7-5 Games

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I'm currently watching Kopech's start to see how much he really did get squeezed in this 1st inning.

 

** 2-2 fastball to the 2nd hitter of the game was VERY close. The camera is slightly off-set, so I can't see exactly if it was over the plate, but the Garneau didn't move his glove much and Kopech started to walk off the mound. Announcers think if it wasn't a strike, MAYBE it was a touch low.

** 3-2 fastball to the same hitter, 2 pitches later. Definitely over the plate, but apparently slightly low again. Kopech visually annoyed that it wasn't called. The batter didn't know what the count even was and had to be told to go to 1st. Announcers surprised he didn't get either of those calls, both borderline but maybe slightly low.

** 0-0 fastball to the next hitter after the walk. Looked to be the exact same location as the 1st pitch I highlighted, if not actually a touch higher as Garneau didn't move his glove whatsoever. Batter also checked his swing on it, but Kopech got neither call in his favor. Announcers again point it out. "Boy, not a good start to this game for the umpiring crew". Announcers insisting he went around. Hard to tell from front-angle.

** 3-2 fastball to the same hitter as above. This was the most egregious of the 4 calls so far. This was over the plate and right above the knees. The runner was taking off from 1st and Garneau attempted the throw because he must have through the pitch was close enough to be called a strike. Maybe the umpire was shielded or distracted by that, but this one was bad. The announcer retorts, "Ball 4, you've got to be kidding me". Kopech gets the ball back from the infield by catching it with his bare band. Mound visit as the pitching coach comes out yelling at the ump. One of the infielders (Rondon maybe) has to hold Kopech back from getting ejected for barking at the ump. Kopech was definitely upset.

____END OF 1st

 

** 1-2 fastball with 1 out in the 2nd. Pitch may have been a touch inside, but again it's hard to see with this angle. Kopech and the announcer wanted that one.

____END OF 2nd

 

!!! Not Kopech related, but holy shit Alvarez made a sick diving play up the middle with 1 out in the 3rd. He wasn't able to get the runner, but it was an awesome effort. !!!

** The wild pitch by Kopech was wild, but a play that any above-average major league catcher blocks. Garneau tried to scoop up a slider/curveball inside to a lefty, instead of a backhand or just smothering it. I wouldn't hang that all on Kopech.

** 2-1 pitch to Velasquez with 1 out. Called a strike, but it was in the EXACT SAME location as 3 of those pitches from the first inning. Kopech "missed" at the exact same spot multiple times in the 1st, yet this pitch was a carbon copy of those and this time it was called a strike. 

** 0-2 fastball to Hazelbaker. Clearly over the plate, but just as low as the ones from the 1st inning. Called strike 3.

 

 

In conclusion; after having watched every pitch of his start tonight, I'm not concerned at all. He was commanding his fastball as well as you can reasonably expect. He threw some beautiful change-ups, especially in the 1st inning. He had troubles throwing any sliders or curves. Got a few over, but held my breath as the fell in high. His HBP was on a slider that he completely yanked in to a lefty. The HR he allowed was on a 98 MPH fastball just below the knees. Not even a strike, but the velo likely worked against him. He rarely missed up, and usually any time his fastball was elevated, it was swung through. Garneau was calling almost exclusively for fastballs low/away to RHB, and low/inside to LHB. Kopech was hitting those spots pretty well, just obviously had 4 or 5 of them not called in his favor.

[bmags]

Hey are there any swing folks here that could tell me things about this swing