I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet but if it has please delete it mods. Anyways I was at the game last night and when Billy came in he was throwing some gas. On the gun at the cell he was consistantly hitting 97 and I saw him hit 98 twice. I'm not sure if the gun at the cell is fast or not but I thought it was very interesting and it definitely through me off a little bit.

We were talking about it in the game chat, someone said on the Rangers broadcast they had him at 100.

I heard Rooney mention it too. He seemed pretty shocked and had to ask if that 98 reading was right.

Heeeeeeee's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkk?

Yeah, the Rangers' FSN gun blinked a bright red 101mph. I doubt he got it up there though, 98 I would believe. Either way, looks like he's starting to get it back. Looked to me like that last batter he was just throwing fb after fb with the exception of a slider, challenging the guy, just like the Koch of old.

We've not yet seen the best of Koch, but it's coming.

It's coming.....get his Metallica music ready.....

We were talking about it in the game chat, someone said on the Rangers broadcast they had him at 100.

Yeah I heard about the rangers broadcast. It definitely made me look like an ass, I went to the game with my friend who is a rangers fan, when billy came in my friend was like this guy is going to throw 100 and I said no he can't throw that fast anymore only like 93-94 and then he gases it up there. I really hope his velocity is coming back because if it is Billy will probably be better then ever because he has learned to pitch a little bit.

I think we're finally getting the guy we traded for. I feel him getting his confidence back in the early part of the season has really helped his velocity get back to where it should be again also.

I'm not as concerned about his velocity as i am his control problems. But the last few outings he hasn't walked anyone, which is a good sign.

 

As long as his fastball isn't straight as an arrow, he can get guys out whether it's at 94 or 98 mph. But extra velocity doesn't hurt obviously.

GIVE ME FUEL. GIVE ME FIRE. GIVE ME THAT WHICH I DESIRE!

Thats my boy Billy....

shhh...keep doing your job and some folks on this board will have no reason to post.

Holy s***.

 

If he can start to consistently hit 98, he is the closer. The only reason he has gotten into trouble in the past, especially last year, is that he was NOT hitting 98.

 

If he has that 98 MPH heater back, along with learning how to pitch a little and now just throw, he IS a $6 mill pitcher.

 

I will feel a little better about the bullpen if Koch can get his s*** together. We could still use a little more depth, but not as much any more.

 

Maybe, just maybe last year was a wake-up call to him. His fastball not hitting 98 and instead hitting 92-93 just made him realize he needed to use his stuff a little more effeciently, and due to that, he has become a better pitcher. If his fastball continues to hit 98, he is one of the most dangerous pitchers in the AL, and in this case, dangerous is good.

Heeeeeeee's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkk?

Hopefully

 

LET'S GO BILLY!

ill never be sure about koch

Oh, but he's not a good closer, remember?

Heeeeeeee's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkk?

I sure hope he’s back.

 

He didn’t get the save, but he also didn’t let a run go by.

All I know is, to me, he seems to be getting better and better as the year goes on. I just hope it continues.

I have bashed Koch in the past, but the USCF gun had him at 97 last night. Is the gun inflated? I don't know, but it was a higher reading than anyone else. Frankie Francisco was hitting 96, which is where he is supposed to be, so Koch must be throwing harder. Batters are taking some funny swings off him now, something they haven't done before.

Went back and watched yesterday's game and Koch actually hit 99 MPH on one pitch. Maybe the gun was a little fast, but i'll take 97 MPH too.

He may indeed be getting that heat back. Obviously the doubters would wonder what he could possibly be doing different mechanically. One would think that last year he had to be throwing it as hard as he could so there is no way he could be adding to it this year without it being something radical. I would disagree with that though. I think he could have regained his heat just using the same basic mechanics. He may have just had to loosen up a bit and not give in to the obvious pressure he felt last year. When you are tight and try to force muscle quickness, it just doesn't work. Your muscles and joints really have to be fluid and flexible, almost like rubber bands. I bet Billy might have been forcing the heat earlier and would end up squeezing the ball and putting mainly just his shoulder into the pitches, and not let his shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers snap through their release points as well.