Tiger Talk

Knappster....

TD, I think you can add a considerable amount to the Tiger ERA on account of the Leyland affect. Leylands misuse of the Tiger starters and bullpen adds greatly to the overall Tiger Team ERA. 2 runs here, 4 runs there, 8-run Nate everywhere does add to the ERA. I honestly believe that Knapp did have a positive affect on the Tiger pitchers.

Knappster....

Seems that the forum had Rick Knapp nominated for god when Jackson came outta the chute with a stellar ERA, and Rodney threw over 60 pct of his first pitches for strikes, and Porcello was every bit the stud that he was cracked up to be, and the Tigers were winning with pitching, with one of the best team ERA's in the league. Word was that Knappster kept churning out strike throwers in the Twinkie system, and now he was gonna do the same for the Tigers.

Well guess what? The Knappster effect didn't quite happen like that. The Tigers finished fifth in the league in team ERA, 8th after the All Star break. The Black Sox were second (and that was without Peavy). The Tigers had the third highest BB total in the league, with a bullpen that led the league in BB's. The Tigers had three relievers with a season WHIP under 1.30, including Bobby Seay who allowed 1.5 runners per inning after the break. The rest of the bullpen flooded the bases with runners all season long.

Seems that it's one thing to get kids ready for the show, teaching them to throw strikes, so they can take that to the majors with them and be successful, but quite another thing to take a major league staff that can't find the plate, and show them where it is. Maybe a good "roving instructor" doesn't necessarily make a good major league pitching coach after all? Or maybe we need the Knappster effect to take hold before guys arrive in the majors.