1. Justin Verlander is on a whole different plane of existence than anybody else. It's not that he pitched 8 innings in a game where the team's bullpen was essential empty (because Valverde and Benoit had pitched three straight days and everybody else sucks), and not even because he threw 133 pitches. I can't decide what was more impressive - the way he clearly didn't have his best stuff early, but made the right pitches at the right time, got a little bit of luck, and, as much as I hate to use this word, gutted it out, or that walking off the mound after the 7th he was sitting at 123 pitches and you knew damn well he wasn't giving up the ball. It didn't quite work out since he got an out and then gave up a single and a home run, but still it was pretty awesome.
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| Is this more Scott Baker, or Kevin Slowey? Can't decide. |
Honestly, what do you think would happen if a Twins pitcher threw over 130 pitches in a game? I'm guessing Gardy and Anderson would shut him down for the next two weeks to look for signs of arm fatigue, even if he felt fine. In the regular season this year starters threw over 120 pitches one-hundred thirty times - only 2 of those were Twins (Blacky, Liriano). The last time a Twin hit the 130 pitch mark was Kenny Rogers in 2003 - since then 86 non-Twins have thrown over 130 in one game, including the great Livan Hernandez a mind-numbing 14 times.
Look, I get it. Not every pitcher is capable of that kind of performance, whether physically or mentally it's not something everybody can do. Fine. But every October you see it - whether it's Verlander, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Curt Schilling, or Fatbathia, there are some truly magnificent pitching performances that come with their own aura. And the Twins have babies, whether because of coaching or the pitcher's own limitations, and I'm just sick of it and I'm sick of all of you. Maybe this post was a bad idea. I need a drink.
SIDE NOTE: The Twins' pitcher who holds the record for most pitches in a single game? Willie freaking Banks with a mind-blowing 151 pitches in a game in 1993.
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| Not long after this his arm fell completely off |
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2 comments:
What game were you watching? Verlander pitched like shit and actually hurt his team by refusing to come out of the game after 7 (see the two runs he gave up in the 8th). I suppose that's "gutty" and "gritty" but it's also "stupid" and "overly stubborn." It's great that he's willing to throw that many pitches and all, but I wouldn't exactly applaud nearly costing his team the game with his stubborness.
I would side more with grittiness than stubborness regarding Verlander last night. Leyland said (before the game I believe?) that he wanted to only use Verlander and Phil Coke, nobody else. So I'd imagine he had a part in Verlander going back out for the 8th. Regardless, Verlander had an unbelievable regular season and I think fans are seeing what they want to see in his postseason performances while disregarding his 5.31 ERA. The announcers i.e. joe buck don't help (when does he ever?) by calling him among other things The Best Pitcher in the World.
Sidenote - Great to see three, possibly more, former Twins make it to the championship series: Delmony, Go Go, and Nicky Punto. Incredibly depressing thinking about what restrictions the coaching staff may have put on Delmon that the Tigers most likely laughed at. Look at him now, look at him now.
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