714KaliHydro said:
^^^
I just have to disagree. I don't believe that it's his ego, just his emotion towards the game.
He is just in a slump right now, it's been about a month or two now. He pitched solid in 2002 up until about July. When he is at his best, he is phenominal.
About the control thing, I'm still wondering if it was the whole bull-pen using the tar. We started slippin' right after Donnelly was busted.
There's some dude I was listening to on the radio who's a sports talk host and an Angels fan... That's basically what he was saying about K-Rod... Saying he's hard to coach cuz he's full of his own hype... But I don't think it's so much a slump as it is patient hitters sitting on his slider... He's always thrown a slider in the dirt and a fastball... After doing the same thing for 3 years it's not a surprise anymore... He's going to shut down free-swinging teams like Detroit and the Yankees but that's the reason why whe's blown like 3 games against the A's this year, the most patient team in baseball. Every slider is in the dirt and you know when it's coming because he always throws a fastball in a fastball count.
I think the bullpen problem is K-Rod (as described above,) and Shields & Donnelly being used almost every game. I think last time I looked they were both on pace to pitch more than they ever have in a season.
Mr. Chronic said:
Poor Joe Blanton is all I gotta say. The guy has pitched his heart out this last month (I think he has the best era for the month of August), but he still seems to never get any run support for any of his starts. The young A's pitching staff never ceases to amaze and continues to prove all the doubting and criticism as these pennant races heat up.
Blanton should be AL pitcher of the month for August...
These guys are gonna be so good next year it's scary... To this point, the A's starters have given up less earned runs than any other AL rotation... And 3 of their starters have never pitched a full season... And they're better than last year after trading away two of the best pitchers in baseball... THAT'S FUCKING UNHEARD OF... Plus they have 4 of these guys for multiple years and will probably give Zito an extension (beyond the one that automatically kicked in for next year already.)
The Joe Blanton you're starting to see now is the Joe Blanton he was in AAA... Dominating. Earlier this year he had his ups and downs like any other rookie... He wasn't striking a lot of guys out and he was walking a lot of hitters... In AAA he struck a ton of guys out and had outstanding control... From here on out you're only gonna see his walks drop and strikeouts go up.
