tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post8603653457271304200..comments2024-03-18T07:03:39.210-07:00Comments on Nationals Baseball: 2017 Nightmare Scenario - missing the playoffsHarperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-86124643005974103852017-03-18T20:57:22.205-07:002017-03-18T20:57:22.205-07:00Yeah, i think Murphy's improvement is 4-rlz. M...Yeah, i think Murphy's improvement is 4-rlz. Maybe not as good as last year but better than any previous. Hell, no one thought his 2015 post season play could be repeated, but that was him all 2016Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-8565414473785237152017-03-18T17:53:32.099-07:002017-03-18T17:53:32.099-07:00@Bjd1207 Thanks for the insights on "it"...@Bjd1207 Thanks for the insights on "it". PhthePhillieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345592363018885789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-10199596880245086102017-03-18T08:16:20.268-07:002017-03-18T08:16:20.268-07:00@PhthePhillies - You're spot. And "it&quo...@PhthePhillies - You're spot. And "it" for Murphy is moving up in the box and towards the plate so he gets more pitches in his pull zone. Rather than try to be a spray hitter like his first 4 years, he moved up against the plate and towards the pitcher to try and help cover the outside corner. But it had also had the effect of bringing way more pitches into his pull zone, and he embraced a pull-hitter mentality. This fangraphs write-up from last year is awesome: http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/daniel-murphys-transformation/<br /><br />"The success we’ve seen with Murphy is real. He has had 900 PA since he’s made these changes in which he has produced a .322/.363/.551 slash line, .380 wOBA, 140 wRC+, and 8.8% K%. His line drives are hit more up the middle, which increases BABIP, while his fly balls are more down the line, which increases home runs and extra base hits. His vertical exit velocity on line drives has gone from 16 degrees to 18 degrees, which make extra bases more likely. His expected BABIP based upon similarly hit balls in 2016 is .336, versus the .348 he had in game. He still possesses the ability to slap hits down the line and through the 5.5 hole making it impossible to employ defensive shifts. Daniel Murphy has become the ideal hitter: he can slap hit, hit gap to gap line drives, and pull for power. He is a legitimate all around hitter."Bjd1207https://www.blogger.com/profile/08595153543505790679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-87158894131833832982017-03-17T11:33:32.197-07:002017-03-17T11:33:32.197-07:00Ole PBN, the difference between a fastball and a c...Ole PBN, the difference between a fastball and a changeup is mostly where the ball is in the hand. Holding the ball closer to the palm will get the extra friction you need to slow the pitch down to a changeup, closer to the fingertips buys you velocity. Number of fingers doesn't matter much comparatively.<br /><br />In fact, in fast-pitch softball (at lower levels, where players are smaller on average), a standard fastball is typically a 3 fingered pitch, because many players don't have long enough hands to grip the ball with only two fingers (ring finger knuckle gets in the way). Just about anyone can hold a baseball with a 2 finger fastball grip, but holding the ball closer to the palm (for a changeup) would be difficult. I think (but I'm not sure) that the bigger difference with a 3 fingered fastball would be that it might run differently from a 2 fingered fastball, because you're putting pressure on different spots on the ball than with a 2 fingered grip. Velocity would be virtually unchanged.Josh Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00524273388243642450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-54758389824735931262017-03-17T10:58:30.387-07:002017-03-17T10:58:30.387-07:00I enjoyed these two posts, Harper, my only critiqu...I enjoyed these two posts, Harper, my only critique being that the real "dream scenario" would be as many regular season wins as needed to clinch the division followed by a world series victory. <br />As far as Murphy and Bryce are concerned, I agree with 4.5 wins for Murphy. He may not repeat 2016 but he seems to have "figured it out" in the second half of 2015 and whatever "it" is has worked for a season and a half. I do not see him regressing too much, slightly closer to '16 than '15. <br />The "perfect middle" has Bryce at 6 wins, which I do not think to be unreasonable.<br />10.5 wins betwixt the 2, I'll take that. PhthePhillieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345592363018885789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-83528155128789349212017-03-17T09:59:11.196-07:002017-03-17T09:59:11.196-07:00Shouldn't the exercise begin with 95 wins inst...Shouldn't the exercise begin with 95 wins instead of 94? Or am I missing something?G Cracka Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16718297381010491862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-22352058554774017712017-03-17T09:55:03.658-07:002017-03-17T09:55:03.658-07:00Ole PBN - Scherzer said after his last start he ha...Ole PBN - Scherzer said after his last start he had gone back to the 2 finger grip. He stated he felt like he was truly back at that point. Maddux stated his next start is in a Grapefruit league game in 6 days. They were "taking the training wheels off". As long as Max doesn't have any setbacks I think he'll be fine. Why have anyone eat a start? Have Max pitch game 5 if need be.Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-87477287137515533292017-03-17T09:04:31.506-07:002017-03-17T09:04:31.506-07:00With all this talk of Scherzer altering his grip o...With all this talk of Scherzer altering his grip on his fastball to three-fingers instead of two... am I alone is thinking "thats a change up grip!" The more friction with your fingers that you have on a ball the less action you'll get and potentially less velocity. His play will tell the story, but just because he can throw strikes, doesn't mean he'll get guys out in his typical fashion (the way we need him to play).Ole PBNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-11897092970558356382017-03-17T08:36:17.781-07:002017-03-17T08:36:17.781-07:00Is Voth an option to eat that start instead of Fed...Is Voth an option to eat that start instead of Fedde or Cole? I feel like I read last year that his stats were comparable or even better than Giolito's, though I haven't heard anything about him this spring.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-44909829690558309502017-03-17T07:16:17.963-07:002017-03-17T07:16:17.963-07:00I can't imagine Murphy having anywhere near a ...I can't imagine Murphy having anywhere near a season like last year, but I don't see Harper having anywhere near a season like last year either!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-64042468396398724102017-03-17T07:10:15.311-07:002017-03-17T07:10:15.311-07:00It would be nice if Daniel Murphy could come out s...It would be nice if Daniel Murphy could come out swinging right now, but he's glued to the pine in the WBC (and Paul Goldschmidt isn't exactly lighting it up). Diminished game reps in the spring will not help him in April.JE34noreply@blogger.com