Comments on: Yankees to call up Gardner

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:06:52 +0000

Additionally, most four-seam fastballs have natural movement depending on the pitcher. When someone says â€œhis fastball has good movementâ€ that doesnâ€™t necessarily mean the pitcher is throwing a cutter/sinker/2-seamer.

And what type of movement is that? The only way a four-seamer is thought to move is by appearing to “rise” (which it does not, it appears to “rise” simply because it does not fall as much your brain expects).

So, what does this guy throw? He obviously throws a four-seamer with average speed, no late life or “rise”. That’s the fastball that will get hammered. If there is another one, do tell what it is.

By: Rubin-Gardner has finally been called up

Rubin-Gardner has finally been called up — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:50:12 +0000

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally! It only took 81 games. Im guessing this was to fill out the 25 man roster since Perez was DFA’d. He will most likely be starting today over Christian. I cant wait to see him fly around the bases again.

By: jon

jon — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:46:34 +0000

Wake up call Melky

By: nyyfaninlaaland

nyyfaninlaaland — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:42:49 +0000

Brandon – You didn’t actually use range factor to compare Cabrera to Gomez and mean it did you? Range factor could be the worst defensive stat ever invented, or at least the worst named, even if it was the product of Bill James. All it measures is the number of plays a player is involved in as a percentage of total plays. If the ball is hit to a player more, his range factor will be higher. That Gomez has 54 more chances in CF than Cabrera, in 4 less games, is largely the explanation for the disparity. For whatever reason, against Minny the ball is hit to CF more often. On the margin it could be that Gomez gets involved in more plays, but Range Factor dramatically overstates that difference.

Now there may be one, because Gomez’s zone rating is tops among ML CF’s. But Melky’s is 5th, so he’s no slouch. That said, the Yanks may well make the deal straight up in a heartbeat, largely on Gomez’s superior speed. And it’s not like Gomez is some much younger prospect (4 months).

By: Patrickâ„¢

Patrickâ„¢ — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:26:10 +0000

I know what a cutter and a sinker are. And actually you are forgetting a 2-seamer which also has horizontal movement. Additionally, most four-seam fastballs have natural movement depending on the pitcher. When someone says “his fastball has good movement” that doesn’t necessarily mean the pitcher is throwing a cutter/sinker/2-seamer.

By: David Robertson for Setup

David Robertson for Setup — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:18:57 +0000

Im assuming since there has been no update that Gardner wont be up this series?

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:37:19 +0000

A cutter..what? Where did anyone say that Robertson throws a cutter?

A fastball with horizontal movement is a cutter. A fastball with vertical movement is a sinker. So if his fastball “moves” it either cuts or sinks and is either a cutter or a sinker. I haven’t heard about jaw-dropping groundball rates so I assumed he throws a cutter.

By: GreenBeret7

GreenBeret7 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:33:20 +0000

SJ, there’s another recent pitcher that possible circulation problem reminds me of. Aaron Cook. His wasn’t an aneurysm. It was a pinched artery in his chest. It became pinched while pitching, because it was moving up against a rib when he threw. In 2005, he had the rib removed and has been really good, so far this year.

By: Noreaster

Noreaster — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:32:54 +0000

It’s great reading these chats, just a quick point to add to the discussion. Cash is going to bring up whoever is ready for a look over the next month. He is going to see what he already has before he starts looking outside the organization.

It will be interesting to see if we can pick up another salary dump (perhaps from the Marlins) along the lines of Abreu.

By: SJ44

SJ44 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:26:33 +0000

Dan,

Calm down and don’t sound so ignorant by ripping a kid who was pitching in his first ML game.

I have seen the kid pitch for the last two years and his stuff is more than good enough to get big league hitters out.

If you don’t think so, let’s just agree to disagree.