tkihshbt wrote:

The details of what happened to Reyes are mired in vague news reports and quotes. I know it's common knowledge to think that Reyes took a nosedive because he didn't learn how to throw a 2-seamer, as Strauss alludes to here, but that seems to be way more simplicated than it actually is and I see no similarities between Miller and Reyes.

Now, I don't disagree with Strauss or anyone else when they say Miller needs to execute his secondary pitches better, but it's pretty ridiculous to think he's going to be a lost cause because he throws his fastball a lot, and I can already tell that's where the narrative is headed.

Don't disagree at all with the second paragraph, and I can't speak to the Miller part of Strauss' comments because I have seen him throw two innings - one in a futures game and one in a ST game.
But I can see where there's a comparison. My recollection is Reyes tried to bully his way out of every tough situation by trying to throw his fastball by everyone. That may have worked at USC, Springfield and even Memphis judging by his stats, but it doesn't work in the majors.
If a no shake policy has been instituted toward Miller, there's probably the same type of rationale behind it.
The difference is Miller is what, 20? 21? Reyes was three or four years older when he came up. It got to a point where he wasn't going to get it. And he hasn't yet. I'm not even sure he's still in baseball.
Addressing AP's point about how they should have sold Reyes at his peak, in hindsight I would have traded him the day after he threw that 1-hitter against the White Sox and lost. Of course, that would have meant starting Brad Thompson in Game 1 of the World Series ...

artie_fufkin wrote:

Certainly, the first three years Matt Holliday was worth the price of Brett Wallace, but I don't know if we're still going to be able to say that with as much confidence five years from now if  Holliday's offensive skills have eroded and his defense continues to plummet toward the Adam Kingman abyss, while he's still making eight figures a year.

Wallace looks a little too much like Casey Kotchmann without the defense to me. I'm not too worried about that trade coming back to bite St. Louis.

artie_fufkin wrote:

My recollection is Reyes tried to bully his way out of every tough situation by trying to throw his fastball by everyone. That may have worked at USC, Springfield and even Memphis judging by his stats, but it doesn't work in the majors.

This is probably right, but Reyes also relied on his change-up a lot as well. It was basically spot your fastball, finish with a change. I think by 2006 when Reyes was getting an extended audition, his arm was already falling apart, though.

Really, what Reyes was doing isn't all that different from what Lance Lynn has done. The difference is that Lynn still has velocity. I think it's also safe to say that Lynn's approach would not be OK with Duncan.

Last edited by tkihshbt (6/22/2012 2:05 pm)

tkihshbt wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

My recollection is Reyes tried to bully his way out of every tough situation by trying to throw his fastball by everyone. That may have worked at USC, Springfield and even Memphis judging by his stats, but it doesn't work in the majors.

This is probably right, but Reyes also relied on his change-up a lot as well. It was basically spot your fastball, finish with a change. I think by 2006 when Reyes was getting an extended audition, his arm was already falling apart, though.

Really, what Reyes was doing isn't all that different from what Lance Lynn has done. The difference is that Lynn still has velocity. I think it's also safe to say that Lynn's approach would not be OK with Duncan.

But Lynn throws a version of the 2-seamer. From what we've been told, Reyes aggressively fought it. I remember a quote from Reyes back in the day when someone asked him why baserunners were something like 34-for-35 stealing against him in Memphis, his response was he doesn't bother holding runners on because once he gets to St. Louis, Molina will just throw everyone out.
Cementhead.