Arrieta's postgame comment

[pollaxt]

If only Jake had that confidence when pitching.

[clapdiddy]

Glasswrist24 was taken.

Hah! I was thinking #DL4ever!

[Dark Helmet]

Never been about stuff with Jake. Heck, Matt Riley had better stuff than Jamie Moyer.

[The Rick]

Glasswrist24 was taken.

So was @HolyPornStacheIWishIWasRonJeremy

[mcinww0]

I'd be interested to know where these comments were coming from... Everyone seems to perceive Arrieta as arrogant so maybe him and Johnson didn't get along while he was here? Or maybe Johnson got sick of hearing about how good a guy with no mlb track record could be he could be when all he was doing was blowing one game after another?

In fairness to Arrieta I think everybody does think he could be really good if he got it together. Maybe he never will though, who knows.

[section18]

Maybe AJ or Davis can put Jake up against a wall gently and give him some serious coaching. Tell him they have to go to the restroom sometimes and he's leaving them out on the field too long or........they need a snack or a drink once in awhile and he needs to think about that every time he twitches or takes his hat off or stares for a minute at Wieters behind the plate. They need to rattle him. Buck can't do it. Someone commented about him being arrogant or conceded. He is. It's very obvious. Someone told him he's one of the hunks and the women like him (this was said on the radio recently by the host) so he apparently feels he needs to stand out on the mound for long periods of time and give the ladies a good view of him while he loses another game for us. Guess what Jake? The ladies don't think you are so close to being so good anymore and everyone doesn't know it. How about preparing better before a game and acting like you belong in the major leagues. You act like a guy that is lost. We've been through this over and over and over. No more excuses. Your ego should be shrinking not getting bigger. You need a reality check. Too bad the Orioles can't stop paying you for a few weeks until you get your act together. Everybody on the field has a job to do and he is not performing up to league standards. He's making $43,000 per month, not big money but still a lot of money,and appears to be very comfortable with life. Too bad another big crowd (over 41,000) had to see another meltdown over just 4 innings and a loss today.

[oriolefan1035]

I feel like Jake needs to spend some time with a sports psychologist (if that actually helps). He's constantly over-compensating in his post-game interviews for what is clearly a lack of confidence when he is on the bump. He drives me insane with the rocking before every pitch, touching his cap before every pitch, and tucking in his jersey after every pitch. It's like he can't just calm down when he's out there, and honestly, I'm not sure it's a psychological hurdle that he'll ever overcome. I don't think his control is as bad as it plays, it's just that he mentally unravels whenever he feels the situation getting tight.

Look at Miguel Gonzalez as a stark contrast. He doesn't have near the 'stuff' Arrieta has, but he has complete composure out there and buckles down when the going gets tough.

[MachadOboutManny]

He's a pitcher who cant throw strikes. Not being able to consistently throw the ball within 2 feet of the catchers mitt, for 6 years, is not a minor detail. He is not close to being anything. He is who he is. Nothing has changed. No progress is being made. He is a terrible pitcher who has neat stuff.

[The Wedge]

Maybe AJ or Davis can put Jake up against a wall gently and give him some serious coaching. Tell him they have to go to the restroom sometimes and he's leaving them out on the field too long or........they need a snack or a drink once in awhile and he needs to think about that every time he twitches or takes his hat off or stares for a minute at Wieters behind the plate. They need to rattle him. Buck can't do it. Someone commented about him being arrogant or conceded. He is. It's very obvious. Someone told him he's one of the hunks and the women like him (this was said on the radio recently by the host) so he apparently feels he needs to stand out on the mound for long periods of time and give the ladies a good view of him while he loses another game for us. Guess what Jake? The ladies don't think you are so close to being so good anymore and everyone doesn't know it. How about preparing better before a game and acting like you belong in the major leagues. You act like a guy that is lost. We've been through this over and over and over. No more excuses. Your ego should be shrinking not getting bigger. You need a reality check. Too bad the Orioles can't stop paying you for a few weeks until you get your act together. Everybody on the field has a job to do and he is not performing up to league standards. He's making $43,000 per month, not big money but still a lot of money,and appears to be very comfortable with life.

Are you suggesting that having a couple teammates threaten him will fix his control problems?

[section18]

Not at all. You know how guys talk sometimes. AJ or Chris should just get in his face and say man it's time to get your act together and stop making these games so long. Throw the dam ball and do your job. He's so laid back and carefree I think he needs a wakeup call from a couple of stars on the team.

[Prayin4Reign]

Wait, lets talk about the real story here...

Nick Johnson uses "sexyfeet" in his twitter handle? Are you kidding me?

Yeah absolutely! That's the only thing that jumped out at me. All of the other stuff was just the same old, same old. Sexyfeet...that's classic.

[OFFNY]

Maybe AJ or Davis can put Jake up against a wall gently and give him some serious coaching. Tell him they have to go to the restroom sometimes and he's leaving them out on the field too long or........they need a snack or a drink once in awhile and he needs to think about that every time he twitches or takes his hat off or stares for a minute at Wieters behind the plate. They need to rattle him. Buck can't do it. Someone commented about him being arrogant or conceded. He is. It's very obvious. Someone told him he's one of the hunks and the women like him (this was said on the radio recently by the host) so he apparently feels he needs to stand out on the mound for long periods of time and give the ladies a good view of him while he loses another game for us. Guess what Jake? The ladies don't think you are so close to being so good anymore and everyone doesn't know it. How about preparing better before a game and acting like you belong in the major leagues. You act like a guy that is lost. We've been through this over and over and over. No more excuses. Your ego should be shrinking not getting bigger. You need a reality check. Too bad the Orioles can't stop paying you for a few weeks until you get your act together. Everybody on the field has a job to do and he is not performing up to league standards. He's making $43,000 per month, not big money but still a lot of money,and appears to be very comfortable with life. Too bad another big crowd (over 41,000) had to see another meltdown over just 4 innings and a loss today.

Are you suggesting that having a couple teammates threaten him will fix his control problems?

Not at all. You know how guys talk sometimes. AJ or Chris should just get in his face and say man it's time to get your act together and stop making these games so long. Throw the dam ball and do your job. He's so laid back and carefree I think he needs a wakeup call from a couple of stars on the team.

Right. And when A.J. and Chris go into a hitting slump, or make some crappy plays in the field, should Jake and some of the other pitchers get in their faces, "gently" put them up against the wall, and remind them that they aren't pulling their weight ???

[LookinUp]

I think people are way over reacting to his little comment. He's just saying that he knows he has great potential but isn't quite fulfilling it. I don't think it was arrogant. Just honest.

On the other hand, if Jake or anyone else thinks it's easy to teach a guy to throw a baseball 95 mph while hitting a bulls eye on the other end, they have another thing coming. I think the odds of Jake ever becoming a very good pitcher, either starting or in relief, are pretty low. He's closer to Alfredo Simon than Justin Verlander, IMO.

[Edit: Note, I feel similarly about Tillman and Britton, each to a slightly lesser degree.]

[Barnaby Graves]

This thread has already been elected by the Veterans' Committee to the Barnaby Graves Thread Hall of Fame.

From Jake's self-unaware comment to Nick Johnson's twitter handle to section18's "have some teammates give him the business" I feel like these are the most promising first two pages in internet discussion history. It's like Billy Rowell's 42 games in Bluefield, you can just tell there's something special brewing.

[skanar]

Are you suggesting that having a couple teammates threaten him will fix his control problems?

Nothing calms the mind, clears the head, and reduces stress like threats of physical violence against one's person.