Manoah looks large but in pretty good shape. He also is a guy who doesn’t have a lot of wear on his arm.
David Wells pitched forever. Totally different pitcher than Manoah but looked like a guy rejected from a curling team in the 80s for being out of shape.
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The Yankees of course have had a charmin soft schedule to start the season. Since starting with the Red Sox and Jays they've played the Orioles 6 times, the Guardians and the Tigers, next up the Royals.
Re: Manoah body comparisons to Wells and Sabathia, totally fair but I’d say there are exceptions to the rule. Granted you have to take care of your shoulder and arm more than anything as a pitcher, you still have to take care of your body as you get older as the hips and knees take their toll. Those guys may have been exceptions. Not the best to replicate as most will have aging issues where self care will become more important as a person ages.
Not relating to this but I was just thinking. Why don’t more teams have knuckleball relievers? Could really throw the timing off to bring in a guy for an inning or two.
Re: Manoah body comparisons to Wells and Sabathia, totally fair but I’d say there are exceptions to the rule. Granted you have to take care of your shoulder and arm more than anything as a pitcher, you still have to take care of your body as you get older as the hips and knees take their toll. Those guys may have been exceptions. Not the best to replicate as most will have aging issues where self care will become more important as a person ages.
Not relating to this but I was just thinking. Why don’t more teams have knuckleball relievers? Could really throw the timing off to bring in a guy for an inning or two.
As an avid knuckleball enthusiast, it doesn’t work because
a) it’s very difficult to throw a knuckleball at all
b) it’s even harder to throw a knuckleball AND throw other MLB level pitches - even RA Dickey could only mix in an 80 mph fastball here and there. Knuckleball = no breaking pitches
C) catchers can’t catch it. A knuckle balling starter requires a personal catcher. Josh Thole, Doug Mirabelli - you can’t just tell the everyday starter “go catch knuckleballs”.
Arencibia basically got drummed out of the league after he was unable to catch Dickey, but the next year with Martin, they made a big deal about how beat up he was getting behind the dish because he couldn’t get a handle on it, and Russell
Martin is Johnny Bench compared to JP Arencibia.
To me, the ultimate pitch mix for durability would be something like four-seam (92-95), circle change (84-87) splitter (81-83), knuckleball (64-68). But I don’t believe it’s possible in real life.
__________________ ”All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”
Rowan Roy W-M - February 15, 2024
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Also while our hitting is down hitting is down everywhere. We’re actually hitting fairly well in a number of categories. But hitting right now in general is at historic lows so get used to it I guess.
With Teo out, and Bichette slumping, Guerrero gets nothing to hit.
That's your 3 best hitters all but eliminated.
Once Teo is back, and Bichette gets rolling, that puts everything back in place. Gurriel sees more pitches batting 5th. And suddenly Chapman, Espinal, Tapia and Kirk are the bottom of the order, instead of the middle of it.
It's a long season. And the Jays bats will do their thing.
You don't really get the effect of just how much movement there is on major league pitches when you watch on TV. I remember sitting behind home plate once when El Duque was pitching. He'd throw a breaking ball that started at the RH batter's head, then dove down and away and finished low and outside. I figured it was bending 3 or 4 feet, at least.
Henke also pitched in that game, and he was insane to watch too.
You have a fraction of a second to decide whether or not to swing, and to choose a swing path for the bat. When balls move like that - at 90+ MPH - good effing luck.
Manoah and Gausman have been the only ones being good. The other three have been mediocre to bad. I didn’t expect Kukuchi to be this crap. Frustrating to say the least.
As an avid knuckleball enthusiast, it doesn’t work because
a) it’s very difficult to throw a knuckleball at all
b) it’s even harder to throw a knuckleball AND throw other MLB level pitches - even RA Dickey could only mix in an 80 mph fastball here and there. Knuckleball = no breaking pitches
C) catchers can’t catch it. A knuckle balling starter requires a personal catcher. Josh Thole, Doug Mirabelli - you can’t just tell the everyday starter “go catch knuckleballs”.
Arencibia basically got drummed out of the league after he was unable to catch Dickey, but the next year with Martin, they made a big deal about how beat up he was getting behind the dish because he couldn’t get a handle on it, and Russell
Martin is Johnny Bench compared to JP Arencibia.
To me, the ultimate pitch mix for durability would be something like four-seam (92-95), circle change (84-87) splitter (81-83), knuckleball (64-68). But I don’t believe it’s possible in real life.
Wow. Quite the answer. Thanks! Totally get it now.
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