Strop and speeding up the bat

[OriolesRedskins28]

For the at least the second time I can recall this season, Pedro Strop has given up a key hit in a ball game off of an off speed pitch. His fastball is ridiculous. Batters know it's coming on 2-0 counts and they still can't square it up. Even if they are able to put it in play it's usually a weak ground ball. So why in the world is he throwing offspeed pitches in key situations? Who is making that call? It happened against the Yankees early in the year against NIck Swisher I believe who hit a game winning home run in extra innings off strop and it happened tonight in Seattle. With one out in the 8th inning and runners on first and second Strop threw a two strike splitter that was lined into right center. The one thing that was on my mind was please don't speed up the bat, don't throw that offspeed pitch stick to the fastball, eventually the batter is going to swing and miss or make weak contact. If that was Wieters' call he should know better by know. If I was thinking that sitting on my couch Matt Wieters who is supposed to be a great game caller should know better. Don't speed up the bat with Strop in key situations!!! Maybe with 1 out and the bases empty, maybe to start off an at bat but not in a key situation with 2 strikes... Come on!

[birdwatcher55]

Buck messed up for the second night in a row!!! Should have pulled Strop when it was 4-3. What was he thinking????!!!!!!!! Thank God for Andino tonight.

[OriolesRedskins28]

I wanted Buck to stick with Strop. His stuff is filthy. I know keeping a reliever with poor control on the mound with the bases loaded is a risky proposition, but Strop's stuff is that good. Looks like you were right.

[Matt P]

I think Buck made the wrong decision leaving Hammel in but the right decision leaving Strop in. Strop is your best or second best pitcher out of the bullpen so you stick with him. Hammel was tired the night before and threw about 30 pitches more than he should have thanks to his defense.

[TuckerBlair89]

It's very easy to second guess a manager.
There's probably been 50 times this season that he made the RIGHT move and nobody is talking about that.

I couldn't watch the game last night so I will not give my opinion on the topic. However, sometimes as a manager it's a sign of trust keeping the pitcher in. Not every pitcher has ice in their veins like Mariano Rivera. Sometimes you simply need to show a player that "Hey, I believe in you. You can finish this"

[Matt P]

I understand but Hammel was clearly tired, threw 23 pitches in the inning, just walked the bases loaded, and had to throw so many more pitches than necessary due to his defense. O'Day was warmed up in the bullpen. Buck is one of the best managers in the game and is typical perfect in his bullpen handling so I'm not upset about it.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Strop did it again last night. He was dominating with the fastball and with a 2-2 count he throws a slider right down the middle and gets burned yet again. I wonder if it is indeed Strop who is deciding to throw these ill timed offspeed pitches or if it's Wieters. Either way you would think they would have figured it out by now... If Strop is going to throw a slider late in the count it needs to be out of the zone.

[Ampontan]

The dugout calls pitches too, based on analyzing tendencies.

On the one hand, he is "speeding up their bats", but on the other, pitchers have to change speeds to be successful.

[OriolesRedskins28]

The dugout calls pitches too, based on analyzing tendencies.

On the one hand, he is "speeding up their bats", but on the other, pitchers have to change speeds to be successful.

I think it's the timing in the count that he's throwing the pitch that is killing him. He gets 2 strikes on a hitter and throws a few fastballs in succession and then leaves a slider right down the middle. My point is that if they're going to have him throw the slider late in the count it should be out of the zone. That could be on Strop, maybe he's having a tough time commanding the pitch but it's come back to haunt the Orioles so many times I would consider having him refrain from throwing it late in the count.

[ofahn]

I think it's the timing in the count that he's throwing the pitch that is killing him. He gets 2 strikes on a hitter and throws a few fastballs in succession and then leaves a slider right down the middle. My point is that if they're going to have him throw the slider late in the count it should be out of the zone. That could be on Strop, maybe he's having a tough time commanding the pitch but it's come back to haunt the Orioles so many times I would consider having him refrain from throwing it late in the count.

For most pitchers the slider is harder to control than the change up. Working from a 98 MPH FB an 88 MPH change up with the same motion would be DEVASTATING and could thrown for an "out" pitch in any count.

Sure, you can hang a change up but normally not as often as a slider, and when a hitter has to respect the 98MPH FB they normally won't be able to properly time the 88 MPH change up even if it is a hanger.

If Strop can learn how to throw a change with the same motion as his FB and command it, he would almost unhitable the first time through any lineup.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Loved what I saw from Strop tonight. His breaking ball was sharp and he threw it early in the count for strikes and late in the count in the dirt. When he's on like that he is just about unhittable.