Jurr
04-26-2005, 06:11 PM
Do you like the new and improved Jon Garland? Me too. Why is he pitching like this? What clicked on? Will he stay? These are all valid questions, and I have watched his starts in their entirety on at least two occasions each. After looking again at the last three starts, I have found a few subtle differences. They become extremely apparent if you watch any of last year's starts:
1. He's confident: Jon isn't pitching around ANYONE. He has a power sinker that really makes players beat the ball into the dirt. The old Jon used to nibble around the corners and was timid to get the ball over the plate on the first pitch. If you are a sinker ball pitcher, it's not going to work if you're behind in the count. Jon is getting people down 0-1, 0-2, then they are forced to go after the sinker and get rolled up into the double plays or easy grounders.
2. He's getting the ball DOWN! You say, "duh..he's a sinkerballer!!!", but the key to the whole puzzle is the fact that Jon's getting his four seamer down, too. Garland wouldn't get rocked a whole lot in 2004, but he'd just get nailed in one inning. This goes back to his lack of confidence, but also the fact that he was keeping his fastball up. On first pitches of a sequence, Jon would either throw a ball or throw a bp fastball. Now, you see that first pitch low and away or down and in on the lefties. He's still getting more than enough of the plate to get the 0-1, but the ball isn't elevated for hitters to pull the trigger on it with any success. He's locating that fastball well.
3. The Santana factor (A.K.A. "Hey this changeup is one helluva pitch!!") It was said many times this offseason that Garland was learning to get his changeup over and in the slot that fastballs come from. He no longer has to rely on a subpar curve to change the pace of the opposing bats. Jon's game is the plus four seam and sinking 2 seam fastballs. Now he throws in a changeup, and the opposing hitters have no chance.
Garland's got some new toys to play with, and he also is starting to believe that he does have a ton of talent. He's always had GREAT stuff, but getting him to put it on the mound was the big chore. Now, he's putting it all together, and he's getting the results. Maturity has set in with this kid, and he's going to be great. Let's hope we can afford to extend him.
1. He's confident: Jon isn't pitching around ANYONE. He has a power sinker that really makes players beat the ball into the dirt. The old Jon used to nibble around the corners and was timid to get the ball over the plate on the first pitch. If you are a sinker ball pitcher, it's not going to work if you're behind in the count. Jon is getting people down 0-1, 0-2, then they are forced to go after the sinker and get rolled up into the double plays or easy grounders.
2. He's getting the ball DOWN! You say, "duh..he's a sinkerballer!!!", but the key to the whole puzzle is the fact that Jon's getting his four seamer down, too. Garland wouldn't get rocked a whole lot in 2004, but he'd just get nailed in one inning. This goes back to his lack of confidence, but also the fact that he was keeping his fastball up. On first pitches of a sequence, Jon would either throw a ball or throw a bp fastball. Now, you see that first pitch low and away or down and in on the lefties. He's still getting more than enough of the plate to get the 0-1, but the ball isn't elevated for hitters to pull the trigger on it with any success. He's locating that fastball well.
3. The Santana factor (A.K.A. "Hey this changeup is one helluva pitch!!") It was said many times this offseason that Garland was learning to get his changeup over and in the slot that fastballs come from. He no longer has to rely on a subpar curve to change the pace of the opposing bats. Jon's game is the plus four seam and sinking 2 seam fastballs. Now he throws in a changeup, and the opposing hitters have no chance.
Garland's got some new toys to play with, and he also is starting to believe that he does have a ton of talent. He's always had GREAT stuff, but getting him to put it on the mound was the big chore. Now, he's putting it all together, and he's getting the results. Maturity has set in with this kid, and he's going to be great. Let's hope we can afford to extend him.