I guess reading comprehension isn't really your thing. I didn't say he was a hard thrower. I said he threw harder than Whalen does now.
Maddux threw significantly harder (90-94) than Whalen is throwing now, and that was much more impressive 20 years ago. You should have paid more attention during your baseball watching peak. Maddux also had an elite change up, an above average breaking ball, played the best defense on the mound of his generation, and had the best control in the history of the game. Does Whalen posses those traits too? Again, you obviously weren't paying attention.
And your other counter point is Jamie Moyer? That doesn't even warrant a response other than to say that if a career 4.5 FIP is your definition of a "good" pitcher, then you win the argument. Whalen can probably be a 4.5 FIP guy for several years. Oh joy.
Again, so what's your point? Should we not let Whalen start another game? Are you afraid Whalen is gonna cost us the pennant this year? What's all the bitching about Whalen for?
It's just a grumpy asshole being a grumpy asshole. It's so, so odd for someone to feel the need to talk down to every single person with a slightly differing view. We're not even allowed to feel slightly optimistic about Whalen. We have to announce that he sucks and won't make it, or feel the wrath of the mighty and all-knowing enscheff. it's really bizarre to me. normal people don't act that way to complete strangers on the internet. pre-pubescent 12 year olds on xbox do. you gonna bang our moms too, enscheff?
It's as if we are a board full of Donald Trumps!
We're gonna make the braves great again. We're gonna win, win, win
Well to be fair those were both cases of injuries causing velocity loss and then lack of effectiveness, it wasn't like there were warning signs with sudden velocity loss before that. Both Medlen and Jair were 91ish before injury. And Medlen had come back strong for 2 solid years (2012 and 2013) before the second TJ. But I'd agree in general on low velocity, average K pitch to contact guys being good sell high guys in general.
Thinking Perez would ever be anything other than a back of the rotation guy is obviously kinda crazy, but Whalen actually has solid secondary stuff when he's showing good control. He could make an okay 4th starter type if everything works out based on that. That's most likely his peak upside, but there is some upside there.
Though if Doug Fister can hang around as a decent starter for as long as he can with similar velocity anything is possible. Not a high chance of happening, but it's there.
It's as if we are a board full of Donald Trumps!
Yes, there are pitchers that succeed for a short while despite underwhelming stuff. That's why I said "sustained success" and mentioned 3 years. When Medlen was going good I cautioned that the moment he lost even a tick off his stuff his command and "knowing how to pitch" would no longer be enough to make up for it. I was brow beaten endlessly then too by the same brain trust that is harping on me now.
I was a huge proponent of selling high on Medlen. That didn't happen and the Braves extracted almost zero value from him after his one good season. Same with JJ. I hope the Braves will have learned their lesson when it comes time to cash in Teheran in 2-3 years.
Hell, just last year there were folks on this board saying Williams Freaking Perez was a legit option for the 3/4 slot in the rotation because he "just knew how to pitch", and "just gets hitters out". Again, I was lambasted then for saying Perez should not figure into the plans of a contending team. They were wrong then, they are wrong now, yet they still say the same things about all AAAA pitchers that enjoy a hit of early success.
Yeah, you can sell every pitcher before he turns 30, but if you do that, you become the Oakland A's and continuously rebuild.
Whalen has good strike out numbers at the upper levels. Everything I saw last night indicated that is pretty much the guy he is. Everything he throws moves, and he has what...4 pitches he can mix effectively? That is a good bit to keep hitters off balance ( Kinda like a Paul Byrd) and I'm optimistic he can contribute to this team going forward.
Good comp. Paul was another successful major league pitcher who threw around 88 mph on his four seam fastball with an 81 mph change.
Since acquiring kemp, the braves are 5-2.
And if we don't, it's because the game is rigged.
#finishstrong
Again, so what's your point? Should we not let Whalen start another game? Are you afraid Whalen is gonna cost us the pennant this year? What's all the bitching about Whalen for?