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gehrig38 · 12-21-2025, 06:07 PM

All things considered and after the nightmare 9-20 May we were 21-33. We've gone 50-42 since. Stunning, truly stunning. Our offense has out-performed our wildest expectations while our pitching has so drastically underperformed as to take my breath away. There's no good news to be found deep in the peripherals and I'll give you one number that's the cause of it all.
570.

570 base on balls. That's the worst number in the game. The negative effects are too numerous to speak to other than to say walking hitters = losing games, always. You can see it in the pitch counts and one reason I note them often. It shortens outings, which lengthens demand on the bullpen. It's a true killer. Take a look at Nolan Ryan's career. Can you fathom how much more insane his numbers are cutting his walks in half? Teaching young pitchers that the best hitters in the game MIGHT hit .400 on a 3-0 fastball vs the 1.000 OBP of ball four is a lesson they have to learn.
I've asked our development coaches to focus on ALL of your young pitchers and their control as they develop.
The other thing you'll note is how badly it impacts late game hold and save situations. I am hoping our change in pitching coaches begins to reap dividends this winter.
But to honestly have a shot at a .500 season is pretty amazing. I remember my rookie year in Elmira, I think we were 31 or 32 and 39 and our coach challenged us to a .500 finish. We won out and after the final win it felt like we'd really won something. I need that here.
On a side note there is still issues inside our coaches room and the feedback leads me to believe that manager Bill Belfiore is the reason. In multiple conversations he's made it clear he has issues with our new Pitching coach, 1B coach, 3B coach, scouting director and our head trainer. Raul Chavez, in my brief talks, is the only coach to actually complain about Belfiore and we knew that when we signed him. I can't and won't fire the entire staff and Belfiore is doing a great job this 2nd half, so I'll need to watch how this plays out.

12-21-2025, 06:07 PM	#98
gehrig38 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Medfield, Mass Posts: 5,992	Could we? All things considered and after the nightmare 9-20 May we were 21-33. We've gone 50-42 since. Stunning, truly stunning. Our offense has out-performed our wildest expectations while our pitching has so drastically underperformed as to take my breath away. There's no good news to be found deep in the peripherals and I'll give you one number that's the cause of it all. 570. 570 base on balls. That's the worst number in the game. The negative effects are too numerous to speak to other than to say walking hitters = losing games, always. You can see it in the pitch counts and one reason I note them often. It shortens outings, which lengthens demand on the bullpen. It's a true killer. Take a look at Nolan Ryan's career. Can you fathom how much more insane his numbers are cutting his walks in half? Teaching young pitchers that the best hitters in the game MIGHT hit .400 on a 3-0 fastball vs the 1.000 OBP of ball four is a lesson they have to learn. I've asked our development coaches to focus on ALL of your young pitchers and their control as they develop. The other thing you'll note is how badly it impacts late game hold and save situations. I am hoping our change in pitching coaches begins to reap dividends this winter. But to honestly have a shot at a .500 season is pretty amazing. I remember my rookie year in Elmira, I think we were 31 or 32 and 39 and our coach challenged us to a .500 finish. We won out and after the final win it felt like we'd really won something. I need that here. On a side note there is still issues inside our coaches room and the feedback leads me to believe that manager Bill Belfiore is the reason. In multiple conversations he's made it clear he has issues with our new Pitching coach, 1B coach, 3B coach, scouting director and our head trainer. Raul Chavez, in my brief talks, is the only coach to actually complain about Belfiore and we knew that when we signed him. I can't and won't fire the entire staff and Belfiore is doing a great job this 2nd half, so I'll need to watch how this plays out. __________________ The Chicago Iron Pigs 2012-2024 The IBL's first 13 years The Alaska Avalanche 2024-2030 Moving on to my birthplace The San Antonio Silver Stars 2030-2034 From one big state, Alaska, to another, Texas!