jon abbey said:There is little I hate more than coming off as a Yankee spokesman/apologist on this site (and I don't think I do very often)
Good one.
jon abbey said:There is little I hate more than coming off as a Yankee spokesman/apologist on this site (and I don't think I do very often)
terrynever said:Thanks, Jon. I think the past few years have beaten into Yankee fans the idea that there are very few certainties on this roster. We're in the wishin' and hoping stage until new talent emerges and proves itself. JA has been predicting this for the past three years. Yanks are rebuilding, transitioning while bad contracts work their way to completion over the next three years. It seems like pitching is the one area where this team can be competent this season. If ... Pineda and Eovaldi can step up. That's a big if.
jon abbey said:
I mean, I'm guessing to an extent, but I think it's a combination of things:
1) Communication between Tanaka and NY is less than ideal, as is the case for many Japanese players. I don't think it's terrible, it's just not perfect.
2) He is essentially revamping the way he wants to pitch and needs to go against big league hitters in real games to make that work, extended spring training games won't really help much.
3) Arm strength is probably not really the issue, since he is throwing his splitter at 87, at least any more than it is for most pitchers who aren't really in mid-summer form in the first week of April. Since the splitter is his best pitch, maybe that is the pitch to keep an eye on for his velocity.
I think maybe the main reason Tanaka is possibly a pretty unusual case is that (keeping in mind he still has only about a half season total sample size in MLB) the harder he throws, the straighter it is and the more it gets hammered. This was again the case Monday when the hardest pitch he threw (93) got roped into RF for a two run single by Martin.
So I think despite the fact that it obviously gives him less margin for error, he still feels his best shot at success going forward is to try to work at 91 or 92 but with increased movement. Honestly I think that the UCL tear is pretty much a non-issue for him at this point, and he would be attempting this transition anyway. No pitcher wants to cut down the potential range of their velocity if at all possible, but I think Tanaka has understandably decided that he needs to at least try and maybe it's his best chance for success going forward.
jon abbey said:
I mean, I'm guessing to an extent, but I think it's a combination of things:
1) Communication between Tanaka and NY is less than ideal, as is the case for many Japanese players. I don't think it's terrible, it's just not perfect.
2) He is essentially revamping the way he wants to pitch and needs to go against big league hitters in real games to make that work, extended spring training games won't really help much.
3) Arm strength is probably not really the issue, since he is throwing his splitter at 87, at least any more than it is for most pitchers who aren't really in mid-summer form in the first week of April. Since the splitter is his best pitch, maybe that is the pitch to keep an eye on for his velocity.
I think maybe the main reason Tanaka is possibly a pretty unusual case is that (keeping in mind he still has only about a half season total sample size in MLB) the harder he throws, the straighter it is and the more it gets hammered. This was again the case Monday when the hardest pitch he threw (93) got roped into RF for a two run single by Martin.
So I think despite the fact that it obviously gives him less margin for error, he still feels his best shot at success going forward is to try to work at 91 or 92 but with increased movement. Honestly I think that the UCL tear is pretty much a non-issue for him at this point, and he would be attempting this transition anyway. No pitcher wants to cut down the potential range of their velocity if at all possible, but I think Tanaka has understandably decided that he needs to at least try and maybe it's his best chance for success going forward.
“We asked about it; the question was asked about the velocity and everything,” Girardi said. “He said, ‘Well, I’m going to pitch different.’ What he was trying to say is, ‘I’m not a guy that throws 96, 97, 98. I use my off-speed a lot. I did last year. I’m a guy that throws sliders and splits and throws some fastballs. It’s about one-third of each one of them, in a sense.’
“I think what he was meaning to say is, ‘I’m not a flamethrower. That’s not how I pitch. I am going to pitch different than some of the other guys that throw hard.’”
SeanBerry said:So this makes sense to you?
-Guy has brilliant first half in MLB. Totally dominates American League.
-Finds out he has 10-15% tear in UCL.
-Comes back and is trying NOT to to what he did last year? Y'know...when he was awesome?
You honestly think that's reason he's backing off the four seamer? Because it got hit? Dude... the manager is feeding you such a line of bullshit here. The four-seamer both makes the two-seamer harder to read. Why would you walk away from that? Why would you mess with the success you had in 2014?
SeanBerry said:
-Guy has brilliant first half in MLB. Totally dominates American League.
-Finds out he has 10-15% tear in UCL.
-Comes back and is trying NOT to to what he did last year? Y'know...when he was awesome?
wade boggs chicken dinner said:
In JA's defense (not that he needs my defense), if Tanaka was really worried about his elbow, wouldn't he be cutting down on splitters and throwing more four-seamers?
Given some of the articles in the thread, it could very well be that he thinks his four-seamer is too flat and wants to throw it less. Doesn't necessarily mean that he's right (i.e., Schilling's comment).
Trying to protect his elbow by throwing more splitters. Seems legit.wade boggs chicken dinner said:
In JA's defense (not that he needs my defense), if Tanaka was really worried about his elbow, wouldn't he be cutting down on splitters and throwing more four-seamers?
Given some of the articles in the thread, it could very well be that he thinks his four-seamer is too flat and wants to throw it less. Doesn't necessarily mean that he's right (i.e., Schilling's comment).
Warren hasn't had great starts, but Capuano doesn't seem like an upgrade. I'd stick with the Warren for a little longer--unless one of the late inning relievers gets hurt and you can move Warren into an important role. The Yankees still say Nova won't be back until June. If he's 100% then he's likely the fifth starter.jon abbey said:Capuano and Nova both getting closer to returning. I know it always works itself out, but there is a roster crunch coming if everyone stays healthy.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/04/27/ivan-nova-chris-capuano-new-york-yankees/
cheekydave said:OH OH
Tanaka to the 15 day DL with a forearm strain
cheekydave said:Jon about 7 writers have the news as it were on twitter and the twitter universe has been asking aloud when if ever will the YES announcers announce it.
I have no idea what the real truth is, but the YES version of it seems to make it sound like nothing, the twitterverse makes it sound like....something that could be a result of pitching with a bad arm causing stress and problems to pop up in other areas.
Of course, I guess we will see what it is when we see what it is....
terrynever said:Inevitable is a good way to describe what's next.
Contradicts that tweet above, doesn't it?jon abbey said:
This isn't what the Yankees think, if you just heard Cashman talk about it on YES.
MakMan44 said:Contradicts that tweet above, doesn't it?
jon abbey said:https://twitter.com/BryanHoch/status/593221420710240256
ThePrideofShiner said:
Mark Feinsand @FeinsandNYDN 1m1 minute ago
With Tanaka shut down for 7-10 days, Cashman said "Let's conservatively say he's down for a month." Said it could be a little less or more.