Inside Pitch

I probably jinxed him but, YES...

First time out, 1 IP, K's the side. Mariano Quintana.

"That's 6 innings too long for any pitcher" -- Joe Maddon

One cup....

I have argued all year that Quintana has been better than the numbers and that he's been the defense's biggest victim but... Dude's been completely unable to hit his spots all year. The one thing he's legit been awful at is command.... So, he's going to the pen? I get it, they want to maybe salvage some value, but if they have lost confidence in his ability to start, cut bait already. I know they have nothing to lose really but ...sunk cost man. Now watch him do the RP version of Upton as a leadoff hitter.

He's a fun guy, super positive. Hope he's ok.

Asks me if it was that important to prove him wrong. Continues to argue he's not by redefining all previous statements to try to save face after he's shown to be talking out both sides of his mouth and out his posterior. But its important to me, right? Physician heal thyself. I'm glad he's in AA and will get to develop.

This is you talking about his change up. In this post "he needs to learn one." It's actually been his best pitch throughout his career so, this statement makes it seem you're unaware of his repertoire or rather, unfamiliar with his strengths and weaknesses. This is you after several people mentioned it's actually his best pitch arguing he can't control it, and that he's constantly piping the pitch -- I'm guessing the assumption is that he's throwing a meatball when he does?? But let's move on. This is you arguing he lacks control and that may be why he isn't throwing it... but he's piping them remember. Also, you seem to think a 22 year old rookie that had not pitched above A ball prior to this season has the carte blanche to decide his game-plan. This is you double or tripling down on the lack of control of his best pitch ... but wait, there is more... This is you, after making several references to his not having control of the pitch now saying you know it's not meant to be a strike ... This is me trying to follow along. You're all over the place. I'm going to try to make clear what my point was when I first responded... But first -- a study of Chris Rodriguez and pitch selection post IL stint. First game back. 22 pitches, 1 change-up. Called ball. Second game back... 16 pitches, 1 change up -- it was swung on and fouled off. Third game back 15 pitches, 0 change ups. Fourth game back 14 pitches, 0 change ups. Final game before demotion 21 pitches, 1 change up. Ball. So... Since coming back. 88 pitches thrown, 3 change ups. THREE. Only one of which was swung on and it was fouled off. 3.4% of his pitches have been change-ups... ZERO of them hurt him. So my point... He doesn't need to "learn one." He's not having trouble with it. He's not piping it when he does throw it. The problem is he's NOT been throwing his best pitch and their usage of him isn't allowing him to actually USE or DEVELOP it, because you don't throw a pitch that drops like a 12/6 curve but tends to not be a strike when you're missing with your sinker and curveball. Maybe you have been mistaking his change for his curve because of the movement -- but the facts simply don't support your POV. I think the more important thing is you see the potential, and believe he simply needs to tap into it -- so, we agree there... but our logic getting there is based on very different views of the the same problem. Hopefully now that he's in AA, he will start throwing those other pitches, learn how to set guys up more. I'd almost wish they would find a veteran minor league game caller to pair with him and Detmers in AA because that kid's stuff has also been playing up. Anyway... There was a lot of interesting insight coming from Gubi his last game out; he talked up his slider, and his change, specifically his change. He's obviously seen him throwing it in bullpen sessions or on the side, he's aware of what a wipeout pitch it is and if anything it sounded like was lamenting the fact that he wasn't being used in a way where he could. It's a ridiculously good pitch. CRod's change is vicious because of it's movement, not because of a change in velocity or the plane it's thrown at. Thing is, it's a pitch that he needs to throw, and he's not been doing that pitching once every four days for 1 inning at a time and even less so when he's been failing to throw strikes with his sinker and curve.

Those guys are 27. I realize you like Maddon but his track record with young players is actually pretty spotty. He's thrown quite a few of them under the bus over the years both in TB, and Chicago. Ward and Walsh are both development department wins. Neither guy resembles the player/hitters they were when they were drafted, but we have to give Maddon credit for giving Walsh at bats and allowing him to flourish.

But its totally not been the defense....

He never uses it because of the role he's in. You're also making a mistake believing that the pitch is meant to be a strike. The bottom drops out of it and people miss it, that's how he's used it. The fact that he hasn't been throwing it/developing it has been a continuous source of scorn/lament for those of us that have followed him. Good talk.

Save money? I really don't give a flying #$%& if Arte saves money. I'd move him for controllable pitching or a young position player at a need position but, I don't see any point to reducing payroll if it creates a black hole. Adell still isn't ready, Marsh for all his talent needs to stay upright for more than 30 consecutive days, 30 seconds would be a nice start.. I have vivid memories of life after GA in LF, and D-Macs body betraying him, so screw saving money.

He likely has a trade market regardless of whether or not the Angels paid it down. Teams interested in him don't likely give a shit about his HR or RBI totals, his predictors are all pretty good to great, even with a shitty K rate. https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/justin-upton-457708?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb That's a shit ton of red. Paying down may get them a better prospect but he's played well enough where he's likely dispelled the talk about potential death spiral decline.

He also had to deal with fan favorites on contenders. Manny and Paul O'Neill always sucked up a ton of votes.

Translation.... We want him to throw his other pitches.