Analyzing Grayson's First Start in the Bigs

[Roy Firestone]

2 hours ago, HakunaSakata said:

If you take a look under the hood he actually settled down and absolutely dominated after the first inning. He also established his change-up quite a bit more and it looked incredible. Better days are ahead. He just needs to get over his 1st inning jitters. I'm sure the rain delay probably didn't help things today.

And for what it's worth there was a 17 mile an hour tail wind on balls hit to right field early in the game...balls were flying out of RF early...

[rm5678]

58 minutes ago, oh-wee-ohs said:

No catcher is throwing down fingers anymore fyi. There's a button system in the catchers armband that calls pitches audibly into a headset thing in the pitchers hat. Instituted last year to prevent all the various sign-stealing cheating going on re Houston trash can banging, etc.

And side note on this: I heard an interview the other day where Shohei is the only pitcher that's the opposite. He wears the armband and his catcher where's the headset. He's got way too many variations of pitches and could take upwards of 30 seconds or more for him to get the catcher to call what he wants to throw. He's totally memorized the armband like he's texting without looking.

Dylan Cease was calling his own pitches today, although not without technical glitches at the start of the game when the device kept falling off his glove every time he threw a pitch.

[HakunaSakata]

11 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

And for what it's worth there was a 17 mile an hour tail wind on balls hit to right field early in the game...balls were flying out of RF early...

Another excellent point. 

I know it's only been three starts, but I've definitely seen glimpses of ace-like qualities in Rodriguez and I think he's much closer to putting it all together than most of us think. 

On a personal note, I particularly enjoyed him ringing up Andrew Vaughn on called third strikes (looking) twice yesterday.

[Sports Guy]

He has to get off to better starts but between the weather and the delay and the wind aided homers, it’s a little more understandable.

Lots of talent there. Clearly one of our top 5 starters.

[Frobby]

I love reading the reactionary posts that clearly were made in the first inning of the game.  

I don’t think Grayson needs to change his plan in the first inning.  He just needs to execute his pitches better.   Probably just a bit of rookie butterflies and needing to get a feel for his pitches.   I doubt we’ll be hearing much about this by June.   He’ll figure it out.  
 

[maybenxtyr]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I love reading the reactionary posts that clearly were made in the first inning of the game.  

I don’t think Grayson needs to change his plan in the first inning.  He just needs to execute his pitches better.   Probably just a bit of rookie butterflies and needing to get a feel for his pitches.   I doubt we’ll be hearing much about this by June.   He’ll figure it out.  
 

I feel a lot better about him after yesterday than I have at any point since spring training. I can't wait for his next start.