[lex24]

Luciano called up the the Giants. Got that OF you heard it here first

Bobbbbbbb... Luciano called up to Richmond, not the Giants so he can get as many AB's as possible since he's only played 57 games because of injury. He went 1/4 in a 9-3 playoff loss in Game 1. Schmidt 2/4 with a double. Catcher Matarano had a homerun.

Harrison started, Pitched three innings and struck out nine. However he gave up two runs and got the L.

One thing I’d like to see in Harrison’s development is LESS strikeouts. I know, that completely goes against conventional wisdom.  But being able to get outs with less pitches - inducing soft contact - is a wonderful skill for a starting pitcher.  Get deeper into games.  It also involves improving command. Which right now is his one issue. Pretty common one for a young pitcher, particularly a lefty. The ability to get strikeouts is important. Gets one out of jams. But there simply are too many one trick ponies out there.

 More throwers than pitchers. Two pitch guys with 95 plus and a hard slider.  Throw in a change up maybe.  When your job is reduced to getting through a lineup twice - it’s all about power pitching. Balls to the wall from the first pitch. Stats like FIP carry brobdingnagian weight.

Smoltz talked about how when he was a starter he’d get through the order the first time without showing everything. In other words - he didn’t come out blazing away. He built to it. Saved it for when needed.

I’d love to how Juan (or Maddox) would handle hitters today. Juan - Fastball, slider, curve, change up and a screwball.  Thrown over the top, 3-4’s or sidearm. 15 pitches to an extent. With impeccable control.  Maddox, sinker (with tremendous movement) slider change up and he could throw each into a thimble - usually about 2-3 inches off the outside corner at the knees. Until a guy leaned to much then he busted him inside. PITCHERS. Not throwers. Maddox once threw a 77 pitch shutout. About 4 innings work for todays “pitchers”.

I don’t know what Juan’s fastball topped out at.  My guess is he could get it up to 92-93 or so on occasion.  Figure he hovered around 90.  Mixing pitches, hitting corners, changing speeds, changing deliveries with, of course, that straight over the top high leg kick as his main delivery.  Something he developed, by the way, in the minor leagues.  When he was signed he was a sidearmer.  A minor league manager asked if he ever thought about throwing over the top to improve his ability to get lefties out. He developed the famous kick.  And he learned a screwball.  

An artist.  A true pitcher.  I loved to watch him.

[lex24]

Luciano called up the the Giants. Got that OF you heard it here first

Bobbbbbbb... Luciano called up to Richmond, not the Giants so he can get as many AB's as possible since he's only played 57 games because of injury. He went 1/4 in a 9-3 playoff loss in Game 1. Schmidt 2/4 with a double. Catcher Matarano had a homerun.

Harrison started, Pitched three innings and struck out nine. However he gave up two runs and got the L.

One thing I’d like to see in Harrison’s development is LESS strikeouts. I know, that completely goes against conventional wisdom.  But being able to get outs with less pitches - inducing soft contact - is a wonderful skill for a starting pitcher.  Get deeper into games.  It also involves improving command. Which right now is his one issue. Pretty common one for a young pitcher, particularly a lefty. The ability to get strikeouts is important. Gets one out of jams. But there simply are too many one trick ponies out there.

 More throwers than pitchers. Two pitch guys with 95 plus and a hard slider.  Throw in a change up maybe.  When your job is reduced to getting through a lineup twice - it’s all about power pitching. Balls to the wall from the first pitch. Stats like FIP carry brobdingnagian weight.

Smoltz talked about how when he was a starter he’d get through the order the first time without showing everything. In other words - he didn’t come out blazing away. He built to it. Saved it for when needed.

I’d love to how Juan (or Maddox) would handle hitters today. Juan - Fastball, slider, curve, change up and a screwball.  Thrown over the top, 3-4’s or sidearm. 15 pitches to an extent. With impeccable control.  Maddox, sinker (with tremendous movement) slider change up and he could throw each into a thimble - usually about 2-3 inches off the outside corner at the knees. Until a guy leaned to much then he busted him inside. PITCHERS. Not throwers. Maddox once threw a 77 pitch shutout. About 4 innings work for todays “pitchers”.

I don’t know what Juan’s fastball topped out at.  My guess is he could get it up to 92-93 or so on occasion.  Figure he hovered around 90.  Mixing pitches, hitting corners, changing speeds, changing deliveries with, of course, that straight over the top high leg kick as his main delivery.  Something he developed, by the way, in the minor leagues.  When he was signed he was a sidearmer.  A minor league manager asked if he ever thought about throwing over the top to improve his ability to get lefties out. He developed the famous kick.  And he learned a screwball.  

An artist.  A true pitcher.  I loved to watch him.