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SIZZLER - The King!
Posted his first dominant performance in approximately a time, times and half a time. If "time" be six months to a year, that is.
The more that Felix v3.0 "pitches backwards," passing offspeed pitches to set up the fastball off tackle runs, the better Dr. D likes it. Thursday he pitched Japanese, with 28 dry spitters and 20 yakkers with 19 sliders, against only 40 fastballs. Which he painted carefully, the picture of focus and concentration as he stepped around the Sanchez/Judge/et al pipe bombs.
Blowers aptly put it, Felix doesn't have a power fastball any more but he does have a power changeup and a power curve. Just so! A power 86 MPH slider into the bargain.
If Felix will accept a Nippon Baseball style game, then --- > his stuff is much sharper than most NPB pitching stars' is. Better than Koji Uehara, far better than Hisashi Iwakuma, better than Kuroda's, probably better than Tanaka's. Japanese pitchers accept the fact that they can't challenge. Seems Felix is too, and the ironic result is a 9-strikeout, 3-hit lockdown of the Yankees. In WBC style.
Dr. D has insisted for two years that Felix' curve ball alone is more stuff than many pitchers have. He's got the dry spitter back. It's a TOR arsenal.
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FIZZLER - Andrew Moore
His FIP is sky-high since he's coughing up more than his share of 2-irons onto the right field bleacher green. And they're not accidental homers; they're back leg specials.
Still and all, it isn't his FIP that concerns the Mainframe. Not at all. He's got all kinds of weapons to improve, and improve a lot. The actual problem -- do not doubt the Mainframe on this -- is PITCHABILITY. He is working without a database and his system is crashing at least twice a game.
Iwakuma came to the USA completely seasoned. He has a fine feel for which batters are aggressive; he expands the zone on them. He knows which batters are passive; he steals 0-1 counts on them. Time after time. He's in their heads and he always seems to throw what the enemy is not looking for.
Moore could just as well be pitching to automatons, for the incoherency of his pitch sequences. It will get better. Do not doubt us on this. :- ) He's got absolutely everything he needs.
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SIZZLER - M's playing ability
2 of 3 in Houston, after sweeping the Sox. It seems like the Yankee series has been tough, but remember they "won" the opener in terms of bases gained and bases lost. Severino was throwing 96-101 MPH and yet he gave up 8 hits to Felix' 3, and it seemed even more imbalanced than that. It's only what, 70% of the games you win if you outplay the other team through the middle innings.
The M's starting pitchers have outperformed the Yankees' face-up in two of three games, and that's without their ace in the series. There are positive indicators here. Point is not that the M's own the league. Point is that the Yankee showing certainly does not cancel the 5/6 road trip. They're playing well.
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FIZZLER - "Impact" pitching at trade deadline
Bah humbug.
If the other GM is trying to get to you, you don't have to trade. So that's fine. But neither is it like this trade deadline is going to blow the clubhouse skirts up Marilyn-style. They could have used a mental boost.
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SIZZLER - Ben Gamel
As the season goes on, he more and more rocks an "I got this" vibe in the batter's box. Was particularly taken with a 99 MPH Severino fastball that he peered at studiously, and then FLLIIIICCCCKED down the LF line for a double.
Is on another 9-game hitting streak, 12-for-36 (.333) with authority, three doubles and a homer. So they're not exactly booking him here.
We don't say he's going to win any batting titles but the Seth Smith Faster & Lighter comp is turning out well after 300+ AB's.
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Enjoy,
Dr D
