Comments on: Scott Baker Home Runs

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:24:34 +0000

He can still get better, and it would only make him a more effective pitcher.

By: thisisbeth

thisisbeth — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:36:50 +0000

That might be better phrased as "he needs to continue keeping his walks down." Current stats show Baker as having a better BB/9 rate than Santana, Bonser, Ponson, Garza, and Slowey--meaning the only starters with a better rate are Silva and Ortiz. In general, this last game notwithstanding, Baker has kept his walk rates down.

By: davidwatts

davidwatts — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:20:12 +0000

I think he said in the same interview (well, at least the one I heard on Friday with Ryan and Chad Hartman) that right now, Baker can suceed by pitching up in the zone, but for long term sucess Baker needs to pitch lower in the strike zone because

By: ubelmann

ubelmann — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:26:01 +0000

Ryan said on an interview I listened to that Baker can pitch up in the zone and get away with it most of the time and that pitching up in the zone is part of what made hm the pitcher that he is.

I tend to agree with that sentiment. I know Rick Anderson loves his 2-seamer and pitching low in the zone, but that style doesn't suit everyone.

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:57:02 +0000

I'm getting less and less patient with dick'n'bert.

Bremer actually thought Colon led the league in ERA when he won the Cy Young, even after he mentioned that Santana may have been robbed. Earth to Dick: If Colon led the league in ERA, and not just wins, there wouldn't have been a lot of controversy.

Idiots.

By: SBG

SBG — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:30:16 +0000

If this is what the organization really believes, they might think about including that thought in their daily briefings with dicknbert.

By: Banjo

Banjo — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:24:12 +0000

Ryan said on an interview I listened to that Baker can pith up in the zone and get away with it most of the time and that pitching up in the zone is part of what made hm the pitcher that he is.

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:44:52 +0000

And we can compare them, as they're set to start against each other. Hooray!

By: ubelmann

ubelmann — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:28:49 +0000

I'm pretty sure Washburn throws a 4-seam fastball and does like to work up in the zone.

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:52:38 +0000

Also, problematically, Boof is 2nd-to-last in the AL, with an Infield Fly percentage of 5.5 (although he is a bit more of a ground ball pitcher).

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:50:43 +0000

It's at 15.6%, according to THT. If he qualified (he doesn't have enough innings), he'd be 2nd in the American League behind Jarrod Washburn (who, if I recall, likes working fastballs up in the zone as well).

By: SideshowTootie

SideshowTootie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:48:38 +0000

He's been throwing high overall, I noticed. His shutout, a few days ago? He wasn't keeping the ball down at all. On the contrary, his fastball had movement high in the zone, and almost every time a hitter made contact it was a weak infield pop-up or foulout. If he can keep his pop-up % high, then the only thing (I feel) he needs to work on is not walking people. He's got decent control, but as a flyball pitcher, he doesn't want runners on. Look at Johan, he gives up tons of bombs, but since there's rarely a runner on, it doesn't hurt him as much. If Baker can minimize walks, and maybe pick up some more strikeouts, his pop-up% should make him a good pitcher.

By: SBG

SBG — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:12:11 +0000

Of course, if he's throwing 90% of his pitches up there, this ain't no big thing. But, if he's down, down, down and then up and out of the park, that's a problem.