Yes, it’s only spring training and anyone that knows anything about MLB knows that pitchers frequently do things during this time period that we wouldn’t normally do in regular games. They like to experiment with throwing different pitches in different counts and things like that.
But, after his second straight poor outing today (five runs, seven hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings), even he says that’s not the main culprit for his problems. He is just getting behind in counts too often and he’s struggling with his fastball command. That ain’t good.
“Even though you get to build up your pitches, it’d be nice to be able to have those quick, easy innings,” Hamels said. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m allowing myself to do that, because I’m not getting first-pitch strikes, or when I do get first-pitch strikes, then all of a sudden, I throw three balls in a row. I’m not putting myself in a really good count.
“It’s tough, because I feel strong. I think it shows, but you have to be able to throw strikes. You get in a game, and you have to be able to be game-ready, and most of the time, I’m too giddy or not knowing how to fix myself quick enough. I know I can do it. I’ve obviously done it. It’s just a matter of being able to do it right now because tick-tock, I’ve got to be good to go in about two weeks.”
Hamels has been having fastball command issues all spring, and that’s troubling. What I’m really worried about is his Bret Saberhagen potential of producing greatness every other year. Sure it’s early, but there is a track record there. It’s easy to say the team has plenty of pitching if Hamels were to struggle, but with the uncertainty of the lineup, they’ll need every last drop of it.
Hamels continued on about his problems, something he never has an issue doing.
“All spring, it’s been command,” he said. “Commanding the fastball, you have to be able to do that, and I’m not doing that too well. It’s something I’m going to be working with in bullpen [sessions] and the next couple of games. Hopefully, eventually, when I get up to the 100-pitch mark, maybe I’ll be able to command something. I have to really focus on that and try to throw strikes with my fastball, because everything else is based off of that.
“You get [to Spring Training], and you want your body to be game-ready and to be competitive,” he said. “For me to be competitive, I need to be able to throw my fastball firm. I don’t know what the velocities were, but as they build up, I think I tend to get a little bit erratic before I calm back down and make everything smooth.”
And let’s hope that’s the real problem here. I could imagine that as you add mph’s to your fastball early on, that you need to get used to it and get it under control (sorry if I’m making excuses for him, but he’s the one that said it, not me).
“That’s kind of where it is,” he continued. “You want to know if your arm is there to really let it go, and I think early on, you’re just worried about throwing and getting a feel. As you get closer to the season, you want to know if you let it go, how’s it going to feel? You’re trying to get those aches and pains out and trying to get that muscle memory. Right now I feel really good. I just don’t have the muscle memory.”
Let’s hope that’s all it is.
This “Famed Phils 4” may not be all cracked up like everyone says they will be.
Oswalt,Lee have struggled all camp and now Hamles has had back to back poor outings…Only Halladay has been consistent from the Starters spot so far..
Add to the fact that Utley,Polanco,Lidge all have some injurues and are all getting older.. this Team will not have the “cake-walk” to the World Series that many of the fans and local media have stated..
Paulman, you’re a real jerk. I haven’t seen anywhere at all that ‘the phillies will have a cake walk to the world series’. Really. Nobody is saying that. The only thing that people are saying is, ‘shit look how great our pitching is with 4 studs. This is going to be an exciting year because we’re already a top team and now we seriously upgraded our pitching.’
So the stimulus you were responding to, well, you got that wrong in the first place.
And then to be such a ‘debbie downer’, all speculating, and to do it persistently over and over, you’re just a prick. Plain and simple.
my #`1 confidence pitcher hallady , #2 is hammels, how many gems did he throw last year with only 1 or 2 run support . if they actually can give him some runs he will win . lee is streaky and oswalt is awesome depending on his health. but hammels is the least of my worries.again as usual will they score ?when they really need them ?
Maybe I am a jerk Schiller which is neither here nor there..
But here are you Fab 4 Pitching Stats so far this Springs
#1) R Halladay- 11 Innings pitched – 0.00 ERA 7 hits allowed, 7 K’s
#2) Cliff Lee – 13 Innings pitched – 5.54 ERA 15 hits allowed,14 K’s
#3) C Hames – 17 Innings pitched – 6.23 ERA 17 Hits allowed, 16K’s
#4) R Oswalt – 10 Innings pitched – 3.38 ERA 11 Hits allowed, 9 K’s
#5) J Blanton – 22 Innings pitched- 4.09 ERA 24 Hits allowed,11 K’s
#6) K Kendrick – 12 Innings pitched – 4.50 ERA 15 Hits allowed, 6 K’s
Hamels,Lee,Blanton and Kendrick have all given up 3 Home Runs so far
and Hamels have give up the most Wlaks- Base on Balls (8 of them so far)
This Fab 4/5 isn’t looking so Fab to me.. and with a 8 man Everyday line-up of old,injured line-up that includes 1/2 the Roster of players on their downside of their carrers like Rollins,Utley,Ibanez and Polanco.. This team may struggle to finish in 2nd Place in the NL East behind the Braves this year
The Window is shutting and closing rapidly..
paul, you are probably the only person in the world who thinks what happens on the mound BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS matters. Do you understand that the stats don’t mean anything at all? I’m not quite sure you get that
Hamels is a damned bum…Trade him now while he’s still worth something…Two bad outings in a row?…Spring training?…He always was a pussy, got lucky one year…Ship him out now!!!