I Just Can't Take It Anymore: The Mussina Thread

[VNV Nation]

Heard Mussina on the radio for a bit tonight. He didn't get too into specifics, but said he was having trouble with his fastball. What it sounded like, to me, was that he said he had "lost" something on the fastball, but then corrected himself to say "as far as being able to put it where I want it." And then got into trouble by coming in with off-speed pitches, which he said batters seemed to be getting good swings on lately.

Also said he needs to make better pitches with two strikes, and let batters get themselves out by expanding the strike zone.

[moose]

Thanks for all the input in this thread, all, I appreciate it.

Here's a good way to finish up, from David Schoenfield @ ESPN.com:

Moose has allowed a .243 average and 656 OPS with the bases empty, but a .311 average and 914 OPS with runners on -- and .432 average and 1.155 OPS with a runner on second.

This suggests Mussina is having trouble pitching from the stretch. Either he's losing velocity or perhaps he's tipping his pitchers -- or, when a runner is on second, perhaps the baserunner is stealing Jorge Posada's signs an alerting the batter?

In fact, this is worth checking out. Here are the batting averages allowed for Yankee starters:

           Empty  Runners on  Second only
Mussina     .243     .311       .432
Pettitte    .286     .292       .205
Clemens     .208     .282       .250
Wells       .262     .265       .182
El Duque    .205     .232       .200
Lilly       .207     .200       .219

No pattern there that suggests Posada is tipping the pitchers. But Mussina's numbers are so extreme, it makes you wonder if he's done something that opponents have picked up on.

[VNV Nation]

Mussina was back in form -- keeping the ball away from the middle of the plate. As long as he's not hurt, you have to figure he'll straighten himself out.

[moose]

Originally posted by VNV Nation
Mussina was back in form -- keeping the ball away from the middle of the plate. As long as he's not hurt, you have to figure he'll straighten himself out.

i sure hope so!

i read a lot of press on the subject, and mussina's story seemed to be that he (a) was not happy with how he was locating his fastball, and (b) his knuckle-curve was failing him.