While We’re Waiting… Is it the coach, the system or the players?
June 18, 2013Indians 1, Royals 2: Bullpen and Defense Spoil Carrasco’s Gem
June 18, 2013Corey Kluber is becoming a bit of a folk hero. The kind folks at FanGraphs have been loving the Cleveland Indians’ starter as of late, as evidenced by some of the links in recent While We’re Waiting… posts. But in the event you haven’t had the chance to see some of their work, we have isolated several of the gif files that depict just how filthy the movement has been on some of the pitches thrown by Kluber over his last two starts.
First, a huge, belt-to-back-foot cuveball against the Texas Rangers in Arlington:
How about a two-seamer against Washinton’s Adam LaRoche, complete with some flames from the FSO/STO graphics department?
A slider to the well-paid Jayson Werth?
And finally, another curveball. This time, the victim is Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond who attempts to blame his bat following the swing.
Kluber’s fastball regularly sits around 93 miles per hour, touching 96 and 97 at times. He’s been countering this with a slider that has been known to dip down to 85, and a change-up that comes in (at times) around 82. If his last two starts have been any indication, opposing batters are going to be kept guessing every time this kid takes to the hill.
[Related: MLB News: Indians’ Kipnis and Kluber named AL Players of the Week]
4 Comments
I know the curve is the most dramatic on video, but I absolutely love that slider that seems to hang on the top of its arc for just a moment, like the rollercoaster on top of the big hill.
His slider has been the difference over his last few starts definitely. I just like that he throws strikes and is aggressive. Command is a beautiful thing!
He hung the slider a bit to Werth, who thankfully tried to pull it. But I agree that the one to Desmond was a beatific professional slider. That was the first Indians game I was able to watch this season (get the Nationals broadcasts in Central PA), and greatly enjoyed seeing Cluber work his craft.
As a former pitcher myself, I was greatly impressed at the consistency of his mechanics. Even in the gifs above, every checkpoint in every pitch is exactly the same. Dealing mid-90s heat and hurling nasty off-speed pitches without any deviation in the windup is a recipe for quality starts, if not dominance.
Brett Myers sad face…