Weaver will be fine

[Ohtaniland]

Jered Weaver has been the homegrown heart of the team for several years now but this velocity thing also plagued his brother Jeff in his early 30's. Jeff retired at age 33.

I admire Jered for who he is and what he's accomplished but I don't want to see him finish his career getting shelled.

Edited April 7, 2015 by CALZONE

[fan_since79]

I seem to recall Weaver had a "tired arm" a few years ago at the beginning of the season. Could that be what we're seeing here?

[Ohtaniland]

I seem to recall Weaver had a "tired arm" a few years ago at the beginning of the season. Could that be what we're seeing here?

Yes that's correct that Jered went through what described as a "dead arm" phase early in 2013. I remember back in 2010-2011 that our offense was soo bad that Weaver was forced to consistantly pitch late into games. I think that might have been a contributing factor and why his velocity is down today. We burned him out.

[bloodbrother]

Wasn't Weav's FB velocity pretty low at the start of last year as well? Maybe he just takes a few starts to warm up a bit. Hope we see it more around 85-87 MPH rather than the 81-83 we were seeing yesterday. Ackley's eyes lit up when he saw that 81 MPH fastball belt high

[HaloCory22]

Lefties are going to feast on that eephus fastball all year long. Anything inside will get crushed. He needs to command it better and possibly add some movement. 2 seam/cut action.

[WallyWorld]

At this point I think you just have to hope he is an average SP, maybe an ERA right around 4. He'll have the occasional great start where he still looks like a front-line guy, but I suspect there will be a lot of starts like yesterday. 5 or 6 IP, 3 or 4 ERs, keeps the team generally in the game but needs help from the offense. That's who Weaver is now.

[Stradling]

At this point I think you just have to hope he is an average SP, maybe an ERA right around 4. He'll have the occasional great start where he still looks like a front-line guy, but I suspect there will be a lot of starts like yesterday. 5 or 6 IP, 3 or 4 ERs, keeps the team generally in the game but needs help from the offense. That's who Weaver is now.

This mixed in with games where he hits his spots and dominates even though his stuff doesn't say he should dominate.

[WallyWorld]

differential between fb and offspeed stuff is more important than just plain old fastball velocity

it's still pretty good for weaver. i see him having a winning record this year pretty handily.

True to an extent but he still has to locate that FB. His command has become increasingly erratic, and I think that's as much the problem as velocity.

[Jobu]

Wasn't Weav's FB velocity pretty low at the start of last year as well? Maybe he just takes a few starts to warm up a bit. Hope we see it more around 85-87 MPH rather than the 81-83 we were seeing yesterday. Ackley's eyes lit up when he saw that 81 MPH fastball belt high

According to pitchf/x data, he was at 86 to start the season. He dipped some in mid April but was pretty consistently above 86 for the rest of the year.

[eaterfan]

Maybe the drop in velocity has contributed to some of the control issues. Perhaps he's throwing it farther toward the edge of the zine because he knows he can't miss in the zone without being punished.

Edited April 7, 2015 by eaterfan

[Ohtaniland]

Jeff Weaver suffered from a dead arm issues, velocity and bouts of tendinitis. Jered has suffered from the same symptoms during his career. Jeff at 33 retired early because of it.

[bloodbrother]

The decline in his command is the bigger issue. Obviously the FB is a meatball pitch and he'll need to pitch backwards in order to have success and he's been doing that for a while now...but prior to 2014, Weaver was impeccable with his command of all of his pitches. This past year and so far this season - granted it's one start - the command of his pitches hasn't been there as often as before. Too often he's falling behind in the count to hitters and too often he's sailing his FB way up and away out of the zone, which may as well be a wasted pitch since it's an easy take for any hitter, even for Josh Hamilton. How many of his 81 MPH fastballs yesterday were thrown neck high and away from hitters? They were basically pitchouts.

 

His HR rate increased significantly last year and if this trend continues we'll be looking at him allowing 30+ bombs this season.

 

2010: 89.9 mph
2011: 89.1 mph
2012: 87.8 mph
2013: 86.5 mph
2014: 86.3 mph
2015: 84.3 mph(one start)

 

It's been a slow but gradual decline in velocity from 2010-2014. Don't like the 2 MPH drop from last year to this year so far though .Hopefully for the Halos sake it's just him still warming up a bit and that the velocity creeps back up closer to 2014 level

Edited April 7, 2015 by bloodbrother

[Docwaukee]

According to pitchf/x data, he was at 86 to start the season. He dipped some in mid April but was pretty consistently above 86 for the rest of the year.

yep.  his velo avg of 84.3 on the fastball yesterday was the lowest of his career.  

 

He's gone thru dead arm phases before so it could pick up a bit, but his location wasn't very good as well.  The strike zone was huge yesterday as well.  He got several pitches out of the zone he shouldn't have.

 

It's certainly concerning but I go with the wait and see.  

[Hollyw00d]

he'll be fine if tony stark builds him a power suit that he can use during games

Edited April 7, 2015 by Hollyw00d

[Reveille1984]

At a certain point even if his command was above average to good, you still need velocity to give hitters something to think about and to slow their reaction times.  There's a reason you don't see many guys succeed in the bigs with a low 80's heater. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

He'll be fine. Hes no longer a beast, hes no longer a front end guy. He gets to start opening day because of his tenure.

No longer a stud, but a servicable pitcher whos gonna border between ugly nights and good ones

[bloodbrother]

He's been steadily declining each of the past 3 years so I expect a bit more decline. 3.59 ERA last year...I think it finishes above that this year. 3.80-4.00 ERA is what I'm mostly expecting from Weav this season

[Butcher'd]

At this point it's a win if he can finish his contract as a serviceable MLB starter. Him and Wilson coming off the books in 2 years will allow the Angels to potentially recreate their rotation.

 

Maybe go after Jordan Zimmerman this offseason?

 

Richards

Zimmerman

Shoemaker

Skaggs

Heaney

 

in 2 years 

[Mark68]

he'll be fine if tony stark builds him a power suit that he can use during games

Yes, but MLB would still have to let him use it in-game.

[Jobu]

Yes, but MLB would still have to let him use it in-game.

Obligatory: he can just do it and then turn himself in.

[Jimmag]

Is there a younger brother we can replace him with like we did Jeff? Then Jered can go to St Louis and win that Championship he is missing. Ouch!

[mancini79]

At this point it's a win if he can finish his contract as a serviceable MLB starter. Him and Wilson coming off the books in 2 years will allow the Angels to potentially recreate their rotation.

 

Maybe go after Jordan Zimmerman this offseason?

 

Richards

Zimmerman

Shoemaker

Skaggs

Heaney

 

in 2 years

Weaver's contract is already a win. I would like to see him a life long halo.

[Ohtaniland]

Is there a younger brother we can replace him with like we did Jeff? Then Jered can go to St Louis and win that Championship he is missing. Ouch!

So the 5 year / $85M contract might not turn out to be a bargain. F'n Reagins!

[Oz27]

Weaver's contract is already a win. I would like to see him a life long halo.

Jered's decline has him about on course to be a fifth starter on a lousy team once his contract here ends...if that. The reason we stockpiled these young arms is clearly in large part because Weaver and Wilson have no future here beyond 2016. In Jered's case that makes me sad, but at this stage I think it's denying the inevitable.

[Hollyw00d]

<p>can't wait for 2020 when trout is making 30 million and hitting .240 with 300 Ks</p>