Reds pitching infected with the get a head fastball disease.

[captainmorgan07]

After watching Coco give that one away tonite doing something that effects almost all reds pitchers i've about had enough. Anytime they get ahead 0-2, 1-2 in the count it seems like we throw to many good pitchers that hitters can hit. We can't just be throwing get ahead fastballs in counts like these. Too many times guys like Harang, and Arroyo give up basehits on 0-2 counts. Throw a ball out of the strikezone make them chase if they don't u still have pitches to work with. I blame some of this on the catchers though. Terrible pitch calling in these situations doesn't help the matter.

[Orodle]

I think this is due to the fact that many of our pitchers go into ruts where they are routinely falling behind early in the count. Usually when Cueto has had problems this has been the case. But I do think we throw too many first pitch fastballs. Somewhere along the line it became the norm to get ahead with your fastball and finish with the off speed stuff.....many think it should be opposite. The Japanese pitchers often pitch "backwards" and many colleges pitch that way as well. I think it does make sense since many hitters sit "dead red" early in the count looking to drive the ball.


btw Dick Pole isnt the problem, did you know Greg Maddux says hes the best pitching coach he has ever had?

[superred]

btw Dick Pole isnt the problem, did you know Greg Maddux says hes the best pitching coach he has ever had?

r u serious

[Nuxhall41]

After watching Coco give that one away tonite doing something that effects almost all reds pitchers i've about had enough. Anytime they get ahead 0-2, 1-2 in the count it seems like we throw to many good pitchers that hitters can hit. We can't just be throwing get ahead fastballs in counts like these. Too many times guys like Harang, and Arroyo give up basehits on 0-2 counts. Throw a ball out of the strikezone make them chase if they don't u still have pitches to work with. I blame some of this on the catchers though. Terrible pitch calling in these situations doesn't help the matter.

This has driven me crazy all season long and it's virtually every pitcher on the staff(Volquez - All Star Game?). We throw so many 0-2, 1-2 cookies, it's ridiculous. Make them work for it. Similarly, when a pitcher is on the ropes, make him throw srtikes.

Face it, this team does not play intelligent baseball in any facet of the game.

[krm1580]

I think you are really oversimplifying the problem. First of all since now a days pitchers arms apparently fall off after 110 pitches, I don't think starters have the luxury of "wasting a pitch". Instead they should really be trying to make a perfect pitch. The days of putting one up in the eyes on 0-2 hoping they will swing have gone the way of 130+ pitch counts.

In regard to last night again I think you are over simplifying. If you believe that a pitcher is supposed to throw the ball where the catchers target is, Cueto's problem is he was missing spots, in some cases badly.

4th inning Delgado HR -He fell behind 3-1 missing on some tough calls and then left a change over the plate for the HR, not a FB.

5th inning 2RBI single to Wright - Was indeed a fastball but Ross was setup outside but Cueto missed by nearly 2 feet and put it inside.

6th inning Tatis HR - Was a slider, that was again supposed to be on the outside corner but again Cueto missed and got too much of the plate, what would be a flyball out in most parks was a HR in our bandbox.

Now I do think the strike zone last night was ridiculously small for both team but Cueto was struggle with command pretty bad. For the life of me I do not understand how do you walk a #8 hitter on 4 pitches?


Cordero as much as I will probably get flamed for saying this, made good pitches. The HR to Wright was a splitter down and away that once again was a flyball out in just about any other park. The pitch to Delgado was a change down and away so much so it was not even a strike. Delgado just did a great job of going with the pitch. Now after that I think he got frustrated and caught too much of the plate with the next hitters but the game should have been over.