Worley blames the wind

[gmarais66]

Of course, it was the wind that was to blame for Worley's bad outing....

 

http://www.startribune.com/video/249035031.html#sfcsi

[Badsmerf]

Hey, he felt good... I remember something about him "feeling good" all year in 2013 too.

[The Wise One]

He said the wind was affecting how his pitches moved. Were you there to see it? Do you know his pitches well enough to say he is lying?

[TheLeviathan]

He said the wind was affecting how his pitches moved. Were you there to see it? Do you know his pitches well enough to say he is lying?

 

Even, on the remote chance, that it is true....you still don't say that. You just don't.

[gmarais66]

He said the wind was affecting how his pitches moved. Were you there to see it? Do you know his pitches well enough to say he is lying?

 

I'm saying he never owns up to his bad performances...

[ashbury]

Of course, it was the wind that was to blame for Worley's bad outing....

 

[B Richard]

Hope you have another job lined up, Vance

[Guest USAFChief]

Fortunately the Twins play in a dome so this won't be an issue come the regular season. :/

[twinsnorth49]

Well if it wasn't the wind, what else could if possibly be (:.

[Bark's Lounge]

I don't see a problem with it. That's the excuse I use when my performance is substandard at my job (Mall Restroom Cleaning Specialist).

[jokin]

He said the wind was affecting how his pitches moved. Were you there to see it? Do you know his pitches well enough to say he is lying?

 

I wasn't there, but I know excuses well enough to say that this was a pathetic cry for help.

[Ultima Ratio]

The wind also was relieved after 1.1 IP.

 

 

 

 

Apparently.

[Craig Arko]

He was just too polite to say it was the beans.

[bird]

Just for saying something that stupid, I'd trade him to the Cubs or White Sox and let him try his luck in the Windy City.

[jimv2]

I don't see a problem with it. That's the excuse I use when my performance is substandard at my job (Mall Restroom Cleaning Specialist).

 

That's a different kind of wind.

[Thrylos]

one word:

 

beano

[drock2190]

I also blame the wind last spring for making Hicks look better then he was at the time. (Hence the Homeruns)

[Trautmann13]

Wow, we must have had a huge wind storm in the first month of the season last year. Poor, poor Vance. I hope the wind brings him a nice crisp ticket out of Minnesota

[steve]

We traded Ben Revere for this guy? Didn't people say at the time, with a straight face, that the Phillies needed a centerfielder so they "overpaid" to get Revere?

 

Worley's 2013 WAR (baseball-reference version) -1.2.

[Boom Boom]

We traded Ben Revere for this guy? Didn't people say at the time, with a straight face, that the Phillies needed a centerfielder so they "overpaid" to get Revere?

 

Worley's 2013 WAR (baseball-reference version) -1.2.

 

Revere for May is still a good trade IMO.

[cmathewson]

Great thread. For his next act: he'll complain about wind-aided ground balls.

 

As we said all winter, the pitching surplus will work itself out in spring training. This guy's toast. Deduno is trying to pitch with an ice pack strapped to his shoulder. Diamond is struggling with command. And Gibson just keeps throwing bullets.

[Jim H]

Great thread. For his next act: he'll complain about wind-aided ground balls.

 

As we said all winter, the pitching surplus will work itself out in spring training. This guy's toast. Deduno is trying to pitch with an ice pack strapped to his shoulder. Diamond is struggling with command. And Gibson just keeps throwing bullets.

 

I agree that the pitching surplus will work itself out this spring. I also think it a bit early to draw too many conclusions about any individual pitcher. There was an article that Worley had more velocity this spring than last. If true, that would be more important than struggles in his 2nd spring appearance. He, Diamond and Deduno, if healthy will get their chances this spring. So will Gibson. Along with the new guys. I just hope at least 5 are pitching well and are healthy come the end of spring training.

[DocBauer]

WAY too early to write Worley off after this outing, especially after coming in healthy, in better shape, and reportedly throwing with good velocity. But I don't know that I've even heard a knuckleball pitcher complain about the wind for a poor performance. A few big hits or a wind aided HR sure, but come on.

 

As I and others have repeatedly stated, performance, injury and talent should sort the SP situation out. I have no ill will towards any of the candidates, but there is no question Gibson has the greatest talent of the competitors as well as the brightest future. And we know how well Deduno pitched last season. It's hard not to root for those two guys, especially Gibson.

 

And let me state again how opposed I am to "stashing" a candidate in the bullpen at the expense of a quality relief candidate. "You can't cut it as a SP for us so we're going to throw you in the bullpen and send down someone who can do the job to give you another shot," doesn't make sense to me, and doesn't seem to keep both the immediate and future of the ball club in mind.

 

On a very positive note, I'm very pleased to read some of the quotes from Gardenhire this spring in regard to team needs and the talent and potential of the young players in camp. In the past few days Gardy has been effusive in his praise of Santana, and all but publicly stated the need and preference for Hicks as the starting CF for the team. I believe he is fully on board with the team transition, and has begun to move beyond his previous comfort level with veterans almost exclusively.

[cmathewson]

WAY too early to write Worley off after this outing, especially after coming in healthy, in better shape, and reportedly throwing with good velocity.

 

You're right. FWIW, my attitudes vis-a-vis Worley are unrelated to this one bad start. At the risk of repeating myself, I take a dim view of guys who rely so heavily on the sinker. Having seen what happened to Mays, Silva, and Blackburn, I question whether that type of pitcher can have long-term success in baseball in this day and age. Blackburn came into camp in 2012 in "the best shape of his life" with a healthy elbow and velocity readings touching 94. The harder he threw, the straighter he threw. Without a decent slider, he was a batting-practice pitcher. That's what we saw from Worley last year. I hope he's better, but I have grave doubts that he will be.

[jorgenswest]

You're right. FWIW, my attitudes vis-a-vis Worley are unrelated to this one bad start. At the risk of repeating myself, I take a dim view of guys who rely so heavily on the sinker. Having seen what happened to Mays, Silva, and Blackburn, I question whether that type of pitcher can have long-term success in baseball in this day and age. Blackburn came into camp in 2012 in "the best shape of his life" with a healthy elbow and velocity readings touching 94. The harder he threw, the straighter he threw. Without a decent slider, he was a batting-practice pitcher. That's what we saw from Worley last year. I hope he's better, but I have grave doubts that he will be.

 

Last year was the first year that Worley used the sinker more often than the 4 seam. His previous two years were 25 and 30 percent sinkers. That is high but no where near Blackburn territory. Blackburn rarely threw a 4 seam and was over 50% sinkers.

 

Worley in the NL was closer to Nolasco (20% the last two years) than Blackburn in his reliance of the sinker.

 

Why did Worley increase his sinker usage last year to 42%? The injury? The coaching and pitch calling?

 

If it is the Twins, will they also increase Nolasco's use of the sinker?

 

In any case, Worley's pitch mix in Philadelphia in no way compares to Blackburn.

[TheLeviathan]

I feel like claiming spring training starts are genuine chances is a lot like claiming chatting to a woman online counts as a date.

 

ST Is largely meaningless. Lets keep this quote in perspective for what it is - a stupid excuse. It doesn't change that Worley has been a better pitcher three years ago than any of our other staters (save one) has ever been. One ST doesn't change that.

[howieramone1406390264]

I feel like claiming spring training starts are genuine chances is a lot like claiming chatting to a woman online counts as a date.

 

ST Is largely meaningless. Lets keep this quote in perspective for what it is - a stupid excuse. It doesn't change that Worley has been a better pitcher three years ago than any of our other staters (save one) has ever been. One ST doesn't change that.

 

A team that has lost 90+ games three years in a row, doesn't care that Worley had a good season three years ago. ST maybe largely meaningless, but that doesn't mean decisions won't be made based on how well Worley, Diamond, and Deduno perform.

[TheLeviathan]

A team that has lost 90+ games three years in a row, doesn't care that Worley had a good season three years ago. ST maybe largely meaningless, but that doesn't mean decisions won't be made based on how well Worley, Diamond, and Deduno perform.

 

Then that's sad. They should be based on who has the best chance to help this team now and going forward. Not who has the most veteran presence or how many split-squad walk-on types they retired in a meaningless game.

 

We've already had our acting General Manager all but confirm Gibson doesn't have a shot at breaking camp with the team. Teams with three straight 90+ loss seasons shouldn't be so quick to lock anyone into a spot nor lock anyone out of a spot if there is upside to be had.

[howieramone1406390264]

Then that's sad. They should be based on who has the best chance to help this team now and going forward. Not who has the most veteran presence or how many split-squad walk-on types they retired in a meaningless game.

 

We've already had our acting General Manager all but confirm Gibson doesn't have a shot at breaking camp with the team. Teams with three straight 90+ loss seasons shouldn't be so quick to lock anyone into a spot nor lock anyone out of a spot if there is upside to be had.

 

Gibson still has a fair shot at making the rotation until it is in fact confirmed, but being first man up is hardly career threatening. 25 or so Major League starts with a strong possibility of being penciled into the rotation for 2015 seems like a good plan.

[Thrylos]

You're right. FWIW, my attitudes vis-a-vis Worley are unrelated to this one bad start. At the risk of repeating myself, I take a dim view of guys who rely so heavily on the sinker. Having seen what happened to Mays, Silva, and Blackburn, I question whether that type of pitcher can have long-term success in baseball in this day and age. .

 

Alright. Can you take that one step further and maybe say that a pitching coach who wants all of his pitchers to throw the sinker first and foremost does not belong in baseball in this day and age?