I know there's already a topic regarding his ability to close, but I wanted to see if anyone else noticed that Lindstrom basically only has two pitches.

 

When you scrutinize them, some of his raw numbers are troubling. This season he gave up about a hit per inning pitched, and only K'd 43 batters in 57 1/3 innings. With his fastball you would expect more strikeouts. I suspect the reason for that is his lack of a third pitch. Now that he's been around the league for two years, hitters are well aware of that fastball. Most of the hits he seems to give up are the result of hitters sitting on one pitch and reacting to the other. This isn't hard for major leaguers to accomplish when only two pitches are involved.

 

However, his overall season stats this year were solid for the most part. He converted 5 out of 6 saves, which was an encouraging tryout. That said, he needs to develop a third pitch if he plans on staying in that closer role. The slider isn't enough (at times it's been inconsistent) and adding a third pitch would make his fastball that much more effective. He's obviously got the tools and make up to be a closer, so it'll be interesting to see if he can put it together next year.

 

Any thoughts?

Why does he need to develop a 3rd pitch?

 

The way you have to look at it is this... Lindstrom (IIRC) has had 3 or 4 pitches already... the Fastball, the Slider, Splitter and Change-up... (I believe the changeup was a FO thing where they wanted everyone to learn them)

 

Now, he didn't like the changeup, and I'm fairly sure he doesn't like the splitter, this leaves his Fastball and Slider...

 

With a 100mph pitch, all you need is consistency with your other pitch, and an ability to throw the fastball inside. For much of this year, Lucky Lindy didn't throw his fastball inside and wasn't confident with his off-speed pitch. In his last trip down to the minors, not only did Scott Kazmir (of all people) get him confident in his fastball, but he found a reliable slider grip.

 

Now if you look at the year on a macroscopic level and include the "old" Lindy, you're gonna see some skewed numbers because of that pretty bad June.

 

However, Lindstrom is kinda different from most fireballers in that he kinda relies on the mis-timing between the fastball and offspeed to get the outs, give him time to get confident in the breaking stuff and the Ks will come. I also believe his fastball should gain some movement as he gains confidence in it and begins to change his grip up on it a little in different situations.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

I typically would say something like this, but for a max-effort guy like Lindstrom, I'd prefer he get his share of strikeouts (1 per inning or more) because those tend to be the least stressful outs.

Altough Lindstrom has yet to blow a save, he has come very close, with a couple nearly being home runs. That is typically going to happen when u consistently throw fastballs, the hitters will soon catch up to that pitch. I still believe Tucker is the closer of the future, but even though Lindstrom only has 2 pitches, i believe he will do fine next year.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

uh, does Trevor Hoffman ring a bell?

He has 3 Pitchs

Fastball Staright with Slight Movement 93- 98 Sometimes Hitting 100

Slider - SharpBreak and good spin 82-85 MPH

Splitter- Nice Downword movement More of a back up Pitch and Most effective Vs Lefties 85- 90 MPH

 

He Has 3 Pitchs its in His Scouting Report and Weve seem him use them One time or Another

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

Brad Lidge = Nothing without His defense

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

uh, does Trevor Hoffman ring a bell?

 

1,055 career K's in 988 career innings. You clearly didn't see Hoffman when he was elite.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

Brad Lidge = Nothing without His defense

 

Ummm...he K'd 92 in 69.1 innings, this year. Brad Lidge is nothing without his K's. The K's are what allowed Lidge to be perfect in save opps., despite the high WHIP, this year (1.23). He allowed baserunners...but was able to get the big K with the dirty slider, when he needed 'em.

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

uh, does Trevor Hoffman ring a bell?

 

1,055 career K's in 988 career innings. You clearly didn't see Hoffman when he was elite.

 

 

I remember in the 1990's he would K the Side so many times with the Change Up it wasent even funny.

He'd even K guys with just 3 Changeup's he was so nasty

Who cares about strike outs? All he has to do is get three outs.

 

 

Elite closers have the ability to get that big K with runners on, in pressure situations.

You can't rely on the defense AT ALL TIMES...especially the Marlins defense.

 

 

Brad Lidge = Nothing without His defense

 

Ummm...he K'd 92 in 69.1 innings, this year. Brad Lidge is nothing without his K's. The K's are what allowed Lidge to be perfect in save opps., despite the high WHIP, this year (1.23). He allowed baserunners...but was able to get the big K with the dirty slider, when he needed 'em.

 

Many of his out's were Nice plays from either Utley Rollins or Victorino but your right he did get that big k when he needed it

To put it further in detail...this was Kevin Gregg's problem.

Yeah...he blew 9. However, the problem was he only K'd 58 in 68.2 innings (not elite closer material).

 

Due to that...Gregg had to rely more on his defense...a defense that ended up costing him at least 3 (one-third, to be more specific) of those 9 blown saves. And I'm being nice. I'd say the actual # is actually about 4 or 5.

It's all about location. He's got enough pitches. He needs to locate them better and more consistently.

It's all about location. He's got enough pitches. He needs to locate them better and more consistently.

Bingo.

Btw...I'd like to see Lindstrom use that splitter more. When he uses it...he uses it against lefties, and it's a good pitch. He CAN throw it, so he has to work on it.

 

That slider he throws is much more effective against righties.

 

He needs to utilize the splitter more to get better against lefties, and get hitters thinking about another pitch.

In his 2 year career, lefties have had nice success against Lindstrom. .324/.387/.426.

Righties, on the other hand, are .214/.317/.243. I think the splitter is that pitch he can use to put him over the top, specifically against lefties (and we all know there are plenty of tough left-handed hitters in the NL East).

Another Example of an Elite Closer and Probably One of The Most Dominant of all time is

 

Mariano Rivera

 

482 Career Saves 938 K's

 

This year he had

39 SVS 70.2 IP 77 K's

 

another exapmle

 

K Rod

Got K's we he Needed Them

62 SV 68.2 IP 77 K's

It's all about location. He's got enough pitches. He needs to locate them better and more consistently.

 

 

Thats exactly Right

He locates his fastball Perfectly he just needs to do that with his breaking Pitchs and he'll be Fine

Lindstrom is pretty sick, when he's on. And after the all star break, he's been dominate. He doesnt really need that third pitch, but it wont hurt to have one to get the lefties out.

Lindstrom is pretty sick, when he's on. And after the all star break, he's been dominate. He doesnt really need that third pitch, but it wont hurt to have one to get the lefties out.

 

 

Dude he has something called a splitter to do that

Lindstrom is pretty sick, when he's on. And after the all star break, he's been dominate. He doesnt really need that third pitch, but it wont hurt to have one to get the lefties out.

 

 

Dude he has something called a splitter to do that

 

 

I know. Im saying he doesnt need to have one to be a good closer, but having one doesnt hurt

Lindstrom is pretty sick, when he's on. And after the all star break, he's been dominate. He doesnt really need that third pitch, but it wont hurt to have one to get the lefties out.

 

 

Dude he has something called a splitter to do that

 

 

I know. Im saying he doesnt need to have one to be a good closer, but having one doesnt hurt

 

DAMN RIGHT it does lol

 

if he learns another pitch thats hard like a sinker He would be Fooling Batter so dirty it wouldnt be Funny

But i still believe in 2010 Tucker will be our closer

But i still believe in 2010 Tucker will be our closer

 

 

If VideoGames are correct (and they usually are)

Ryan Tucker will be a great Closer by 2010 leading the Marlins to Another World Series

with Taylor Tankesly and Matt Lindstrom setting him up