Aaron_Kennelly

Verlander reminds me of David Ortiz at the end of his career, when there where multiple times each year, for like three straight years (except for -- somehow -- in his final year), when I thought he was done, and he kept coming back stronger than ever.

Also, his wRC+ was 122 in 2015 and it is 122 this year. So, basically, he's made all of these huge changes and he's no better or worse, he's just doing things completely differently.

Mike Moustakas is having the strangest few years. There were a couple Fangraphs articles that explain why he's so strange. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/the-biggest-change-in-approach-that-weve-seen/ http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mike-moustakas-swings-for-the-fences/ Basically, he'd always been a dead-pull fly ball hitter, but he never hit for enough power, and made a lot of weak contact and popped the ball up all the time, leading to really low BABIPs and overall just shitty numbers. But, in 2015 he started going the other way a lot and wasn't hitting the ball in the air all the time. And he was hitting over .300 and having his first good season offensively. I remember watching a game and the announcers were talking to him about how hard he worked on changing his approach. But then at mid-season, he went back to being a dead-pull fly ball hitter, except he was actually good at it this time, and he hit for a ton of power. And his first-half numbers and second-half numbers were of similar value; he was just trading some BA and OBP for slugging. Then, he got hurt last year. But, in 113 PA, he was kind of similar to the mixture he had in 2015, not as many fly balls, not as much pulling, with a poor BABIP, and lots of power. But, he also became a lot more selective. Last year, he swung at 22.2% of pitches outside of the zone, which was over 10% less than his previous career low. Then he comes back this year, and he's back to hitting the ball in the air and pulling it at the levels of his most extreme, except he's already hit 29 homers. But, now he is swinging at everything. It's the most extreme shift in approach from year-to-year since they started tracking plate discipline. He is swinging at 57.3% of pitches overall and 42.3% on pitches out of the zone. Javy, for his career, has swung at 42.3% of pitches out of the zone. Moustakas was at 22.2% the year before. Ben Zobrist is at 22.7% for his career. He went from having Ben Zobrist's approach to having Javy's over one off-season. The really strange thing to me is that he was a horrible hitter for years while singing for the fences, then changed his approach and became a good hitter. And he changed back to what made him horrible, except he did it basically right at the All-Star break in 2015, which is when the juiced balls were introduced. What kind of serendipity is that?

Scooter Gennett is hitting .316/.365/.607. He's hit 18 homers in 263 PA.

We just lost for the second time in 10 games.

Willy, what are you looking at?

What the horsefeathers are you looking at, Angel?

Dammit, he left one up for you, too.

Ok, fellas, this pen is a dumpster fire now. Let's do this.

There ya go, Schwarbs.

I horsefeathering hate these series. horsefeathers the trash-ass White Sox.

dammit, I thought that was doing damage

You know what conversation I just can't get enough of...

lol

Alright, let's get some horsefeathering runs.

Here are Grimm's monthly ERAs, starting in June of last year: 10.38, 0.00, 0.82, 6.43, 0.00, 6.52, 6.75, 0.73, 9.31. He's the most Jekyll and Hyde horsefeathers ever.

Not to make excuses but late night last night vs division rival, then day game vs triple A team? Also, we're not facing Marco Gonzalez.

Obligatory "but he's been good lately' post that seems to be made every time he gives up a run He hasn't been. He was really good in June, right after getting called back up. He's been horsefeathering brutal in July.

horsefeathering Grimm.

horsefeathering brutal zone from Angel. Probably shouldn't have been in, though. I was wrong there. Left that last one right over the heart of the plate.

Let him go. I think he looks good. Good command. Lots of strikes. A few hard hit balls, but nothing too dangerous. Their hits have actually come on bloopers and other weak contact for the most part. That's unless they don't want him going 90+ pitches, of course.

That pitch was a horsefeathering strike and he went around.

What is the lowest Hendricks' fastball velocity could drop to before he became a below-average starter? 75 mph? 60?

Ahem... one of them hit 86.

84... yeesh