Let’s Get Nasty: The Nestor Cortes Thread

Wingack

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Jul 14, 2005
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In The Quivering Forest
Let’s talk about Nestor Cortes. He has been absolutely dealing since the middle of last year and it doesn’t appear that he will be slowing down any time soon.

This stat jumped out at me. This doesn’t feel like it could be accurate:

View: https://twitter.com/dakern74/status/1523798295260413952?s=21&t=xMd2FXw_IGNqhrSzT5hMBw


And here are some tweets originally posted in the game thread today.

View: https://twitter.com/yestoresearch/status/1523766228594171904?s=21&t=xMd2FXw_IGNqhrSzT5hMBw


View: https://twitter.com/ktsharp/status/1523747084179939329?s=21&t=xMd2FXw_IGNqhrSzT5hMBw


View: https://twitter.com/ktsharp/status/1523749863623516162?s=21&t=xMd2FXw_IGNqhrSzT5hMBw
 

jon abbey

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Jul 15, 2005
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He got into better shape before last season and gained velocity (presumably connected but not totally sure) and has not looked back. NY signed him to a minor league deal in Dec 2020, anyone could have had him (although NY probably had a bit of an inside track since he came up with them).
 

jon abbey

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“Cortes believes he’s physically fresher because it’s the first time in nearly a decade that he didn’t pitch in the Arizona Fall League or in the Dominican winter league for extra money.

He credits head trainer Eric Cressey’s program for helping him bump his fastball velocity to 88 to 92 mph while reaching back for 94 mph when he wants it. Cortes said he became a Cressey believer particularly after watching velocity spikes in teammates Mike King and Stephen Ridings.”

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/05/yankees-nestor-cortes-turns-orioles-disrespect-into-rocket-fuel-i-was-in-a-bad-place.html
 

jon abbey

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What's crazy is that if NY had signed Verlander as they tried to (the only SP they went after), Nestor would likely not even be in the rotation.
 

Doc Zero

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Dec 6, 2007
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It’s super fun watching this guy pitch, much as it pains me to admit that. What a fun development for Yanks fans.
 

Humphrey

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Kaat must be a fan of Succession and the parts of its plot that revolve around the indiscretions of the late Lester "Mo" McClintock.
 

sean1562

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Sep 17, 2011
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I thought the way Cortes responded to that really spoke to the kind of person he seems to be

View: https://twitter.com/cortes_1210/status/1532849145383378947?s=21&t=1XHKwCeOMbMqmO-0aFqT_A


Obviously the Yankees are firing on all cylinders right now but I am amazed at how great the rotation has been. I was worried that the Cole/Severino duo was going to be one of the best 1a/1b pairings in all of baseball but your rotation is composed entirely of pitchers that are having dominant years. I find it hard to root against players like Cortes that came out of nowhere to have great success and players that have overcome great adversity like Taillon and to a lesser extent Severino. Cole is really the only SP on the Yankees I can hate.
 

EvilEmpire

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I don't think I've loved a pitcher as much as Nestor since El Duque. Along with Judge, Nestor and his battery mate Jose Trevino are my favorite Yankees to root for right now. But aside from a couple of guys, I really like almost all of them. Fun team to be a fan of, and it goes beyond wins and losses. It's a balanced team with hitting, pitching and defense that won't drive you crazy with with giant, obvious flaws like past seasons.

Of course success on the field puts a shiny gloss on everything.

It may not last, and the injury bug is always a concern, but I'm enjoying the ride. Players like Nestor are a big reason why.
 
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