Maddux Still Has Some Stuff

[Razor Shines]

I watched the Dodger, Giant game tonight and Maddux was untouchable. 8 innings on 68 pitches and only 2 hits! I know the Reds didn't really have a shot at him but I said when he was on the block that I thought if he was on a contender he would refocus and could be dominating for the rest of this season. Too bad Jason Schmidt was pretty good as well. He's (Maddux) always been my favorite pitcher and he can still be fun to watch.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

20 Innings pitched 9 hits and 2 earned runs since he's been in LA. Pretty darn good. He should have 3 wins instead of just the 1, but he's still helping in a big way, no doubt.

[Unassisted]

I figure that Maddux is one of those rare athletes with more smarts than pride. He's going to know when he's lost the ability to get hitters out and I figure he'll retire quietly at that point. I don't expect he will have a farewell tour, even though he deserves it.

[redssouth]

I think he is the best "pitcher" of this generation. There may be other players with better arms... but no one gets more out of what they have than greg maddux.

[TOBTTReds]

I think he is the best "pitcher" of this generation. There may be other players with better arms... but no one gets more out of what they have than greg maddux.

I second that notion.

[KySteveH]

8 innings in 68 pitches??? Take a pitch, for goodness sake!

[Tom Servo]

8 innings in 68 pitches??? Take a pitch, for goodness sake!
When they did, they were strikes.

[cincrazy]

That man could hit a gnat 55 times out of 60 from sixty feet six inches away.

[jmcclain19]

Russ Martin told a great Maddux story the other night on XM.

Martin apparently has been, for years, waiting until the last possible moment to setup for the incoming pitch because he didn't want to give away location to the batter.

Maddux apparently told him to stop doing that because he likes having a solid target to throw at. Told him not to worry about giving up location because if he hit his spots it wouldn't matter if the batter knew it was coming.

Another funny story was that Maddux told Martin there were only two reasons he should ever come to the mound when he's pitching. One would be to give him a break if he looked tired, and the other would be if Martin had a joke he wanted to tell Maddux because he thought was it was funny. But never, ever make a visit to the mound just to talk baseball with him. He just didn't want to hear it.

All great stuff.

[dman]

Does anybody know if Krivsky even toyed with the idea of getting Maddux?

[MrCinatit]

Does anybody know if Krivsky even toyed with the idea of getting Maddux?

I would like to think so. Maddux has long been one of my favorites, ever since he came up.
It is not only his pitching he brings to the Dodgers, but his expertese. OK, the Cubs were not able to use that knowledge - but then again, they have that whole "Dusty Baker" thing working against them. But I believe there are some young Dodger pitchers who could get some very valuable lessons from a master of the mound.
I kinda wish that knowledge and mastery were here.

[RedlegJake]

Translating Greg's mastery of command and deception from lesson to execution is what keeps dozens of young pitchers from succeeding year after year. Maddux can show it but then they have to throw it. One guy who I think would really benefit from a season at Greg's elbow is EZ because he has shown decent command of his stuff. Then again the Reds have a master who can teach command and deception and the art of pitching in Mario Soto.

[steig]

I think he is the best "pitcher" of this generation. There may be other players with better arms... but no one gets more out of what they have than greg maddux.

For me it depends on how we are defining "best pitcher". If we are looking at his career and body of work then I competely agree. I put him over Clemens in this b/c Maddux has much more consistent years, and he won 4 Cy Young awards in a row. Clemens got a few of the awards b/c he was Clemens and got extra press in NY.

But if we are willing to narrow down the time frame I would say that Pedro is the best pitcher of this generation. Especially if you look pre-2000, before he threw his arm out in the playoff series against the Indians. Pedro was able to locate all of his pitches, had extreme heat, nasty slider, and a curveball that buckle the most seasoned veterans. The years that he dominated are some of the most impressive pitching statistic years in the history of baseball when you compare the offensive numbers and the difference between him and then next pitcher.

Maddux was like a Porsche, graceful, majestic, and artistic in how he performed. While Pedro was like the Lamorgini, in your face, hard, sharp, and shocking.