Comments on: Kevin Slowey and the no-hitter that was never going to happen

By: SBG

SBG — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:40:46 +0000

“Those plans obviously changed somewhat when he failed to allow a hit through seven shutout innings”

May I fail like that once in a while.

By: Gendo

Gendo — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:28:22 +0000

Because it’s a meaningless accolade and it’s not worth risking injury, Slowey’s livelihood and the Twins minuscule championship hopes on.

Heart is something fat old guys talk about.

By: Les Straker

Les Straker — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:31:59 +0000

why not let him start the 8th? just because he starts the 8th doesn’t mean he is going to finish the game. if he pitches to a hitter or 2 in the 8th, odds are that he was going to give up a hit and then no one would have to talk about this. he also doesn’t have to throw all out to the last bunch of hitters. put the ball over the plate and hope for a couple quick outs or give up a hit and go sit down. throw it underhand for christ’s sake. danks just had a 5 pitch inning against the twins so it is not a forgone conclusion that it would have taken slowey a bunch more pitches to get through it.

if his elbow was any problem he would have missed more than 1 start and probably gone to the DL.

i just find it hard to believe that a pitcher with any heart wouldn’t put up a fight to stay in there. it could have been 1 more pitch that he had to throw.

By: ganderson

ganderson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:00:02 +0000

Has anyone gone back and reconstructed pitch counts from days past? I remember in my youth (cue the 4 Yorkshiremen) that it was an insult to be called a 7 Inning pitcher. Whitey Ford was so derided (wouldn’t it be great to have such a lousy pitcher!) I sense though, that hitters take a lot more pitches than they did 30 years ago, I’m guessing that a lot of CGs were thrown in fewer than 100 pitches.

By: Gendo

Gendo — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:13:47 +0000

“There’s a reason why Gardy has been runner-up manager of the year 5 times.”

Because sportswriters are criminally retarded.

By: buck

buck — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:15:10 +0000

Anyone that thinks he should have been left in should read this (Of course I think everyone should read it because it’s great writing and says a lot about the Royals)

http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/07/27/meche-ing-with-sasquatch/

By: DHanson

DHanson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:27:55 +0000

It’s obviously easy for some commenters here to dismiss legitimate concerns for another person’s career. I don’t understand why it would be a good idea for Slowey to go out and risk not only the rest of this season, but another decade in the majors for a far-from-unique statistical accomplishment. I don’t see why Gardenhire, in the middle of a pennant race, should be expected to risk losing a useful part of his rotation for that either. As it was, according to the quotes I read, Gardenhire and Anderson were already pushing the envelope with the length of time they left him in the game.

Perhaps these apparently immature commenters should leave the web for a while and concentrate on growing up.

By: Drizztdj

Drizztdj — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:07:09 +0000

There’s a reason why Gardy has been runner-up manager of the year 5 times.

Please don’t make it six after this move to preserve an arm of a young pitcher and forward thinking of the season versus extra fireworks at the end of the game.

Give Gardy the title, give Slowey kudos for being humble and smart about his status versus chasing a stat.

By: Gendo

Gendo — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:28:21 +0000

Ah yes, the misogyny of the old school sports fan on display.

By: D-Luxxx

D-Luxxx — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:41:01 +0000

Right call by Gardy. Baseball is a team sport, and although individual accomplishments are fine and dandy, the ultimate prize isn’t won in one game in the middle of August.

Slowey had his season high in pitches in the Tampa game of 114 pitches and then had to sit out the next game due to soreness. It isn’t babying your pitching staff, it is ensuring that they are able to continue pitching for you for the long haul.

I guess my question for those stating that they deserved to see Slowey come out and try for the no-no is this. What if he hurts himself in the 8th and is out for the year? Do you really want Blackburn or one of our other AAA schlubs to come in and pitch in his place for the rest of the year? I doubt it.

It’s called risk/reward. The risk was way bigger than the reward, and thus, Gardy pulled him instead of overworking him.