Games » Chicago White Sox
Jul19The inside story
Lee Judge
None
On the third pitch of the game, Royals starter Danny Duffy drilled White Sox batter Juan Pierre with a 97 mph fastball between the shoulder blades. Pierre came around to score, so that wasn’t so hot, but letting the other guys know you will come inside isn’t such a bad thing.
Ever since the All-Star break, I’ve been hearing a lot about the need to pitch inside. The Royals are doing this, and, despite the won-loss record, we’ve been seeing some pretty good outings from the starters.
Duffy also did a great job keeping his pitch count down in five of his seven innings. By my scorebook, he threw 27 pitches in the first inning, eight in the second, 29 in the third and then never threw more than 10 pitches in an inning the rest of the way.
Duffy seems to make some kind of improvement with almost every start. That’s a very good sign.
Not waiting around
Royals catcher Matt Treanor doubled on the first pitch he saw from Chicago starter Jake Peavy. It was a fastball, and Matt said he didn’t want to fall behind Peavy and have to deal with his off-speed stuff.
Treanor’s double led to the Royals first run. Eric Hosmer had singled, went to third on the double and scored on Alcides Escobar’s groundout. In the sixth inning, the White Sox walked Hosmer to load the bases and bring Treanor to the plate again. Matt teed off on the first pitch again and drove in the winning run.
Look for hitters to be aggressive when they don’t want to fall behind a guy with nasty stuff or when there are runners in scoring position. A hitter might take pitches when he’s trying to work a walk or get the right pitch while moving a runner, but once that run is in scoring position, there’s nothing left to wait for. Turn on the fan.
The cost of doing business
The Royals lead the league in steals. On Tuesday night, the Royals lost a couple of runners on the base paths. Those two facts are related. If you’re going push the envelope on the bases, once in a while something bad will happen. And last night, it did … twice.
With Alex Gordon on second and Melky Cabrera on first, the Royals put on a double steal. Alex broke for third, but then thought Peavy was using an “inside move” (a right-handed pitcher picks up his left foot as if he’s going to throw the ball to home plate and then wheels toward second). Gordon hit the brakes, but Melky — who took off for second base when he saw Alex take off for third — was running with his head down.
The Royals ended up with two runners trying to share one base, and that usually doesn’t work so good. All of this, while regrettable, falls under the “stuff happens” category … but Melky made a mistake when he scrambled back to first.
Alex was in a rundown between second and third that Harry Houdini could not have escaped and Cabrera should have stayed at second. That would have given the Royals an at-bat with a runner in scoring position. Then in the seventh inning, Chris Getz got picked off first base after a bunt single. Chris was convinced the pitcher was to throwing to home plate, and Chris was wrong.
Before the game I spent some time with Royals first-base coach Doug Sisson, and he said an interesting thing. (OK. Doug always says interesting things, but this was more interesting than usual.) I asked him about opponents that work on stopping the running game, and Doug said more and more teams pay attention to just that.
When steroids were in the game, pitchers wanted to focus their attention on the plate. That was the guy that would hurt you. Now that guys are fueled by no more than Gatorade and Skoal, the running game is more important.
Pitchers can stop the running game, but they have to slide-step, vary their sets and throw more fastballs. That’s why the Royals are running. Even when they don’t steal successfully, the running game still helps the guy at the plate. If you never run, the pitcher can take all the time he wants to get the ball home, pitch in rhythm and throw whichever pitch he wants.
There are all these weird connections in the game. Hitters quit taking steroids, and pitchers slide-step more. Everything affects everything.
A good call
Home-plate umpire Dale Scott said Melky Cabrera struck out. Melky said he fouled the pitch off. Cabrera asked Scott to get some help, and, to his credit, Scott did. Third-base ump C.B. Bucknor agreed with Melky, and because an umpire put his ego to one side, the right call was made.
Why Getz is in the 9 hole … maybe
Nobody has told me this is why Chris Getz is back batting ninth in the Royals lineup after hitting leadoff for a while, but here is his batting average and on-base percentage when batting first, eighth and ninth:
1-hole: .175/.248
8-hole: .290/.347
9-hole: .392/.456
(Those were the numbers before Monday’s game and were given to me by Jeff Montgomery. As many times as Monty struck me out in the Men’s Senior League, he owes me one.)
The difference in results is dramatic, but it raises a few questions. Is the difference due to Chris, the pitchers or the people hitting around him? Whatever it is, I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Eyes and feet
A reader was thrilled to learn that catchers check the hitter’s eyes when giving signs. The catcher wants to make sure the hitter isn’t peeking back. I asked Matt Treanor is there was anything else a catcher looks at, and he said “feet.” Hitters will take one stance and then try to creep up or change positions while the pitcher is in the windup.
There’s so much to do behind the plate, I’ve got no clue how these guys get it all done. If I have three things to do in the basement, I’ll write myself a checklist before I start … and then lose the list.
Duffy
Treanor
Hosmer
Morning Lee. Wow - this kid Duffy has some nasty stuff. It looks to me like he could be a number 1 on this staff for years to come. He looks like he has a smooth, fluid delivery that doesn't put a lot of unnatural stresses on his arm. Let's hope so.
As for the baserunning last night, I suppose Getz's pickoff is acceptable - but Melky going back to first base when Alex was in his rundown seemed a bit of a brain cramp. I wondered what happened that both ended up at second initially - thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense that Alex would stop if he thought the pitcher was doing the inside move.
Don: Everybody seems to think Duffy has good stuff (including White Sox hitters). Stuff is the hardest thing to come by. Now it's pitch selection and execution, controlling the running game, etc., the things that can be learned.
As for the base running: I don't know if Getz getting picked off is acceptable, but it is understandable. He went on first move and lost. I think they'd want him to do a better job of using the 'reads' they've provided. (Getz said that pitcher was a not a 'reader' by the way. A reader is someone who can decide to go to first or home based on his 'read' of the runner during his windup.)
The Melky-Gordo screwup is another one of those things that can happen when you're being aggressive, but then Melky made a bad choice in the middle of the catastrophe. Although, hitting a bomb later is a good way to atone.
Sounds like I missed a good game last night. After Duffy plunked the first guy and walked the second I went out and watered the flower beds. Peeked in during the Melky-Gorgon fiasco and went to the computer to do some stuff. Oh well, tonight's another game.
Pitch selection - what determines who makes pitch selection? Catchers "call" games but pitchers can shake off signs and managers and coaches are flashing signs to catchers. With "tendancies" and stats becoming more a part of baseball (thanks to the computer) who keeps all this in their head to determine pitch selection? How much say does each party have in pitch selection?
Hey, this is off topic, but I've always had a question ever since I started attending games at the K. What's the deal with replays? Is it a mandate that the stadium board can only show replays that are ''good'' on the part of the Royals? As a fan I would love to see close plays so i can have an informed "boo" or cheer. Also as a fan of just baseball, I wouldn't mind seeing a great play made by an opposing team's player.
See, Doug? You just have to have faith...and 40% of the time it will be rewarded.
As for pitch selection: Between the pitching coach, starter and catcher, they come up with a game plan. Before each start the catcher and pitcher huddle up in the clubhouse and go over what they want to do that night.
When they get out there, things can change. The pitcher doesn't have his good curve, a hitter is taking a different approach, whatever, and they have to change the game plan on the fly.
The catcher puts down the sign, but most of the time, it's up to the pitcher to decide if he wants to shake off. Veterans will shake off more than rookies. Rookies tend to think the catcher must know what he's doing (Treanor's been around a while) and usually stick with the suggested pitch.
Some pitchers don't want to have to think about pitch selection and prefer to concentrate on pitch execution.
The signs you see flashed to the catcher most often have to do with the running game. The bench knows the tendencies and will call for pitch outs, slide steps and defenses.
It can change night to night, depending on who's involved, but it wouldn't be unusual to have the bench concentrating on the running game, the catcher concentrating on pitch selection and the pitcher concentrating on pitch execution.
Rob: I don't know what the exact rules are, but I know they don't want controversial plays, especially those that go against the home team, shown. It's partially to keep from inflaming fans who have had a few too many and partially, it seems to me, CYA as usual.
I'm with you on the great plays by the opposition, but once again, upsetting fans with a buzz on, might be a bad idea.
Good observation on Getz' batting order position. The eyeballs suggest that he is more effective at the bottom of the order, the stats confirm it, and Ned Yost apparently accepts it. Have you been feeling a mysterious craving for Pop Tarts:)?
Jim: Only if I can have a beer and a shot afterwards.
I'm looking for more excitement. Seeing the Pirates turn it around with Hurdle has me bummed a little. I miss "that's what speed do"... Where or when is our next injection of excitement coming from?
Vinnie: Danny Duffy didn't do it for you?
Lee, great stuff as always. For me last night has been what i've been waiting for. I loved the emotion, energy, and passion we saw last night. You could see Duffy was fired up, Cabrera dropped an F bomb after the baserunning debacle in the 3rd. Guys were playing inspired baseball with an attitude. In my opinion this has been what's kept us from progressing. You could sense a will to win last night, and it was really a pleasure to watch. I think Yost should keep up with the meetings more frequently if he can motivate and inspire a young team like he did last night.
Brandon: Yeah, last night was a fun game, but it all started with a good performance by Danny Duffy. Pro teams don't meet that often. It would lose its effect over 162 games.
But give these guys a quality start and you should see a competitive game.
Let's hope for another one tonight.
Yep i totally agree with you. Duffy was in control. I have heard that also, about Pro teams not meeting much b/c of it losing its effect. But wouldn't one think a young team would need it more often, since baseball is such a mental game, and younger players losing their self confidence, and their will breaking much easier? I can totally understand how a veteran team could self motivate better and not need the pep talks. And yep, Lets keep it going tonight, can't wait!
Calling meetings can be productive, but it's a fine line: too much and players tune it out. A lot of what needs to be said gets said individually. Veterans like Kendall and Francoeur get in a rookies ear.
It does sound like the last meeting was productive though.