Terrible Pitching, Richards...

[fan_since79]

We've got older veterans who are either awful or inconsistent, mixed in with young players who are talented but inexperienced. Add in a large heaping of injuries, and the result is a mess.

[Homebrewer]

It was a risk for sure. He has thrown some good fast balls but has been inconsistent. 

You must be Scioscia's post game comment writer.

Just missed a spot here and there.

[full circle]

lol @ that not being a bad pitch called.  

[moccasin]

So are you saying he should have thrown an obvious breaking ball that fools nobody, risk a WP or hang one, and wait till it's an even count?

Fastball wasn't a bad call. You have to throw it sometime. If you can't locate it 0-2, you won't in other counts as well.

[full circle]

So are you saying he should have thrown an obvious breaking ball that fools nobody, risk a WP or hang one, and wait till it's an even count?

Fastball wasn't a bad call. You have to throw it sometime. If you can't locate it 0-2, you won't in other counts as well.

Actually Richards had thrown a lot of breaking balls that had fooled somebody's.  

[Lifetime]

Go pound salt 

[jshep]

So are you saying he should have thrown an obvious breaking ball that fools nobody, risk a WP or hang one, and wait till it's an even count?

Fastball wasn't a bad call. You have to throw it sometime. If you can't locate it 0-2, you won't in other counts as well.

 

I'm saying he should be throwing one of the pitches he's actually been able to throw effectively in that situation.

 

He's either been grooving fastballs or spiking them in the dirt all night, it's an 0-2 count. The only thing that has been fooling the As all night has been his breaking balls, why not try that instead of the pitch you're having no success with?

[Homebrewer]

The fact is...there is NO F'N REASON to try and sneak a fastball past that guy in an 0-2 count.

It is stupidity, and even I saw it coming.

The leadership on this team blows on every level.

[fan_since79]

It's worse than some of those teams from the 90's, because we knew those teams were bad. These past few years we were expected to do much better.

[full circle]

Cespedes had been all over his fastball all night.  Previous AB, hello?  He had just thrown him two fastballs in a row the second of which he was right on even though it was in off the plate.  He had the fastball timed very well.  The proper pitch is the slider or curve away right there.  Horrible pitching is right.  

[moccasin]

I'm saying he should be throwing one of the pitches he's actually been able to throw effectively in that situation.

 

He's either been grooving fastballs or spiking them in the dirt all night, it's an 0-2 count. The only thing that has been fooling the As all night has been his breaking balls, why not try that instead of the pitch you're having no success with?

OK, I admit I wasn't watching the whole game closely enough. The 0-2 fastball is an effective pitch, but maybe not in this situation.

[AngelsLakersFan]

So are you saying he should have thrown an obvious breaking ball that fools nobody, risk a WP or hang one, and wait till it's an even count?

Fastball wasn't a bad call. You have to throw it sometime. If you can't locate it 0-2, you won't in other counts as well.

Seriously? He located his curve far better tonight than his fastball.

[Tyler]

If you're going to argue for a fastball in an 0-2 count, it better be letters high.

[bdavis621]

A's go for Ped's we go for Losers.

[full circle]

If you're going to argue for a fastball in an 0-2 count, it better be letters high.

Even one letter high would have been crushed the way Cespedes was gearing for it.  

[moccasin]

Seriously? He located his curve far better tonight than his fastball.

I already admitted that I wasn't watching the team on defense as closely. I watched 19 innings yesterday, give me a break here.

[Angel Oracle]

You are a trooper moccasin. I couldn't stay up for 19 innings.

[austin724]

Time for Arte to open up and step in. 

[full circle]

Time for Arte to open up and step in. 

Yes it is, but it won't happen.  

[austin724]

I honestly cannot see why Arte wouldn't do something about this. He has spent too much money not to.

[EE_]

Another pitcher with a great arm that doesn't know how to pitch.

 

What were Butchers qualifications to be hired by the Angels? One terrible year with Tampa? Isn't it interesting how TB allowed him to take a lateral job with the Angels without requiring compensation? If they viewed Butcher as a valuable commodity would that have happened?

No. He got his job with the Angels because he was good buddies with the fat man. Nepotism. 

 

Why does an organization that aspires to be among the best in the game rely on a coach with no proven track record of success? Well, in his seventh year Butcher is very proven now. He sucks. He is incapable of getting the best out of the pitchers under his guidance.

 

I don't want to hear the blatherings of some sycophant demanding "proof" that Butcher is responsible for year after year of poor pitching. Butcher is compared to his peers and I don't think even the most pathetic pollyana could make a case that Butcher is among the best in his field. You don't need proof. You just need to believe that one of his peers is better. A very low standard.

 

I'm sure Butcher will "sleep like a baby" tonight because "he knows how good he is". In reality he probably sleeps like a baby because of who he knows instead of what he does.

[jsnpritchett]

This is an interesting topic, and i look forward to seeing it end with a productive and meaningful outcome.

[bdavis621]

Butcher was a bad pitcher when he played the game. Why the hell is he still the pitching coach?

[jshep]

This is an interesting topic, and i look forward to seeing it end with a productive and meaningful outcome.

 

I'm sure a middleground on which all parties involved can agree will be found here.

[full circle]

Anywho, EE had a great post up above.  Well done sir.