I Like This: Piniella Wants Pitchers to Throw Strikes!

[soccer10k]

Throw strikes. What a novel idea. Who knew it could be so simple?

[KenCub]

I just think the phrase "throw strikes" boils down to challenging hitters more and not trying to be too precise with pitches.

If you can get the opposing hitters to expect pitches in the strike zone, as opposed to trying to catch corners and "hit the black", the hitters will be more likely to bite on a slider or commit too soon to a rising fastball.

I agree with the post about Z benefiting from this. His stuff is good enough to where he doesn't need to nibble at corners.

[nilodnayr]

I just think the phrase "throw strikes" boils down to challenging hitters more and not trying to be too precise with pitches.

If you can get the opposing hitters to expect pitches in the strike zone, as opposed to trying to catch corners and "hit the black", the hitters will be more likely to bite on a slider or commit too soon to a rising fastball.

I agree with the post about Z benefiting from this. His stuff is good enough to where he doesn't need to nibble at corners.

 

Wood was most effective when he did this. He'd induce easy grounders early in the count instead of getting a true outcome going deep into counts. Some of Priors really bad games were when he was flirting with the black the entire game. If you are getting the calls you are unhittable, but if you arent you need to ADAPT and start making the other team put the ball into play. If we are going to care so much about getting guys who can "catch the ball", we might as well try and get our pitchers to actually make a ball get in play.

[CubColtPacer]

I just think the phrase "throw strikes" boils down to challenging hitters more and not trying to be too precise with pitches.

If you can get the opposing hitters to expect pitches in the strike zone, as opposed to trying to catch corners and "hit the black", the hitters will be more likely to bite on a slider or commit too soon to a rising fastball.

I agree with the post about Z benefiting from this. His stuff is good enough to where he doesn't need to nibble at corners.

 

Wood was most effective when he did this. He'd induce easy grounders early in the count instead of getting a true outcome going deep into counts. Some of Priors really bad games were when he was flirting with the black the entire game. If you are getting the calls you are unhittable, but if you arent you need to ADAPT and start making the other team put the ball into play. If we are going to care so much about getting guys who can "catch the ball", we might as well try and get our pitchers to actually make a ball get in play.

 

Well, from the looks of most of our defenders this year, I'm pretty sure that they have abandonded the "catch the ball" philosophy-considering that only 2 defenders on the squad are considered to be considerably above average, and then you have the outfield defense, which will likely be one of if not the worst outfield defense in the entire league.

[nilodnayr]

 

Well, from the looks of most of our defenders this year, I'm pretty sure that they have abandonded the "catch the ball" philosophy-considering that only 2 defenders on the squad are considered to be considerably above average, and then you have the outfield defense, which will likely be one of if not the worst outfield defense in the entire league.

 

I disagree. Look at who they have brought in...Izturis, Soriano, and DeRosa. Izturis is ALL glove. Soriano was above average in LF last year and that was just his first year in the OF. I'm not sure of DeRosa's metrics, but I believe he's been just fine and can play a lot of positions usually which shows defensive proficiency. Its not like we brought in Adam Dunn or anything.

[CubColtPacer]

 

Well, from the looks of most of our defenders this year, I'm pretty sure that they have abandonded the "catch the ball" philosophy-considering that only 2 defenders on the squad are considered to be considerably above average, and then you have the outfield defense, which will likely be one of if not the worst outfield defense in the entire league.

 

I disagree. Look at who they have brought in...Izturis, Soriano, and DeRosa. Izturis is ALL glove. Soriano was above average in LF last year and that was just his first year in the OF. I'm not sure of DeRosa's metrics, but I believe he's been just fine and can play a lot of positions usually which shows defensive proficiency. Its not like we brought in Adam Dunn or anything.

 

For it to be Hendry's philosophy though, he would have to be bringing in people to fit his notion of good defense-I doubt he's putting that much value in defensive metrics. Izturis I agree with you about-Soriano was seen as average around the league, and he's moving to a new position. DeRosa's reputation is that of an average or above average defender. You forgot the 4th person though-Cliff Floyd. The more Floyd plays in the OF, the more the OF defense is going to suffer because of it. If you look around at many of the people writing articles, they all are saying that the Cubs are going to suffer defensively-could they be wrong? Sure-but their method of judging defense is likely the same one as Hendry's, and so he wouldn't put a team out there with this bad of a reputation defensively if he really wanted a team that could "catch the ball"

[BigbadB]

I think the only thing negative about Jones' defense is his arm.

[nilodnayr]

 

Well, from the looks of most of our defenders this year, I'm pretty sure that they have abandonded the "catch the ball" philosophy-considering that only 2 defenders on the squad are considered to be considerably above average, and then you have the outfield defense, which will likely be one of if not the worst outfield defense in the entire league.

 

I disagree. Look at who they have brought in...Izturis, Soriano, and DeRosa. Izturis is ALL glove. Soriano was above average in LF last year and that was just his first year in the OF. I'm not sure of DeRosa's metrics, but I believe he's been just fine and can play a lot of positions usually which shows defensive proficiency. Its not like we brought in Adam Dunn or anything.

 

For it to be Hendry's philosophy though, he would have to be bringing in people to fit his notion of good defense-I doubt he's putting that much value in defensive metrics. Izturis I agree with you about-Soriano was seen as average around the league, and he's moving to a new position. DeRosa's reputation is that of an average or above average defender. You forgot the 4th person though-Cliff Floyd. The more Floyd plays in the OF, the more the OF defense is going to suffer because of it. If you look around at many of the people writing articles, they all are saying that the Cubs are going to suffer defensively-could they be wrong? Sure-but their method of judging defense is likely the same one as Hendry's, and so he wouldn't put a team out there with this bad of a reputation defensively if he really wanted a team that could "catch the ball"

 

Except that Floyd will take time away from Murton who isn't thought of to have great defensive skills (regardless of whether or not that is true). No, he didn't go out and get Covelli to replace murton, but he didn't downgrade.

[CubColtPacer]

 

Well, from the looks of most of our defenders this year, I'm pretty sure that they have abandonded the "catch the ball" philosophy-considering that only 2 defenders on the squad are considered to be considerably above average, and then you have the outfield defense, which will likely be one of if not the worst outfield defense in the entire league.

 

I disagree. Look at who they have brought in...Izturis, Soriano, and DeRosa. Izturis is ALL glove. Soriano was above average in LF last year and that was just his first year in the OF. I'm not sure of DeRosa's metrics, but I believe he's been just fine and can play a lot of positions usually which shows defensive proficiency. Its not like we brought in Adam Dunn or anything.

 

For it to be Hendry's philosophy though, he would have to be bringing in people to fit his notion of good defense-I doubt he's putting that much value in defensive metrics. Izturis I agree with you about-Soriano was seen as average around the league, and he's moving to a new position. DeRosa's reputation is that of an average or above average defender. You forgot the 4th person though-Cliff Floyd. The more Floyd plays in the OF, the more the OF defense is going to suffer because of it. If you look around at many of the people writing articles, they all are saying that the Cubs are going to suffer defensively-could they be wrong? Sure-but their method of judging defense is likely the same one as Hendry's, and so he wouldn't put a team out there with this bad of a reputation defensively if he really wanted a team that could "catch the ball"

 

Except that Floyd will take time away from Murton who isn't thought of to have great defensive skills (regardless of whether or not that is true). No, he didn't go out and get Covelli to replace murton, but he didn't downgrade.

 

I still think it's a downgrade, although it is seen as going from below average to absolutely terrible (although I think Murton is average defensively, and not below average). The last thing I'll present for my case is that they didn't know what position Soriano was going to play, and said that they were going to sign people first and figure out what positions they were going to play later. I don't see that as a huge emphasis on "catching the ball", although I do still think that they do think defense is important. It's just that they seem to stress defense at certain positions, which is why Izturis is at SS and Blanco got signed for so much to be backup C, while other positions don't mean as much defensively.

[cheapseats]

This approach should really help Zambrano, who has phenomenal stuff, but tends to waste a lot of pitches not being near the strike zone.

 

The big story about Zambrano at the beginning of last season was that he was going to work on his control and cut down on the walks.

 

And he put up his worst BB/9 yet in 2006.

 

I'd hope that Lou's staff does emphasize throwing strikes, but it might be easier said than done.

 

Not speaking specifically of Zambrano, but it would be unfair to place the blame for all the walks solely on last year's coaching staff. Hendry seems to favor pitchers who are "effectively wild." The Cubs have drafted a lot of guys who can throw 95 mph and a lot of guys who can run fast and hit the ball hard, but most of those guys haven't developed into good pitchers or good hitters.

 

Anyway, while I wish Z didn't walk so many people, he's got great stuff, so he can get away with it. Nolan Ryan had 4 years in a row in which he walked 5 or more batters a game.

 

It's the guys who don't have great stuff that I'm more worried about.