Bautista 2023

[sportsfan8703]

AKA our only reliable relief pitcher. 

162 is a long season. We couldn’t pitch the big man today. 

[Frobby]

I thought Bautista had his shakiest outing of the year tonight.  Didn’t throw a single splitter where he wanted it, didn’t whiff anyone.  Luckily he was facing a weak lineup and got away with some bad pitches.  Hopefully it was just a hiccup that had no negative consequence, and he’ll be sharper next time. 

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I thought Bautista had his shakiest outing of the year tonight.  Didn’t throw a single splitter where he wanted it, didn’t whiff anyone.  Luckily he was facing a weak lineup and got away with some bad pitches.  Hopefully it was just a hiccup that had no negative consequence, and he’ll be sharper next time. 

He just likes to make Moose nervous.   

[Pickles]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I thought Bautista had his shakiest outing of the year tonight.  Didn’t throw a single splitter where he wanted it, didn’t whiff anyone.  Luckily he was facing a weak lineup and got away with some bad pitches.  Hopefully it was just a hiccup that had no negative consequence, and he’ll be sharper next time. 

This is all true. 

But we also all need to accept he is mortal.

[sportsfan8703]

He’s a beast. 102. Just maybe needs to consider holding runners better with a one run lead. 

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, sportsfan8703 said:

He’s a beast. 102. Just maybe needs to consider holding runners better with a one run lead. 

That's going to continue to be a problem.

[Frobby]

Just now, sportsfan8703 said:

He’s a beast. 102. Just maybe needs to consider holding runners better with a one run lead. 

Two outings in a row his splitter hasn’t been good.  Either it’s way up in the zone or it’s hitting the ground a foot in front of the plate.  Hopefully this doesn’t last long.  Even at 100+, Bautista can’t succeed as a one-pitch pitcher.  

[sportsfan8703]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Two outings in a row his splitter hasn’t been good.  Either it’s way up in the zone or it’s hitting the ground a foot in front of the plate.  Hopefully this doesn’t last long.  Even at 100+, Bautista can’t succeed as a one-pitch pitcher.  

He’ll be alright. One run saves are tough. IIRC, he dropped a nasty one in last night. 

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Two outings in a row his splitter hasn’t been good.  Either it’s way up in the zone or it’s hitting the ground a foot in front of the plate.  Hopefully this doesn’t last long.  Even at 100+, Bautista can’t succeed as a one-pitch pitcher.  

I'm surprised they don't go to the slider when he's having trouble commanding that splitter.   He's really a 3-pitch pitcher but the slider is never needed.    It's not bad.

[RZNJ]

As for the splitter, I'm not sure how warm/cold it was last night but it might have something to do with the feel and grip in cooler weather.

[deward]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Two outings in a row his splitter hasn’t been good.  Either it’s way up in the zone or it’s hitting the ground a foot in front of the plate.  Hopefully this doesn’t last long.  Even at 100+, Bautista can’t succeed as a one-pitch pitcher.  

He went through stretches last year where he lost command of the splitter as well. He always got it back, but it seems like we'll be holding our breath every time to see if he's got it that night or not.

[Fiver6565]

47 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I'm surprised they don't go to the slider when he's having trouble commanding that splitter.   He's really a 3-pitch pitcher but the slider is never needed.    It's not bad.

I swear one of the low and away strikes he got last night was on a slider not splitter. Seemed to have slider action. But Palmer said splitter so I’ll trust his take on that.  I do often wonder where the slider is, when it’s clear he’s hanging the split a bit. 

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Fiver6565 said:

I swear one of the low and away strikes he got last night was on a slider not splitter. Seemed to have slider action. But Palmer said splitter so I’ll trust his take on that.  I do often wonder where the slider is, when it’s clear he’s hanging the split a bit. 

Brown called it a splitter but it was a slider.  I'm sure of it.  

Bautista then threw a good splitter, and Palmer said there's "two" good ones in a row.  I'm not sure he directly called the first pitch a splitter.  And  he did, he was wrong.

[SilverRocket]

Was he this slow to the plate last year? I don't know what site might have numbers on this but runners are going on him this year and it's not looking close.

[RZNJ]

You're going to have to put up with runners stealing on him.   He doesn't give up many baserunners and you don't want Bautista fooling around with a slide step.   It's going to cost him once in a while but it's the price of doing business.