A take on Keegan Akin

[AnythingO's]

12 hours ago, Frobby said:

I am 6’2” and in my youth had rather limited hops.   On my best day I could get my fingers maybe 1-2” over the rim.  But I often wondered, if someone offered me a million dollars if I could dunk a basketball within a year, whether I would have been motivated enough and able to train myself to do it.     Obviously it ain’t happening now at age 63, but at 22-23 I think I could have done it if it was worth it to me.    

I'm 6' (at least I once was) and 71. I used to be able to grab the rim. I had a friend on the UMD freshman team ( they had such a thing back in the day) who said I should be able to dunk. He lobbed the ball up at the rim for me. I had a few bang off the back of the rim but none went down. Good memories. Now I'm gonna have to setup the kids old rim, haha.

[AnythingO's]

Back on topic and question for the coaches. if someone has a plus 4 seam is it easier to learn a 2 seam FB than to refine a CB or SL that are below par??

[Can_of_corn]

5 hours ago, AnythingO's said:

Back on topic and question for the coaches. if someone has a plus 4 seam is it easier to learn a 2 seam FB than to refine a CB or SL that are below par??

I think it just depends on the pitcher.  Steve Johnson couldn't master a two seamer and that was his dad's bread and butter pitch.

[DrungoHazewood]

On 12/25/2020 at 6:54 AM, Can_of_corn said:

I don't either but having a guy throw his better pitches more often doesn't strike me as using cutting edge analytics.

Ah, but game theory.  Are they his best pitches at least in part because he has other pitches that hitters wait for?  And if he ditches the other pitches then the "best" pitches become less effective?

[hoosiers]

Eager to see Akin (along with many of our minor league pitchers this year) in the majors this year and how he develops.  He is a pretty unique case with two high quality offers that offers possibilities of developing into a good SP (likely needing advancement of a third pitch), a two pitch reliever or perhaps someone along the lines of Yarborough in Tampa - a good starter for bullpen games.

[LookinUp]

13 hours ago, AnythingO's said:

Back on topic and question for the coaches. if someone has a plus 4 seam is it easier to learn a 2 seam FB than to refine a CB or SL that are below par??

Well, pitching is about velocity, movement and command/control. Most of the guys we're talking about have the velocity to throw a 2s. The movement on that particular pitch doesn't have to be terrific, though you'd take that 10 times out of 10. 

I'd say for a guy like Akin it's about changing eye level, which means he's have to be able to locate the 2s more than anything else. Poor location on a flat 92 mph fastball will get crushed. Good location after changing eye levels, even if a bit flat, can be really useful.

Command is not the easiest thing in the world to master.