No wonder SANTANA is getting bombed....

[G-Man]

HE'S TIPPING HIS PITCHES!

This is pretty interesting, from a guy's column on talentedmrroto.com I just read about the reason why santana is struggling:

Has anyone noticed that Johan Santana is giving up home runs at twice his career rate? Eventually, someone will take a look at the video tape wondering why Santana is giving up so many bombs and say, "hey, I don't even have to look at the catcher to know what he's gonna throw". Yes, he's a flyball pitcher but unless the wind is gusting out with gale force in every stadium he's pitching in (including the Metrodome), that isn't why he's giving up as many home runs as he is.

Will someone please tell the Minnesota Twins that Johan Santana is tipping his pitches? While he's getting a four finger grip on the baseball to throw his change-up, he fans his glove a little and keeps it open up to the point of delivery. When he throws his fastball - which has a two-finger grip - his glove is almost closed. The only way it could be more obvious for a hitter standing 60 feet away is if he were flashing a neon sign above his head saying "fastball" and "change-up". Watching his last home start, I was able to predict 90% of the pitches I saw. The percentage would have been higher had he not mixed in a half dozen or so sliders.

I've heard two broadcasters mention it in the televised games. If they can see it from the booth, why isn't one of his teammates on the field picking this up? Someone, say, like his catcher. The crazy thing is his pitches are so good, that even when the hitters know what's coming they still strike out at a high rate. Once this gets corrected, Santana will get back to his projected level of excellence.

Any Twins fans noticing the same thing?

[Transmogrifier]

Interesting. I've been trying to buy low on him, and I hope to do it before he figures this out.

[warrick95]

View this as a good thing, because it's fixable. He hasn't lost his stuff. I just hope the coaches have caught this and are working on it.

[G-Man]

I thought it was interesting that the writer noted the local sportscasters have mentioned this during broadcasts....you would have to figure this has found its way to the coaching staff and/or Johan himself....I definitely think this is a positive and look forward to the results once he stops showing batters what they are about to get.

[KolbSaves]

that's the big thing this year, tipping your pitches

[biju]

that's the big thing this year, tipping your pitches

no kidding. maybe he is, maybe he isn't. but man, people are wearing this out because they need to find a reason.

to be fair, I'd love it if this were the case as I have him in two league.

[GucciBaseballs]

somebody get this info to the twins...pronto

[matmat]

this is goooood news... now, if he can only fix it quickly...

[thetongueofire]

yup def couldve been worse... but wasn't Contreras tipping his pitches also?

hope this goes on for a lil longer so that i can trade for him

[d18Mike]

that's the big thing this year, tipping your pitches

You hit the nail on the head, man. It's the excuse du jour. You hear this almost every time a pitcher is getting raked.

This is at least the 7th time I've heard this excuse this year: Weaver, Harden, Bonderman, Contreras, Piniero even Maddux .. MADDUX. There are likely scores of others.

It's trendy. I don't buy it. If it were that simple all of these guys would have found their Mojo by now. Except Maddux, none really have.