Keegan Akin 2022

[Frobby]

Akin’s command wasn’t as sharp yesterday (28 pitches, 16 strikes) but he induced a key DP grounder and managed to throw 2 scoreless.

[Going Underground]

Has not pitched in four days?

[Just Regular]

10 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

Has not pitched in four days?

They might be saving him to start Saturday.

I hope Bradish being scratched yesterday might mean he is a candidate, but we'll see.

[maybenxtyr]

2 hours ago, Going Underground said:

Has not pitched in four days?

They may be using him in higher leverage situations. Unfortunately for him this team is terrible and he could end up collecting rust waiting for the high leverage. 

[Going Underground]

1 hour ago, maybenxtyr said:

They may be using him in higher leverage situations. Unfortunately for him this team is terrible and he could end up collecting rust waiting for the high leverage. 

Yesterday when game was tied 2-2 ?

Maybe also has a stiff neck? Need to stay at better motels with better pillows.

[oldfan]

Maybe follows Bradish?

[Frobby]

23 hours ago, oldfan said:

Maybe follows Bradish?

Bingo.   And he was attacking the zone again — 37 pitches, 31 strikes.   2.2 scoreless, 1 hit, no walks, 2 K’s.  Great outing.  

[RZNJ]

In most of his outings his strike percentage is unbelievably high, especially for a pitcher who has historically had control/command issues. 

[interloper]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

In most of his outings his strike percentage is unbelievably high, especially for a pitcher who has historically had control/command issues. 

Hard to think of a pitcher with a bigger turn around than this in recent memory.

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

Hard to think of a pitcher with a bigger turn around than this in recent memory.

Yeah, it struck me his story has some similarities to Cedric Mullins. A lot of people were ready to get rid of the guy, and for sure that thought crossed my mind. I am pretty sure I thought he did enough in the second half to keep getting a look but I had very low expectations. I am not saying he will put up 5 WAR like Cedric but he is off to an amazing start.

[oldfan]

Maybe when Hall comes up, this year or next, put him in pen, long relief to start with. Go a little old school like Orioles of old. Grod, I think goes right into rotation, Akin can be left in pen for a while longer, piggyback with T. Wells. Later on flip flop them to keep Well's innings down.

[Just Regular]

Here he is 2nd MLB-wide in Zone%, to Toronto's Adam Cimber, who I believe throws underhand.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=10&type=22&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=10,d

He's also missing a lot more bats than Cimber, is 90th percentile (17th of 184) in Z-Contact% yielded.

Batters don't get challenged this nakedly that often.

[bobmc]

25 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Here he is 2nd MLB-wide in Zone%, to Toronto's Adam Cimber, who I believe throws underhand.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=10&type=22&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=10,d

He's also missing a lot more bats than Cimber, is 90th percentile (17th of 184) in Z-Contact% yielded.

Batters don't get challenged this nakedly that often.

Thanks!  My heart is pounding just a little.   Please don't follow this with something to pull that rug!  

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Just Regular said:

Here he is 2nd MLB-wide in Zone%, to Toronto's Adam Cimber, who I believe throws underhand.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=10&type=22&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=10,d

He's also missing a lot more bats than Cimber, is 90th percentile (17th of 184) in Z-Contact% yielded.

Batters don't get challenged this nakedly that often.

Observation: when a pitcher isn’t worried about getting hit hard, he’ll throw more strikes.    So there’s a bit of a feedback loop.    If you throw strikes and get outs, you keep doing it.  If you throw strikes and get hit hard, you start nibbling.   And that leads to bad counts and more hitting.  Right now Akin is getting outs by throwing strikes, so he’s confident.   The real test will be what he does after getting hit hard some game — does he stick with his approach?

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Observation: when a pitcher isn’t worried about getting hit hard, he’ll throw more strikes.    So there’s a bit of a feedback loop.    If you throw strikes and get outs, you keep doing it.  If you throw strikes and get hit hard, you start nibbling.   And that leads to bad counts and more hitting.  Right now Akin is getting outs by throwing strikes, so he’s confident.   The real test will be what he does after getting hit hard some game — does he stick with his approach?

I thought he passed that test.  In Oakland on April 21 Akin entered the game in the 5th inning.   With 2 out he gave up a homer to Sean Murphy.   Then he kept throwing strikes to get the next 4 hitters in a row to finish 2 innings of work. 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401354432