Rangers sign Joe Nathan

[AGZBASEBALL]

You can never have enough pitching. The Rangers should still look into adding another starting pitcher rather it be CJ or Buerhle. Never know what can happen with Pitching Arms. Still would like to resign CJ. Rangers haven't closed the doors on any of this. It's dangerous in Baseball to think that you have enough pitching. So many injuries come out of nowhere. Pitchers atelier way more unpredictable than everyday players.

 

[scotsman1948]

I'm confident that Holland will end up being better than CJ if he isn't already. So there's that. As for Feliz, he has one of the best arms in the bigs and has 4 pitches he can use. He's simply too good to be a closer. I don't understand the doubt. It's like he's being docked points for being so good all he's really needed is one pitch to strike you out. Just because all he needs that doesn't mean that's all he has.

he has 4 pitches? i was just watching MLB network and they were saying that he needs to develop a 3rd pitch to be an effective starter and now you're saying he has 4 pitches.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

he has 4 pitches? i was just watching MLB network and they were saying that he needs to develop a 3rd pitch to be an effective starter and now you're saying he has 4 pitches.

Fastball, curve, change, slider

I believe those were his pitches when he was in the minors... I know for sure about the Fastball, Curve & Changeup...

 

[Ginger]

I don't know where all this bogus "need a 3rd pitch" BS is coming from. Really, hasn't anybody ever heard of Randy Johnson? You know, the world's ugliest human. Most major league pitchers throw the vast majority of their pitches as fastballs.Then they throw 1 other pitch as their main secondary pitch and that third pitch just gets mixed in. There just aren't a whole lot of guys like Pedro Martinez who could throw 4 or 5 pitches exceptionally well in any count.

Feliz, like Ogando, can be very effective relying primarily on 2 pitches. However, the problem is when 1 pitch isn't as sharp as usual or when guys go through the order a couple of rounds and get the velocity and location timed. That is when you need to mix in that 3rd pitch. An effective 3rd pitch lets a very good pitcher dominate but having 3 good pitches isn't necessarily the holy grail of pitching.

Lots of guys have 3, 4 or even 5 quality pitches and yet, are just average to below average pitchers. Think about Nick Masset and Dice K as two examples. What guys really, really need to be great is 1 absolutely dominant pitch and then 1 other pitch that plays off of that unhittable pitch. To me the third pitch is just a bonus.

 

[AGZBASEBALL]

I don't know where all this bogus "need a 3rd pitch" BS is coming from. Really, hasn't anybody ever heard of Randy Johnson? You know, the world's ugliest human. Most major league pitchers throw the vast majority of their pitches as fastballs.Then they throw 1 other pitch as their main secondary pitch and that third pitch just gets mixed in. There just aren't a whole lot of guys like Pedro Martinez who could throw 4 or 5 pitches exceptionally well in any count.

Feliz, like Ogando, can be very effective relying primarily on 2 pitches. However, the problem is when 1 pitch isn't as sharp as usual or when guys go through the order a couple of rounds and get the velocity and location timed. That is when you need to mix in that 3rd pitch. An effective 3rd pitch lets a very good pitcher dominate but having 3 good pitches isn't necessarily the holy grail of pitching.

Lots of guys have 3, 4 or even 5 quality pitches and yet, are just average to below average pitchers. Think about Nick Masset and Dice K as two examples. What guys really, really need to be great is 1 absolutely dominant pitch and then 1 other pitch that plays off of that unhittable pitch. To me the third pitch is just a bonus.

Going way back the Great Sandy Koufax had only two pitches. A Fastball in the Upper 90's inwards of 100 Mph and a Devastating Curveball of course Koufax was Exceptional at throwing both pitches. By the Way the Big Unit was only Ugly by Human Appearance. When He got on that Mound He was rather Good Looking.

 

[guitarmy21b]

he has 4 pitches? i was just watching MLB network and they were saying that he needs to develop a 3rd pitch to be an effective starter and now you're saying he has 4 pitches.

He has a fastball, curve, change, and cutter

 

[jta4437]

He has a fastball, curve, change, and cutter

As described last year in ST, 4 seam FB, Curveball, Changeup (needs work), and a cutter or "short slider" which will end up making his CB even more effective

Neftali Feliz increasing his pitch repertoire - Dallas Texas Rangers Blog - ESPN Dallas

 

[Al Falfa]

he has 4 pitches? i was just watching MLB network and they were saying that he needs to develop a 3rd pitch to be an effective starter and now you're saying he has 4 pitches.

If Feliz can throw strikes he should be OK. A four seamer and a two seamer at 95+ mph and curve can get him to the 7th or 8th inning. It's a matter of transitioning from thrower to pitcher and that's where Maddox should shine. He'll be a different pitcher (in time) when he's not living and dying over one inning.

 

[jta4437]

The article says that his cutter/short slider sits in the high 80s and serves as a good complement to his high 90s 4 seam FB, along with the extra movement right to left, it serves as a pitch he can throw out of the strike zone to get people to chase and if they do hit it, they beat it into the ground or get weak fly balls off the end of the bat

 

[guitarmy21b]

As described last year in ST, 4 seam FB, Curveball, Changeup (needs work), and a cutter or "short slider" which will end up making his CB even more effective

Neftali Feliz increasing his pitch repertoire - Dallas Texas Rangers Blog - ESPN Dallas

Yup. Another thing worth noting is he can maintain the velocity on his fastball all game.

 

[jta4437]

Yup. Another thing worth noting is he can maintain the velocity on his fastball all game.

I imagine he'll sit around 95 most of the game, and be able to reach back when needed

 

[Windingmywatch]

I imagine he'll sit around 95 most of the game, and be able to reach back when needed

I am not a pitching coach or anything ... but until he has consistant movement or can spot his 4seam low and away and high inside on demand ... Feliz is better off varying the speed of his FB from 89 to 95 ... with potential of going higher.

If he throws a FB with no movement ... and it only varies between 93-95 then he'll get ripped as we have seen before.

Got to have movement and got to be able to vary the speeds as well as nail those corners.

 

[Ginger]

I hope to never, ever see him throw his fastball under 93. I'd really like to see him pitch like Nolan used to pitch.

 

[romeo212000]

I hope to never, ever see him throw his fastball under 93. I'd really like to see him pitch like Nolan used to pitch.

Well he has the right mentor for it.

 

[jta4437]

I am not a pitching coach or anything ... but until he has consistant movement or can spot his 4seam low and away and high inside on demand ... Feliz is better off varying the speed of his FB from 89 to 95 ... with potential of going higher.

If he throws a FB with no movement ... and it only varies between 93-95 then he'll get ripped as we have seen before.

Got to have movement and got to be able to vary the speeds as well as nail those corners.

I think that's the purpose of the cutter, read above

 

[scotsman1948]

Fastball, curve, change, slider

I believe those were his pitches when he was in the minors... I know for sure about the Fastball, Curve & Changeup...

well, i don't think he has thrown 2 of those 4 more once or twice an appearance in the all the time he's been with the big club. according to the team, he throws 2 pitches a FB & a curve with an 80/20 ratio

 

[jta4437]

well, i don't think he has thrown 2 of those 4 more once or twice an appearance in the all the time he's been with the big club. according to the team, he throws 2 pitches a FB & a curve with an 80/20 ratio

B/c he doesn't have to, did you pay attention during ST?

 

[scotsman1948]

B/c he doesn't have to, did you pay attention during ST?

yes i did and i think one of the reasons he went back to Closer was because they weren't confident in him being consistent with them. i like the idea of Feliz as a starter but teams will sit on his inconsistent pitches and wait for him to tire and groove a slower FB like they did with Ogando last season. he will not get away with throwing 80% FB's for long

 

[Al Falfa]

yes i did and i think one of the reasons he went back to Closer was because they weren't confident in him being consistent with them. i like the idea of Feliz as a starter but teams will sit on his inconsistent pitches and wait for him to tire and groove a slower FB like they did with Ogando last season. he will not get away with throwing 80% FB's for long

Ogando never lost his velocity last season. He lost his control just like in the post season. He dominated till he lost his ability to locate his pitches. More often than not it's the same thing with Feliz when he's pitching from behind in the count and leaving his fastball up. He gets hit.

 

[scotsman1948]

Ogando never lost his velocity last season. He lost his control just like in the post season. He dominated till he lost his ability to locate his pitches. More often than not it's the same thing with Feliz when he's pitching from behind in the count and leaving his fastball up. He gets hit.

yes i agree, Ogando lost control of his 2nd pitch which forced him to go with his fast ball and with the decrease in speed and location he got hit and hard. Feliz, with 2 pitches that he depends on and 2 that he's hardly thrown in a game situation since ST last year, can and probably will dominate early but as the season progresses unless he suddenly finds that 3rd pitch will be progressive dependent on his FB. he needs to control how often he throws the FB and keep it down to 55-60% of his total pitch count.