I was listening to MLB.RADIO yesterday morning and one of the commentators was talking about when he worked as an intern for the Pirates under Syd Thrift. Allegedly, Thrift commissioned a study to determine how long the human brain took to “re-set” or adjust after seeing a 97 MPH fastball followed by a 89 MPH slider. Well, not actually that exact pitch sequence, but he wanted to determine how long it took a batter to adjust from the last pitch to the next pitch.
I have no clue how long this study lasted or how scientific it might have been, but the result of the study was “12 Seconds.” They said that it takes the human brain 12 seconds to “reboot” after seeing a pitch. Whether it really is 12 seconds or shorter, I think there is some validity to the idea. I think that the sooner a pitcher gets the ball back and throws it, the better the chance that the hitter doesn’t “barrell up” the bat on the ball.
Max Scherzer throws the ball quickly, so did Greg Maddux. Maybe part of the reason they were or are go good is that they did not let the hitters’ brain re-adjust after each pitch. Maybe it’s just harder to focus again so quick. At any rate, this raises the question “why are some guys so slow in light of this information”? Pedro Baez used to be the “Human Rain Delay”and as he picked up his pace between pitches last season, he became much harder to hit.
Get the ball, throw the ball. It seems pretty obvious to me that the quicker a pitcher throws a batter a pitch, the more liklihood the batter will not recognize that pitch simply because he has not had enough time to think. if Dennis Eckersley had pitched to Kirk Gibson quicker, maybe Gibby would not have had time to remember Mel Didier’s shouting report about the backdoor slider and the Dodgers would not have won that World Series?
Pedro Baez quit being el Gasolino when he started getting the ball and throwing the ball… with a quickness! It seems so simple.
Pitchers & Catchers Report Next Week
It’s about time, but there are still about 100 unsigned free agents, most of whom will not get the kind of contract they were seeking. This is the second year in a row in which this has happened. The unrest and discord among players in the MLBPA is growing by leaps and bounds and ultimately led to Manfred pulling his offer of the DH in the NL off the table.
General Managers have started to realize that these long-term mega deals are the antithisis of winning baseball. Several years ago, Arte Moreno was envied by many Dodger fans. How do you like him now? He made dope-fiend moves and while the average fan loves it, it is the Highway to Hell.
A lot has to go right to get to the World Series and I believe the Dodgers have the team to do it, but there’s a lot of ground to cover before then. Who gets hurt this year? It seems like it is someone or two or ten every year. Injuries play a part. How the new hitting approach progresses is another issue to be determined. I am confident of two things: (1) It should be fun; and (2) I expect them to come out of the gate smoking hot. They have been to the mountain twice and were denied. I believe they are more determined than last year.
I have always hoped that THIS was the year for the past 31 years, but it’s only been the last two years and THIS year that I have had the confidence that THIS YEAR could be it! This team has the horses and pieces to trade for another horse or two… if that is needed. Plus, we still don’t know where Machado or Harper will land.
Opening Day Lineup
Here’s my prediction:
- Pederson LF
- Turner 3B
- Muncy 2B
- Bellinger 1B
- Pollock CF
- Verdugo RF
- Taylor SS
- Martin C
- Kershaw P
It would be nice to see Corey Seager there at SS, but I think they will take it slow and start him in extended Spring Training. Of course, his recovery could be miraculous. One never knows.
Other Predictions:
- Keibert Ruiz will make his debut in LA by July 15th. No one believes me here.
- Alex Verdugo will hit near .300 with at least 18 HR. No one believes that either.
- Jesen Therrien or Tony Gosolin could make the team by July. AC believes half of this.
- The Dodgers will have 5 All-Stars and 3 Players finish in the TOP 10 for MVP. That’s bold… or insane.
- The Dodgers will win 94-98 Games. Write it down.
Discussion (59)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Anyone see Verdugo’s recent Intsgram Post? He’s looking really good and really strong, I have a feeling Mark is on to something about Verdugo and his production this year, but I’ll take the over on his HR total, I’ll predict 20-25
I would say there is ZERO chance Harper signs with the Giants.
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5% with the Dodgers.
Looks like there is some real mutual interest between Harper and the Giants. I could see him wanting to be the next coming of Bonds. And from the Giants viewpoint, they’re desperate for decent outfielders and Posey and Madbum are not what they once were so Harper would be a huge drawing card for them.
That said, Harper couldn’t win anything with a Nationals team that was far better than the current Giants roster and he never struck me as being an overly patient guy so I’m not sure he wants to wait 3-5 years to be on a competitive team. Of course the Giants have never been afraid to spend money so they might just throw so much at him he couldn’t refuse it.
Will AF rise to the bait and try to convince Harper that it’s easier to hit homers in Dodger Stadium and he’d be a bigger star in Hollywood? Maybe Farhan is just trying to get Andrew to spend a lot of money. Or maybe Harper is a Giant next week. Or none of the above. Sign a contract already Bryce!!!
……”If Joc is leading off next year, that will be a bad sign for our offense. Because that would mean our new hitting instructor was not able to turn Taylor around.”
Or it could mean our new hitting instructor was able to turn Joc around.
If Joc is leading off next year, that will be a bad sign for our offense.
Because that would mean our new hitting instructor was not able to turn Taylor around.
Even with the regression Taylor had last year, he still had a higher OBP then Joc.
And if you have that much confidence in our new hitting instructor, you have to believe he will make Taylor right.
Because this is the same hitting instructor, that helped Taylor have that break out year, in 2017.
Taylor is much more of a distraction once he is on base for pitchers, then stationary Joc.
And because of that, that distraction will get Corey more fastballs to hit.
And if you have that much confidence in Verdugo, he is more astute at getting on base, then anything, so he might be a good lead off hitter too.
Verdugo hit lefties better then anyone on this team last year, so he could lead off against both lefties and righties.
They never batted Corey at the back of the line up when he first came up, and he was no older then Verdugo, so why would you do that with Verdugo?
Joc is in this line up because of his power, and that same power will provide much more protection for Pollack, then Verdugo.
And if you want power in a lead off hitter, Muncy would be a better candidate.
Because Muncy has a very good eye, his OBP was just under 400, and he is another hitter that hits both lefties, and righties.
And when Muncy was 25 pounds heavier last year, he still had more speed then Joc, and to Muncy’s credit, he is coming to spring training in even better shape this year.
Still some positions to see how they play out in ST before I even think about the opening day lineup.
On your Predictions:
1-For that to happen a lot of bad things will have to happen to some Dodger players.
2- I will be happy if Verdugo plays a good RF and hits around 300, and hits both lefties and righties.
3-Maybe.
4-Maybe 2 and 1
5-Have no idea at this time, maybe closer to opening day.
Bum, I’m 72 and got you there…I will refrain from using that phrase…
Has anybody been to Kauai, HI. lately??? I want to take the little woman there again and wonder how it has fared since the floods a couple years back…
Jorge, that was a great question. I have tried and tried, but all I come up with is Johnnie Werhas… A bonafide AAAA star who could rake with the best… But alas I see he had a couple cups of coffee with the Blue..
Per Jon Heyman, most others in on Realmuto were willing to surrender 1 big piece but not a 2nd big piece. Marlins sought 2 of May, Lux, Ruiz and Smith from LA (after it was clear Bellinger was going nowhere) and 2 of Riley, Pache and a big pitching prospect (ie Wright, Wilson, Anderson) from ATL.
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So for the established players over prospect group, which 2 of the 4 Dodger prospects would you have given up for 2 years of JT Realmuto? I am defense first behind the plate so I am fine with AB and hope that he can hit as he did in 2017 and every other of his stops. The Dodgers should have enough offense to make up for AB. I am not nearly as sold on Martin as MT is. All four of the prospects could be frontline players for LAD, and all four could be busts. I think the former is more likely, but it will probably be somewhere in the middle bordering more on the former.
I can’t tell you how reliable it is but I heard this morning that last year, the Arizona Hittng Coaches were not enamoured with RVS and and resisted his input. Magadan was fired and RVS left. The Reds offered Turner Ward more money and the Dodgers would not match it so that they could hire RVS… et al.
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For what it’s worth.
Nice little story on Frank Robinson:
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2019/02/weekend-post-rip-frank-robinson.html
I predict more of the same mixing and matching. Freese plays against all LHPs for example. But come playoff time we might trade for a core piece and solidify the lineup.
A platoon of Joc and CT3 in LF could be deadly.
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I am predicting Martin pulls a Kemp and wins the C spot.
Royals just signed Homer Bailey to a minor league contract with a ST invite. What do they have to lose.
I know that this has nothing to do with the subject, but …
The Twitter page of Dodgers Nation has this trivia or poll:
Who is the greatest Dodgers minor league player you’ve seen that never made the big leagues?
Some think it was Greg Miller
For the life of me, I cant believe Joc P. is still around… No Trade value???
I guess I’m just stuck on Toles… Speed at the top of the order and #2,3 and 4 waiting to drive him in after distracting the hell out of the P…
I’m starting Barnes at C..
I’ll buy your games won prediction…
We WILL be playing good ball by TD… Does anybody really think the GM will not make something happen..
P.S. I still would like to pay 3 good players before I’d sign these insane contracts…
Wow Mark, you had to bring up the DH again? I think you have your wires crossed. Reading the AP article, it states that the players proposed the universal DH, so it wasn’t Manfred pulling his offer off the table to keep the players happy.
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As far as 12 seconds to reset. If it takes 12 seconds to reset, that means you have a better chance of adjusting to another different pitch if you wait at least 12 seconds. For a guy like Maddux where he seldom threw the same pitch in a row, an expert of mixing his pitches, this would be very beneficial to not allow the batter reset. So, it stands to reason that the opposite would be beneficial for a guy who throws mostly fastballs. So, maybe El Gasolino is a genius since he throws mainly fastballs and wants the batter to reset and forget the previous fastball?
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The lineup looks good to me, you and probably most, but Roberts will figure a way to mix it up, so there’s no chance you’re right on that one.
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I’ll take the over on K-Bear
Under on Alex’s average and HR total
I’ll take the under on Therrien, over on Gonsolin
I’ll take the under on All-Stars and MVP voting
I’ll take the over on 98 games!
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Dude, you look great, especially for 70 (regarding your pictures from yesterday). I’m with you about hair dying, but you got to go to Macy’s and get a better tie. Better to lose the tie, than to wear that one! 😉
5 All-Stars and 3 Players finish in the TOP 10 for MVP should get the Dodgers to 100 wins.
Greinke should be the opening day starter against the Dodgers so your lineup looks right.
Seager could be in the opening day lineup and not play back-to-back games through April instead of starting in extended spring training. But, yes, the Dodgers will find a way to go slow with him.
If Barnes has a good spring he will get to start the season as the primary catcher.
I think and hope Muncy is the primary second baseman.