02-02-2009, 05:51 PM
<!--quoteo(post=15511:date=Feb 2 2009, 03:47 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Feb 2 2009, 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->It should be noted, BTW, that Wuertz is a not remotely as bad as you guys make him out to be. He had a down year last year...not unlike Heilman. The 2 years before that, he was pretty damn good.
Like we all saw last year, the big thing was his control...he just walked too many batters, and didn't K enough. Was he hurt at all? Not a big injury, but any nagging little things? There must have been <i>something</i> going on, because for his entire career, he had averaged over a strike-out per inning, and last year, he didn't come close to that.
And even <i>with</i> all those troubles, his ERA+ was 123 last year...in other words, well above average for a ML pitcher.
(I know, I know...stats are 100% bullshit, worthless, and communist. And I agree that in some cases, like Wuertz's, they don't tell the whole story. But they do give you a little more information than just Ruby saying "He's a turd!")<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There wasn't anything wrong with him. The league finally got smart and hitters started taking most of his sliders, which is his only good pitch, and which are mostly out of the zone anyway. If AL hitters take the same approach, he's gonna suck something fierce for the A's too.
Like we all saw last year, the big thing was his control...he just walked too many batters, and didn't K enough. Was he hurt at all? Not a big injury, but any nagging little things? There must have been <i>something</i> going on, because for his entire career, he had averaged over a strike-out per inning, and last year, he didn't come close to that.
And even <i>with</i> all those troubles, his ERA+ was 123 last year...in other words, well above average for a ML pitcher.
(I know, I know...stats are 100% bullshit, worthless, and communist. And I agree that in some cases, like Wuertz's, they don't tell the whole story. But they do give you a little more information than just Ruby saying "He's a turd!")<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There wasn't anything wrong with him. The league finally got smart and hitters started taking most of his sliders, which is his only good pitch, and which are mostly out of the zone anyway. If AL hitters take the same approach, he's gonna suck something fierce for the A's too.