Comments on: Jimenez and Feierabend

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:00:39 +0000

I love the change-up too. I think any pitcher who doesn’t at least try to learn one is doing himself a huge disservice. Watching guys like Hamels and Hoffman throw their change-ups is watching art.

By: NBarnes

NBarnes — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:44:23 +0000

I’m just gonna say, the change-up is just about my favorite pitch ever. Pedro’s, Johan’s, Trevor’s, Moyer’s. *happy sigh*

By: don52656

don52656 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:28:22 +0000

I found it discouraging to hear Feierabend’s comments after the game, in which he basically said that he pitched a good game and the Rangers were hitting his good pitches. I’d feel better if he said that they hit his mistakes and he needed to make less of them rather than hear him say that they were hitting the best that he’s got. But, his comments jibe perfectly with the point that Dave’s making in this thread….I would be surprised if he ever made it as a major league starter.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:26:47 +0000

Pretty much – he’s got one of the best change-ups ever.

By: moocow

moocow — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:13:45 +0000

I’m curious as to what makes a guy like Trevor Hoffman so effective against like-handed hitters. That guy hasn’t broke 85 mph in years and yet he still somehow manages to be one of the top closers in the league year after year, with nothing but a fastball and a changeup. Is it just that his change is so dang good?

By: marc w

marc w — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:41:44 +0000

Maybe it was just hyperbole, but Cesar Jimenez’s average fastball at fangraphs is listed at 89.9, putting him safely above the yearly and career average of George Sherrill.
Jorge Campillo has a mid-80s FB. Feierabend is noticeably below average too. I’m just not sure Jimenez *in the relief role* fits this bill.

Jimenez’s is absolutely better in a role other than LOOGY. I still think he can be a decent option for the 7th inning or so, but much of this depends on how his slider develops. Does anyone have pitch fx data for this pitch?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:51:04 +0000

It would be interesting to see a team use a guy like Jimenez as a RH specialist and see how long it took other managers to figure it out. Their L/L, R/R matchup tendencies are so strong that you’d probably be able to consistently get the platoon advantage for at least a couple of months, and maybe longer, depending on how reticent managers were to actually pinch hit a lefty for a righty with a LH pitcher on the mound.

But, it’s not likely to make a big enough difference to be worth creating an entire strategy around it. For the M’s, especially, with Green and Corcoran, there isn’t a big need for another ROOGY.

By: dnc

dnc — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:36:39 +0000

Dave, granted that this is obviously a true statement,

“There aren’t many managers on earth who will use a southpaw as a bullpen specialist to get right-handed hitters.”

is this an unexploited market inefficiency (plenty of soft tossing lefties out there that could be righty specialists if given the chance), or are right handers that get righties out so plentiful that there would be no advantage by employing the Feierebends and Jimenez’s of the world against righties?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:01:18 +0000

Thomas has a slider that works very well against lefties. He’s a totally different animal, and actually very well suited to LH specialist work. If he can command his change-up better, there’s potential for him to become more than a LOOGY, but he’s probably the best guy down there right now for that role.

By: msb

msb — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:45:06 +0000

just wondering; is there a reason recent posts have been unattributed?

never mind.