Seeing as how Maddux is now with the dodgers, could he help a youngster like Billingsley with control and mental makeup? The con however, is that Billingsley will lose his spot to Maddux in the rotation if someone else isnt bumped out. Assuming Billingsley manages to remain in the starting 5, could we see him improve his control with the help of Maddux? Those walks are all that's keeping him from being really good. What do you all think?
Frappy wrote:Seeing as how Maddux is now with the dodgers, could he help a youngster like Billingsley with control and mental makeup? The con however, is that Billingsley will lose his spot to Maddux in the rotation if someone else isnt bumped out. Assuming Billingsley manages to remain in the starting 5, could we see him improve his control with the help of Maddux? Those walks are all that's keeping him from being really good. What do you all think?
I have never bought into the "vet pitcher teaches the kids" stuff. You can't teach guts. And teams have pitching coaches and the like for mechanical issues (at least in theory). And a guy can either pitch in the Majors or he can't. Unless it is a situation where the vet teaches the kid a new pitch like a Knucker of a changeup, I think it is meaningless.
Frappy wrote:Seeing as how Maddux is now with the dodgers, could he help a youngster like Billingsley with control and mental makeup? The con however, is that Billingsley will lose his spot to Maddux in the rotation if someone else isnt bumped out. Assuming Billingsley manages to remain in the starting 5, could we see him improve his control with the help of Maddux? Those walks are all that's keeping him from being really good. What do you all think?
I have never bought into the "vet pitcher teaches the kids" stuff. You can't teach guts. And teams have pitching coaches and the like for mechanical issues (at least in theory). And a guy can either pitch in the Majors or he can't. Unless it is a situation where the vet teaches the kid a new pitch like a Knucker of a changeup, I think it is meaningless.
I agree with you. I do think Maddux will be willing to share everything he knows with him and Billingsley will probably pick up on a few things, but it likely wont increase any fantasy value for this year. Anything that Maddux or anybody else teaches him is for him to work on during the offseason. You should never change your mechanics this late in the season.
Well as of now Colletti hasnt announced anything, confirming a 6-man rotation. That is, unless I missed something in the past 12 hours
And im not talking about mechanics or new pitches , more his leadership and willingness to talk to the kids whenever and share what he knows. Maddux is one of the smartest pitchers to play. (Unfortunatly he's no longer in chicago )
I know if I were a young pitcher like Billingsley, I would become Maddux's luggage man just to get him to talk to me about pitching. I don't think Maddux could help Billingsley much this year, but things Billingsley learns from Maddux now, could very well help him in the near future.
The great thing about Maddux is that he is a pitcher not a thrower. Chad can and if he's smart will learn alot by just watching him work. How he approaches situaitions and then asking him tons of questions. Favre took some flak for saying that it wasn't his job to mentor someone and in a way he's right. Rodgers supposedly has been in Favres hip pocket since day 1 and Favre has suposedly been a great influence on him. The kids should be out there asking the questions and taking an active role in learning from the vets not the other way around.
All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies
the thing i like about billingsley is his battling attitude...despite giving up a slew of hits and walks, he keeps the runners from scoring and makes out pitches when he needs to..IF he can harness his control, i expect big things from him
Aforementioned on here was someone saying theyd be Maddux's luggage man to get some advice. That's funny yet true, when Maddux was in chicago Sean Marshall did nothing but sit next to him and chat with him. Between innings he would go and talk to maddux and pick some stuff up. If Billingsley is willing to talk to the guy I think itll be for the better.
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by Frappy » Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:29 am 
, more his leadership and willingness to talk to the kids whenever and share what he knows. Maddux is one of the smartest pitchers to play. (Unfortunatly he's no longer in chicago 
)
