So I just saw these pics and watched the Cingrani video from this week, and my goodness, could he look any MORE like Cliff Lee and Drew Smyly, two lefties from Arkansas?
Especially Cliff Lee -- a total resemblance there.
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I saw the headline and thought for sure the article was about Cingrani. Like usual I was wrong.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb
Quote:
Detwiler threw 107 pitches in that April 17 outing, 100 of them fastballs. He threw only seven offspeed pitches, all curveballs. Detwiler was a fastball-heavy pitcher last year, throwing about 80 percent fastballs in 2012, according to the Pitch F/x data at BrooksBaseball.net. But he's taken it to a new level in his first four starts this season, throwing 379 fastballs in 420 pitches -- more than 90 percent.
Quote:
But that's not why Maddon smiled when he heard about Detwiler's fastball frenzy in Miami. It's because the Rays preach the importance of a fastball-first repertoire and fastball command as much as any organization in the Majors. It's how they've developed an incredible number of young pitchers, from the four homegrown starters in their current rotation -- David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore and Alex Cobb -- to the ones they've traded away, like Royals ace James Shields.
"Unless you can throw your fastball where you want it and when you want it, the other pitches almost become moot," Maddon said. "And if you choose to throw those other pitches all the time, you're probably going to get hurt."
Every pitching I know preaches this philosophy. The most valuable pitch a pitcher can throw is a well placed fastball. Establish that, and you'll be successful. How successful depends on your other pitches, but you can last a long time in the majors if you can place your fastball where you want it.
But I've been assured that Cingrani will inevitabely fail because of his fastball reliance...
Can't describe how much I'm looking forward to being there for his matchup with Detwiler Sunday. When I was in Lousiville early this month and saw Hamilton have a great night on NCAA Basketball Championship Monday, my only regret was missing Cingrani, who pitched the next night after we'd left.
Re: Sunday. My kingdom for a shutout with maybe 85% fastballs. If the Reds can continue all the other teams' hit parade against hapless Haren tomorrow, Sunday sets up as the season series deciding game. Big time.
I like what I have seen from the kid so far, but lets be honest - he's not very well known by a majority of the hitters he's facing. I'm not as "up" on this kid as some of you are, but it appears, from my simple observations though, and what I've seen so far, is that he relies a little too much on his fast ball. He needs that third pitch because that can (and will) catch up to you.
Just food for thought: Keith Law was on ESPN 1530 this week with Lance McAlister and said that he still isn't sure that Cingrani is a for sure starter. That he relies so much on deception with his fastball that he wonders if the pitch will remain good enough after he gets around the league a few times and then has to lean more on secondary stuff that he doesn't seem to trust as much.
Exactly why a contending team should not deal a starter just because a guy comes up from AAA and has a few good starts. Once guys zero in, it could go south quickly and then we'd be left needing to acquire an arm. Unless overwhelmed with something unrealistic like Stanton for Leake straight-up, I'll make do in LF if need be and keep the arms that can fill important roles this year.
I would be a bit nervous if I was Mike Leake...
Mike Leake could never do this on his best day. He's always gonna depend on grounders.
So when does this kid move to middle relief where he belongs? ;)
24 ip
5 h
28 k
6 bb
4 er
He is our second best pitcher. How can you send him back down?
I like Leake, but he's just not this good right NOW.