What happened to Fausto?

[Gimme Some Mo]

Two years ago, this guy was supposed to be one of the best up and coming pitchers and the league.

Then he signs a long contract, and of course he sucks. That's the way it goes in Cleveland.

I just don't get it. His stuff is still nasty.

Every time I hear someone talk about his struggles, they say it is because his mechanics. He is supposedly throwing the ball too early, which makes sense because the ball always tails high and to the right.

The real question is.... Why isn't he getting better? Why isn't he improving his mechanics?

Is it just him refusing to listen or is too dumb to figure it out, or is it that our coaches are complete morons? Id have to say a mix of both.

It pisses me off and it is actually really sad. I thought we had a solid #1 of great #2 pitcher locked up for the next how ever many years. I should have known that if you sign a long term deal in Cleveland though, that you will suck (I am looking at you Boobie, Hughes, Stallworth, Hafner).

 

[The Oi]

Because he's a one trick pony. A gimmick guy.

It seems to take about a year and a half for the league to fully scout guys out. If by that period of time, a young guy is still relying solely on what got him to where he is, he's probably already getting battered so bad that it's too late.

That's the reason for the "sophomore slump" people always talk about. Granted, Fausto wasn't a sophomore last year but that big season was the first one he pitched as a starter.

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

Because he's a one trick pony. A gimmick guy.

It seems to take about a year and a half for the league to fully scout guys out. If by that period of time, a young guy is relying solely on what got him to where he is, he's probably already getting battered so bad that it's too late.

I just can't agree with that because when he has his control, he is still really really good.

The guy just can't throw strikes anymore and it gets him in trouble and he has to groove fastballs right down the pipe just to be able to throw a strike.

I know what your saying, and I can't blame you for thinking that, but Fausto actually has good stuff... he isn't Jeremy Sowers who has no stuff at all and somehow got by for half a season.

Like most people say, it's all mechanics with Carmona. With Sowers, it's just because he sucks.

 

[The Oi]

I just can't agree with that because when he has his control, he is still really really good.

The guy just can't throw strikes anymore and it gets him in trouble and he has to groove fastballs right down the pipe just to be able to throw a strike.

Well, that's the thing. Fausto really only throws a couple pitches and the large, LARGE majority of them is that sinker of his. His opponents know this, and they also know that if they're patient and he starts to get wild...he's done.

That used to be the line on Cliff Lee too. If you could get ahead of Cliff and put him in a pressure situation, he'd completely fold. Over the last two years, he seems to focus even harder when that happens. He has an uncanny ability of getting lead runners out with groundballs once he lets a guy on base. But he also has a variety of pitches he uses to keep hitters honest.

Fausto really only has the two and four seamers and if they're biting too much, he can't stay in the zone. And then like you said, he grooves a regular fastball.

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

Well, that's the thing. Fausto really only throws a couple pitches and the large, LARGE majority of them is that sinker of his. His opponents know this, and they also know that if they're patient and he starts to get wild...he's done.

That used to be the line on Cliff Lee too. If you could get ahead of Cliff and put him in a pressure situation, he'd completely fold. Over the last two years, he seems to focus even harder when that happens. He has an uncanny ability of getting lead runners out with groundballs once he lets a guy on base. But he also has a variety of pitches he uses to keep hitters honest.

Fausto really only has the two and four seamers and if they're biting too much, he can't stay in the zone. And then like you said, he grooves a regular fastball.

I completely agree, but it is fixable IMO. All he has to do is throw strikes early in the count and he is a good pitcher. That is obviously easier said than done, but IMO that has always been what determined Fausto's performance.

If he gets ahead early, the hitter is screwed. If he gets behind early and often, it's going to be an early exit for Fausto.

Even though he only has 1 or 2 pitches, that pitch is dominant when he is on. He got by on it for the whole 2007 season, so I don't see why he still couldn't now. I guess you could say now teams figured him out, but IMO there was nothing to figure out. They already knew in 2007 that the sinker was coming, they just couldn't hit it because he actually had some control.

I still think he can turn it around (probably not this year). I think it is more him, than hitters figuring him out. It's all about control with Carmona, it always has been.

It's just very very frustrating watching him get bombed over and over. I wish we could send him to the minors to try working on some stuff and maybe get some real coaching, but we have no options to bring up and replace him. :thumbdown

 

[Chris]

You beat me to it. I was about to post a thread titled, "Is the Fausto Carmona experiment over?"

 

[DougHeil]

Carmona is still young. He may be immature for his age as well, so he may have a hard time in the limelight at this stage. He could grow out of that at anytime. I do believe it's also a case of the coaches just not being able to get through to him combined with the fact I haven't thought much of Wedge nor his hand-picked coaches. I say we give him some time, but give that time in AAA. ( I think he has one option left) It's not doing the team OR HIM any good at all to throw him to the wolves every 5 games to embarrass him. Allow the kid to work things out in AAA, then bring him back up.

At this point, the Indians have nothing to lose unless they keep pitching him with all the problems. Just like Huff is showing improvement game to game, why not see what another young prospect can do, at least until Westbrook is ready?

 

[Chardon]

Batters figured him out.

 

[GilbertForPres]

I say we move him back to closer, what could go wrong?

 

[Chardon]

I heard LeBron is a Free Agent At 2010.... Just sayin'

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

I saw Fausto at Crocker Park yesterday. I wonder if they are giving him a few days off to collect his thoughts or something???

 

[Damage]

he's, what, 24? I'm not the eternal optimist, I swear, but some people on here give up way way too soon, especially for a game such as baseball

 

[Chris]

he's, what, 24? I'm not the eternal optimist, I swear, but some people on here give up way way too soon, especially for a game such as baseball

It's not that I'm giving up on Fausto, it's that I know where this is going because I've seen it before. He gets traded a year from now, maybe two, reinvents himself with a team that can coach, and becomes an All Star.

 

[MJA1080]

I saw Fausto at Crocker Park yesterday. I wonder if they are giving him a few days off to collect his thoughts or something???

From what I read somewhere, the rookie ball league doesn't start yet I believe.

 

[CavsRules]

I think it's just his control, as mentioned..

When Fausto has his control locked in, hes one of the best pitchers in the bigs. He didn't have that 07' year by mistake, he was locked in that year and really had his confidants high. Every time he took the mound, you knew he was going to limit the offense to just a 1-2 runs.

Hes still got that form in him, but hes just gotta get his thoughts together and get his control down. The pitching staff has got to help him the best they can, too.

The Indians can still turn this season around, as crazy as that sounds. As long as they get Jake Westbrook back healthy soon and have Carmona being above average.. We could be in for run for the division with nobody having a clear cut lead.