Wakefield - did you know?

[tinfoilxtouch]

It's not luck... he's one of those guys who never seems to have the "blowup" innings that make the manager rush to the bullpen phone, and he can throw until his arm falls off.

Oswalt made it about this far without a ND a couple years ago.

IMO, half the reason guys of the Maddux and Clemens era got to 300 wins is the willingness to let them tough things out and not declare it a failed start after 5 innings.

[RyanK]

IMO, half the reason guys of the Maddux and Clemens era got to 300 wins is the willingness to let them tough things out and not declare it a failed start after 5 innings.

I agree, I wish pitchers would go 8 innings consistantly even if they have a 3 run inning in the 6th.

I remember reading a story when I was little about how Jack Morris said the only way to get better is to pitch through your stuggles and he credited one game as his "epithany" when he was kept in the game with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 7th and no one in the bullpen, knowing it was his game to win or lose.


I wish more managers trusted their pitcher, and that pitchers arent breed to go 6-7 innings but go 8-9 more often

[masterpinky0509]

Pitchers aren't bred at all, haha.

That would be an interesting thought though. Get Jenny Finch together with Justin Verlander and have babies that can throw 100 mph both over and under handed.

I think the innings thing is hard to argue. You don't really know what would happen to a guy like Felix Hernandez if they gave his arm 250 IP starting at age 20 and then running him up to 300 by the time he's 25. Some guys can handle it, like Clemens or Maddux, but I don't know how much that has to do w/ the fact that they were "bred" that way so much as it has to do w/ the fact that they have flawless mechanics.

Among young pitchers, for instance, I would think a guy like Felix would be more prone to arm troubles the more innings you put on him due to his delivery. Same for Jake Peavy, who has a pretty stressful delivery (he'll have his Pedro Martinez-type shoulder problem sooner or later).

Then again, a guy like Chris Young might really be able to throw 300 innings a year b/c he has low-strain mechanics. Oddly enough, he's never gone over 200, so he's been treated very carefully after returning to baseball from basketball. I think he's an example of a guy who wouldn't be hurt by more work, 7-8 IP a start for sure, 110-120 pitches.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

Still no no-decisions after today's excellent performance vs. the White Sox...

[joshyboy72]

He's been a poor man's Chien-Ming Wang this season and not really that much poorer of late. I just picked him up considering his absolutely studly playoff schedule (TB twice, BAL twice, TOR twice, OAK, MIN). Only thing that looks tough is a 3 game series vs. the Yankees. So hopefully he can keep it going. Even if he pitches lousy he can always get you a win which is nice.

[Ursa]

He's been a poor man's Chien-Ming Wang this season and not really that much poorer of late. I just picked him up considering his absolutely studly playoff schedule (TB twice, BAL twice, TOR twice, OAK, MIN). Only thing that looks tough is a 3 game series vs. the Yankees. So hopefully he can keep it going. Even if he pitches lousy he can always get you a win which is nice.

I also picked him up a week ago. There he was, sitting on our threadbare waiver wire with 14 wins. Now he has 16. Everyone seems terrified he'll have one of those days when someone dials in on the knuckleball and blows him out of the water but his upside far exceeds his downside, IMO. Pitching for a team with a potent offense is a bonus.