JARROD WASHBURN gives pleasant dreams to JIM LEYLAND. Why? Because he
gives Jim a starting rotation that’s the envy of every other MLB manager. And,
right now they are all jelling.
ARMANDO GALARAGA has found himself and he likes it.
JUSTIN VERLANDER never lost himself and is doing just fine.
EDWIN JACKSON, a Dombrowski steal, is the cream of the crop.
RICK PORCELLO just threw eight innings yesterday and has it all back!
So, what now? Do the good guys win the AL pennant? Well, let’s put it this way….if
they don’t it won’t be the fault of the starting pitching or the catching!!
But, it might be the hitting or the managing that does this team in. THE JURY’S OUT.
It’s hitting. Leyland has won in both leagues…it’s not his fault his hitters couldn’t hit a basketball.
Also, as proven today (giving up 8 runs in less than six innings work in Cleveland), Galarraga remains the weak link in the rotation.
your comment is fine…I like Jim Leyland too, but please read my latest story about his
horrible practice of resting these healthy & wealthy well conditioned athletes even
when they absolutely do not want it!..Old schoolers , like myself, can’t believe it!
bobby hoeft
I’m with you Bobby! Do you think Virgil or Bob Feller, etc. and their managers ever worried about a pitch count or innings pitched? This has gotten out of hand. The owners say they have an investment, well my boss has an investment in me and he has yet to limit my hours to work and still pay me the same. Old School worked “hard” all during the season and still had to work “hard” in the off season to make a living. How things have changed. It’s nice to see how hard “us” old timers still play on weekends and still go to work on Monday with our ach & pains cause we gave it our all “for the love of the game”…
TO STEVE: I wonder if anyone’s listening. I feel like “a voice crying in the wilderness” !!
or the little Dutch boy who had his finger in the dyke… Somehow it’s still the
great game of BASEBALL!
Last night’s win by Verlander may well turn out as the game that put the Bengals in the playoffs. Washburn should be a lot of help in the key matches coming up with Tampa Bay, as well as with the White Sox and the Twins.
YES INDEED CHUCK…On Friday night (8-15-09) JARROD WASHBURN proved his mettle as he
pitched a brilliant 8 inning shutout, 3 hit performance against KC. He gives LEYLAND FOUR
BIG HORSES to run out there on their way down the stretch.
Hi Big D,
To anyone besides my Daddy– that his official nickname in the Hoeft household. I was wondering how we might be able to get the sports writers to add two pitching stats to the line..The two I want to see are — % of 1st pitch strikes and % of strikes overall. If we look at the leaders in these two catagories alone I bet you will find the lowest ERA’s as well.
As for the hitting dilema in Detroit….easy…get a map and show each hitter except Cabrera and Polanco where the opposite field is. I have not seen any hitters in the Tiger line up shorten up their swing and stay inside the ball with runners on base or with 2 strikes. It is all or nothing–lets Jack up. I know that is what pays the big bucks…but in October great pitching beats great hitting…great hitting uses the opposite field. The Tigers do not. So if we want even a chance this season we have to cut down the swings and stop spinning off the ball. I would love to know how many of the at bats on Sunday, with men in scoring position, in the loss against KC, were balls that were pulled or pop ups oppo(a sign of being to early and long swings)? Just a backseat coaches insignificant opinion. Much easier said then done and much much easier to coach from the couch….Love ya Daddy–Bobby II
In the cases of THAMES, INGE, GRANDERSON and LAIRD you are absolutely right……however,
in the cases of EVERETT, THOMAS, GUILLEN and AVILA…I’m not so sure. EVERETT is a spray
hitter. THOMAS has already clobered some taters to left center. GUILLEN hits the ball wherever it’s pitched and is a brilliant switch hitter and AVILA has already hit a homerun to
left center and has a double out there as well.
BOBBY II , you are especially right about GRANDERSON. He has turned himself into a long
ball hitting pull hitter. Actually, as a leadoff hitter he is hurting LEYLAND’S lineup. He will
however, in the years to come be an excellent middle of the pack RBI slugger!
Another note to Bobby II…How would you like to write for WHEN BASEBALL WAS FUN, the
quarterly? You’d knock our readers out with your astute baseball insights!
would love to write a few notes here and there for the Quarterly…I forgot about Guillen. He is a great hitter — you are right. Talk to you soon.