I'll take Carter Capps over a coupla M's, Right. Now.
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Before you read this, you should probably read that. Will help you keep your nerves under control. For this, not that.
Do we get a second draw at the 2006 sensation that Mark Lowe created? Hit & Run sez,
Just saw two today who fit the bill [for fixing the bullpen]. Well I didn't see them. I listened to the spring training game and watched it on game day. Carter Capps was regularly throwing 98 and got a couple up to 99. He got a swinging strike on a change up and threw at least one curve. He was throwing strikes with both his FB and change. Among his two strike outs in three batters was righty killer Will Venable (who has USS Mariner stamp of approval). Hate to waste him in the bullpen but if you did break him in there he could give you multiple innings and he could soon be a closer candidate.
I hate to differ with G Money but Capps is my pick of non big three starters. Some time this year we may be talking about him being their equal (IMHO).
Stephan Prior threw 95 - 97. Didn't have quite the control that Capps had but like Capps got two strike outs in his one inning of work.
Lonnie's been pitching me on Carter Capps for quite awhile. Never even looked at him before, but Lonnie's got YouTube videos on Capps and Snow. Here's one of them and here's another from Mathis21. Both are just a coupla weeks ago. Lonnie, you da MAN!
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You guys remember the year that Mark Lowe was "just throwing the stuffing out of the ball" in AA, and they simply called him up and put him in the 8th inning? Could be the same deal here.
You could call this a max-effort delivery, I think:
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Funny stuff. Carter Capps' delivery has many things in common with Jeff Nelson's:
- Kicks the leg up jerkily, sticks it straight back down, causing a "bounce" up and down
- Sweeps the front foot into home plate lowwww and farrrrr and smooth ...
- ... causing nice acceleration of the CG
- Uses the "inverted W"
- Quiet backstroke, head nice and still as he loads, but then ...
- ... sticks butt out, steps on 3B side, and tilts spine way over to 3B
- Max-effort acceleration using 90% upper body
- Finishes with a TREMENDOUS nose-to-leather and dissipates energy smoothly
Thusly:
n summer 2010, pitched 10 innings in the minors, called up to the ChiSox only weeks after being drafted, and was very effective in 2011. 10 strikeouts per nine innings, 3.5 walks, 71 innings for the White Sox last year. Am sure there are plenty of others. There is no reason not to go to Carter Capps in Safeco, if he can throw strikes.
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There are a few 98-mph relievers in organized baseball, who sport 24:1 command ratios. Can anybody name one who is worse than what the M's currently have?
No. It ain't April Fool's. It's a round ball and a round bat, and at 99 mph, lessee Texas hit it square.
BABVA,
Dr D