Indians fans: Why does Carmona get hit so hard now?

markakis8 · Sep 3, 2009

He really has a hard sinker that even in the middle of the zone gets groundballs.

I'm looking for an Indians fan that watches him pitch regularly. It just amazes me that a pitcher with his stuff gets hit so hard. Kind of like Verlander when he was going through that rough patch last year and early this year.

Is it a control issue? I know his changeup isn't that good. But man he could live on that sinker all day if he has a decent slider.

Johan Santana 57 · Sep 3, 2009

cause he was never good to begin with, his 1 good year was a fluke and he is settling back into his real potential

leatherman · Sep 3, 2009

I have always thought of sinkerball pitchers in the same way as I think of jump shooters in basketball: you live and die with it.

If you are on, and the ball is sinking, you can dominate a game. But sometimes, the mechanics of a single pitch can be off, and your 89 mph sinker is instead flat and straight, and MLB hitters hit line drives on flat, straight fastballs. To be a successful sinkerball pitcher, you must be able to make your sinkerball move down 95% of the time or more.

Derek Lowe comes to mind as a sinkerballer who leaves too many flat pitches over the plate. He has trouble throwing the pitch consistently, and hitters will wait on the flat pitch and then hammer it. As a result, he has a lot of dominant games, and a lot of mediocre games.

On the other hand, Kevin Brown was a sinkerballer who rarely threw flat sinkerballs, and he was dominant most of the time when he was healthy.

Carmona is a similar guy to Lowe, in my opinion. He CAN be dominant, but he leaves too many flat pitches over the plate.

d

Bornagaincollector · Sep 3, 2009

I might be in the minority,but i believe his pitching stance has changed since his 07 season.

muchuckwagon · Sep 3, 2009

Go back to his rookie year when he just got rocked....some of it is location, he has the tools but his mental approach to the game is lacking. I also heard a few months ago that he was spot on in bullpen sessions and there was some question why that didn't translate into success on the field.

It is a coin flip....he could very well go 17-6 next year with a sub-three ERA or land in Akron trying to find his way.

jbone17 · Sep 3, 2009

I can answer this short and simple. People found out how to hit him. :lol:

markakis8 · Sep 3, 2009

Yah but Carmona throws 94-95 MPH consistently. I watched the Tigers/Indians game today. His ball moves so much. But when he misses, he misses bad. I'm talking way out of the strike zone.

I do agree with you leatherman on your middle paragraphs. I just never expected Fausto to carry a 6 ERA with the stuff he has. I knew his 19 win season wasn't going to be a perennial thing, but man, he's just a birthday present waiting to be unwrapped for his opponents right now.

leatherman said:
I have always thought of sinkerball pitchers in the same way as I think of jump shooters in basketball: you live and die with it.

If you are on, and the ball is sinking, you can dominate a game. But sometimes, the mechanics of a single pitch can be off, and your 89 mph sinker is instead flat and straight, and MLB hitters hit line drives on flat, straight fastballs. To be a successful sinkerball pitcher, you must be able to make your sinkerball move down 95% of the time or more.

Derek Lowe comes to mind as a sinkerballer who leaves too many flat pitches over the plate. He has trouble throwing the pitch consistently, and hitters will wait on the flat pitch and then hammer it. As a result, he has a lot of dominant games, and a lot of mediocre games.

On the other hand, Kevin Brown was a sinkerballer who rarely threw flat sinkerballs, and he was dominant most of the time when he was healthy.

Carmona is a similar guy to Lowe, in my opinion. He CAN be dominant, but he leaves too many flat pitches over the plate.

d

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Indians fans: Why does Carmona get hit so hard now?

markakis8

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