And we're gonna base this on his 14 2/3 innings this year, as opposed to his 250 innings the last 3 years where he was lights out? The guy is far better than average, but is going through a rough stretch...like many pitchers, especially closers, do.
Year Team INN GS W L S K BBI HA ERA WHIP
2006 HOU 14.7 0 0 1 10 22 11 14 6.136 1.704
On Pace HOU 91.3 0 0 6 62 137 68 87 6.109 1.697
Projected 2006 Totals HOU 67.0 - 5 4 41 98 22 52 2.284 1.105
3-year Average HOU 83.3 - 5 4 24 119 32 58 2.592 1.080
2005 HOU 70.2 0 4 4 42 103 23 58 2.308 1.154
2004 HOU 94.2 0 6 5 29 157 30 57 1.911 0.924
2003 HOU 85.0 0 6 3 1 97 42 60 3.600 1.200
Year Team INN GS W L S K BBI HA ERA WHIP
2006 HOU 14.7 0 0 1 10 22 11 14 6.136 1.704
On Pace HOU 91.3 0 0 6 62 137 68 87 6.109 1.697
Projected 2006 Totals HOU 67.0 - 5 4 41 98 22 52 2.284 1.105
3-year Average HOU 83.3 - 5 4 24 119 32 58 2.592 1.080
2005 HOU 70.2 0 4 4 42 103 23 58 2.308 1.154
2004 HOU 94.2 0 6 5 29 157 30 57 1.911 0.924
2003 HOU 85.0 0 6 3 1 97 42 60 3.600 1.200
He has to develop a 3rd pitch. All he has is a slider and a fastball.
A damm good slider and a damm good fastball but they dont compliment each other very well. He must learn how to throw a decent changeup. What the league has learned is that his sliders are rarely strikes, almost always out of the strike zone over 70% of the time. So they lay off the slider and pound the fastball.
Astute hitters can also tell by his motion which pitch is comming. Until he gets a 3rd pitch(preferably changeup) he will countinue to get lit. The league has adjusted to him, now its his turn to adjust to it.
A damm good slider and a damm good fastball but they dont compliment each other very well. He must learn how to throw a decent changeup. What the league has learned is that his sliders are rarely strikes, almost always out of the strike zone over 70% of the time. So they lay off the slider and pound the fastball.
Astute hitters can also tell by his motion which pitch is comming. Until he gets a 3rd pitch(preferably changeup) he will countinue to get lit. The league has adjusted to him, now its his turn to adjust to it.
I must admit a lot of the game is mental, and he was just about done after last year blowing that save to Pujols. Plus Garner did not get him right back in there, like he had no confidence in him. It seems like a combination of things, but he does not look like a dominant closer any longer, and he was dominant. Maybe a touch of lost confidence, a tad of overuse, a smidgeon of lower velocity and a never needed before offspeed pitch not there. Closers can just lose it between games, see Rob Nen. There is only one Rivera, and a couple of youngsters in Papelbon and Street. Closing long term is very, very, iffy. I would not be surprised if he was never as effective again. Not even close to his first three seasons. Maybe the Rocket will come back and close...does he have any fuel left?
Best Wishes...OF :howdy:
Best Wishes...OF :howdy:
