Blue Jays GDT: 2022 v5 | Next: Mon, Jun 20 | @ CWS | 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT | Berrios vs Lynn

[The Nemesis]

I'm trying my hardest to like Kikuchi.

It's not working, but I'm trying.

His slider sucked in Seattle and it still sucks here. I don't get why he throws it so much.

I feel like it's a Japanese pitcher thing. Lots of Japanese pitchers that make it over come with broad arsenals of like 5 or 6 pitches where almost nothing is straight and they use all those pitches instead of easily paring down and focusing on a fastball, a breaking ball or two, and an off-speed pitch. Maybe it's because Japanese baseball is a more smallball, contact oriented style of game and they think that fastballs lead to more clean contact (especially if there aren't a lot of high velocity fireballers)?

 

[Blitzkrug]

Kirk is a baller.

Unfortunately for Danny Jansen, his days as a Blue Jay might be numbered. Moreno has been an absolute stud both behind and at the plate since being called up, Kirk has been fantastic. I don't see how you can justify keeping three catchers when one guy is playing out of his mind and the other is very clearly the future at the position regardless of any predictable slumps for a young player.

Only thing that might be able to save him is if Moreno goes into the toliet before he's back.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Reddit: throw your fastball more ffs Kikuchi!

Well, don't say you didn't get what you wanted even though most of them are not even remotely close.

 

[Blitzkrug]

I'm watching the YES feed and Paul O'Neil said it perfectly: Kikuchi is pitching scared.

He got smacked on that slider and now he's absolutely petrified at the thought of throwing it in the zone.

Joey Gallo is hitting below .200. f***ing challenge him and make him hit the ball.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Comedy. You can't keep hanging your fastball. Judge and Stanton missed it because they were obviously sitting slider. JD was just waiting for it.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Kikuchi is just horrendous.

 

[canucksfan]

The stuff is there but his command is off. He doesn't much confidence in pitching and sometimes his mechanics are off.

The pitches he selects too is poor at times.

 

[Blitzkrug]

I was initially lukewarm about the Kikuchi signing. Was not at all a fan of the 3 year deal, but I thought "Pete's done more with less" and had hope that maybe he could become a reliable bottom rotation guy.

As far as it looks though, he's pretty much the exact guy my Mariner fan friend warned me about: a guy who relies too much on a crummy slider and absolutely falls apart at the mere thought of a guy getting on base.

Canucksfan is correct: his confidence is low to begin with and it complete evaporates once they hit him.

 

[MS]

Kikuchi just appears to be a mentally weak guy. The anti-Manoah as it were.

 

[canucksfan]

I was initially lukewarm about the Kikuchi signing. Was not at all a fan of the 3 year deal, but I thought "Pete's done more with less" and had hope that maybe he could become a reliable bottom rotation guy.

As far as it looks though, he's pretty much the exact guy my Mariner fan friend warned me about: a guy who relies too much on a crummy slider and absolutely falls apart at the mere thought of a guy getting on base.

Canucksfan is correct: his confidence is low to begin with and it complete evaporates once they hit him.

I didn't like the signing initially but then I read a few articles and saw some numbers and changed my mind.

It's like 90% mental with him. That can be tougher to fix than a mechanical issue. He looked great in May but got hit hard against the Twins and has sucked ever since.

 

[canucksfan]

An ugly series. Yankees dominated them.

 

[MS]

An ugly series. Yankees dominated them.

Hopefully it serves as a wake-up call (both to the team and management) and isn't demoralizing.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Grade a Montoyoball in that half inning. Leave Kikuchi in too long, he leaves a mess. And then you bring in Cimber, who has historically gotten smacked around by the Yankees to put out the fire.

Is this not what they called up Castillo for.

Also f*** Kikuchi. learn to locate a pitch you absolute mental midget.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

better to lose these in june then in september.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Thought about going down for a game this weekend. Glad I didn't spend any money on this shitshow

 

[Blitzkrug]

Springer gave them a pulse at least.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Annnnd it's gone.

Absolute hanger too..

 

[Maplebeasts]

Yup we need to trade for some arms. This is disgusting.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Back to back homers to the two worst hitters in the Yankees lineup. Both of those changeups were so bad.

Blue Jays making it their mission to keep Higashioka employed.

 

[trellaine201]

Hopefully it serves as a wake-up call (both to the team and management) and isn't demoralizing.

Gives management a look at where we are

 

[MS]

Yup we need to trade for some arms. This is disgusting.

The scary thing is that this is one of the healthiest pitching staffs in MLB. Only Ryu is a significant injury, and he was terrible for a long time before getting hurt.

If a Manoah or a Romano or a couple bullpen arms go down, this will get ugly.

 

[jetsforever]

How are the Yankees this good??

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Not enough deviation between fastball and change.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Positive: if they get into the playoffs, their top 3 pitchers are all guys you can count on to pitch a game you can win in Gausman, Manoah and Berrios.

Negative: literally everyone else sans Cimber, Stripling and Romano suck. 2 guys aren't really enough for a good bullpen.

 

[MS]

Not enough deviation between fastball and change.

And yet another bullpen guy throwing <95. It's like we're allergic to velocity.