Pitching problems
After watching Patrick Stanley struggle to find the strike zone again Sunday night and having his ERA soar to more than 9.00, I was curious about where Stanley finished in terms of the Frontier League's ERA leaders last year. What I discovered is that Stanley's struggles are more the norm than the exception this year for last season's best pitchers. For example:
Chillicothe's Kurt Hartfelder:
2006 Rookie of the Year and ERA winner
In 2006: 10-5, 1.67 ERA, 118 IP and 103 hits
In 2007: 0-4, 10.80 ERA, 18.1 IP and 31 hits
Chillicothe's Perry Cunningham:
In 2006: 9-6, 2.30 ERA (3rd in FL), 129 IP, 95 hits, 33 walks
In 2007: 1-1, 7.65 ERA, 20 IP, 26 hits, 11 walks
Traverse City's Tony Casoli:
2006 Pitcher of the Year
In 2006: 13-3, 2.44 ERA (4th in FL), 144 IP, 131 hits, 4 shutouts
In 2007: 1-2, 8.55 ERA, 20 IP, 28 hits
Washington's Patrick Stanley
2006 strikeout leader
In 2006: 8-4, 2.72 ERA (7th in FL), 135.2 IP, 101 hits, 53 walks, 111 strikeouts
In 2007: 1-2, 9.19 ERA, 15.2 IP, 16 hits, 16 walks, 15 strikeouts
If anything has been learned form the first 19 days of the Frontier League season, then it's that individual pitching success one year doesn't mean similar success the next. So why have these pitchers, who were so dominant last year, struggled mightily this through four starts this season? Here are the opinions of two managers:
Washington's John Massarelli: "It's because these guys aren't major leaguers. They aren't pro pitchers yet. They haven't developed the consistency that a pro pitcher has. Those are the guys who are able to understand the idosyncrasies of their pitching mechanics and make the necessary adjustments on the fly."
Chillicothe's Mark Mason: "The first thing I notice about all four of those guys is they're all right-handed. I know for a fact that Perry Cunningham's struggles aren't from a lack of work in the offseason. What I think might have happened is guys have a tendency to change their mechanics in attempt to gain velocity. They've all been successful in this league, but I think Stanley is the only one of the four who has been in affiliated ball. So they try to change and throw harder and what that does is lead to problems."
Do this make you have a better appreciation for what Aaron Ledbetter has been able to do throughout his career?
Chillicothe's Kurt Hartfelder:
2006 Rookie of the Year and ERA winner
In 2006: 10-5, 1.67 ERA, 118 IP and 103 hits
In 2007: 0-4, 10.80 ERA, 18.1 IP and 31 hits
Chillicothe's Perry Cunningham:
In 2006: 9-6, 2.30 ERA (3rd in FL), 129 IP, 95 hits, 33 walks
In 2007: 1-1, 7.65 ERA, 20 IP, 26 hits, 11 walks
Traverse City's Tony Casoli:
2006 Pitcher of the Year
In 2006: 13-3, 2.44 ERA (4th in FL), 144 IP, 131 hits, 4 shutouts
In 2007: 1-2, 8.55 ERA, 20 IP, 28 hits
Washington's Patrick Stanley
2006 strikeout leader
In 2006: 8-4, 2.72 ERA (7th in FL), 135.2 IP, 101 hits, 53 walks, 111 strikeouts
In 2007: 1-2, 9.19 ERA, 15.2 IP, 16 hits, 16 walks, 15 strikeouts
If anything has been learned form the first 19 days of the Frontier League season, then it's that individual pitching success one year doesn't mean similar success the next. So why have these pitchers, who were so dominant last year, struggled mightily this through four starts this season? Here are the opinions of two managers:
Washington's John Massarelli: "It's because these guys aren't major leaguers. They aren't pro pitchers yet. They haven't developed the consistency that a pro pitcher has. Those are the guys who are able to understand the idosyncrasies of their pitching mechanics and make the necessary adjustments on the fly."
Chillicothe's Mark Mason: "The first thing I notice about all four of those guys is they're all right-handed. I know for a fact that Perry Cunningham's struggles aren't from a lack of work in the offseason. What I think might have happened is guys have a tendency to change their mechanics in attempt to gain velocity. They've all been successful in this league, but I think Stanley is the only one of the four who has been in affiliated ball. So they try to change and throw harder and what that does is lead to problems."
Do this make you have a better appreciation for what Aaron Ledbetter has been able to do throughout his career?
posted by Chris Dugan at
10:26 PM
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