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Garcia + Velocity


Gregory Pratt

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All right, whenever it's been brought up, I've wondered out loud if perhaps steroids had to do wit his old velocity, and he stopped or osmething. I also thought that, perhaps, there was an injury or something we didn't know about. I'm not sure those things are likely, but he's a pitcher who is either in his prime or just about there, and I've been bothered by the fact that nobody has really been asking him about it.

 

About two weeks ago, however, someone pointed out that Comcast radar guns are slow, and that might be to blame. His pitches don't seem very fast to me, and so I doubted that.

 

Does anyone know anything, about whether or not his velocity IS back but Comcast is just off, or whether or not anyone's asked him in the media?

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QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 04:12 PM)
All right, whenever it's been brought up, I've wondered out loud if perhaps steroids had to do wit his old velocity, and he stopped or osmething. I also thought that, perhaps, there was an injury or something we didn't know about. I'm not sure those things are likely, but he's a pitcher who is either in his prime or just about there, and I've been bothered by the fact that nobody has really been asking him about it.

 

About two weeks ago, however, someone pointed out that Comcast radar guns are slow, and that might be to blame. His pitches don't seem very fast to me, and so I doubted that.

 

Does anyone know anything, about whether or not his velocity IS back but Comcast is just off, or whether or not anyone's asked him in the media?

 

He, like Garland, are learning their pitches(especially their fastballs) have more movement if they are not trying to throw them 94-95. 91-92 works just as well if its moving in on the batters.

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QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 04:13 PM)
whether his velocity is back or not (which I doubt) he's still not getting anyone out because he doesnt trust his fastball.

 

I dont think its a steroids/velocity issue, its more of a bad pitching issue.

 

Well, I've been impressed by the fact that he's been getting people out, simply because he's been throwing junk out there.

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QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 09:28 PM)
Freddy is just not throwing as hard. Part of it is he feels he gets better movement/command with less velocity and I think part of it has to deal with him not being in as good of shape.

 

Plus his arm has some mileage on it.

 

It's not the radar gun, that's for sure. I've seen Freddy pitch many times this year, he's sitting at 88-90. If he needs to, he can dial up 91-92 (maybe 93, although that's probably stretching it), but he seems more comfortable in the high-80s range. Whether or not that's a good thing for the Sox/us fans...

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QUOTE(rudylaw @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 04:30 PM)
Mark never throws the ball faster than 88-89. I don't think the speed is the issue. Location is the most important thing.

 

We weren't talking about Mark, Rudy. Mark is a control pitcher: Freddy has always been a power pitcher.

That's why there's concern when Freddy is throwing at eighty eight miles, but people shrug when Buehrle does it.

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QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 04:31 PM)
It's not the radar gun, that's for sure. I've seen Freddy pitch many times this year, he's sitting at 88-90. If he needs to, he can dial up 91-92 (maybe 93, although that's probably stretching it), but he seems more comfortable in the high-80s range. Whether or not that's a good thing for the Sox/us fans...

 

If it's just his choice, I just can't figure out why he'd do it. He has been a successful pitcher throughout his career with his stuff. Why fix it if it's not broken?

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I believe that the velocity issue has a lot to do with the short off season and recovery time. Many articles have been written about the effect of a wrold series run on a pitching staff. This includes the longer season and shorter off season. Garcia has the added workload of the world baseball classic, having to begin earlier than most pitchers. With this combination of extra work it's a wnoder he can lift the arm let alone be as effective as he his.

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Garcia was consistantly 90-93 all night tonight on the Cell gun. So I would say his velocity is most of the way back. He didnt get the Strikeouts today but he kept the hitters off balance and from what I saw didnt throw any Freddy patented hanging curveballs. I was pretty impressed by him. As for the kid from the Cards, yeah he was pretty damn good.

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QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 11:41 PM)
Garcia was consistantly 90-93 all night tonight on the Cell gun. So I would say his velocity is most of the way back. He didnt get the Strikeouts today but he kept the hitters off balance and from what I saw didnt throw any Freddy patented hanging curveballs. I was pretty impressed by him. As for the kid from the Cards, yeah he was pretty damn good.

 

I enjoyed the way he pitched against the Reds, and tonight, too.

Thanks for the report!

 

:cheers

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QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 04:13 PM)
whether his velocity is back or not (which I doubt) he's still not getting anyone out because he doesnt trust his fastball.

 

I dont think its a steroids/velocity issue, its more of a bad pitching issue.

Not getting anyone out huh? Nice one.

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QUOTE(tealeafreaderii @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 09:12 PM)
hit 94-95 couple times in big spots tonight... (and the gun was pretty acurate... had jenks at 97-99 and the Card's stud hit 95)

 

DJ said a few broadcasts ago that Freddy's velocity was on the rise.

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Sorry, I skipped all the other posts when I saw the word "steroids". So I'm sure I'm repeating someone.

 

Garcia has said himself that he CHOSE to take a few mph off his pitches to get more movement. If he needs to, he can still get the fastball up to 93-94 similar to Colon in later innings. Reaching back and getting a little more "giddy-up" on it (as Hawk would say).

 

Again, I'm sure I repeated 6 people, but that word made me angry! haha

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