Javy

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

I am going to call your theory complete garbage. He pitched very well in April and May of last year, and he pitched well down the stretch until the Sox were eliminated. He was doing everything in his power to get the Sox back into the race; unfortunately for him, he received like 2 runs of support a game and was a sub .500 pitcher in the 2nd half.

 

I think it was really just a matter of adjusting to the league and getting comfortable on a team for once. Javy went from Montreal to New York, and then New York to Arizona, and then Arizona to Chicago in the period of 3 seasons. This is the first time he's spent 2 years in the same place since 2002-2003.

I love these types of threads too, BTW. I can't say I told you so until like September, but if he keeps this up, it will be fun.

 

 

I had to zen on some of the things you said before I responded. While there is so logic to your thoughts, you also seem to be suffering from a selective memory. Javy did start the year pretty well for the White Sox in 2006. His June and July were awful so I would not say he pitched well down the stretch until the Sox were eliminated. And finishing the sixth inning was the exception more than the rule last year.

 

2006 Stats

 

However, your idea about adjusting to new league/teams may be Javy's problem. Montreal was comfortable because he was there for several years. Then he had three teams in three years. It is hard to be comfortable anywhere when that happens. But his struggles also parallel playing for more competitive teams.

 

We can argue either theory until the Cubs win a World Series and not have answer. Neither may be correct. Though I would hope Javy continues to pitch well and Sox are a playoff contendor so you can say for certain you were right.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Greg The Bull Luzinski

[VAfan]

Greg the Bull Luzinski:

 

I tend to agree with your theory, and your opponent has no evidence to support calling it garbage because Javy has never pitched well on a playoff-bound team. There was one post I put up last year that documented 9 games (before the season was over) where Javy melted down in the 6th inning (or the 3rd time through the lineup). In fact, the last game he won on the season was against the Yankees in August I think. It was the ONLY time Ozzie pulled him after 5 innings.

 

So, right now, Javy is looking great. But even within this string he had a relapse in the 6th inning of the recent game against Baltimore when he turned a 5-1 lead into a 5-4 game by giving up two HRs. He didn't finish the 6th. We lost 7-6 when Jenks wild-pitched the tying run home with two outs in the 9th and Haeger lost in extra frames.

 

Overall, I would rate Javy as an excellent #4 starter, an okay/decent #3 starter, a shaky/bad #2 guy, and a disaster at #1. Which is another way of saying -- don't dump Jon Garland and think Javy's going to replace him anytime soon.

[whitesoxfan101]

The reason Javy has been a better pitcher is he's been going almost exclusively fastball/changeup to do the dirty work, and only goes to the breaking ball as a change of pace to keep hitters off guard. He finally understands that if he just goes fastball and changeup, with just a few breaking balls to keep people honest, he can be a really good pitcher with as dominant as his stuff is along with it's natural movement. It's been fun to watch.