If Granderson’s improvement against lefties is 1) real and 2) the result of Kevin Long, how much would Long be worth?

Losing the first game was annoying,

Getting a split on a TWN off-day means we didn’t lose ground for the day. That’s gotta stand for something, no ?

I know he doesn’t deserve it over Bautista, but I really hope Granderson wins the MVP.  Also something that surprised me: Granderson had a higher OPS on the road than home before today’s games.

Did Mo whisper the secrets of pitching to Robertson? Or did he just bless the kid at some point?

Have Robertson and Mo ever been in the game at the same time?  Didn’t think so.  Mo must also be a master of disguise.

I remember the pundits downplaying his potential as they did Canos despite the fact that he excelled at every level never losing a beat as he advanced thru the system.

By the way, who got the double? Babe Ruth? One of the MVPs of Boston?

It was the immortal Delmon Young. It was the second game of the season, the one where Rafael Soriano came into a 4-0 game and loaded the bases then walked in a run. Robertson gave up a bases-clearing double and the Yankees lost in 10 with Boone Logan on the mound.

[8] I believe Robertson warmed up in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings before finally getting into the game in the 8th.

So Robertson has a slightly unlucky BABIP with the bases loaded is what you’re saying?

Is pitching out of bases-loaded situations a skill to some degree? SSS of course, but it does seem like Robertson reaches back for something extra when he’s got nowhere to put the batter.

And there was the huge performance in Game 2 of the 2009 ALDS, although he had some BABIP luck

This place is dead. You guys all without power?

I managed to miss the hottest weekend of the summer while in Colorado.

i am waiting for something to write something that i can a) snark about, b) tell them they’re wrong about or c) laugh about.

[14] OK, I assert that Robertson’s dominance could not have been predicted given his physical tools and results coming out of the minor leagues.

Have away.

Just double checking, one among Snuggles and Ugly Johnny is Clay, and the other is the former Top Chef producing dude, right? Went away on vac, and I guess missed the update.

coming out of the minor leagues.

That a prospect should pitch teh ate? Wasn’t that a given?

[15] Physical tools I can’t speak about, but he’s always had the K/BB that makes you excited.  If you’re talking along the lines of projection systems, my rebuttal would be that they’re good at broad predictions, but not so good when dealing individuals, which is sort of obvious.

The other part of the argument is that you assume that what Robertson’s showing is his true ability, and not luck in some part. Robertson has a been a blessing, but certainly we should expect him to come down to Earth sometime. I’m hoping it’s sometime in 2027.

[5] The Return of Mariano Guerre, starring David Robertson.

[14] or d) all of the above, knowing you, or is it i?

[18] He has some telling control issues in the MiL. And generally undersized right handers with 1 pitch and control problems don’t make the best Major League pitchers. Then he madeth ML and the fastball gained 2-3 mph and became a dominant pitch.

There was always reason to be somewhat interested/excited about the K possibilities, but there was little reason to expect anything closeto what Robertson has become.

WHen he came up he was throwing 90-92 with a very good curve. He initally looked like the curveball version of Eduardo Ramirez.

Is pitching out of bases-loaded situations a skill to some degree? SSS of course, but it does seem like Robertson reaches back for something extra when he’s got nowhere to put the batter.

It does seem like Robertson does throw more strikes when he has to.  Whether that’s skill or not, I have no idea. 

Over his career, he’s walked 6.7% of the 45 batters he’s faced with the bases loaded, and struck out 51.1%. 

In the other 768 PA of his career he’s walked 12.5% and struck out 29.4%. 

For the 2011 AL, here are those same splits:
Bases loaded: 6.8% BB/BF, 19.2% K/BF
All other situations: 8.0% BB/BF, 17.9% K/BF.

Assuming 2011 is representative of the general type of split, you do see a slight improvement in both BB rate and K rate when a pitcher’s pitching with the bases loaded, but not nearly to the degree we’ve seen with Robertson.

I think the main thing is that he’s hard to make contact against.  No balls in play means no chances for hits.

[16]  Snuggles is Clay, and I am the other.

[23] You mean “l’autre”.

L’etranger, c’est ugly jean.

Jean est un autre.