https://theathletic.com/756814/2019/01/14/sarris-pitchers-who-could-have-a-breakout-season-in-2019-by-making-one-small-adjustment/

Really interesting about how they should dial back 4 seam usage and focusing on other pitches.

1 minute ago, bmags said:

https://theathletic.com/756814/2019/01/14/sarris-pitchers-who-could-have-a-breakout-season-in-2019-by-making-one-small-adjustment/

Really interesting about how they should dial back 4 seam usage and focusing on other pitches.

You mean not try to throw the pitch with the most velocity but the ones with more movement? Right up Coopers wheel house

Just now, ptatc said:

You mean not try to throw the pitch with the most velocity but the ones with more movement? Right up Coopers wheel house

Yep! Though with fulmer you get the sense that he was throwing 4 seam maybe because it was only one he thought he could command.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lucas-giolito-is-saving-his-season/

This article from during the season comes to the same conclusion about Giolito while also talking about his mechanics a bit. 

I agree big time with this. Lopez was extremely impressive to me at the beginning of the year when his fastball was electric. However, he did rely on it way too much and by the 2nd half of the year he was just gassed. Im very excited to see him adjust and improve. Kids a gamer.

15 hours ago, ptatc said:

You mean not try to throw the pitch with the most velocity but the ones with more movement? Right up Coopers wheel house

I’m a big fan of McHughing, more pitchers should do it. 

**Throwing their most dominant pitch more often. 

Edited January 17, 20197 yr by Joshua Strong

I haven't given up hope on Fulmer.  I am hopeful this is the year he turns a corner, and becomes a valuable member of the pen.  

I know that's gated stuff but is it allowed to at least post some of it ?

On 1/17/2019 at 8:47 AM, Joshua Strong said:

I’m a big fan of McHughing, more pitchers should do it. 

**Throwing their most dominant pitch more often. 

We pretty much know throwing your top velocity on every pitch causes casualties. There has to be a better approach and making fun of Coop like some have is not the answer. 

3 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I know that's gated stuff but is it allowed to at least post some of it ?

It’s just hard to excerpt because it’s so gif heavy but here’s a part on lopez

His changeup has a nice velocity gap — over 10 mph — and gets average whiffs. That’s probably already enough, but if he improves his cutter or curve, which he threw a combined 211 times last year and only gave up one homer, then he’s got three pitches that he can use instead of his four-seam.

Nate Eovaldi once had a big fastball he threw a ton, and people still hit it well. He found that no fastball is too big to hide and broke out by going more often to a cutter. López may want to learn from that lesson.

2 minutes ago, bmags said:

It’s just hard to excerpt because it’s so gif heavy but here’s a part on lopez

His changeup has a nice velocity gap — over 10 mph — and gets average whiffs. That’s probably already enough, but if he improves his cutter or curve, which he threw a combined 211 times last year and only gave up one homer, then he’s got three pitches that he can use instead of his four-seam.

Nate Eovaldi once had a big fastball he threw a ton, and people still hit it well. He found that no fastball is too big to hide and broke out by going more often to a cutter. López may want to learn from that lesson.

I'm kind of surprised he hasn't already.  You'd think Coop would be driving that in his head.

Lopez has actually increased his four seamer usage to 64% this year.

Mixed results Id say!

3 hours ago, bmags said:

Lopez has actually increased his four seamer usage to 64% this year.

Mixed results Id say!

Jesus christ he's currently rocking a FIP of 8.77 with a *gulp* 22.6% GB rate and a 15.8% HR/FB rate.   That's a bad combo.  Oh wait, he also has a walk rate of 8 per 9.  Wouldn't want any solo homers!

Fastball velocity is down to 93.2MPH (over 95MPH last year) and has currently been -4.4 runs below average on his heater this year.  

Him and Giolito are both running out of excuses.  The diminished stuff is one thing, the inability to command and control pitches is another.  Lopez has a little more margin for error given he was actually decent last year but Giolito was literally league worst.

After all the pitcher injuries the inability of these two guys to get out of their own way has probably been the biggest non Manny disappointment in the rebuild.

Edited April 8, 20197 yr by chitownsportsfan

7 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Jesus christ he's currently rocking a FIP of 8.77 with a *gulp* 22.6% GB rate and a 15.8% HR/FB rate.   That's a bad combo.  Oh wait, he also has a walk rate of 8 per 9.  Wouldn't want any solo homers!

Fastball velocity is down to 93.2MPH (over 95MPH last year) and has currently been -4.4 runs below average on his heater this year.  

Him and Giolito are both running out of excuses.  The diminished stuff is one thing, the inability to command and control pitches is another.  Lopez has a little more margin for error given he was actually decent last year but Giolito was literally league worst.

After all the pitcher injuries the inability of these two guys to get out of their own way has probably been the biggest non Manny disappointment in the rebuild.

Yeah, and I think bigger sign with the 4 seam usage is so little control of their offerings that they have to consistently revert to "what they can control" i.e. 4 seamer which still isn't very good.

That said, I am not pleased with the plans the sox have given these guys to attack the other teams hitters.

edit: When you are 65% 4 seam fastball, you can sit fastball every ab, and he has so little control not even feel self conscious about getting tricked. He has to change up his offerings.

5 minutes ago, bmags said:

Yeah, and I think bigger sign with the 4 seam usage is so little control of their offerings that they have to consistently revert to "what they can control" i.e. 4 seamer which still isn't very good.

That said, I am not pleased with the plans the sox have given these guys to attack the other teams hitters.

edit: When you are 65% 4 seam fastball, you can sit fastball every ab, and he has so little control not even feel self conscious about getting tricked. He has to change up his offerings.

I don't really know what Cooper's philosophy is these days but whatever he's trying with Lopez isn't working, clearly.  Watching Lopez it looks like he's at his best when he's "effectively wild".  

I'm open-minded and could see it going a different way but I see a younger Bartolo Colon in Lopez. When he has his good heater he might be best off just attacking with it and hoping to generate soft contact. Needs to have enough command to at least be wild in the zone for that to work though.

It's odd that Fulmer gets hit so hard on his fastball when he has a high spin rate and good release point that makes his perceived velocity better than the measured velocity. Just goes to show that sometimes you just have to go out and play the games.