Yep. Tag the ball, run the bases and celebrate with teammates. Anytime a player tries to show a pitcher or team up, its on. Always has been and that wont change when big ego players are disrespected. Imagine pitchers dancing around after strikeouts, flipping their glove in the air, etc. Batters would take dead aim up the middle back at him.
The more I've read I think they just try to pitch him inside and aren't very good at doing it. Throw it over the plate, and well, it's probably going 495.
I now understand why they do - https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ronald-acuna-jr/18401/heat-maps?position=OF
Command with pitchers has been down for years now, and it's only getting worse with the infatuation of the radar gun.
“Maddux said it best one time when he got a group of young pitchers together in spring training,” Mazzone said. “He said, ‘You know why I’m a millionaire?’ He said, ‘Cause I can throw my fastball where I want to.’ He said, ‘You know why I got beachfront property in LA? Because I can change speeds. Thanks, Leo. Thanks for letting me talk to the pitchers.’ That’s all he said and walked off.”
It's cyclical. Give it a few years and there will be a few cats come along who fit that mold somewhat.
That's all it is. There might be a bit of malice with the Marlins, but 99% of it is trying not to get pitches launched. When you've got a guy that can go oppo and hit the second deck, you pitch him inside.
I can remember the sound on one of them. May have been Dave Dravecky, though his was in part due to weakening from cancer
Guys have been doing it for a while... we are just now being able to see it more with technology with how the radar guns pick up the pitch.
Kyle Hendricks immediately comes to mind in this make up. Doesn’t overpower you, good movement and locates.
Absolutely and eventually organizations are going to look for those guys who can compete when they don't have their best stuff. The game is better in many ways now, but worse in many others. You see it at the high school level now. Teams that are loaded are struggling with the kids that are throw pus but locating. Somehow we've gotten away from command. You see it with so many young guys at the MLB level. And unfortunately what is going to happen is it's going to shorten some guys careers because of it.
i'm surprised when i see major league players struggle with straight heat at 96-99. Hell they are padded up foot to head anyway.
It didn’t start with him, but it feels like ever since Aroldis Chapman came along, everybody has been looking for the next guy who just over powers everybody else while forgetting the greatest closer ever threw basically one pitch mid 90s and located it.