Does Joba need a breather? Probably not! Does Joba need a more consistent slider? Yes!!! Joba is simply as inconsistent as his slider. I've explained this countless times, but today is just such a wonderful example of how awful his slider can be. Joba currently throws a max of 93/94 MPH as opposed to his 98/99 MPH as a reliever. That is perfectly normal.
The one issue that it raises is the effectiveness of a slider that can't be thrown for a strike. When a fastball is in the upper 90s, a hitter doesn't have enough time to decide whether a pitch is a fastball or slider. If its a fastball he has to swing immediately. That increases the effectiveness of a slider that only lands in the dirt because guys swing at it and the pitch is impossible to hit.
However, at 93/94, there is time to decide and hitters lay off the slider in the dirt. Even Russell Branyan was able to layoff the pitch.
When Joba tried throwing the slider for strikes, he hung it and the pitch was crushed.
I hope Joba enjoys his vacation and works on starting that slider higher in the zone while maintaining its break. If that pitch can land on the outside corner to a righty it would be a great pitch. Occasionally Joba lands it there consistently, but those games have not come recently.
Yaros
Joba will reach his inning max relatively soon. if the NYY are serious about shutting him down after that Hughes should be groomed to replace him and Joba should leave some innings to work in the bullpen.
ReplyDeleteI dont believe the NYY will shut him down at least not when the playoffs begin.