Blue Jays 2012

[shack]

the only reasonable explanation I can think of for all these pitcher injuries and the team's supremely inconsistent performance is the manager!!!!

Perry

I like many of your baseball opinions, but not this one.

The pitching injuries are a league wide epidemic. At least 30 pitchers with Tommy John surgery this year.

Farrell was highly regarded as a pitching coach. I don't think he suddenly got stupid in terms of understanding pitchers.

No team could pitch well as a group when they are so thin up front (due to injuries and the depth is a bit young) and all the extra load placed on the bullpen. Those 3 injuries in 4 days in June had a domino effect. Only the Yankees could sustain as many injuries as the Jays and keep winning because of $$$. They buy depth to start the season then buy more quality replacements as needed during the season. I can almost guarantee they'll pick up another big name arm before August 31, if not July 31.

 

[Perry Mason]

The pitching injuries are a league wide epidemic. At least 30 pitchers with Tommy John surgery this year.

What, then, does this say about baseball itself?

These are major sports injuries. This is a horrible statistic!

Maybe I should give up the law and become a surgeon specializing in Tommy John surgery?

Perry

 

[Dawgger]

Perry:I too respect your baseball opinions, but think Shack is right on this one. If it was just the Jays, then look at the manager, the pitching coach and the conditioning and training staff, but as Shack says it is an epidemic. I think a lot of it has to do with pitches other than the fastball as they may be putting too much torque on the arms.
Instead of switching careers, you might want to sign up all the injured pitchers and start a class action suit against the teams and MLB....LOL

 

[Rockslinger]

I think a lot of it has to do with pitches other than the fastball as they may be putting too much torque on the arms.

Back in the old days, starting pitchers were expected to start over 40 games a year and go the full 9 innings.

 

[Perry Mason]

Well, I accept your comments that the pitching injuries seem to be a problem in all of baseball.

But I was also thinking of the team's mental preparation which, IMHO, is reflected by their consistent inconsistency.

And, clearly, Frasor's injury is due to over use... even though I understand why, with the bull pen's inadequacies, Farrell turned so often to Frasor.

I still think this team has a lot of talent and should be doing much better... unless Zaun is right when he says that this is the best .500 team in baseball!

Perry

 

[Dawgger]

But I was also thinking of the team's mental preparation which, IMHO, is reflected by their consistent inconsistency.

If there is a fault with the Jay's managers/coached, I wonder if it is in the bullpen at warm up. Zaun has pointed out Alvarez's poor first innings and Romero seems to have a similar problem. If the pitchers aren't properly warmed up that could result in injury. One would think that the major leagie level the player would know how to prep himself in the bullpen, but it is still the responsibility of the coaches to make sure they are warming up properly and sufficiently.

 

[shack]

Maybe I should give up the law and become a surgeon specializing in Tommy John surgery?

It's a growth industry.

There was an article in the Star a few days ago discussing this league wide situation. There was no easy answer.

The Jays in particular, it was noted, have not really changed anything in their routines from previous years to warrant the rash of injuries, but AA did say they are studying the situation in depth to try to get a better understanding.

 

[Dawgger]

nice recovery after the ass kickin'. a come fron behind 10-4 win. EE homered. #27.
Lyon gets the win.

 

[Perry Mason]

There was an article in the Star a few days ago discussing this league wide situation...

One of the disadvantages of being a Grope & Fail subscriber is that their baseball coverage is marginal, at best.

Perry

 

[mandrill]

OK, so is what is happening w Romero physical or mental?? When I watched him yesterday, there were pitches he no longer seemed to be able to execute well - i.e the change up. That would suggest a physical ailment. Any comments?

 

[teassoc]

OK, so is what is happening w Romero physical or mental?? When I watched him yesterday, there were pitches he no longer seemed to be able to execute well - i.e the change up. That would suggest a physical ailment. Any comments?

I only saw his second innings on MLB TV but it seemed like he got flustered by some pitches that were called balls that he was expecting to be called strikes. (BTW the MLB graphics seemed to back him up). As a consequence he seemed to lose confidence in his pitching and got progressively worse ending his contribution with those poor change-ups which were way out of the zone.

 

[BottomsUp]

There's way too much analysis on the BJ's pitchers. Either they can pitch at the major league level or they can't. Look at the great pitchers in the last 50 years, like Koufax, Ryan, Seaver, Gibson, Carlton, Maddux, et al. How did they manage to have such great careers virtually injury free. These guys today are a bunch of pansies. If they can't get the job done then move on and find someone who can. Go play ping pong if you can't pitch.

 

[Rockslinger]

T Look at the great pitchers in the last 50 years, like Koufax,

Koufax had to retire at age 30 because of a bad elbow. On the other hand, the great Don Newcombe once pitched both ends of a double header. I wonder if Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, etc. would have had such batting stats if they had to face Black pitchers (and defense).

 

[mur11]

I only saw his second innings on MLB TV but it seemed like he got flustered by some pitches that were called balls that he was expecting to be called strikes. (BTW the MLB graphics seemed to back him up). As a consequence he seemed to lose confidence in his pitching and got progressively worse ending his contribution with those poor change-ups which were way out of the zone.

As a follow-up, the umpiring in this Series has been terrible, including the balls and strikes.
It seems like Romero is starting with shaky confidence at best, and when things don't go his way, he loses even more confidence and the bloodshed begins. I think his problems at this point are as much mental as mechanical

 

[gcostanza]

Koufax had to retire at age 30 because of a bad elbow. On the other hand, the great Don Newcombe once pitched both ends of a double header. I wonder if Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, etc. would have had such batting stats if they had to face Black pitchers (and defense).

Bill Black
Bob Black
Bud Black
Buddy Black
Dave Black
Don Black
Joe Black
John Black

There are some Black pitchers and defence right there.

 

[Ref]

There's way too much analysis on the BJ's pitchers. Either they can pitch at the major league level or they can't. Look at the great pitchers in the last 50 years, like Koufax, Ryan, Seaver, Gibson, Carlton, Maddux, et al. How did they manage to have such great careers virtually injury free. These guys today are a bunch of pansies. If they can't get the job done then move on and find someone who can. Go play ping pong if you can't pitch.

Back in the turn of the century guys like "Three-Finger Mordecai Brown", Christy Mathewson, Grover Alexander and Jamie Moyer pitched lots of innings. The once recent crew of Koufax, Seaver, Ryan, etc. must have come across as wimps to the old gummers of the day.

Not too sure if today's athletes are finely tuned and high strung, ruin their arms by trying to do too much when they are young kids and/or promising teenagers, or if we are slowly turning into a bunch of patsies.

Seems the only rubber armed pitchers around are the old knuckle-ballers.

 

[Rockslinger]

Back in the turn of the century guys like "Three-Finger Mordecai Brown", Christy Mathewson, Grover Alexander and Jamie Moyer pitched lots of innings.

Is it true that Jamie Moyers started his MLB career in 1908 and is still hoping to pitch in the bigs? Hee, hee, hee.

Cy Young had over 800 decisions, that will probably never happen again. I can remember when some pitchers had 10 complete game shutouts in a season. Guys now can't even complete 5 games a season much less a complete game shutout. The last durable pitcher was Fergie Jenkins.

 

[The Oracle]

Is it true that Jamie Moyers started his MLB career in 1908 and is still hoping to pitch in the bigs? Hee, hee, hee.

Cy Young had over 800 decisions, that will probably never happen again. I can remember when some pitchers had 10 complete game shutouts in a season. Guys now can't even complete 5 games a season much less a complete game shutout. The last durable pitcher was Fergie Jenkins.

Rick Langford had 28 complete games in 1980 for the A's. I'd say that makes him pretty durable wouldn't you?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/langfri01.shtml

 

[crocket]

They can't take drugs anymore because of random drug testing. It might be the reason for so many arm problems this year.

 

[shack]

Travis Snider just got pulled off the field with no apparent injury.

Speculation is that he may have just been part of a trade.