Fair enough, I just dont think he has much upside, especially as a closer. I honestly doubt he will be much different than Gregg was last year.

 

Guys that can throw 98 can throw 87 but guys that throw 87 can't throw 98. You can't teach speed but the offspeed is definitely teachable IMO. Because he has a good faastball, if he can compliment it with above average offspeed he should be really good. IMO the upside is huge, however the confidence in offspeed pitches is what's lacking.

 

Oh and about Gregg. He walked too many and that's what hurt in every outing. Lindstrom doesn't walk many so he is already different than Gregg from last year. He will turn it on "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." Lindstrom works hard so I don't fear.

I disagree. Lindstrom is already 29 years old, if his secondary stuff is mediocre at best at this point, its doubtful it will ever get much better. His fastball that everyone loves so much is also straight as an arrow alot of the time. I just find Lindstrom to be greatly overrated by some Marlins fans.

 

 

Disagree? Disagree with what? I've stated all facts here. Who says his secondary stuff is mediocre? His second half stats last year show his era just over 2 and it's because he was throwing his secondary stuff for strikes that complimented the fastball. Oh yeah, since when does 98-100 mph have movement? The only movement is straght, it's got no chance for life. Why can't people understand that? 92-95 yeah o.k. it's called a 2 seam fastball. 100 mph with movement hah. May he prove you and all his antagonists greatly wrong this year!

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

 

 

Mediocre? No.

Extremely inconsistent? Yes.

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

 

 

Mediocre? No.

Extremely inconsistent? Yes.

Two different things.

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

 

 

Mediocre? No.

Extremely inconsistent? Yes.

 

Perhaps it's inconsistent because he rarely throws it? Baker never calls it and Matt never demands it. It has something to do with not getting beat on your second best pitch, which he is scared to do. He has it in his mind that if he is going to get beat it's going to be with his best pitch, which, because he throws hard, he thinks the fastball is his best pitch. IMO his split-change is his best pitch. The slider can be nasty too. Throwing more of them would IMO lead to more consistency.

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

 

 

Mediocre? No.

Extremely inconsistent? Yes.

 

Perhaps it's inconsistent because he rarely throws it? Baker never calls it and Matt never demands it. It has something to do with not getting beat on your second best pitch, which he is scared to do. He has it in his mind that if he is going to get beat it's going to be with his best pitch, which, because he throws hard, he thinks the fastball is his best pitch. IMO his split-change is his best pitch. The slider can be nasty too. Throwing more of them would IMO lead to more consistency.

 

Matty has thrown his slider ~20% of the time in his career, which is a pretty good amount. FB ~75%, SF ~5%

Anyone who calls his secondary stuff mediocre has never seen him throw a slider.

 

 

Mediocre? No.

Extremely inconsistent? Yes.

 

Perhaps it's inconsistent because he rarely throws it? Baker never calls it and Matt never demands it. It has something to do with not getting beat on your second best pitch, which he is scared to do. He has it in his mind that if he is going to get beat it's going to be with his best pitch, which, because he throws hard, he thinks the fastball is his best pitch. IMO his split-change is his best pitch. The slider can be nasty too. Throwing more of them would IMO lead to more consistency.

 

Matty has thrown his slider ~20% of the time in his career, which is a pretty good amount. FB ~75%, SF ~5%

 

Now if he would just start doing it this year I think the outcome would be different? I hope so anyways. He and Baker have fallen in love with the fastball IMO. They need to switch it up and get guys off balance.

He's only thrown his FB 78% of the time so far this year and his slider 16%, not exactly a huge difference and probably normalize itself over time.

I called in to 790 to talk about Lindstrom's speed. I noticed that he topped off around 94 and threw mostly around the 91 to 93 range. The game before he topped off at 97 and threw 95 or above consistently. Not much of a difference I know but it looked like he was trying to get his pitch speed up and just couldn't do it. Is he sore from the injury? I was told that it doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

 

I talked to Matt Lindstrom today and he said that everything was fine in the bullpen except the last five pitches he threw before he went into the game. His forearm tightened up and he never regained his control, hence the fastball that almost hit Carlos Delgado in the head. He said that Baker calls most of the pitches and he just goes with it because he trusts Baker. I told him that until catchers get a Win Loss column in their stats that maybe he should start throwing the pitches he thinks will be effective. I basically told him that he needs to start mixing his pitches up more. Less fastballs and more sliders and split-changeups. As far as the shoulder goes he said that his shoulder is fine and is not hurting. He just wants to start feeling healthy every time out. He was glad that he didn't give up a three spot last night and kept the game within reach. He knows that he has been better and he wants to get back to that form and quickly. Lindstrom has been a lot better than his last two outings in the past. Believe me he isn't trying to suck it up, and he knows the team needs him to be better.

 

Anyways for what it's worth I don't think we have to worry. We are 4-0 and there are 158 more games left to be played.

 

 

 

Well when his fastball is going good he should use it alot but when its 93 94 its gonna get hit. Id like to see that splitter used more.

 

Forearm tightness always worrys me.

 

Forearm tightness is surely a worry, but the shoulder is much worse. I'm guessing he'll have the rest of the Mets series off and then be back on again for the Braves. I'll tell him that you'd like to see the splitter used more. I've tried to tell him that now for all of 08 and the 2 games he's pitched in 09. Thanks for your concern.

 

 

LOL This is pretty funny stuff.

Harold Reynolds has been our advocate on MLB Channel the last few games... Nothing but love and praise from him all evening

 

HR apparently is a guy whose opinion is going to change week to week, if not day to day. My bet is, lose a couple in a row and he will have us back taking 4th spot in the NL East. He has some good insight and does defer pitching questions to those that know more, but at times he says things that make you scratch your head.

 

And ESPN? They are the very definition of experts that aren't.

 

This division is going to be beating up on itself all season long. I doubt very much the Nats are the whipping boys of the division like they are currently showing. Nor do I think the Phillies are going to continue this way. To make the play offs we will most likely have to take the division.

 

Why wouldn't the Nats remain the whipping boys? They are bad.

 

 

Because I just don't think they are that bad. Pitching appears to be the problem more than anything. I see them taking last in the division, but they are going to make some noise and by doing so make a difference. And once they get over that bad GM'ing, look out in the coming years. That bad GM they had will make them a seller by the deadline, for sure. And I've already read they have a couple of those OFers on the table for trade. Hammer is one. Some team gets hard up and trades them some pitching and you never know.