Chris Sale to start Thu May 22 vs Yankees

[Eminor3rd]

I wonder what's causing him to suck so much the past 3 years.

 

Velocity is way down. He averaged about 92 during his and it's below 90 this year. He's also changed from a straight over the top curve to more of a slurve, and his changeup usage is way up, which I'm guessing he leaves up too often. His HR/FB was at about 5-6% during his Cy Young seasons, and it's been 14%, 12%, and 18% the last 3 seasons.

 

Indeed, and this looks like it's a pretty natural thing: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/pitcher-agi...s-introduction/

[witesoxfan]

Indeed, and this looks like it's a pretty natural thing: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/pitcher-agi...s-introduction/

 

Yes sir. Even Felix has lost a lot of velocity, but he's been able to remain good (or improve) as a pitcher overall, which is incredible to consider. I really do wonder how much of Lincecum falling off has to do with his height and not being able to get downward angle on his fastball.

Edited May 7, 2014 by witesoxfan

[thxfrthmmrs]

Non sequitor. Who else is out there fitting the description who has had injury problems.

 

Denied. It was in the original claim.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=89048

 

Durability. The tall, lanky frame, along with his delivery has always been a concern for injury. I am not confident that he will be healthy and effective two years down the road.

 

Yes sir. Even Felix has lost a lot of velocity, but he's been able to remain good (or improve) as a pitcher overall, which is incredible to consider. I really do wonder how much of Lincecum falling off has to do with his height and not being able to get downward angle on his fastball.

 

Good read on the downfall of The Freak

 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/whats-wr...h-tim-lincecum/

 

Baseball Prospectus writer and pitching mechanics expert Doug Thorburn addressed this in a pair of articles last year: Lincecum’s delivery depends on perfect mechanics, and that trademark gigantic stride. As he wrote in an e-mail:

 

He was able to generate ridiculous momentum early in his career (a huge advantage), and he found a timing pattern with it that he could repeat, which was critical for commanding the fastball and keeping that split-change buried under the zone. That stride and momentum required excellent lower body strength, and when his delivery fell out of whack back in 2010, the solution was rooted in conditioning — he had lost his timing because he could not consistently generate his usual stride pattern. Last season, his momentum was noticeably down when compared to his peak, and he struggled to find his timing for most of the season — I thought it was telling that he did so well out of the ’pen, where he could go all out rather than conserve stamina.

Edited May 7, 2014 by thxfrthmmrs

[southsider2k5]

Denied. It was in the original claim.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=89048

 

You gave a number of 90%, who else is there?

[thxfrthmmrs]

You gave a number of 90%, who else is there?

 

As in more injury prone than most other pitchers. Number is arbitrary. I've already covered the grounds of probability with Balta, we can drop it.

[The Ginger Kid]

I imagine that smoking pot everyday would take its toll on a ballplayer eventually.

If that were the case you'd see a league-wide decline. So many of those guys get high.

[TaylorStSox]

I imagine that smoking pot everyday would take its toll on a ballplayer eventually.

Worst post of the day candidate.

[ptatc]

Personally, based on how he has been treated, between the unnecessary shift to the bullpen in 2011, the bouncing between the bullpen and rotation in 2012, and the ongoing pitch count issue that comes up here all the time, I think it's very questionable whether the Sox actually are conservative in how they treat him. You can make a case either way; they have shut him down a couple times at the first sign of an issue (good) but they push him very hard in several ways otherwise.

True. The switching to the bullpen I would deem as conservative if you think mechanics and pitch count are the issue. Being in the bullpen decreases the number of pitches thus chances that the mechanics become an issue. However, I think it would increase the "stressful" pitches as he threw harder more frequently.

[ptatc]

If that were the case you'd see a league-wide decline. So many of those guys get high.

It doesn't necessarily increase the number although it's anti-inflammatory effect will mask injuries, however it will cause the healing time to be longer.

[LittleHurt05]

If that were the case you'd see a league-wide decline. So many of those guys get high.

 

None of them are on Tiny Tim's level though.

[MEANS]

keep grasping....

[ptatc]

keep grasping....

That could have caused the flexor strain as well......wait wrong forum.

[TaylorStSox]

None of them are on Tiny Tim's level though.

Are you trolling? You couldn't possibly be this naive.

[chitownsportsfan]

LOL, anyone who thinks Lincecum's short time as an elite pitcher ended because of weed, rather than his body, is silly.

 

Best player on my DIII college team was our ace pitcher who could throw 85 and had a nasty breaking ball, pretty damn good for DIII. He used to smoke a huge bowl before every start he made and he was lights out. Weed really doesn't harm your body like cocaine or even amps.

[ptatc]

Best player on my DIII college team was our ace pitcher who could throw 85 and had a nasty breaking ball, pretty damn good for DIII. He used to smoke a huge bowl before every start he made and he was lights out. Weed really doesn't harm your body like cocaine or even amps.

No, not in the short term. But players used to do this with ibuprofen to feel better during games and discovered that they got kidney problems later in life. Pot as stated before with regular use will cause cardiac problems later in life.

 

[TaylorStSox]

No, not in the short term. But players used to do this with ibuprofen to feel better during games and discovered that they got kidney problems later in life. Pot as stated before with regular use will cause cardiac problems later in life.

Pot doesn't cause cardiac issues, smoking does.

[LittleHurt05]

Are you trolling? You couldn't possibly be this naive.

 

Are you telling me that someone in the league smokes more pot than Lincecum? Please, he will smoke any and every challenger under the table.

[TaylorStSox]

Are you telling me that someone in the league smokes more pot than Lincecum? Please, he will smoke any and every challenger under the table.

I really don't care. My point is that smoking pot didn't cause his, or any other athlete's, decline in performance.

[ptatc]

I really don't care. My point is that smoking pot didn't cause his, or any other athlete's, decline in performance.

The old joke in the NBA is that in the80s and 90s the players choice was coke and it was a dynamic, high flying league. Now that they test for coke the league turned to pot literally as there is much less scoring and the league is less dynamic.

[TaylorStSox]

The old joke in the NBA is that in the80s and 90s the players choice was coke and it was a dynamic, high flying league. Now that they test for coke the league turned to pot literally as there is much less scoring and the league is less dynamic.

You have to be kidding me. You're really finding a correlation between recreational drugs and athletic performance? That's pretty absurd. I'm sure Lebron is smoking blunts at half time. Do you actually think the entire league was blowing rails on the bench 82 nights a year? Maybe it's improved defense and rule changes.

[chitownsportsfan]

You have to be kidding me. You're really finding a correlation between recreational drugs and athletic performance? That's pretty absurd. I'm sure Lebron is smoking blunts at half time. Do you actually think the entire league was blowing rails on the bench 82 nights a year? Maybe it's improved defense and rule changes.

 

Yea, amps were big in the 70's in MLB and that was one of the lowest offense eras in the history of the game.

 

As for the NBA, a scout was quoted in ESPN last week saying Mitch McGary's positive test at Michigan wasn't a big deal because "half the league smokes".

 

 

[ptatc]

You have to be kidding me. You're really finding a correlation between recreational drugs and athletic performance? That's pretty absurd. I'm sure Lebron is smoking blunts at half time. Do you actually think the entire league was blowing rails on the bench 82 nights a year? Maybe it's improved defense and rule changes.

Read the first line. It is an old NBA JOKE. It was meant to be humerus. Which an old anatomy JOKE.

Edited May 7, 2014 by ptatc

[TaylorStSox]

Read the first line. It is an old NBA JOKE.

My fault. That went over my head.

 

Edit

I was probably too stoned to realize it.

Edited May 7, 2014 by TaylorStSox

[LittleHurt05]

Is this really your argument? How could you even know? And once someone becomes a chronic pot smoker with disposable income they can smoke with just about anyone. Just because Lincecum looks the part and got pulled over with pot in his car doesn't mean there aren't other players that are right up there with him.

 

I think we need to set up a challenge so the Freak can prove all you haters wrong.

[southsider2k5]

Sale is currently throwing another bullpen session.

 

https://twitter.com/DanHayesCSN/status/4641...0851840/photo/1