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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 4, 2018 10:12:11 GMT -5
Roughly a year ago, we were all singing the praises of Stratton.
Excellent command of all of his pitches, and maybe not a future # 1 or 2, but certainly a middle of the rotation guy; a dependable guy.
Then came this year... and last night.
I have all sorts of adjectives and nouns to describe his pitiful performance against the Diamondbacks, but I'll sum it up in just one: TERRIBLE.
How a guy can go from the close to dominating guy he was last year, to this garbage guy is simply beyond my comprehension.
You don't GET to the show by accident.
They keep saying 'mechanical' issues, and I don't doubt that's true.
And I'll add my two cents; all of that hand and arm action prior to delivering the ball I believe is a major part of the problem.
Pitchers like hitters having timing mechanisms to keep them in sync.
From the first time I EVER saw him I KNEW all of that movement prior to delivery COULD/WOULD be a problem, and I hate it when I'm right.
He needs to simplify and tighten his mechanics
But I do NOT believe we'll ever see that.
Players just don't usually make those kinds of changes REGARDLESS of need.
Sad, because I thought he had potential.
boly
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Post by rxmeister on Aug 4, 2018 10:19:10 GMT -5
Stratton’s stuff is good enough for him to be a back of the rotation starter but I think he’s lost all confidence and his head is not right at this point. Bochy said there would be one or more pitching moves being made today, so without a doubt we’ve seen the last of Stratton for awhile.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 4, 2018 10:22:51 GMT -5
That's a good thing to know, Mark.
No question a lot of it IS confidence. And he has zero.
But why am I thinking he's going to put Blach back into the rotation?
Lord, I hope I'm wrong.
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sfgdood
Long time member
stats geeks never played the game...that's why they don't get it and never will
Posts: 90
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Post by sfgdood on Aug 4, 2018 12:15:53 GMT -5
I don't disagree with your assessments of Chris, Boly...but 'never' is a very long time. I can't agree that Stratton is unfixable, not based on what we saw early in the season. Mechanics can be tweaked and fixed. It's not a matter of the league catching up to him...it's a matter of not being as sharp as he had been. This year it's not likely to happen...but never? I can't go along with that.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 4, 2018 12:38:18 GMT -5
You misunderstand, Randy.
He IS fixable. That is without question.
My entire point was that by the time they reach the Major Leagues, the vast, VAST majority of players rarely, if EVER, make the LARGE changes that are often needed.
They'll tweak little things, but when it comes to much more fundamental changes; more drastic changes, they almost never do.
Here are a few players who DID, and it extended their careers. (And I've mentioned most of these before)
Yaz drastically changing his hands at set up.
Musial-He used to hit like a guy "Peeking around a corner," as Scully once described him, but changed so he didn't have to uncoil so much.
Players with complicated mechanics or timing mechanisms rarely change.
I've spoken about Lincecum's stride and mechanics a gazillion times.
There are so many others whose careers were shortened because of that reluctance.
Watch video of Matt Cain early on.
He changed the use of his hands DRAMATICALLY, and simplified his motion.
Made him a better pitcher.
IF Stratton is willing to do that, he'll improved quickly.
If he gets stubborn?
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sfgdood
Long time member
stats geeks never played the game...that's why they don't get it and never will
Posts: 90
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Post by sfgdood on Aug 4, 2018 13:05:00 GMT -5
Based on what we saw before his baby was born, I don't think major changes are needed. If he can get back to that guy, he can be a very good #3 or maybe even a #2.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 4, 2018 16:59:55 GMT -5
totally agree.
He was a different pitcher prior to leaving for the birth of his baby.
Same thing happened to the entire TEAM last year at the All Farce break.
When they came back, mentally, (and I'll go to my grave believing this) they lost it, and were never the same.
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Stratton
Aug 4, 2018 18:17:36 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Islandboagie on Aug 4, 2018 18:17:36 GMT -5
Didn't Brandon slump after having his kid? I think there should be a rule of not having kids during the season.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 5, 2018 9:34:56 GMT -5
I know you're being tongue-in-cheek, but there is NO excuse for coming back NOT ready to play.
When I was still teaching, if I came back and half-assed it in the classroom after the birth of a child, I'd be doing a massive dis-service to all of those I teach.
Same with you and everyone else, boagie. You're paid to do a job and do it to the best of your ability.
If your brain is in diapers and late night feedings, you need one heck of a kick in the shorts.
Now couple that with all the money they make?
All the fans who buy their crap in the store and who count on them?
No excuse for these over paid, A-holes.
None.
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Stratton
Aug 5, 2018 11:06:46 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by rxmeister on Aug 5, 2018 11:06:46 GMT -5
Chris Stratton a number two starter? LOL. Borderline major leaguer at best.
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 5, 2018 20:58:25 GMT -5
I wasn't aware Stan the Man changed his stance. As far as I can tell, he was a great hitter all along. He hit .315 at age 21 and .357 at 22.
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 5, 2018 21:03:16 GMT -5
Mark is right on that it would be a huge upset if Chris Stratton pitched well enough in the future to be a #2, but early in the season he was #2 behind only Johnny Cueto. Of course Madison Bumgarner was out. But there was a period late last season and early this season where Chris was indeed quite good.
The thing about Chris is that he has little margin for error, and perhaps when he stopped being as fine with his command and got knocked around, he did indeed lose his confidence.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 6, 2018 9:33:02 GMT -5
Stan made one adjustment that I'm aware of: He stopped turning his body so much in his later years.
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 6, 2018 9:52:50 GMT -5
That probably elongated his career, didn't it?
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 6, 2018 12:35:39 GMT -5
I'm sure it did.
I don't know exactly when Stan made the change, but I'm guessing either late in the 1959 season, or after it.
All of a sudden, a lifetime .300+ hitter, hit .255.
And then bounced back to .275, hitting .330 in 1962.
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 6, 2018 21:44:38 GMT -5
Chris Stratton and Brandon Belt slumped after becoming fathers, and last season Brandon Crawford slumped after going through a death in the family. Other players have slumped after injuries.
I think sometimes we forget that these guys are human beings.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 7, 2018 9:44:03 GMT -5
After a death, I get it.
But they get paid toooo much money to have a baby, and suddenly go into the toilet.
try some other excuse, Roger, because this one ain't working
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 7, 2018 21:54:42 GMT -5
These guys aren't machines. Slumps happen. Sometimes entire teams slump at the same time.
I mentioned that one of my fantasy teams made an out each and every one of its first 28 at bats. Barring two errors, they had a "no-hitter" thrown against them." We're talking about a team of All-Stars and very good hitters. Facing different pitchers.
Stuff happens, and these guys aren't machines. Of course we would like to see each and every player perform at their best each and every day. But they're human, and they'vd got major league players trying to get them out or hit against them.
Baseball is a zero sum game. One team wins and one team loses. Or else they tie.
The Giants are starting to show their true colors (they're playing one of the best teams in baseball after all), but really, they're lucky to be where they are given their injuries. They're NOT one of the best teams in baseball. Particularly with so many important players injured. They're maybe a little over .500 team who are doing very well to be around .500 under the circumstances.
When the season started, we knew they were trying to sneak into a Wild Card spot. Perhaps the Dodgers' glacial start coupled with the Giants scrappy early play gave us false hope. Not that the Giants are horrible, but they simply don't have the talent to be one of the best. Many of their best players are past their primes. Others are out injured.
The Giants needed almost everything to go right in order to make the playoffs. And not everything has gone right. Far from it.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 8, 2018 9:23:04 GMT -5
Roger, my friend, that was some of the most awkward drivel you've ever written.
You're making half assed excuses for professionals who get paid a lot of money to focus on their jobs.
Just as I, and everyone else on the planet, was expected to focus on OUR jobs regardless of the circumstances at home.
If the birth of a child throws them off their feed, then I have to question where their heads are.
Children are born everyday, and people go back to work.
There are ZERO excuses that I will accept for this, save medical ones.
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 8, 2018 22:44:20 GMT -5
These guys aren't machines. You act as if they are, Boly, but they aren't. And even machines have difficulties or even break down.
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 9, 2018 10:46:45 GMT -5
AGain, Roger, you miss my point.
They aren't machines. I know that. I played and coached too long NOT to know that.
But if the birth of a child is going to throw them off their feed that badly, then I will question where their heads are at, and their commitment to not just winning, but the team.
If you don't see that; if you don't understand that, then, once again, you and I have no basis upon which we can hold a discussion
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sfgdood
Long time member
stats geeks never played the game...that's why they don't get it and never will
Posts: 90
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Post by sfgdood on Aug 9, 2018 12:35:15 GMT -5
if Boly believed they were machines, he'd expect them to hit 900
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 9, 2018 21:50:55 GMT -5
No excuse for these over paid, A-holes.
Rog -- Have we stooped to calling players this?
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rog
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Post by rog on Aug 9, 2018 21:53:24 GMT -5
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Post by klaiggeb on Aug 10, 2018 10:28:06 GMT -5
No excuse for these over paid, A-holes.
Rog -- Have we stooped to calling players this?
***boly says***
How many times have we been over this?
Too many, Roger.
I'm angry at them; ticked beyond belief at them.
Then I consider the money they make and how poorly they are performing, and I get even more angry.
If the rest of us did our jobs as poorly as they are doing theirs, we wouldn't have jobs!
Reminds me of the weather forecasters; They suck!
If I taught as badly as they forecasted, I would have been canned 20 years ago!
Now, to cover their collective fannies in S. California, a forecast goes like this: "Highs today between the low 80's and high 90's.
Holy crap!
I could do that just by looking out the freaking window!
I am an angry man, I guess, Roger, and that is the ONLY way I can get it out.
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