velocity was earlier, but I thught he was reaching the 90s. No, he's been topping out at about 89 mph all season. But it hasn't been his fastball which made him successful, it was his ability to get ahead in the count against the hitter, and then throw his splitter.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:40 AM) In his last 6.1 innings , he has allowed 8 runs, 5 earned and has suffered 2 losses. That's Shingoesque. And he's looked worse than the numbers suggest. I don't think he's had a batter swing and miss at his splitter in 2 weeks.

I've always thought that if you play for one run, you'll end up losing by one run. Kinda like the prevent defense in football. Luckily, we've won a lot more of these type of games than we've lost.

Counting unearned runs, Hermanson has given up runs in 5 of his last 7 games. That's Vizcaino-esque.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:32 AM) He had an era of 1 and he was 15 for 15 in saves...Yea, you saw it coming. Yes, he had those numbers...but that doesn't mean he had been pitching well recently. It's been obvious he's been less than sharp over the last 10 days or so.

QUOTE(ReinsdorfSucks @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:32 AM) no i'm a realist. THAT's why i'm "so negative" as others like to put it. s*** like tonight has happend ALOT to this team. this team needs EVERY run it can get. their bullpen in not that good. and it bit them in the ass tonight. i don't fall back on the "best record in baseball" argument. that's means absolutely nothing. it's all about winning in the playoffs. and many moves i've seen this year scare me when i think about them being made in october. I'm sure this will get me s*** on by some here, but I agree with basically everything you say there. I could care less what our record is on June 11th. Our hitting is going to have to pick up if we want to make the playoffs. Not only that, but we need to have another reliever step up.

Hermanson hasn't been fooling anyone with his splitter recently, that's what has changed. Earlier in the season, he was getting a lot of strikeouts or weak grounders with his splitter. If you noticed before the Hernandez homer, he threw an awful splitter that went about 58 feet. He overcompensated on the next splitter, and hung it.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:29 AM) Who cares? The fact that Cotts doesn't suck as much as you thought he would makes it a sad day? You know that's just a phrase used. I didn't mean it literally.

I bet Joe Nathan has no problem blowing the Dodgers away in the 9th inning of their game. It was just a matter of time before Hermanson and his 87 mph fastball was going to slump. We need a closer!

Well, we now have 2 reliable relievers. Hermanson has gone from lights out to absolute s*** in a span of 10 days.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:26 AM) ...when Cotts has been lights out? I fail to see how it's a sad day when our "best reliever" has been brilliant. Exactly, but who would have ever thought Cotts would be pitching so good? Cotts and Politte are our only reliable arms in the pen right now. Who would have ever thought that before the season?

QUOTE(That funky motion @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:26 AM) I am still waiting for that great arm in right! :banghead Someone was actually on here earlier defending his defense in RF. It's been nothing short of brutal this season.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:24 AM) Hermanson hasn't been very sharp for a couple of weeks now. Holy f***ing s*** Dye. He needs to come up throwing there. He took his f***ing time, and didn't even expect the guy to be going to 3rd base.

QUOTE(Cloudyguy09 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:24 AM) um widger ozuna thomas its only 1 inning Obviously, you haven't been watching many Sox games. Ozzie almost always refuses to use his back-up catcher in a game. Also, no way Ozzie will put Frank into the field to play 1b.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:23 AM) I called it in the chat. The Padres have seen Hermey way too much. Yes they have. Not only that, but Hermanson has pitched awful recently. However, you can't fault Ozzie for going to his closer. It's a sad day when Cotts might be our best reliever.

QUOTE(Cloudyguy09 @ Jun 12, 2005 -> 04:22 AM) f*** OZZIE HE BLEW IT WHY DIDNT HE PINCH RUN Because we don't have a replacement at the easiest position in baseball to fill. That's our GM's fault.

Hermanson hasn't had control of his splitter in a while now. He's been hanging everything, and been lucky to get away with it. That call at home really hurts now.