Comments on: March 8.10: Maine goes today.

By: SteveC.

SteveC. — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:39:02 +0000

Harry, lets get something straight. I do not demean people as you take so much pleasure in doing. Secondly , it is not a fantasy to expect a starter to go more than 5 innings. Regardless of the era, every pitcher worth his salt says the same thing. So get off your fricken high horse and talk civilly. because honestly you have worn yourself very thin with me.
You seem to enjoy getting a rise out of peope but you know what, its old and its tired. so why not start the new year by not being such a twink.

By: Harry Chiti

Harry Chiti — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:15:35 +0000

Harry doesn’t want little league pitchers. But harry isn’t a little baby talking about something that doesn’t exist anymore. You have no evidence to support your statement. I’m in Little League. You’re in Fantasy Island. We need you to tell us now that team’s are expected to have 4 starters, and 7-8 man benches. That must be the way it is since pitchers in 2010 are expected to pitch 9 innings. Do you enjoy watching baseball on your black and white TV?

By: Gil In Orlando

Gil In Orlando — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:57:33 +0000

I can only hope things continue on the present trajectory for the first base job. Daniel Murphy so far is hitting .083 and Ike Davis is hitting .588. Keep it up Ike! Take the job!

By: SteveC.

SteveC. — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:30:50 +0000

Then they should get paid for 5 innings. a game and not be worth 30-80 million dollars.
Then get rid of the term starter and just have a rotation of pitchers that you cycle through every pitcher can start or be in the bull pen what a concept. oh thats right they do that in little league.

There ya have it, harry wants little league pitchers that can go at least 7 innings.
you know what – I rather be wrong and expect the pitcher to earn his salary.

By: Harry Chiti

Harry Chiti — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:53:20 +0000

Steve C…You don’t have to agree. You are just wrong. you are living in a different era. What team expects its starter to complete a game? Do you know in the entire NL there were only 76 complete games, and in the entire AL there were also a total of 76 complete games. The Giants led all of baseball in complete games with ELEVEN!! Fifteen teams had less than 5 complete games. So it is not expected. The game has changed, for better or worse… But to say pitchers are expected to go all the way is just pure fantasy in 2010.

By: dave

dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:30:46 +0000

yes.

the point is that they are not taught and trained to go that long. so what happens? you are always looking for more relief help because your pen is fried and your starters are ineffective. the old pitchers do not understand why the pitchers are told to toss the ball 200 feet. they only have to throw 60 feet, but they practice far longer than that. Why? they need to show power and control for 60 feet not 200.

so they pratice to be outfielders but cannot properly perform their function. it makes sense to me.

By: SteveC.

SteveC. — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:22:46 +0000

Here’s an interesting debate about going the distance..
http://www.helium.com/debates/167271-are-mlb-pitchers-capable-of-complete-games/side_by_side

By: dave

dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:22:30 +0000

part of my problem is that except for the elite pitchers they dont know how to pitch.

ron tells a story where he was getting shelled. the manager or coach came out and he thought he was done. he was told that he was going to stay out there for the duration. the point was the manager knew the game was over, but for his education he was going to continue pitching until he made an adjustment.

whatever he needed to do to throw strikes, make them miss, whatever. managers have a quick hook to bring in some loser who more often than not is just as ineffective but has less tools so you have to take him out too.

Pelf was left in a few years ago to get bombed. he is still learning, but that is what you need to do. let them pitch and figure out how to get out of the jams of their own making.

yeah you get tired. but you learn to do what you do after you are tired. hopefully this carries over to when you are fresh and you become better for it.

By: SteveC.

SteveC. — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:01:39 +0000

I am sorry, I cannot agree with you on this issue. The starter , starts and usually expected to finish. They are taken out for strategy during a close or losing game, they are actually DONE, they should NOT be taken out the 8th inning because they threw 100 pitches its now 7-2 their teams favor. Let the man get the win he earned. unless one of the 2 above issues.
Let’s not belabor this point because you will have your argument I will have mine. we can all agree pitching is not what it used to be … better or worse or somewhere in between.

By: Harry Chiti

Harry Chiti — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:51:38 +0000

Its NOTHING about going the distance. Its in the past. If a guy can finish a game on 100 pitches then he’ll go all the way. Pitchers like Seaver point to themselves buyt they ignore all the guys like Jim Bouton who couldn’t handle the heavy work load and vanished quickly from the scene because there was no TJ surgery to save their careers. As more and more research is done baseball will find the happy area for each pitcher and get away from the same count for each guy. But even a guy like Seaver willeventually admit he had a pitch count. It was just higher than 100.