Sox still waiting for Danks and Floyd

[southsider2k5]

I wonder if Danks is regretting not signing the four year deal that Floyd did sign?

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...-ssep17.article

 

White Sox still awaiting John Danks, Gavin Floyd encores

Comments

 

May 17, 2009

BY JOE COWLEY [email protected]

 

TORONTO -- At this time last season, John Danks was the hard-luck starting pitcher with a 3-3 record but a sparkling 2.74 ERA.

 

Gavin Floyd was the underachiever who suddenly ''got it.'' His 3-2 start and 3.32 ERA were evidence of that.

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Denied at the brink

 

By the time the season was over, they showed they could be cornerstones of the White Sox staff. But they haven't come close to following up their performances this season.

 

''I can talk about Danks and Floyd in a nutshell: Both of these guys are being expected to go from the question marks to cornerstones,'' pitching coach Don Cooper said Saturday. ''Everything they did last year certainly gave us the hopes that they could make that jump. It's not happening right now, and the reason it's not happening right now is because we're not getting ahead in the count, we're not throwing strike one, we're not getting ahead of hitters as much as we did, and along with that we are making some mistakes.

 

''Anyone who gets ahead in the count has the hammer. I don't care who you are as a pitcher, if you throw strike one, get ahead in the count, you're more dangerous, you're more lethal. That's what we're working on with them both right now, trying to get their pitches to be more consistent and to get ahead.''

 

After Danks' latest flop Friday, the two are a combined 4-6 with a 6.10 ERA. So it was only logical to ask Cooper if the club was counting on the two youngsters more than they should have at this stage of their careers.

 

''No, they gave us every reason to believe they could make that jump,'' Cooper said. ''And that's not to say that it still isn't going to happen. We're rolling up our sleeves and trying to get better at this. When a team loses, it's usually the team that didn't throw as many quality pitches.

 

''The pitching staff is the cornerstone. To a large, large degree last year, both of those guys were probably the top reasons we won the division, and it's not happening right now. That's the bad news. But we're a few games out and there's almost 125 games left, and that's what we're aiming for.''

[Chisoxfn]

Coop, I hope you can get them both back on track cause they are a huge part of this franchises future and if they flop, this team is in serious freaking trouble (not just this year, but more specifically long term).

[RockRaines]

Danks will get back on track more easily than Gavin. Gavin's problem is pretty obvious in that his tempo is all screwed up and he is letting his chest get out way in front of his feet which is killing his command. He needs to settle down and rework his motion a touch.

[southsideirish71]

Coop, I hope you can get them both back on track cause they are a huge part of this franchises future and if they flop, this team is in serious freaking trouble (not just this year, but more specifically long term).

 

It looks fixable for both. Their stuff passes the eye test. The same tilt, same bite, same movement. Bad location and getting behind is catching both of them. The key is to attack the zone. Maybe it was here, or maybe it was on cheats site. But there was someone who brought up the fact that according to pitch track data, Gavin was up in velocity. Maybe he is doing something with his mechanics differently, or he is getting too amped up and sacrificing location. The biggest thing is to make sure that they both keep their heads in it. And they start to attack the zone.

Edited May 18, 2009 by southsideirish71

[BearSox]

Danks will be fine. Floyd on the other hand..........

[Chisoxfn]

It looks fixable for both. Their stuff passes the eye test. The same tilt, same bite, same movement. Bad location and getting behind is catching both of them. The key is to attack the zone. Maybe it was here, or maybe it was on cheats site. But there was someone who brought up the fact that according to pitch track data, Gavin was up in velocity. The biggest thing is to make sure that they both keep their heads in it. And they start to attack the zone.

I agree, both look fixable and I think its more a confidence, tempo, minor adjustment to the mechanics type of deal (and I haven't seen anything glaringly wrong with either's mechanics). I wouldn't be shocked though if they did have a bit of an up and down year just given last years workload and the enormous expectations on both of there shoulders. Still, long term, I like them both a lot and I still think Floyd ends up having a big time second half of the season, but it might be all meaningless.

[elrockinMT]

I think Cooper's analysis is right on and in a nutshell it is getting ahead and challenging the hitters. When you see a pitcher getting that first strike on a consistent basis you know they have it going and are in control

[Chisoxfn]

It looks fixable for both. Their stuff passes the eye test. The same tilt, same bite, same movement. Bad location and getting behind is catching both of them. The key is to attack the zone. Maybe it was here, or maybe it was on cheats site. But there was someone who brought up the fact that according to pitch track data, Gavin was up in velocity. Maybe he is doing something with his mechanics differently, or he is getting too amped up and sacrificing location. The biggest thing is to make sure that they both keep their heads in it. And they start to attack the zone.

Gavin's also had statistically bad luck judging by the statistics.

[southsideirish71]

I agree, both look fixable and I think its more a confidence, tempo, minor adjustment to the mechanics type of deal (and I haven't seen anything glaringly wrong with either's mechanics). I wouldn't be shocked though if they did have a bit of an up and down year just given last years workload and the enormous expectations on both of there shoulders. Still, long term, I like them both a lot and I still think Floyd ends up having a big time second half of the season, but it might be all meaningless.

 

 

The one thing I have seen this year is how he approaches his breaking pitches. Last year he had a slow yacker that had a lot of depth to it and threw it a lot. This year it looks like he sped up the pace on it. He has a tighter rotation, yet he starts it out low in the zone, and it bottoms out before it can appear hittable. Once he gets behind, he abandons it and then goes to his fastball and gets rocked. He needs to attack the zone more, use his big hook to offset his fastball and then use his slider with 2 strikes to wipe out the right handers.

 

 

[lostfan]

Gavin's also had statistically bad luck judging by the statistics.

Is there another method to judge statistically bad luck?

[Chisoxfn]

The one thing I have seen this year is how he approaches his breaking pitches. Last year he had a slow yacker that had a lot of depth to it and threw it a lot. This year it looks like he sped up the pace on it. He has a tighter rotation, yet he starts it out low in the zone, and it bottoms out before it can appear hittable. Once he gets behind, he abandons it and then goes to his fastball and gets rocked. He needs to attack the zone more, use his big hook to offset his fastball and then use his slider with 2 strikes to wipe out the right handers.

I agree, I was commenting in the game thread on Sunday how the big thing he has been lacking is his big slow, throw it for a strike curveball.

[RockRaines]

I agree, both look fixable and I think its more a confidence, tempo, minor adjustment to the mechanics type of deal (and I haven't seen anything glaringly wrong with either's mechanics). I wouldn't be shocked though if they did have a bit of an up and down year just given last years workload and the enormous expectations on both of there shoulders. Still, long term, I like them both a lot and I still think Floyd ends up having a big time second half of the season, but it might be all meaningless.

Gavin's tempo has been messed up for several weeks now. Remember when he was the most ready in spring? The guy is WAYYY to eager. He is getting out in front of his pitches instead of on top and because of that his fastball either tails in on righties, or floats inside on lefties. Its killed his release point and his command. This was one of his major problems when came over from Philly. He needs to slow down, stay behind the ball and drive it.

[Soxbadger]

Floyd's arm may also be tired from going over 200 ip last year.

 

For some reason I feel that many pitchers seem to have a down year after they go over 200 ip for the first time in a ML season.

 

Danks went 195, so his arm may be tired as well.

[santo=dorf]

Floyd's arm may also be tired from going over 200 ip last year.

 

For some reason I feel that many pitchers seem to have a down year after they go over 200 ip for the first time in a ML season.

 

Danks went 195, so his arm may be tired as well.

According to the papers, Floyd says he feels "great."

 

I'd feel great too if I did a s***ty job at work but knew I had $16 million guaranteed to me regardless of my performance.

[Harry Chappas]

I do not care about Danks and Floyd I think they will be fine. The fact the offense can not hit again is alarming.

[SI1020]

Floyd's arm may also be tired from going over 200 ip last year.

 

For some reason I feel that many pitchers seem to have a down year after they go over 200 ip for the first time in a ML season.

 

Danks went 195, so his arm may be tired as well.

You know you may be right but it still makes me mad. All athletes, not just baseball players are supposed to be bigger, stronger, faster and better in every way. Why are MLB pitchers so brittle these days? How did guys like this one do it?

 

Anyone remember him?

 

[southsider2k5]

You know you may be right but it still makes me mad. All athletes, not just baseball players are supposed to be bigger, stronger, faster and better in every way. Why are MLB pitchers so brittle these days? How did guys like this one do it?

 

Anyone remember him?

 

They throw less than every before, but they also throw many more pitches that torque their shoulders and elbows like no other group that pitched before them.