6/19/12 - Reds at Indians

[Sea Ray]

That was actually a very good pitch by Chapman that Cabrera hit for the game winning home run. Sometimes you throw a good pitch and the hitter whacks it anyway.

Throwing 3-1 96 mph FBs for strikes are rarely good pitches. A good pitch there would have been a slider for a strike or a 101 mph FB

[traderumor]

Throwing 3-1 96 mph FBs for strikes are rarely good pitches. A good pitch there would have been a slider for a strike or a 101 mph FB

Except it looked off the plate. Not sure what brooks baseball shows, but it appeared to be ball 4. I tip my cap to Cabrera. Or is it that a 96 MPH fastball on the outside part of the zone is considered an inferior pitch now? Should have thrown a slider or a 101 MPH fastball. Man, the analysis gets more and more outlandish....

[Sea Ray]

Except it looked off the plate. Not sure what brooks baseball shows, but it appeared to be ball 4. I tip my cap to Cabrera. Or is it that a 96 MPH fastball on the outside part of the zone is considered an inferior pitch now? Should have thrown a slider or a 101 MPH fastball. Man, the analysis gets more and more outlandish....

I'll admit that I turned off the TV before he rounded 2nd base, I was so disgusted. I haven't looked at any replays. My point is that his problem was that every pitch for the most part was a FB on the outside part of the plate. He fell behind in the count to both Cabrera and Choo. That may be OK if he's throwing 101 but it won't work out too well with a 94- 96 mph FB

[_Sir_Charles_]

I'll admit that I turned off the TV before he rounded 2nd base, I was so disgusted. I haven't looked at any replays. My point is that his problem was that every pitch for the most part was a FB on the outside part of the plate. He fell behind in the count to both Cabrera and Choo. That may be OK if he's throwing 101 but it won't work out too well with a 94- 96 mph FB

To be fair to Chapman...those are the pitches that Hanigan called for. Outside fastballs. He clearly didn't have his good stuff however. I agree that the lack of sliders is troubling. And I've never been a fan of him closing...not that we have much say in the matter.

[traderumor]

I'll admit that I turned off the TV before he rounded 2nd base, I was so disgusted. I haven't looked at any replays. My point is that his problem was that every pitch for the most part was a FB on the outside part of the plate. He fell behind in the count to both Cabrera and Choo. That may be OK if he's throwing 101 but it won't work out too well with a 94- 96 mph FB

He didn't get away with not having it last night. That's about all that I consider needs to be said. The folks saying they don't like him as a close is disingenuous after a blown save when there is cheering for the good guys after a save.

[Sea Ray]

He didn't get away with not having it last night. That's about all that I consider needs to be said. The folks saying they don't like him as a close is disingenuous after a blown save when there is cheering for the good guys after a save.

I think he can help this club most as a closer. That's where he needs to be but he's too talented to have a two week stint like this too

[lollipopcurve]

Except it looked off the plate. Not sure what brooks baseball shows, but it appeared to be ball 4. I tip my cap to Cabrera. Or is it that a 96 MPH fastball on the outside part of the zone is considered an inferior pitch now?

Agreed -- it was a mid-90s fastball just off the outside corner. Great swing by Cabrera. The point being, no way does he put a swing like that on that pitch unless he is looking for it. And, judging by the way Chapman has been working lately, the pitch was highly predictable.

This whole fastball-only thing is hard to figure.