Six Man Rotation?

It’s hard to turn these “soft” pitchers of today into a workhorse like yesteryear. A six man rotation might help Hanson (sore shoulder) or Jurrigans (coming back off the DL). We really don’t know about Hudson and Lowe’s health. Beachy and Minor are only needed if the four main guys can’t go on three (or four) days rest. Friday the Braves started a stretch of 17 straight games.

Unlike Cox, Fredi has been unafraid to shake things up. Batting Constanza ninth. Stealing bases. Hit and Runs. Suicide squeezes. Seems like his success rate is under 50%. But the players seem to like him. He stuck by Uggla during his slump, giving him more days off than Uggla would’ve liked. Now Heyward rides the bench while Constanza has the hot hand. Heyward doesn’t like it, but he understands.

Just read an SI article on the #3 pick in the MLB draft, a pitcher named Trevor Bauer from UCLA. Father is an engineer in Oregon. Bauer has been taking pitching lessons since he was ten, and studying what’s the best form to use. Throws six days a week, including the day after he pitches. Long toss up to 380 feet. Most current pitching “experts” say no longer than 120 feet. Bauer constantly stretches his arm, using exercises designed for pitchers rehabbing from Tommy John arm surgery. He was throwing like the Giants Tim Lincecum before he first saw Lincecum pitch in college.

He opted for college to prove himself, knowing the pros would immediately want to change the habits of a high-school draftee. This spring Bauer threw complete games in his last nine outings, throwing over 130 pitches per game in all but one. If the Bruins had a big (long) inning at the plate, he’ll go back and warm up more in the bullpen. Bauer has ten different pitches.

He told the MLB teams not to draft him if he couldn’t continue his heavy regimen. He feels like all the work both stretches and strengthens his arm, and he’ll be able to pitch like this for 20 more years. The Diamondbacks drafted him, and may use him in the bullpen next month.

The article said complete games have increased for the fourth year in a row. Some of the “experts” are beginning to admit that limiting a pitcher’s throwing has resulted in an epidemic of injuries and pitchers who tire after five innings. So maybe there’s hope. The Braves weren’t mentioned in the article.

Several years ago Don Sutton said the best thing a kid wanting to be a pitcher could do is throw, then throw some more. As a kid, Will threw a lot. He’s never had a hurt arm, though it’s occasionally been sore. But his team changes pitchers every two innings no matter what.

Braves.com beat writer Mark Bowman was saying how last Tuesday’s game was influenced by Proctor’s bad game Monday, when they had to bring in a tired Kimbrel to close out the game. When the tired Beachy walked the two batters in the 7th they brought in the rookie to get one out, so a pinch-hitter could bat and O’Flanery pitch the 8th. Beachy blamed himself for the two walks, but the game-tying homer meant Kimbrel had to pitch again. Something like that. At some point all relievers gotta take a day off.

Pretty productive Monday for me. With Matthew signed up for baseball, he needed equipment. At lunch and on the way home I looked for cleats, finally buying some at a place where I had a half off coupon. Luckily, they fit. Got home late, and took W and M up to the nearby school to practice.

At dark we rode over to Wal-Mart to get him batting gloves. Needs them mainly for practice. He’s catching it ok in his old glove…don’t know if we’ll eventually need to upgrade.

Did lots of research and looking for cars. Trying to shy away from Volvos due to the high repair costs, though they look good.

Ceil had a Veritas meeting, where she picked up Anna. Will had a fishing show on TV, so I went upstairs to read. Later I heard Will shouting at the TV, so I went down to see the game-winner replayed.