Author Topic: Cubs in '20  (Read 49144 times)

Reb

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5086
Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #2700 on: August 05, 2020, 08:21:27 pm »
People haven’t swung at curves that have been thrown for strikes.

Kimbrel today said he got into bad mechanical habits and he was showing too much of the ball. Guys knew it was coming.

You need to stop parsing quotes that you read and leaving out the parts that don’t fit your narrative.

Hottovy and Kimbrel:

"You have to get them to honor it," Hottovy said of Kimbrel's curve ball, "and to get them to honor it, you have to consistently be able to throw that pitch in the strike zone, and then be able to attack (with the) fastball."

Kimbrel has faced three different teams: The Reds, Pirates and Royals. None of them have swung at his curve ball.

"I think at times it's one of two things," Kimbrel said, "Either I'm showing it too early or it's not starting as a strike, or they've already had that game plan to eliminate the curve ball."

In the Reds' case, it was the latter. Cincinnati rookie Tyler Stephenson told reporters as much after the game. He laid off three curve balls in his at-bat against Kimbrel.”

So, Kimbrel is positing that opposing hitters are “eliminating” the curve ball, as at least one opposing hitter has said. The “showing” comment is one possibility he mentions and, naturally, the other points he makes you ignore.

Of course, that’s exactly what I suggested. Hitters seem to be sitting on one pitch. We know why. The 4-seamer has been ineffective, so they want to hit that.

Further, no one takes issue with the notion that poor command can be a mechanical issue—-the other thing that Kimbrel posits. That is not the same as “tipping” pitches or that hitters “know” what’s coming.