Officially concerned about Tommy Hanson

[jshep]

The results in ST don't bother me in the grand scheme of things, but I was hoping to see more than 88-89 with the occasional 90 out of him.

 

That's...not good.

[fan_since79]

He pitched some good batting practice today. The problem is, it was during the game.

[Ohtaniland]

Haren and Santana anyone?

[mancini79]

It's called Spring TRAINING for a reason. 

[jshep]

It's called Spring TRAINING for a reason. 

 

That doesn't make me feel any better about his velocity still being down that much.

 

If he was just getting poor results, I wouldn't have made this thread. But the fact that he's still missing 3-4 miles on his fastball is concerning.

[OregonLAA]

He's my only concern in the rotation. I'm not worried about Blanton because I know what we are getting. Hopefully the offense can save Hanson when he has his bad outings

[angelduck]

We're toast if we have to go into the season with Blanton as our 4 and Richards as our 5

[Chuck]

We're toast if we have to go into the season with Blanton as our 4 and Richards as our 5

 

We weren't toast until the third to the last game of the season with a terrible Santana, way below average Haren and whatever from Richards/Williams. Oh yeah and an unspectacular C.J. Wilson in the 2nd half. 

[Ohtaniland]

Well now, suddenly we are the "West Coast" Yankees!

 

While they're sucking the grapefruit we are ......????

[Homebrewer]

Ginger Kaz

[Redondo]

He still has a few more outing before the season starts so I am trying to be optimistic.

[RenoHalo]

Ginger Kaz

That's funny.

[Docwaukee]

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

[VariousCrap]

Was Hanson known as a power pitcher before???

[jshep]

Was Hanson known as a power pitcher before???

 

Certainly not Verlander or Strasburg, but he used to average 92-93 on his fastball.

[KingJustinian]

Was Hanson known as a power pitcher before???

 

I've never seen him pitch but this is what wikipedia says "Hanson throws four main pitches: a four-seam fastball at 89–92 mph, a slider at 78–82 mph, and a curveball at 71–73 mph. He occasionally throws a two-seam fastball and changeup, mainly to left-handed hitters. His slider is his most common 2-strike pitch to right-handers, and it responsible for a plurality of his strikeouts. His curve has the highest whiff rate, at 38% over his career."

[Ohtaniland]

I won't be officially concerned until I see an A O rant!

[Lifetime]

A couple miles an hour in velocity early in ST is not a big concern. He has only thrown a couple innings so far.

[jshep]

A couple miles an hour in velocity early in ST is not a big concern. He has only thrown a couple innings so far.

 

My understanding of the velocity gains pitchers see from ST to the beginning of the season is that they tend to be 1 mph or so. Which would still have Hanson's velocity done from where it would ideally be. 

 

I'm certainly open to reading whatever there may be that indicates that pitchers see a bigger gain though.

[Lifetime]

Tend to be which means some more some less but typically 1 mph. I'm sorry but I am not going to worry about 2 mph velocity early in ST.

[HaloMagic]

It's more like 3-4, not 2.

[Lifetime]

No it's like two.

Jshep I think the 1 - 1.5 gain you're speaking of is during the season not during ST.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13380

[Homebrewer]

Prediction.

MS will say he is not quite where he needs to be.

[HaloMagic]

No. Averaging 88 vs averaging above 92 is not 2 MPH. Sorry.