A part of me wants OKC to make all of their second FTs just so we don't let them grab the freaking board every time...
So given where Keuchel's velocity has gone over the last three years, do people legitly see him getting a $150m contract when he hits FA?
Depends if he can pitch around it ala Greg Maddux. In some ways, a pitcher who doesn't rely on velocity is a "safer" long term investment because there's less chance of a decline, despite probably being less dominant overall.
I don't remember what the speed was in Maddux's later career but he was hitting 93-94 in his prime if i recall correctly. Fister is a good example of a very good pitcher at 89-90 who became a well-below pitcher when he lost two ticks on his fastball. If Keuchel is sitting 88-89mph now (and its permanent) I'd be worried moving forward on a 5-6 year contract.
Of course - he could very well decline like most pitchers do when their velocity drops. I was just giving an example of a pitcher that adapted to going from low 90's to high 80's without missing a beat. Obviously, at this point, we have no idea if Keuchel would be able to do that. But if he pitches like a top-10 pitcher the next couple of years despite losing that velocity, he probably still gets the big contract. All it takes is 2 teams to believe in him to create a bidding war.
Our bullpen is incredible. I know Hinch should be fired because of Gregerson's worst outing of his career, but our guys have been nails. Love it. 10-5. Good night friends.
