Walker Buehler was a true power pitcher. While there may not be a definitive definition of what a power pitcher is, I am going to take a stab at it. I would define a power pitcher as this:
“A Power Pitcher is is a pitcher who is in the upper five to ten percent of MLB pitchers in MPH and Spin Rate and who not only has extreme velocity but also have very high spin rates resulting in extreme movement of his pitches.”
— Mark Timmons
Clayton Kershaw was once a “power pitcher.” He could throw a 95-97 MPH Fastball, and in 2015, when he averaged 94.3 MPH on his fastball, he could dial it up (on occasion) to 96 MPH or 97 MPH when necessary. At Baseball Savant, you can see the progression of Clayton Kershaw’s fastball average from 94.3 MPH in 2015 to 90.7 MPH in 2023. However, his vertical movement remains remarkable. Walker Buehler’s pitches do not exhibit that. Walker’s velocity is near what it used to be, but his spin rate and pitch movement are not there. Also, in all fairness, his control is not what it needs to be. It’s not that he is wild and walking more hitters – it’s just that his location is not what it needs to be.
It used to be that Walker Buehler would “bully” hitters. When he needed to make a critical pitch, he could reach back and throw a 98 MPH fastball. He can’t do that anymore (well, with the movement he used to exhibit). Walker Buehler could be suffering from NSS (Noah Syndergaard Syndrome).
In his prime, Syndergaard could throw 100 to 102 MPH, but when he came to the Dodgers, he struggled to hit 93 MPH and believed that the Dodgers could help him reclaim his lost 9 MPH. They couldn’t! Noah Syndergaard could not evolve. Walker Buehler will never be the “bully” he once was, and if he cannot evolve, he is toast. Going to the bullpen will not cure what is wrong with Walker. Walker has to re-invent himself. He has to learn to pitch differently. So far, I see no evidence that he is capable of that.
So, Walker Buehler was put on the 15-day IL with “right hip inflammation.” It’s possible that his hip problem was holding him back. I have no clue. There has to be a medically supported issue in order to put a player on the IL. Maybe when he comes back, he will pitch more like the old Walker Buehler. The thing is, I am not optimistic about that! It’s all or nothing this year for Walker. The Dodgers will not offer him a contract next year if he can’t demonstrate that he can pitch THIS YEAR!
Last Night’s Game
Considering that the game was at Coors’ Field, Bobby Miller did fine.. after the first inning. That’s encouraging. Bobby is so stoic – I’d like to see him get more demonstratable. I’d like to see him “growl” at hitters. It would scare the hell out of them! OH… PLAY MIGUEL VARGAS!
Anyone know why Teo was taken out of last night’s game and replaced in LF by Chris Taylor?
Im wondering that as well…
Rest, per Dave Roberts.
Dave explained after the game that with a day game today, and the Dodgers leading by two, it was a good time to get him off of his feet. He had been planning to give him a day off.
No clue!
Maybe they just wanted Taylor’s BIG BAT in the lineup!
Mark, I understand your assessment of Walker’s pitching so far this season. The Dodgers have very patient with players over the years when recovering from injury or a slump. I think they will give Walker every opportunity to pitch his way back to being a part of the starting rotation even it not what he was before this last surgery. Walker was out almost two years. Not only does he have overcome a major injury (for the second time), but get his body, arm, and mind used to pitching again. i think the key for Walker is the spin rate on his pitches. If anyone can recover and overcome these issues it’s Walker. He has the rest of the season to show that he can be an effective pitcher in the future. Either for the Dodgers or someone else.
With the depth the Dodgers have in starting pitching, especially from the right side, he is going to have a major turn around to stay with the Dodgers next year. Even if he improves his stuff by the end of this season I don’t think the Dodgers will resign him to a long term deal. Again, with their depth, there would be no need to invest $$$ for a pitcher coming off a second TJ surgery. Depth would, also, be the reason for not resigning him if he is still not being effective by season’s end. There are plenty of pitching needy teams that would take a flyer on Walker either short term “prove it” contract or a longer deal if warranted with a strong finish.
So, I think Walker’s Dodger career ends this year no matter what happens. It’s a damn shame. I really enjoyed watching him pitch. He was never afraid of the big moment. He was a postseason pitcher. He always had that little edge about him. And, when he needed a strikeout he could reach back for that 98-99 fastball to make that happen!
It would be nice if I was completely wrong with Walker’s Dodger future. Let’s see how it all plays out.
Carry on.
Not in disagreement!
please doc, let Barnsie bunt every at bat!!!! Miller got squeezed a bit in the first inning prior to the home run and. But you’re right Mark, he needs a little fire now and then. But we know it won’t come from Doc. Biggio so far is useless. Why won’t they bring up someone and try them? can’t hurt.
Mark–Your definition needs a little neatening up on the subject/verb agreement front.
Is that better? Can I at least get a D-?
A power pitcher is someone who can get by on the sheer strength of their stuff as opposed to location, changing speeds and variety of arsenal.
A successful power pitcher has to be able to locate pitches and change speeds. An example would be Sandy Koufax. A 100 MPH fastball plus a unhittable curve. Well located.
It is hard for those who watch the game today to believe that Sandy actually had two really good pitches and that was it. He didn’t throw a slider, or sinker. He did have a change-up, but he did not use it much. Koufax said that the night he threw the perfect game against the Cubs, he did not have a good feel for his fastball until around the fourth inning. He said he was having a lot of trouble getting loose. Just think what he could have done has his elbow been healthy instead of arthritic like it was. Sports medicine today is so far ahead of what it was then. Koufax done at 30, Big D done at 32 with a rotator cuff. Death nell for a pitcher back in those days. Just think about Carl Erskine too. Had they had the type of medicine practiced today, they would have never let him keep throwing when he first experienced the pain in his arm. Karl Spooner would have been another example of bad medicine. He kept throwing even after he felt the pop in his elbow.
3:10 PM ET
Dodgers (46-30)
Rockies (26-48)
SP Gavin Stone R
7-2 3.01 ERA
SP Ty Blach L
3-4 4.65 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
C Will Smith R
1B F. Freeman L
RF T. Hernandez R
CF Andy Pages R
SS Miguel Rojas R
LF M. Vargas R
3B E. Hernandez R
2B Chris Taylor R
89° Wind 10 mph Out
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
Teoscar Hernandez well rested and back in #Dodgers starting lineup today at Coors Field.
Wednesday scores
Oklahoma City 5, Albuquerque 4 (11 innings)
Tulsa 8, Northwest Arkansas 5
Quad Cities 4, Great Lakes 2
Rancho Cucamonga 6, Inland Empire 2
Thursday Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Peter Heubeck) vs. Quad Cities (Hunter Owen)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Chris Vallimont) vs. Albuquerque (Karl Kauffmann)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Jerming Rosario) at Northwest Arkansas (Tyson Guerrero)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Carlos Duran) vs. Inland Empire (Riley Bauman)
dodgerram, yesterday you said what is the difference if they get rid of Taylor, they have to eat the money anyway. Well, the difference is, it isn’t your money or your decision to make. Maybe they feel they are eating enough money already with the CBT and other things and do not feel like just chucking money down the drain. Taylor has zero trade value at this point unless you can convince someone to take him as a salary dump. The only time I have seen this ownership group just dump a player and eat the salary was when they cut Crawford loose. You are not taking into account the fact that the team actually might have a lot more faith in Taylor than you do. And that they might just value his versatility a whole lot more than the fans. That is why they gave him that contract in the first place. They also see how hard the guy is working every day to get better.
We might be starting to see some of that talent now.He can be pretty good when he’s right.
Loyalty matters and the Dodgers do things right. Taylor is the 26th man and he is NOT costing the team games….
Stick with him hes gonna come up big….
I only pointed out that they have to pay him and eat the money anyway. they go. That is a fact. If they think he helps the team more on the roster than being cut so be it.
Many fans , me included , think otherwise.
Yes, not my money and not my decision. Just my opinion.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope the Dodgers stick with Taylor. I would rather c him out there as Kiké, biggio, lux and the rest of the .200 hitters. I believe if he plays he will end up better than the aforementioned. Also, for years a lefty threw their glove out there and beat us. Not now I think we have a better lineup with a lefty pitching.
Taylor looks like he’s on his way. I guess that’s why we’re fans and AF is the boss. Too bad for the walks in Stone’s fifth. But he’s been beyond anything we could have expected from him this year. Smith hitting into some bad luck.
Nice series.
As expected the 2 rehab pitchers weren’t very good and the bullpen wasn’t great.
(Looking at you Feyereisen)
Hope they keep Petersen on the roster when (Knack?) comes up tm
Nice to see Taylor with a good series. Certainly hope this is the beginning of his hot streak and not the end.
Do not let him take Vargas’s AB. He can continue to spell Lux for now or go in as a defensive replacement for Vargas in the latter innings.
Go Dodgers !!
Bravo to Gavin Stone! So consistently good.
Gavin Stone has been exceptional this year. However, he pitched 131 innings last year and 121 the year before.
He now sits at 80 innings for the year and will likely be around 100 at the All-Star Break. He’s going to need a little rest…
Nice showing by Stone. Especially how he basically went back to being a two pitch pitcher, I guess the slider in the thin air was not something they wanted to try.
Very good series for the Dodgers. The Rockies aren’t very good obviously but you still got to win. Nobody lays down for the Dodgers.
Stone was really good today. I think the altitude got to a couple of players today(stone/freemen) Mark is right he is probably going to need a blow at some point. When we get Kershaw back, buehler, Yamamoto and whoever else we might acquire it will be time for stone and Glasnow to skip a turn or 2. Losing Sheehan and frasso really hurt. Knack needs to be in the rotation for awhile. I have no hope of May coming back. mb as a reliever(this season) but I doubt. The way buehler has looked it probably wouldn’t matter anyway. To me buehler looks just like he did before he was hurt just no life on his stuff. He had better command but was just good.
Why do we not play on Sunday?
Only time I can remember this happening is when the All Star game was at Dodger Stadium and the Futures game was there on that Sunday.
Very very odd, but Im sure the players will appreciate it.
Isn’t there a rule about playing so many consecutive days in a row without a day off?