Comments on: Don’t blame the layoff; blame Justin Verlander for Game 1 loss

By: bh192012

bh192012 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:34:05 +0000

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?month=10&day=24&year=2012&game=gid_2012_10_24_detmlb_sfnmlb_1%2F&pitchSel=217096&prevGame=gid_2012_10_24_detmlb_sfnmlb_1%2F&prevDate=1024

Those are the pitches from last night. Honestly I think (opinion warning!) it’s a tighter strike zone than when Verlander faced the A’s recently. I think tight strike zones hurt Verlander since he has to put it where people can hit it. With Zito it’s got so much movement on the curve, that even strikes are harder to get in play. When Verlander faced the A’s he had a wide zone and worked inside/outside effectively.

Basically when you force pitchers to throw strikes the guy with the most movement is better. When you expand the zone, the guy who can locate better has the advantage. It’s hard to hit a 96mph fastball outside the plate, but much easier to hit one over it.

By: nbjays

nbjays — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:12:30 +0000

…or he just stinks when pitching to NL hitters, which would explain his ALCS/ALDS success.

By: nbjays

nbjays — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:10:37 +0000

Yeah, weird. Must be something to do with pitching to National League hitters that gives him the heebie-jeebies.

By: weaselpuppy

weaselpuppy — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:53:30 +0000

Nice Cecil Fielder reference in there….

By: oceanpeaks

oceanpeaks — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:45:54 +0000

I wouldn’t read too much into it… baseball is 80% adrenalin and momentum, and the Giants (and their fans) are still overflowing with natural juice from the NLCS. That’s a freight train in this game, so it was unlikely that Verlander or any other pitcher could beat them in game one. But, most baseball streaks don’t last long, and the Tigers have a very explosive offense with three straight shots at home, so don’t be surprised…

By: ezwriter69

ezwriter69 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:43:48 +0000

This was a pretty typical post-season outing for Verlander, who, great as he’s been in the regular season, simply hasn’t delivered consistently in the post-season. Not hating, I’d love to have him on my team, but he simply hasn’t been much better than average overall in the post-season.

By: ezwriter69

ezwriter69 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:43:48 +0000

By: SOBEIT

SOBEIT — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:06:22 +0000

Underdogs to the end…and that’s the way I like it. Lot’s of games left and the Tigers are in the fall classic for a good reason. But it couldn’t have started any better! I think the series against the A’s proved to me that we have a chance against the Tigers, no matter what everyone else thinks!!!

Go Gigantes!!! Adios Pelota!!!!

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:06:27 +0000

its an awesome feeling to rattle the best pitcher in the game…but (as a Giants fan), we gotta stay humble. there is A LOT more to play…

By: hisgirlgotburrelled

hisgirlgotburrelled — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:03:32 +0000

You have to give more of the credit to Sandoval on those 2 HR’s. The first one was above the letters.

By: slartibartfast4242

slartibartfast4242 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:01:12 +0000

Dude. It’s San Fran. That type of collision would have triggered the next big earth quake. I cringed seeing miggy fall to the ground trying to make a play at third.

But, I agree, that would make the best ‘slo-mo’ ever. May be they’ll use it for the next Cheezit ad.

By: indaburg

indaburg — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:32:25 +0000

He seemed to handle the bright lights of the ALDS and the ALCS just fine.

By: indaburg

indaburg — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:31:03 +0000

I hope not. He’s one of the leading contenders for the Cy Young, has one bad outing, and now his chick is suddenly a distraction? I’d like to give your fan base the benefit of the doubt.

By: nbjays

nbjays — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:10:36 +0000

I don’t know about the World Series, Inda, but that was definitely the All-Star Game Justin Verlander out there last night.

By: 1baseballfan

1baseballfan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:30:40 +0000

I think it’s sort of the other way around.
Yes, he may be incapable of KNOWING but should try to do MORE early and not worry about what’s in the tank later. With all the coverage about his velocity increasing late in the game, maybe he should do that earlier with more relievers available in the playoffs.

By: seeingwhatsticks

seeingwhatsticks — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:41:41 +0000

True, but it only bounced because he doesn’t have the range to be able to charge that ball. Pagan was going to be safe at 1B even if the ball doesn’t ricochet off the bag. Only chance for an out on that play is to charge the ball.

By: ningenito78

ningenito78 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:24:13 +0000

Giants in 5.

By: marinersnate

marinersnate — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:09:57 +0000

“The mound visit made Verlander seem childish.”

Back in May, I watched Verlander throw an absolute babyfit at Safeco. He pitched six innings of good ball, but threw an absolute fit over umpire Brian Knight’s strike zone. He thew his mitt, turned his back, spat at calls, and then screamed at the umpire. (I am not saying that the M’s should have won this game. Not my point at all.) He just seemed to think that he was entitled to some sort of special strike zone. You almost expected him to scream “Don’t you know who I am?”

When the 6th inning was over, he seemed to think better of his actions (or his future with this ump) and instead of heading for the dugout (knowing he was done for the night) decided to suddenly head for home plate and shake Brian Knight’s hand. “No hard feelings, Pal.”

Verlander is a little Diva. Period.

Here is a link to BrooksBaseball’s strike zone for that night. I count as many balls outside the zone being called strikes as I do strikes being called balls. Judge for yourself.

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?month=5&day=8&year=2012&game=gid_2012_05_08_detmlb_seamlb_1%2F&pitchSel=434378&prevGame=gid_2012_05_08_detmlb_seamlb_1%2F&prevDate=58

By: kanyong712

kanyong712 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:52:22 +0000

I blame the giants!!!!!!

By: txnative61

txnative61 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:46:56 +0000

As I saw it the Giants came out sharp and took charge of the game. The blame lies with them.

By: txnative61

txnative61 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:35:02 +0000

Balls can hit in foul territory before being fielded in fair territory and are then fair except past 1st or 3rd base.

By: marinersnate

marinersnate — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:34:25 +0000

“That was actually a foul ball!! look it up on video you will see that the ball hit the FOUL TERRITORY AND THEN BOUNCED IN FRONT FOR POSEY TO GRAB AND TAG YOUNG. that shouldn’t even happen and now you know why young didn’t take off.”

You should probably know the rules before you attempt to lecture the rest of us on them.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:21:55 +0000

Rest assured, some people in the D will blame this on Kate Upton being a distraction. You don’t get a much dumber narrative than that.

By: TheBlindUmp

TheBlindUmp — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:17:30 +0000

His display on the mound visit was incredible, “why are you out here?”. He thinks he’s above being coached. Not a good thing for team chemistry going forward.

By: TheBlindUmp

TheBlindUmp — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:15:34 +0000

good point. Verlander got beat tonight. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball, in my opinion. But, he’s not unbeatable in his next game even if he pitches well. The Giants are playing well and their hitting, and luck, seems to be exceptional right now. But momentum is only as good as the next days starting pitcher. I’m looking forward to a great WS.

By: whitlockd

whitlockd — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:08:05 +0000

I just saw the replay on MLB. He totally threw down the bat as if he had a hit. Ha.

By: rodtorfelson

rodtorfelson — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:04:24 +0000

So the 2012 ALDS and ALCS weren’t competed on the national stage?

By: sailcat54

sailcat54 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:57:02 +0000

All righty, then! The Giants need to keep the pressure on the Tigers starting pitchers because Detroit’s relievers suck. If (and it’s a big if) Detroit has to keep going back to their bullpen, it will mean the Giants will continue to score big in the later innings. I mean, look at Valverde. Damn.

Gotta feel good for Zito, though. It’s good to see him come back in this way.

By: TheBlindUmp

TheBlindUmp — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:56:23 +0000

The mound visit made Verlander seem childish. “What are you doing out here?” you could read his lips. It could really put the Tigers in disarray, the star pitcher is above being coached and it showed.

By: whitlockd

whitlockd — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:51:50 +0000

This isn’t really an example of outplaying anyone, but did anyone else notice Fielder drop the bat after his liner that Blanco made the diving catch on? It had the look of the way that someone might drop a bat after going deep although it could have been due to the inside-out swing. I viewed it as the former and loved the catch.