The first WBC casualty

[Garwilly]

Dear WBC,

 

I hate you for what you did to Zambrano.

 

Screw off.

 

Thank you. Next year lets send them our minor leaguers. Leave the players we really need alone. They need their spring training----in MARCH, not April when the games count.

 

Yeah, they screwed up Barrett, and Lee too!!

[moorecg]

Dear WBC,

 

I hate you for what you did to Zambrano.

 

Screw off.

 

Thank you. Next year lets send them our minor leaguers. Leave the players we really need alone. They need their spring training----in MARCH, not April when the games count.

 

I just HOPE this is the problem....that would mean that the real Z will/should show up in the next 2 weeks or so.

[E.J.]

The Padres and Twins give the same regards for what the WBC did to Peavy and Santana. Stupid WBC.

[goonys evil twin]

Dear WBC,

 

I hate you for what you did to Zambrano.

 

Screw off.

 

Thank you. Next year lets send them our minor leaguers. Leave the players we really need alone. They need their spring training----in MARCH, not April when the games count.

 

I just HOPE this is the problem....that would mean that the real Z will/should show up in the next 2 weeks or so.

 

My fear is that it's not about a delay to their spring, my concern all along was that guys would be overthrowing in early March, when they're usually cruising along.

 

The only WBC pitcher of consequence with a decent start has been Willis, who sucked, got rocked and left early every game. The guys who threw meaningful innings are off to bad starts or injured, or maybe both.

[Soul]

Dear WBC,

 

I hate you for what you did to Zambrano.

 

Screw off.

 

Thank you. Next year lets send them our minor leaguers. Leave the players we really need alone. They need their spring training----in MARCH, not April when the games count.

 

I just HOPE this is the problem....that would mean that the real Z will/should show up in the next 2 weeks or so.

 

My fear is that it's not about a delay to their spring, my concern all along was that guys would be overthrowing in early March, when they're usually cruising along.

 

The only WBC pitcher of consequence with a decent start has been Willis, who sucked, got rocked and left early every game. The guys who threw meaningful innings are off to bad starts or injured, or maybe both.

 

God I hope you are wrong and Z doesn't have some kind of weird dead arm from pushing too hard in March. My feeling was players would spend too much time watching instead of working up to strength, delaying their preparedness for the season.

[Banedon]

At least the WBC isn't every year...

[Laura]

The Score reported this morning that Freddy Garcia tested positive for marijuana use during testing for his WBC participation (not MLB). From what they were saying, there's no MLB ramifications for the positive test. He may be banned from international competition for some period of time.

[CubinNY]

The Score reported this morning that Freddy Garcia tested positive for marijuana use during testing for his WBC participation (not MLB). From what they were saying, there's no MLB ramifications for the positive test. He may be banned from international competition for some period of time.

 

Probably 2.11 years.

[jaydee]

Pretty hilarious that people are blaming the WBC for Zambrano's struggles.

[goonys evil twin]

Pretty hilarious that people are blaming the WBC for Zambrano's struggles.

 

As hilarious as people blaming him being too calm, or is it too immature? I always forget.

 

What's so hilarious about thinking that guys overthrowing in early March, when they are not ready for big game situations, could have something to do with all the bad starts to the season for WBC pitchers?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

FWIW, when Z came back from the WBC and pitched in ST, he had his best spring ever performance wise.

[goonys evil twin]

FWIW, when Z came back from the WBC and pitched in ST, he had his best spring ever performance wise.

 

Doesn't mean much.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Pretty hilarious that people are blaming the WBC for Zambrano's struggles.

 

As hilarious as people blaming him being too calm, or is it too immature? I always forget.

 

What's so hilarious about thinking that guys overthrowing in early March, when they are not ready for big game situations, could have something to do with all the bad starts to the season for WBC pitchers?

 

Where is there evidence of overthrowing?

[goonys evil twin]

Pretty hilarious that people are blaming the WBC for Zambrano's struggles.

 

As hilarious as people blaming him being too calm, or is it too immature? I always forget.

 

What's so hilarious about thinking that guys overthrowing in early March, when they are not ready for big game situations, could have something to do with all the bad starts to the season for WBC pitchers?

 

Where is there evidence of overthrowing?

 

Evidence? Guys were going full bore in early March when they are normally throwing 2-3 innings in completely meaningless games. Zambrano was clearly dialing it up on those games we saw on TV. Several WBC pitchers are off to bad starts.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Evidence? Guys were going full bore in early March when they are normally throwing 2-3 innings in completely meaningless games. Zambrano was clearly dialing it up on those games we saw on TV. Several WBC pitchers are off to bad starts.

 

I don't think it's any more than just coincidence. Their day-to-day activities were far less intense than the drills and side work they would have had to complete in camp, so I don't see how they could really be any more spent. I think Zambrano would dial it up if he were pitching in a family wiffle ball game.

[Banedon]

Pretty hilarious that people are blaming the WBC for Zambrano's struggles.

 

As hilarious as people blaming him being too calm, or is it too immature? I always forget.

 

What's so hilarious about thinking that guys overthrowing in early March, when they are not ready for big game situations, could have something to do with all the bad starts to the season for WBC pitchers?

 

Where is there evidence of overthrowing?

 

Evidence? Guys were going full bore in early March when they are normally throwing 2-3 innings in completely meaningless games. Zambrano was clearly dialing it up on those games we saw on TV. Several WBC pitchers are off to bad starts.

 

Johan Santana 1-3 4.45

Brad Lidge 0-1 6.39

Jake Peavy 1-3 5.17

Freddy Garcia 4-1 5.86

 

All WBC pitchers. Good thing the White Sox can hit for Garcia.

[goonys evil twin]

Evidence? Guys were going full bore in early March when they are normally throwing 2-3 innings in completely meaningless games. Zambrano was clearly dialing it up on those games we saw on TV. Several WBC pitchers are off to bad starts.

 

I don't think it's any more than just coincidence. Their day-to-day activities were far less intense than the drills and side work they would have had to complete in camp, so I don't see how they could really be any more spent. I think Zambrano would dial it up if he were pitching in a family wiffle ball game.

 

You aren't getting what I'm saying. You can't balance out more intense work in March games with less intense work in practice. Pitchers succeed due to routine. They come in every February and start to get into enough shape so they can get by on minimal effort in early spring games. This year they went from blah to full bore heart on the sleeve competition in a week. They threw a lot harder in game situations nearly a full month before they normally would. They completely changed their routine, were away from their pitching coaches, and were involved in high stakes games in which there was no room for the type of effort you'd get in most spring games.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Evidence? Guys were going full bore in early March when they are normally throwing 2-3 innings in completely meaningless games. Zambrano was clearly dialing it up on those games we saw on TV. Several WBC pitchers are off to bad starts.

 

I don't think it's any more than just coincidence. Their day-to-day activities were far less intense than the drills and side work they would have had to complete in camp, so I don't see how they could really be any more spent. I think Zambrano would dial it up if he were pitching in a family wiffle ball game.

 

You aren't getting what I'm saying. You can't balance out more intense work in March games with less intense work in practice. Pitchers succeed due to routine. They come in every February and start to get into enough shape so they can get by on minimal effort in early spring games. This year they went from blah to full bore heart on the sleeve competition in a week. They threw a lot harder in game situations nearly a full month before they normally would. They completely changed their routine, were away from their pitching coaches, and were involved in high stakes games in which there was no room for the type of effort you'd get in most spring games.

 

I get what you're saying, I'm just not buying it. There's no evidence other than a small sample of participants being off to a rocky start. Why are the pitchers the only ones affected by this WBC syndrome? The approach to the tournament was a far cry from what hitters are used to.

[goonys evil twin]

I get what you're saying, I'm just not buying it. There's no evidence other than a small sample of participants being off to a rocky start. Why are the pitchers the only ones affected by this WBC syndrome? The approach to the tournament was a far cry from what hitters are used to.

 

The act of hitting doesn't damage hitters. The act of pitching is what hurts pitchers. Swinging a bat hard in early March isn't a risk to a player's season, pitching harder than normal is.

 

Hitting and pitching are completely different.

[Andy]

I think Zambrano would dial it up if he were pitching in a family wiffle ball game.

This is pretty close to sig-worthy.

[SouthSideRyan]

Johan Santana 1-3 4.45

Brad Lidge 0-1 6.39

Jake Peavy 1-3 5.17

Freddy Garcia 4-1 5.86

 

All WBC pitchers. Good thing the White Sox can hit for Garcia.

 

You've listed 4 pitchers out of probably about 40 guys that pitched in the WBC. I have no clue how they're doing, they may all be terrible too. But 4 pitchers' stat lines is proving nothing.

[CubinNY]

Johan Santana 1-3 4.45

Brad Lidge 0-1 6.39

Jake Peavy 1-3 5.17

Freddy Garcia 4-1 5.86

 

All WBC pitchers. Good thing the White Sox can hit for Garcia.

 

You've listed 4 pitchers out of probably about 40 guys that pitched in the WBC. I have no clue how they're doing, they may all be terrible too. But 4 pitchers' stat lines is proving nothing.

 

One of the few good uses of "sample size" I've read in a long, long time. Very well done.

[abuck1220]

dusty and goony are like two peas in a pod.

 

Baker said Zambrano could have been affected by pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic because "possibly he had to turn it on a little sooner than he wanted to turn it on." Baker also theorized Zambrano was going through a "dead arm" period, as happens to pitchers in spring training.

 

soulmates.

[badger1679666666]

FWIW, when Z came back from the WBC and pitched in ST, he had his best spring ever performance wise.

 

doesn't mean much. Remember when Woody went 5-0 in 2004 ST. Yea, we don't want to go there, but just sayin ST doesnt mean diddly.

[UMFan83]

dusty and goony are like two peas in a pod.

 

Baker said Zambrano could have been affected by pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic because "possibly he had to turn it on a little sooner than he wanted to turn it on." Baker also theorized Zambrano was going through a "dead arm" period, as happens to pitchers in spring training.

 

soulmates.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what "dead arm" entails, but he has as much zip on his pitches as ever. He's just not locating them well. "dead head" maybe, and not the Jerry Garcia/Freddie Garcia type"