SB Nation User Blog: slcathena

OT: Talk About a Pitcher Not Named CC -- Lincecum's Motion

slcathena — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:28:19 -0000

Following a link from Baseball Prospectus I came across the following article at SI. It's a pretty fun read all around, but given our recent series with the Giants, this particularly jumped out at me:

Edited to fix the reference link.

Now jump and land on the balls of your feet and your toes. The shock is absorbed with the help of the toes, feet, ankles, legs and bent knees. How can Lincecum take such a long stride and still land on the ball of his left foot with a bent front knee? One secret, he explains, is what he calls his "ankle kick," a snapping of his right ankle as his right foot, the back foot, leaves the rubber. Lincecum comes off the rubber with such snap that, upon the ball's release, his right foot is more than a foot in front of the rubber, shrinking the distance -- and thus stealing precious time -- between him and the batter.

(Emphasis added)

When we faced Lincecum I remember in the game thread that I wasn't the only one who thought Tim was occasionally leaving the rubber before the ball was. It seemed to happen later in the game, I'd guess as fatigue set in. I don't know how to capture small videos of games for upload, so I can't show direct pitches, if anyone can, I'd be grateful.

This post is not to flame Lincecum or anything else--but merely to spark discussion about that particular nuance of his motion. We have a few more games left against the Giants, I'm betting Tim will pitch at least one of them--if this is a big part of his pitching motion and sort of breaks down later in games, it's something we need to watch. Or, you know, tell me I'm wrong. ;) I'm cool with that too.

Cards-Tigers Game Thread

slcathena — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:14:14 -0000

Go Tigers! Get those Dirty Birds! Go Tigers! Get those Dirty Birds!

Enough?

We can do this.

slcathena — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:56:43 -0000

I thought some other people might need to hear this/a place to comment after yesterday. I agree, yesterday was hard to watch, but still.

We are not those Cubs.

I've been a Cubs fan my whole cogent life. For the record, I'm currently 29, and have been watching the Cubs on WGN since I was at least 4.

I come from a baseball family, what can I say? My dad coached t-ball, little league, babe ruth and american legion. At 3 I was playing indoor wiffle ball with my dad and my brother. I was changing the numbers on the scoreboard at 8, I learned to keep the team book at 11. I did play by play locally (very rurally, locally) at 13. I recorded the Cubbies day games as soon as I was able to work the VCR. I saw the evil corn cob dress and cried when Ryno retired.

I sat through 1984 (barely cogent) 1989 (Watching the Hawk strike out to end the series hurt). In 1998, I was going through a horrible college angst break up. Sammy's run cheered me up, their loss in the post season broke my already shattered heart, as did our brief post season show. 2003--well, we all were there. I couldn't believe it. Last year, I was lucky enough to be in Chicago during the Diamondbacks series, but couldn't get to the field. I sat at the hotel bar and waited out the very last pitch as all the fans trickled home.

I get the heartache. I've seen the implosions. I remember getting my hopes up in late 2001 only to have them dashed.

This is not those teams.

It's just not. I'm not a baseball statistician (oddly, I'm a politics statistician, so I could probably run some numbers if needed, I have the equipment). I don't know why this isn't those teams. It just isn't.

Every time we let ourselves think this is the magical moment of implosion though, we set ourselves up for a self-fulfilling prophecy, and this is not the year to do that. We've come from behind too many times. We've won close games. Yes, the Rays series sucked, but so what? You win at home, you split on the road and you get to the playoffs. That's what my dad always said, anyway.

BTW, This is not those teams.

So screw superstitions and be gone doubters. They can do this. We came back 9 down against the Rockies for God's Sake. Yes a sweep hurts, but the season is 162 games long for a reason.

Grow some faith.

We'll need it in the post-season. ;)

Cubbie Gnome Round Up

slcathena — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:42:54 -0000

These little guys may be the cutest piece of ceramic ever created. My gnome came yesterday, I saw others got their's over the weekend. This is the place to name your gnome.

Mine is named after the great Cub pitcher and World Series champion, Orval Overall the Second. Seriously, it's perfect. He is wearing little patched overalls and everything.

Be part of the gnome army here.

*This is my first ever fan post--I know it's not super substantive or anything, but it seemed fun and I was curious who else had gnomes/what their names were. :)