Ranger concerns :
Ranger Suarez has six walks in his last two appearances over 7 1/3 IP. He’s also got a 3.92 BB/9 and is averaging 18 pitches per inning - those are all high water marks for him as a major league starter. However for those of us who saw him perform in the minor leagues we note similar stretches early in his career however later on in the particular seasons. Then it was fatigue that caused poor mechanics as Mr Amaro observed on last night’s broadcast where his arm lags behind his body upon release.
Ranger had a similar run last August when he walked 13 batters in six starts over 26 1/3 IP. Last season he was able to limit the damage due to a career low H/9 allowance. This season that number is a bit above his career average for both the majors and minors. Bottom line is perhaps he’s experiencing some “dead arm” issues that will work their way thru, the stuff still plays - some mechanical tweaks and time hopefully are the answers 🤔.
The Hidden Development
As fans we generally only get to see game action and stats that come as a result. We aren’t privy to the balance of the work and often are left wondering on such things as to why certain pitchers only throw X amount of pitches or innings 🤔. I can attest that there is a plan behind what fans often perceive as a lack thereof. The work conducted in side sessions or the weight rooms is considered, particularly by coaches, as at least equally important. Bringing a player along the development path was made even more difficult with the loss of the entire 2020 minor league season. Game constraints that fans often perceive as illogical are incorporated into the plan. I’m a proponent that the best way to develop baseball skills is to actually play the game - I firmly believe that. On the same token if there are training methods to align with that where a more skilled player is the result I’m not ever gonna be one that’s unwilling to give those their merit. Just sayin, things evolve, including baseball - there’s not just one answer to producing players that can win and excel.
Just something I gotta say
There is no doubt we have a gun problem in our country. There is no doubt we also have an anger problem.
The combination of the two along with mental instability however brief or long term that may be has and will continually result in unwarranted death of innocent people - as was the case in Texas - including innocent children.
Yet we continue to bicker over what to do, continue to defend “opinions” on what the problem is. Continue to polarize and divide and cause more anger. Continue to do nothing.
We live in an environment of distrust, where disrespect of others has seemingly become the norm. Where politics isn’t just politics but is made personal. Where “leaders” revel in the atmosphere of divide using whatever means necessary to become popular or maintain a status that includes blatant mistruths.
We need to stop. Stop supporting divide, stop making anger an accepted norm, stop denying we have a weaponry problem that has become far too often the outlet for such anger and contempt.
Doing nothing but staying the present course hasn’t and won’t work. It shouldn’t be so difficult to realize that after so many repeats.
I’m tired, we should all be. It needs to stop, we need to try to stop it rather than continue as is. To everyone that should be obvious.
Sometimes baseball isn’t so important and the field of life we all share feels so empty. Just sayin.
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