4/17/18

Tom Brennan - WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM BIG SEXY?


Tom Brennan - WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM BIG SEXY?

Before today's article, let me say that last night's ultra-brutal loss says this to me...the Nats just stated that the Mets' season start was a mirage, the Mets' hope of dominance is a dream, and that the Nats can reel the Mets in ANY time they want. I hope that's wrong, but...


NOW, BACK TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAMMING....

Some guys know everything that is going on in baseball at all times.  Not me.

I did not know that Bartolo Colon A/K/A "Big Sexy" was still pitching, until I looked up from my delicious ribs dinner at Texas Roadhouse and say him pitching against a mediocre, underachieving squad called...the World Champion Houston Astros.

And boy, did he look sharp thru 2 innings.  Meal over, we then went out and visited family and I got home, only to find Big Sexy had a perfect game going through 7 innings, on just 83 pitches!

The Big Fella has an ERA of 1.45 through 4 outings, as he approaches the age of 45, and 45 metric tons, too boot.

What can we fans learn from Big Sexy?  That it is always possible to adapt and be better.

What can minor league pitchers learn from Big Sexy?  Several things:

1) You can win in the majors if you don't throw as hard as Noah S.

2) Maybe you can learn something from baseball's Van Gogh, who pitches like the master once painted.

3) Maybe you could learn a LOT from how Big Sexy goes about the business of pitching.

If I were a minor league pitcher, I would figure out a way to get several videos of Big Sexy games, and LEARN LEARN LEARN stuff like...

A) What pitches does he throw, and when?

B) What he does with baseball movement and changes of speeds.

C) How he reacts after he has given up a long home run or let the last 3 guys on base (ans.: super cool, calm, and collected).

D) How he stays balanced and fluid on the mound despite weighing nearly 300 pounds.

Get some vintage Greg Maddux films to watch while you're at it.

Because:

If Big, Sexy Colon can succeed with lower velocity than quite a few minor league pitchers now have, and a whole lot slower than he threw 20 years ago, by now being super crafty and razor sharp, and throwing with real movement and in strategic locations, out-thinking hitters, why can't you?

2 comments:

Mike Freire said...

Pitching, much like Real Estate is all about LOCATION! It helps if you can throw a baseball through a brick wall (like Noah), but locating your pitches is the key to success.

Is there anything worse then watching a starting pitcher labor through 4 or 5 innings, while throwing over 100 pitches?

Ugh

Anonymous said...

re: Mike Freire's posts on Wilson Ramos and Matt Harvey...

On Wilson Ramos, my answer is no do not pursue him to catch here. He has had two ACL surgeries (recently) and is not the same guy from the Nationals because of it.

On Matt Harvey...

Fastball is more hittable now than glory seasons past. It is about 5-7 mph slower (overall) than Dark Knight days. However, Matt is quite intelligent, and if willing to try, he could become an equally successful Greg Maddox type starter with the 91-94 mph fastball he has right now.

The fastball might get faster as the season goes on too, and the weather becomes warmer. Not sure. But it will be his willingness to sort of re-invent himself with the "secondary pitches" that could keep him active and in this league. Up to him.

If agreeable, I might call up like Corey Oswalt, PJ Conlon, Tim Peterson, or even Drew Smith to take over his slot as he redefines himself in Vegas with the secondary pitches he will need once back here.