Spring training comments

[fredtoast]

It is really hard to tell how good a player will be based on spring training stats.

Sometimes pitchers are trying out new pitches or batters are tinkering with adjustments in their stance or swing.  

Sometimes pitchers are throwing fewer breaking balls to save their arms for the regular season.  Sometimes hitters are just working on hitting the ball to the opposite field and not worrying about power.

So don't panic if the numbers don't look that good.  For veterans spring training is a time to experiment and/or learn instead of put up big numbers.

[*psychdoctor*]

At first I was having PTSD (regarding past pitchers) that Gray will need surgery for arm. I think stiffness could be something else but I am still concerned.

[fredtoast]

(02-27-2019, 03:16 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: At first I was having PTSD (regarding past pitchers) that Gray will need surgery for arm.   I think stiffness could be something else but I am still concerned.

I kind of agree with you here.  You would think that everyone would be fresh, rested, and healed up for spring training.  So I am always concerned when a pitcher has any arm problems this early.

[*psychdoctor*]

(02-28-2019, 11:58 AM)fredtoast Wrote: I kind of agree with you here.  You would think that everyone would be fresh, rested, and healed up for spring training.  So I am always concerned when a pitcher has any arm problems this early.

The only thing I can think of (other than a potentially serious injury) that may have cause stiffness in his arm is that the new pitching coach is changing either his arm angle slightly or the release point.

[fredtoast]

Hope it is not masturbatitis, the repetitive stress disorder that ruined my pitching elbow.

[grampahol]

(02-28-2019, 03:10 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Hope it is not masturbatitis, the repetitive stress disorder that ruined my pitching elbow.

Not being good enough to throw pitches beyond sandlot ruined my pitching arm.. Other than that I coulda been someone..  I could throw a lot of pitches, curves, knuckler, screw ball, etc, but my fastball couldn't dent warm butter.. So much for the big leagues, eh? 
The last game I pitched in was in Job Corps against lumber jacks in Montana.. Everything went great right up until that moment every pitch was like me putting the ball on a T then watching them hit em over the other side of the mountain.. Those curvyish pitches fool people who can't hit a fastball, but once your best curve is straighter than an arrow there's not much left.. lol

[grampahol]

I guess it's that time of the season when every baseball writer tells us about the guys who have never really hit it big telling us they hope this is the season everything falls into place or is that just Mark Sheldon's official job to tell us about every player's bounce back aspirations? 

[grampahol]

I was looking up the kid O'Grady and ran across a stat from this last year thinking, HOW COULD WE NOT KNOW about this kid by now??? 90 HR's in the Mexican league last season????  Oooops... 90 hits between Louisville and Pensacola.. over 2 seasons.. That's pretty average I guess.. That stuck way out until I realized the column mistake..  For a while I was wondering just what a kid had to do to stand out in minor league baseball these days.. He's actually had just 48 HR's over 6 seasons.. Not exactly tearing things up.. Not horrendous, but nothing to grab you by the throat either. 

[*psychdoctor*]

Anyone watching games: how have the Reds been looking fundamentally? Are they bunting better?

[*bengalfan74*]

(03-02-2019, 04:31 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Anyone watching games:  how have the Reds been looking fundamentally?  Are they bunting better?

This has been a pet peeve of mine with several of the Reds teams over the last several seasons. The bulk of the team can't lay down a bunt !! I mean what the hell ? It's one of those little things that doesn't show up in the stat line that costs games. The fundamentals

Haven't seen much yet but like Fred says you can't put a whole lot into it. I just hope the new staff is coaching up the basics. For crying out loud a major league baseball team that can't lay down a bunt ???

[grampahol]

I'm somewhat concerned about Jared Hughes for now. His ERA has ballooned a bit this spring to 6.75, but it could be nothing. Still quite early and Romano still isn't impressing although Peralta is looking good. Castillo so far has been really bad with a 20.25 ERA and Garrett at 9.0. It's still quite early with plenty of time for these guys to pull it together. I really hope to see a much better pitching staff this season so it's tough to gauge how they'll do with only it being about half way through ST.. They can ill afford another bottom of the barrel pitching staff. If they do that again it'll be tough sledding. 

[SunsetBengal]

I know that it's only Spring training games, but the Reds have been giving up A LOT of runs, while not putting many of their own on the board. I haven't been watching closely, so I don't know if they're sending out guys to designate for assignment, or what?

Anyone care to give me the Cliff's Notes version?

[McC]

(03-08-2019, 08:03 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I know that it's only Spring training games, but the Reds have been giving up A LOT of runs, while not putting many of their own on the board.  I haven't been watching closely, so I don't know if they're sending out guys to designate for assignment, or what?

Anyone care to give me the Cliff's Notes version?

I've only caught glimpses and yes, take spring training with a grain of salt, blah, blah, but what I've noticed is awfully underwhelming.

[*psychdoctor*]

Johnson has pitchers on two inning limits and is part of a plan to get them ready. I would not really be concerned about the scores at this point. I am concerned the Wood has back issues. Health has been an issue with him.

[*psychdoctor*]

I know it's early but I was hoping to see more from Garrett.