21 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Giolito last night 

On his 4 seam fastball and curveball that is his lowest spin game since April of 2019. On the slider he had one game in 2020 below that, but that is his second lowest spin game for the slider since April 2019.

Earlier this year he had 2 games with a high spin rate on his changeup, including that marvelous start against the Angels opening day, as seen on this chart. But, starting in April of 2019, the spin rate on his change started dropping, so overall this looks like his 3rd highest changeup spin rate in a game since April, 2019.

He obviously used stuff before. He didn't once hit the bill of his cap last night. It used to be routine. At least once per pitch. But he still looked pretty good. It doesn't appear his performance improvement was all sticky substance.

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

He obviously used stuff before. He didn't once hit the bill of his cap last night. It used to be routine. At least once per pitch. But he still looked pretty good. It doesn't appear his performance improvement was all sticky substance.

Gio is perhaps the most prominent change-up pitcher in the game. Increasing spin on change-up isn't typically the route to having success with the pitch (Devin Williams a key exception). You want to minimize spin on a change up to maximize fade. So I would agree Gio should be okay through all this even though he was pretty clearly using substance.

Also judging by the pitcher reactions to manager check requests, 100% someone is asking Liam to get checked to see if they can get him to meltdown and lose his concentration.  They'd be an idiot not to.

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Also judging by the pitcher reactions to manager check requests, 100% someone is asking Liam to get checked to see if they can get him to meltdown and lose his concentration.  They'd be an idiot not to.

Wasn't there something written in the memo about how if managers were to use checks for a competitive advantage that they'd be ejected?

?

41 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Gio is perhaps the most prominent change-up pitcher in the game. Increasing spin on change-up isn't typically the route to having success with the pitch (Devin Williams a key exception). You want to minimize spin on a change up to maximize fade. So I would agree Gio should be okay through all this even though he was pretty clearly using substance.

Kyle Hendricks?

47 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Wasn't there something written in the memo about how if managers were to use checks for a competitive advantage that they'd be ejected?

Was that why Girardi was tossed or was it because he came Out of the dugout trying to scrap with Scherzer?

1 minute ago, Kyyle23 said:

Was that why Girardi was tossed or was it because he came Out of the dugout trying to scrap with Scherzer?

He got tossed cause he started yelling at Kevin Long. 

Plus, steroids won't be useful in baseball since they will hurt your reaction time.

 

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

 

Maybe they should just raise the laces on the ball a little?

It’s the drunken commissioner office’s ineptitude, stupid.

https://theathletic.com/2669517/2021/06/23/gelb-girardi-vs-scherzer-absurdity-is-just-another-distraction-from-mlbs-real-issue-find-a-better-ball/

Quote

“Because there were guys just flat-out cheating, right? The guys who are using Spider Tack to increase spin rate. That’s what needs to get fixed right now. But they can’t just not work with pitchers. You can’t throw them out there with these slick balls. It has to be somewhere in between where they can make a ball that has enough grip where guys don’t have to do that to be able to control it, but also a ball that’s not so sticky that it’s increasing spin rate. Which they should be able to do. It’s been different every season for the last four or five years. So it’s like, they can change the ball if they want. They just need to find the ball that works for everyone.”

Instead, the league is content with mini-controversies like Girardi vs. Scherzer to fill the space.

---

It sounds simple, right? A better ball can make everyone happier and safer. But ask Phillies officials about the baseball — not league officials because they have declined to answer questions on the record regarding the situation — and it’s as if this is the most complicated thing in the history of mankind.

 

Cease yesterday. Lowest curveball spin rate of the year, lowest slider spin rate of the year, lowest fastball spin rate since July 2019.

Our hometown hero's doctored the baseball!?!  Say it ain't so!  

Just now, Harold's Leg Lift said:

Our hometown hero's doctored the baseball!?!  Say it ain't so!  

Lynn, Giolito, and Cease definitely did. The good thing is that only Lynn has looked bad without it, but he also didn't pitch against the Pirates. 

I thought Liam not losing any spin on his fastball yesterday was interesting, considering he lost a lot of it against Houston on Sunday, where he only threw 2 fastballs. Could just be a sample size thing.

I did notice that Liam did not alter his quirky habit of going to the back of his cap, although I couldn't detect any discoloration there, as was previously the case.

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by Lillian

1 minute ago, Lillian said:

I did notice that Liam did not alter his quirky habit of going to the back of his cap, although I couldn't detect any discoloration there, as was previously very clearly visible.

He didn't use anything. He went out of his way to say it before they started checking. He is one guy who has always been using the rosin bag, so very little reason to believe his success was due to spider tac.

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

He didn't use anything. He went out of his way to say it before they started checking. He is one guy who has always been using the rosin bag, so very little reason to believe his success was due to spider tac.

So, what do you think that shiny spot on the back of his cap is? Why do you think he goes there so frequently, and rubs it with his index and middle finger? I don't know, so I'm just asking. It looks awfully suspicious to me.

Edited June 24, 20214 yr by Lillian

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

He didn't use anything. He went out of his way to say it before they started checking. He is one guy who has always been using the rosin bag, so very little reason to believe his success was due to spider tac.

Except for the dramatic dropoff in his spin rates the last 2 games???

26 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Except for the dramatic dropoff in his spin rates the last 2 games???

His spin rates were fine yesterday. Basically nothing changed from his yearly averages. 

1 minute ago, chw42 said:

His spin rates were fine yesterday. Basically nothing changed from his yearly averages. 

Ah, my bad, I saw Lynn and not Liam. Apologies!

I love that Balta doesn’t watch games or even post here anymore, but has risen from the grave because there is some good outrage to be had.

1 hour ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I love that Balta doesn’t watch games or even post here anymore, but has risen from the grave because there is some good outrage to be had.

I love that you are so desperate to make a personal attack that you will pretend to know my TV viewing habits.