Harden's velocity is way down

[David]

the "way" down in the thread title plus the "not the same pitcher anymore" does reek a little bit of panic/oh noees

 

 

just imo

[Gmoney08]

Despite what many would assume its actually quite common for velocity to be down after not throwing for 2 weeks. It may take a start or two to get his velocity totally back. Woods velocity was down a bit after his blister too.. In fact it seems he is starting to build it back up. He was hitting 98 consistently against the Giants earlier this year but in April he was throwing more in the 94 range. It can take a full month or longer to build the velocity back up. With Wood I expect he'll be hitting high 90s in the next week and Harden will be throwing gas in the playoffs.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Honestly, from what I've seen of Harden, it seems that he can dial it up or down at will. He knows his limitations, and he knows what he can get away with and still get outs. I don't think he's hurt, I just think he realizes he's not a 100 mph pitcher anymore, so he stays within his boundaries and gets the job done. Harden's velocity is one thing that hasn't concerned me since he's arrived.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

This thread is impressive. I love it when the first post of a thread contains 5 words. You know it is going to lead to quality stuff.

[mikeyt34]

I think Harden just dialed it down a bit on his velocity tonight to make sure his arm was ok. He can still fire them at 94 when the time calls for it. He was changing the velocity of his pitches very well tonight, and had the Cardinal hitters off balance most of his 6 innings. I actually think this is a better Harden, pitching to contact a bit more, cause the strike outs run up his pitch count. Jeez, he pitched as good if not better than I thought he would considering there was a lot of angst over how he would do tonight. Some of you guys are a bunch of chicken little's sometimes.

[Flames24Rulz]

This wasn't a gun issue, as Welly was 92-94 and Marmol 93-95. Harden threw several in the 86-88 range and just generally had very little life on the ball. It was a gutty performance, but anyone who has watched this guy pitch extensively would tell you he was nowhere close to right out there. Given that he's already almost doubled the IP he had in '06-07 combined, it's very possible that he just has nothing left this year. Get him out there and see if he can gut out some wins - it's not like we have Cy Young waiting in the wings to take Harden's spot - but I was not at all encouraged by what I saw from him tonight.

 

 

and I know Woody hit 95 tonnight, maybe 96.

 

98 according to the game thread.

 

97-98 on the FSN MW feed.

 

I think people just want something to panic about to keep them busy. Come on, Harden was fine tonight.

[Peoriaman]

He isn't the same pitcher.

 

It's fine to voice concerns about his velocity, but you're jumping to conclusions with the "he isn't the same pitcher" type stuff. It's been pretty well documented that Harden's velocity varies from start to start and it will sometimes drop duringthe seeason. Hell, it's happened before this with the Cubs, and then it comes back. Let's wait and see his next few starts before we start flipping out.

 

 

I never "flipped out".

 

True, but to say he "isn't the same pitcher" despite making his first start SINCE AUGUST 29TH, or 2 weeks ago, reeks of slight panic.....I expect Harden to be back in the 92-95 range next start out. If the lack of velocity is prolonged, that's one thing (one start doesn't make it prolonged), but right now, to suggest he isn't a "the same pitcher" is trying to get a rise out of people.

 

 

 

well, you read me wrong--I don't "reek of slight panic" and really don't care whether anybody responds. Shrugs.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Peoriaman

[Peoriaman]

This thread is impressive. I love it when the first post of a thread contains 5 words. You know it is going to lead to quality stuff.

 

 

No need to be an arsehole.

[Schwarber Fan]

Harden himself doesn't seem to be worried, so I won't be.

[17 Seconds]

the "way" down in the thread title plus the "not the same pitcher anymore" does reek a little bit of panic/oh noees

 

Exactly....and that's coming from me

[Little Slide Rooter]

Havnt we gone through this freaking discussion every time Harden pitches? If his velocity were really going progressively down after every game, hed be Shingo Takatsu by now.

[Old Style]

ZOMG! WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

[Peoriaman]

ZOMG! WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

actually I think that is an overreation. I think there is a reasonable chance that Harden can get his velocity back. Even if he doesn't, he can still be a quality pitcher.

 

I am very optimistic of the Cub's chances in the play-offs.

[Little Slide Rooter]

ZOMG! WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

actually I think that is an overreation. I think there is a reasonable chance that Harden can get his velocity back. Even if he doesn't, he can still be a quality pitcher.

 

I am very optimistic of the Cub's chances in the play-offs.

 

LOL at this guy taking the above post seriously

[Soul]

From what I've seen, Harden's fastball velocity is around 93/94 when he want to sting it. He did that a couple times last night.

 

Look, the man uses his fastball for a lot of different situations. It's not like he has 4 pitches to go to. He switches up the velocity on his fastball all the time because it makes it much more effective.

 

That said, it's pretty obvious his arm is fragile, and he is sensitive to any pain he is feeling. So we've got to live with that. We did know that coming in to this deal though.

[UMFan83]

Harden himself doesn't seem to be worried, so I won't be.

 

I'd laugh if the postgame interview went like this:

 

Reporter: Rich your fastball looked a little slow tonight

Rich: Gosh I know, you guys saw that too? I'm a bit worried...crap, interview's over, I gotta go talk to Larry.

[Lefty]

Don't talk to Larry!

[Peoriaman]

From what I've seen, Harden's fastball velocity is around 93/94 when he want to sting it. He did that a couple times last night.

 

Look, the man uses his fastball for a lot of different situations. It's not like he has 4 pitches to go to. He switches up the velocity on his fastball all the time because it makes it much more effective.

 

That said, it's pretty obvious his arm is fragile, and he is sensitive to any pain he is feeling. So we've got to live with that. We did know that coming in to this deal though.

 

 

Thanks, I appreciate the serious response.

[Peoriaman]

ZOMG! WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

actually I think that is an overreation. I think there is a reasonable chance that Harden can get his velocity back. Even if he doesn't, he can still be a quality pitcher.

 

I am very optimistic of the Cub's chances in the play-offs.

 

LOL at this guy taking the above post seriously

 

 

I am actually laughing at you for not appreciating MY sarcasm.

 

I make a post that Harden's velocity is obviously down for 2 straight games, and suddenly I am proclaiming doom and gloom. I am the last guy to do that. I am the eternal optimist.

[Ryno is God 23]

Hasn't it been publicly stated, by Harden, that he doesn't try to blow people away anymore like he used to earlier in his career. I chalk up the down velocity to the long layoff and a maturing pitcher knowing he can get people out without throwing as hard as he can....JMO.

[Shilzzz]

lol @ the phrase 'the quiet canadian'

 

yr poetic velocity was way up for that post.

[Peoriaman]

Hasn't it been publicly stated, by Harden, that he doesn't try to blow people away anymore like he used to earlier in his career. I chalk up the down velocity to the long layoff and a maturing pitcher knowing he can get people out without throwing as hard as he can....JMO.

 

That is a good point.

 

He made that comment ealier this year when he was still humping up that fastball to 96 and regularly throwing 93. Now he isn't doing it even when in a jam. I hope that he still can--and does occassionally in the play-offs. I am a big fan of power arms in the play-offs. They usually win. Time will tell.

[UMFan83]

ZOMG! WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

actually I think that is an overreation. I think there is a reasonable chance that Harden can get his velocity back. Even if he doesn't, he can still be a quality pitcher.

 

I am very optimistic of the Cub's chances in the play-offs.

 

LOL at this guy taking the above post seriously

 

 

I am actually laughing at you for not appreciating MY sarcasm.

 

I make a post that Harden's velocity is obviously down for 2 straight games, and suddenly I am proclaiming doom and gloom. I am the last guy to do that. I am the eternal optimist.

 

Welcome to NSBB...

[Ryno is God 23]

Hasn't it been publicly stated, by Harden, that he doesn't try to blow people away anymore like he used to earlier in his career. I chalk up the down velocity to the long layoff and a maturing pitcher knowing he can get people out without throwing as hard as he can....JMO.

 

That is a good point.

 

He made that comment ealier this year when he was still humping up that fastball to 96 and regularly throwing 93. Now he isn't doing it even when in a jam. I hope that he still can--and does occassionally in the play-offs. I am a big fan of power arms in the play-offs. They usually win. Time will tell.

 

The thing with Rich is he can survive with his FB at 90-91 because of how good his change up is and how he has the same arm slot for both.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=234468

 

"For not pitching for two weeks, I wanted to keep my walks down; that was my goal today," said Harden, who had five double-digit strikeout games before shoulder woes sidelined him.

 

"I don't know why everybody puts so much on velocity," Harden said. "Location's always the most important thing, change of speed."

 

 

It's a bit overboard to claim he's not the same pitcher. This is the what Harden has to do to keep pitching. Dial it back at times, get some extra rest, leave games early. He did it before coming to the Cubs and he's been doing it since joining the Cubs.