The interesting thing I saw from last nights game was in the 7th inning when Freddy blew the game wide open by giving up a pair. I was sitting on the couch watching the game with my sister and after the back to back to back hits by grudyz, tehan, and shelay to drive in the 2 runs she said something to that was very interesting. She is 25 and likes the sox but still no where near the sox fan I am or any guy is. She maybe watches a game once in a while when we are watching. She said to me "what is his problem, everytime he throws it outside they get a hit". And it was like Bingo!! If a casual observer (a girl mind you) whose not a big sports nut or anything can see this after watching Freddy for 5 minutes then it has to be obvious. And she was right. All those pitches were becasue Freddy and AJ called for away away away pitches, no matter what they were. The one Tehan hit was even off the plate away and got crushed. They are making it too easy for the hitters. She said why does he keeping pitching outside if they are getting hits. I agree 100% he needs to pitch inside, no matter what the count. You cant pitch continously outside no matter to who and that appear to be freddy problem he pitches 1 pitch inside for every 4 or so outside. Anyone else agree?

Freddy has a lot of problems. The biggest being, IMO, that his fastball is an offspeed pitch.

A Sox pitcher afraid to throw in? Since when?!!?!?!?

If he's going to throw inside, it's probably going to be his fastball. And an inside fastball that is moving 85-88 mph is going to land 450 feet away.

Shouldn't that be green above me?

 

Interesting take Joey; you're right: sometimes it's the casual observer that notices things us "experts" never catch.

Shouldn't that be green above me?

 

My post?

Actually a lot of our pitchers get beat on the low and away pitch instead of going in.

 

Thornton got beat the other night by Teahan on a low and away pitch with 2 strikes.

Jenks got beat a couple of times with that methodology.

 

Cotts has been getting murdered on the low and away pitch.

The pitch Teahan deposited in RF was up an inside to my eyes.

Edited August 3, 200619 yr by Balta1701

My post?

 

Nope, sorry: the one above you...

The pitch Teahan deposited in RF was up an inside to my eyes.

 

That was the homer, the one in the 7th inning was low and away. He hit that one to left center.

Edited August 3, 200619 yr by southsideirish71

Nope, sorry: the one above you...

And yes. Sorry, thought it was too obvious.

And yes. Sorry, thought it was too obvious.

 

Oh trust me, I got it.

There was a game this year where Garcia tried to throw inside fastballs. It was against the Yankees, and after 4 batters, he abandoned that approach after 800 feet worth of homers by Jeter and ARod. Garcia doesn't have good enough control to consistently throw his 88 mph fastball in on the hands.

The only pitchers that know how to pitch inside lately are Garland and Contreras. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!

That was the homer, the one in the 7th inning was low and away. He hit that one to left center.

So dont pitch inside or outside, and we will win?

Cotts pitched outside and got hit against Baltimore and Thornton pitched outside to KC and got beat. It kills.

So dont pitch inside or outside, and we will win?

 

Just dont pitch to a specific pattern. Pretty much on 2 strikes with a lefty on lefty we seem always go low and away. We need to mix up the pattern a bit. After 2 strikes, the hitter is looking for a zone just to put the bat on the ball. When they know what the zone is already, its just looking for roation at that point.

Just dont pitch to a specific pattern. Pretty much on 2 strikes with a lefty on lefty we seem always go low and away. We need to mix up the pattern a bit. After 2 strikes, the hitter is looking for a zone just to put the bat on the ball. When they know what the zone is already, its just looking for roation at that point.

I definitely noticed that w/ Cotts in Balt and Thornton in KC

I definitely noticed that w/ Cotts in Balt and Thornton in KC

 

Neither pitcher feels comfortable pitching up and in on a lefty. Thornton's slider is coming around, but it's still not reliable. Cotts, on the other hand, seems to have completely lost his offspeed pitch, and that's why he's getting smacked around.

Neither pitcher feels comfortable pitching up and in on a lefty. Thornton's slider is coming around, but it's still not reliable. Cotts, on the other hand, seems to have completely lost his offspeed pitch, and that's why he's getting smacked around.

Do you think those are things Coop can help with or is it all mental and because they do not have trust in their pitches?

Neither pitcher feels comfortable pitching up and in on a lefty. Thornton's slider is coming around, but it's still not reliable. Cotts, on the other hand, seems to have completely lost his offspeed pitch, and that's why he's getting smacked around.

 

 

Thornton has been real good this year. He pretty much gets 2 quick strikes on just about everyone, then for the most part blows the guy away with heat. With his kind of fastball when he goes up with it, its hard for anyone to get ahold of it. I wish he and Jenks would let their fastball fly more up. The big thing between the two of them, just pitch ahead and throw hard. If they keep out of hitting counts I take my chances with their stuff. Their only achiles heel is when they start walking guys and then have to aim their fastball. Thats when they get hurt. It doesnt happen that often for them.

 

Cotts I dont know whats up with him. His fastball still looks good. His location is not good though. Unlike Thornton his fastball isnt as explosive. So when he throws it up and over the plate he gets hurt early in the count. On lefties he has a similiar pattern to Marte last year, not throwing in, and getting behind hitters. With his 3 quarters motion he should be owning lefties.

 

I would like to see Cotts learn a cutter over the offseason. Its the one pitch that I think can help him dominate as a reliever. If he has one, then he needs to throw it more. Running that cutter in on righties hands would be nice.

Freddy has a lot of problems. The biggest being, IMO, that his fastball is an offspeed pitch.

 

Actually its more than you would think. I was listening to the score the other day and they had a guy on from some baseball stat keeping company to try and see stat wise what is so different this year with the sox pitchers than last year. The most notable stat was Garcia's consitently of throwing fastballs 90 mph or more. Last year 82% of his fastballs were 90+, this year its down to 48%. The biggest difference in baseball I think they said. Thats pretty extreme and true. The real questions is why. Is he jus fat and out of shape, has he lost his stuff, was he on some performance enhancer (maybe ampthetimene)?? I dont know.

It doesn't matter which location Garcia aims his pitchers. He'll rarely hit a spot in two consecutive throws. Every zone -- whether inside/outside or high/low, his batting practice fastball and consistently hanging curveball will be destroyed. Pitch inside more? Hitters will open up their stance quicker and adjust. Nothing aside from 5 mph on his fastball will cure Garcia's problems.

 

Watch Pierzynski catch him -- Garcia has trouble consistently locating his fastball. It so may happen that Cooper/Pierz have noticed when Garcia aims inside he often leaves pitches over the middle of the plate, whereas outside pitches are easier for him to locate. They just can't be ignoring what even a 25year old casual fan can observe.

Edited August 3, 200619 yr by Flash Tizzle

If he's going to throw inside, it's probably going to be his fastball. And an inside fastball that is moving 85-88 mph is going to land 450 feet away.

 

Buehrle would say otherwise.

Buehrle would say otherwise.

Not this year.