2023 Season | Series #37 | Blue Jays @ Guardians | Aug 7-10, 2023

[Petes999]

He prefers MIFS to MILFS all day.

"Like to" is just wishful thinking.

One is future tense (MILF) and one is past tense (MIF)

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I'd call going 2-2 against the Jays a modest success, especially without Bieber, McKenzie, Quantrill, Civale, Karinchak, Josh Naylor, and Fry.

Great to see Tena and Rocchio get a pair of hits and not just singles, either. Calhoun is consistently hitting the ball hard. Syndergaard was outstanding, allowing just one run in six innings on a couple of bloop hits. Without a 99 mph fastball to rely on he's using his off-speed stuff really effectively.

At one point they showed a graphic of what he was throwing - I believe he threw six different pitches. Maybe the Guardians were right in not trying to "fix" him. Just leave him alone, give him the ball, and let him figure out what he needs to do.

I'm hoping he finishes the season pitching like he did today and is so happy in Cleveland that he signs on for another year.

 

[CBBI]

I'd call going 2-2 against the Jays a modest success, especially without Bieber, McKenzie, Quantrill, Civale, Karinchak, Josh Naylor, and Fry.

Great to see Tena and Rocchio get a pair of hits and not just singles, either. Calhoun is consistently hitting the ball hard. Syndergaard was outstanding, allowing just one run in six innings on a couple of bloop hits. Without a 99 mph fastball to rely on he's using his off-speed stuff really effectively.

At one point they showed a graphic of what he was throwing - I believe he threw six different pitches. Maybe the Guardians were right in not trying to "fix" him. Just leave him alone, give him the ball, and let him figure out what he needs to do.

I'm hoping he finishes the season pitching like he did today and is so happy in Cleveland that he signs on for another year.

I get that collectively we sometimes get caught up in process > results and at the end of the day Syndergaard has had two very good outings from a results perspective.

That said...

I just can't get too pumped up in what he's doing. He's gotten incredibly lucky so far and I expect the wheels to basically fall off at any moment.

The good news for the Guardians is that Thor has absolutely been hammering the strike zone in every outing which has kept his pitch count incredibly low. That low pitch count basically guarantees (assuming he doesn't get bombed out by hard hit balls) that he can give them at least 6 innings every time.

 

[CDAV45]

I get that collectively we sometimes get caught up in process > results and at the end of the day Syndergaard has had two very good outings from a results perspective.

That said...

I just can't get too pumped up in what he's doing. He's gotten incredibly lucky so far and I expect the wheels to basically fall off at any moment.

The good news for the Guardians is that Thor has absolutely been hammering the strike zone in every outing which has kept his pitch count incredibly low. That low pitch count basically guarantees (assuming he doesn't get bombed out by hard hit balls) that he can give them at least 6 innings every time.

Syndergaard is an enigma to me. Clearly he's healthy and in good physical condition. His delivery literally has no effort in it whatsoever. He throws strikes, but doesn't command the ball in the zone. He has some pretty good movement, but I wonder if he would lose a good portion of that if he were ever to throw harder again. I don't mean 99 whenever he wants either. If he could consistently get to 95 while keeping the movement on his FB then I think he could become a very good SP again. The entire thing is weird to me and it would surprise me if he found a minor mechanical issue while in Cleveland that unlocked Thor. I'm not expecting it, just saying I wouldn't be surprised. Then again, what we see now may forever be what Syndergaard is.

 

[mopete12]

Syndergaard is an enigma to me. Clearly he's healthy and in good physical condition. His delivery literally has no effort in it whatsoever. He throws strikes, but doesn't command the ball in the zone. He has some pretty good movement, but I wonder if he would lose a good portion of that if he were ever to throw harder again. I don't mean 99 whenever he wants either. If he could consistently get to 95 while keeping the movement on his FB then I think he could become a very good SP again. The entire thing is weird to me and it would surprise me if he found a minor mechanical issue while in Cleveland that unlocked Thor. I'm not expecting it, just saying I wouldn't be surprised. Then again, what we see now may forever be what Syndergaard is.

Syndergaard even admits his lack of velocity may be mental at this point. Kind of depressing article from Jun:

Noah Syndergaard Is Getting a Reset to His Dismal Season

In the wake of injuries, the once-fearsome righty has lost not only his velocity but his confidence.

blogs.fangraphs.com

 

[sportscoach]

Syndergaard even admits his lack of velocity may be mental at this point. Kind of depressing article from Jun:

Noah Syndergaard Is Getting a Reset to His Dismal Season

In the wake of injuries, the once-fearsome righty has lost not only his velocity but his confidence.

blogs.fangraphs.com

You gotta start somewhere and maybe him being in Cleveland will get him back on track...

 

[Derek]

My great hope for Thor is that he clicks enough with the coaching staff to come to spring next year on a minor league invite.

He looks pretty washed, but maybe they can find something down the stretch to build toward next year.

 

[CDAV45]

I was looking back at Syndergaard's 2019 season to see if I could notice any mechanical differences. I don't have an overlay, but it looks to me like his arm action was shorter in 19. Now it's almost as if he's trying to stuff the ball in his back pocket. That could be something or it could be nothing, but it was quickly noticeable to me. There may be other mechanical issues as well, but that just jumped out at me.

 

[cliffdawg]

In a perfect world Thor would have got to see Pitchers like Bieber, Civale, and even last year Cal, throw every 5 days those guys weren’t lighting up the radar gun, but was getting by with location and ball movement, it’s obvious Thor is trying to remake himself from being a flamethrower to being a finesse pitcher, and those guys I mention are good example especially Bieber and Civale.

 

[Alabuckeye]

In a perfect world we have a rotation of:
Bieber
Bibbee
Williams
Healthy rediscovered Thor
Logan

next year and they all stay healthy an pitch like they can. We also obtain a strong OF bat for our pieces and have an offense that can regularly score 4 a game and we win the WS with a re-nails bullpen

 

[CBBI]

In a perfect world we have a rotation of:
Bieber
Bibbee
Williams
Healthy rediscovered Thor
Logan

next year and they all stay healthy an pitch like they can. We also obtain a strong OF bat for our pieces and have an offense that can regularly score 4 a game and we win the WS with a re-nails bullpen

McKenzie isn’t in your perfect world rotation?

 

[Alabuckeye]

McKenzie isn’t in your perfect world rotation?

In a perfect world, I’d have a perfect thought process….

 

[mopete12]

In a perfect world we have a rotation of:
Bieber
Bibbee
Williams
Healthy rediscovered Thor
Logan

next year and they all stay healthy an pitch like they can. We also obtain a strong OF bat for our pieces and have an offense that can regularly score 4 a game and we win the WS with a re-nails bullpen

Bieber
McKenzie
Bibbee
Williams
Allen

Cantillo and Curry as 6 & 7. I don't love the depth in AAA but damn that is a nice starting 5 if healthy.

Right now I expect Quantrill and Plesac to be non-tendered.

 

[sportscoach]

Bieber
McKenzie
Bibbee
Williams
Allen

Cantillo and Curry as 6 & 7. I don't love the depth in AAA but damn that is a nice starting 5 if healthy.

Right now I expect Quantrill and Plesac to be non-tendered.

Plesac isn't on the 40 man roster lol

 

[mopete12]

Plesac isn't on the 40 man roster lol

I know that. I don’t know what the correct wording is for a player that has been DFA’d and forced to accept an assignment to AAA when they are still arbitration eligible. He’ll be released at the end of the year.

If we stay near the Twins and something happens to a current pitcher (and Bieber and McKenzie are still out), then he is still an option to be added back.