MLB: Francisco Liriano
- Thread starter GeronimusClone
- Start date
He needs a fastball and other pitch he can throw for a strike before the slider is the issue. I don't know if he's tipping pitches, or lost velocity, but he can't blow the fastball by and then tie people up with the slider. The slider was his out pitch. You have to get 2 strikes to use the out pitch and he's struggling to do that without getting lit up right now.
Earlier this year velocity was not his problem. I guess I haven't watched him in awhile but his slider was the only thing that made him the pitcher he was and now that coaches and doctors don't allow him to throw it as much hes really struggling.
He can't throw the slider for strikes, at least he couldn't tonight. They weren't even close. His fastball was low 90s and he wasn't locating it either. Change up was good. But, when major league hitters are just sitting on 90 MPH fastballs, you are in big trouble.
I've watched him pitch a few times this year. Velocity wasn't down, but his location on his pitches was noticeably worse. He leaves a lot more fastballs up in the zone and in the middle of the plate than he did before he had surgery. He was artistic on the corners before and now I just don't see it. Instead of the 0-2, 1-2 counts he used to bury hitters with his slider, he's working from behind and his slider is not effective since hitters don't have to respect it.
The Twins pitching staff has completely fallen apart. All of these young pitchers are regressing from last year. Time for a new pitching coach.....Anderson needs to go, as does Gardy. They just are not getting it done at all.
This is exactly right, in the few starts Liriano has done well its because he's located his stuff, but for much of the season that just hasn't been the case. Admittedly even when he's on he's not the same pitcher he was when he first hit the majors(mid 90's fastball and low 90's slider) but his stuff is still good enough to be a very good #2 and solid #1. Guess we'll just have to see about that next year because of Seattle Post-Intelligencer: MLB
two innings, seven runs
Twins are toast, but we still have the opportunity to watch Mauer chase the batting title again and he has a shot (has to hit around .460 the rest of the way) to make it to .400.
Joe is clearly one of the best players in the game right now and is clearly the best hitter in the game right now. The Twins better find the 100 million or so that it will take to keep him around because Twins can forgive you for giving up the best pitcher in the game (Santana) and they'll forgive you for giving up Hunter and they'll forgive you for continually signing crappy, old free agents and they'll forgive you for continuing to play Nick Punto, but they will not forgive you for not signing Mauer into a long term deal. And as far as I am concerned Mauer doesn't need to give the Twins a hometown discount. In fact, the Twins may have to give him a premium.