https://blogs.fangraphs.com/javier-and-valdez-high-and-low/ Excerpt: Here is a list of pitchers who have allowed the highest percentage of batted balls above 40 degrees since 2020: % of BBE Above 40 (min. 200) Player Percent Cristian Javier 28.1% Caleb Smith 27.4% John Means 26.9% Trevor Bauer 26.4% Freddy Peralta 26.1% And here are the leaders in the below -20 degrees category: % of BBE Below -20 (min. 200) Player Percent Framber Valdez 26.9% Josh Fleming 21.9% Adrian Houser 21.8% Patrick Sandoval 21.8% Randy Donak 21.3%
I get they have to state legally why the case is dismissed, but they could've saved everyone the trouble by saying "you just weren't a very good MLB pitcher".
Honestly, I’m a bit worried about Framber moving forward. I think he may have been one of the many pitchers using a sunscreen/rosin mix prior to the crackdown, and while his stuff seems fine, I think it might be having an effect on his command. Hopefully he can adjust and avoid a return to his pre-2020 form.
Do we have any spin rate data on him before/after that could help corroborate a correlation? His command has certainly wavered the last 2 starts. That being said, Oakland also seemed to have something on him early (or they were just simply hyper aggressive on any ball over the plate). He did labor but worked through it... with the Maldanado wild throw responsible for 2 of the runs. Had more command issues in the Yankees start, and got Robel'd for a run, but still was able to showcase effective down in the zone stuff. He could be hitting a wall/dead-arm period. Without a real spring training and only one outing with a pitch/innings limit, its fairly likely that fatigue was playing a minor role given some of his extended outings.
His spin rates have dropped less than 100 rpm on the fastballs. The curve has dropped more, but he's also throwing it slower. I'd guess he was using something, but not the good stuff. He's had 2 good starts, a bad start, and a horrendous start since MLB starting enforcing the rules.
I think he's at 80 to 90 %. Either Baker or Bregman said maybe 2 more hard sprints(or something like that)and he's good to play. Going to go to the minors for rehab pretty soon. Apparently if the playoffs were starting he would be playing but since it's not, taking his time so the same injury doesn't reoccur.
Not sure why it happened today, but I got this thought that maybe, just maybe, we could win the World Series in 2021. It came in thinking about how 2017 & 2021 look so good together. No fluke or f#cking cheating accusations this time. Oh, the torment for those anti-Astros a$$holes. What a pleasant thought
Astros have 3 of the top 50 players on Fangraphs trade value list so far, and I figure Bregman and Alvarez will be in the top 20. So 5 of the top 50 most valuable players in the league are on the Astros. LOL at people thinking this window is closing. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2021-trade-value-31-to-40/
The media types are too hung up on Greinke-Verlander-Correa... and not at all paying attention to Alvarez-Tucker-Framber-Garcia-LMJ-Urquiddy. Bregman and Altuve will be guaranteed carry-overs regardless of Carlos. Then there's uncle Mike-Yuli who continue to exceed everybody's expectations, but of course can't guarantee that level of performance forever. Window extension is why I could see them justifying paying big money to somebody (whether its Correa or a FA), even if the years required makes them uncomfortable. What they said prior to the season (no long contracts for anybody) may have been altered by the rapid accelerated development of some of the younger players and the overall performance of the team (in a league that remains wide open).
