Tommy Hanson
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:34 am
Lucky me got to attend the major league debut of Tommy Hanson. Great seats, just in the shade, but close enough to the field just behind the visitors on-deck circle to be heard....clearly. Sweet seats to enjoy my $5.50 hot dog and $7.00 beers.
The results speak for themselves, but I did note a few things. For those that are interested, TH was helped out when the first batter he faced in an official MLB game was future (high school) hall of famer Craig Counsel. The defensed him as though he would not catch up to the heat and he damn near fooled them. He hit a fly ball down the right-field line that hung up just enough for Francoeur to catch up to it. After a Hardy foul-out, Braun hit a weak grounder to third. First inning, no real sweat.
Didn't have to wait too long for the first K...Fielder. One thing of note, Hanson was all into the game. David Ross was catching and had to go get the ball from him for his trophy rack. Hanson was getting ready to toe the rubber to face Cameron without consideration that the ball was now "special". It was good to see it was the game and not minor personal milestones on his mind. Ross handed the ball, btw, to the ball boy who was nanoseconds from just cluelessly tossing it into the bucket with the other balls when the dugout got his attention.
The second and third K's came in the second too. The ump blew what should have been the second K to Cameron on what should have been a called strike-three. No prob. He just blew heat, and Cameron went down swinging on the next pitch. As a matter of fact, TH had a perfect game through three and a third, a record held by many. Escobar booted a dribbler to allow the first baserunner, and Braun provided the first hit off Hanson, a solid homer. Hanson would eventually give up three two run homers, which is the bad news, but the AB that really hacked me off was when Parra doubled over a pulled in Francoeur. That was a true "mistake".
For those of you who have Hanson (I wish I did), here is the good news. His control is excellent. Was around the plate all day with confidence. Never looked lost. If you can believe the scoreboard speed-gun, he was zipping them in there 94-95 MPH with movement early, 91-92 MPH a little later in the game. The breaking and off speed stuff was mid-to high 70's and with the exception of Braun, most of the Brewers were really off balance most of the day by the movement and change in speeds. He never appeared rattled, only a little tired in the sixth. I like his motion. Hooks his wrist at the top of his motion which I think makes his fast ball a little faster with a little peek-a-boo effect. Needs to do it on every pitch or he will be tipping. Not good results today, but the kid has moxy. After the Cameron HR in the sixth, he came back and K'd Gamel on something like five pitches.
Other notes:
Mike Cameron, a good defensive OFer, totally misplayed Chippers triple. Could not make up his mind to dive or to take the bounce, so he did half of both. The ball scooted under his glove. Braun was either late to the scene or cut the angle too close on the back-up as both ended up chasing the ball to the wall.
Chipper Jones cannot run. On that "triple", he took so much time that I thought for a moment he stopped at second base to refresh his dip, call a cab, proposition (unsuccessfully) a hooker, and stop off at the Kwiky-Mart for a beef and cheese burrito.
Chipper had a couple of easy chances at third, but looked to me like he was "saving" his arm. Not a lot of zip on the balls.
Did not like Escobar's error on the Hardy dribbler. Not the easiest of plays, but one he should have made. Tried to barehand the ball and came up with turf.
Chipper Jones can hit. On his second home-run, Parra had him fooled on the pitch. Chipper was determined to swing on a 3-1 pitch, but ended up off-balance and had to lunge. That pitch went over the wall in left-center purely on the the strength of a wrist flick.
No one else on the Braves team can hit. To those who have Francoeur, he is TOTALLY lost. On the fourth pitch of his first AB, he hit a 60 foot dribbler to the pitcher. He saw a total of four more pitches in his next three AB spraying the ball around...ground out first pitch to 2B, ground out first pitch to SS, and ground out double play second pitch to 3B. Swinging at stuff above the letters and in the dirt. He should be in the minors.
Martin Prado will never produce more than singles or a few doubles, but he can play the field. Never played much first, but on Cameron's pick-off/caught stealing, he came inside the bag to take O'Flaherty's throw in order to have a clear line to throw to the SS who was covering on the play, like a seasoned vet.
Counsell's triple late in the game was an out. The throw came in high, but Jones got the tag down. Ump totally blew the call. Thank goodness the run didn't score.
Anyway, that is just what I was able to notice.
[ June 08, 2009, 06:43 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]
The results speak for themselves, but I did note a few things. For those that are interested, TH was helped out when the first batter he faced in an official MLB game was future (high school) hall of famer Craig Counsel. The defensed him as though he would not catch up to the heat and he damn near fooled them. He hit a fly ball down the right-field line that hung up just enough for Francoeur to catch up to it. After a Hardy foul-out, Braun hit a weak grounder to third. First inning, no real sweat.
Didn't have to wait too long for the first K...Fielder. One thing of note, Hanson was all into the game. David Ross was catching and had to go get the ball from him for his trophy rack. Hanson was getting ready to toe the rubber to face Cameron without consideration that the ball was now "special". It was good to see it was the game and not minor personal milestones on his mind. Ross handed the ball, btw, to the ball boy who was nanoseconds from just cluelessly tossing it into the bucket with the other balls when the dugout got his attention.
The second and third K's came in the second too. The ump blew what should have been the second K to Cameron on what should have been a called strike-three. No prob. He just blew heat, and Cameron went down swinging on the next pitch. As a matter of fact, TH had a perfect game through three and a third, a record held by many. Escobar booted a dribbler to allow the first baserunner, and Braun provided the first hit off Hanson, a solid homer. Hanson would eventually give up three two run homers, which is the bad news, but the AB that really hacked me off was when Parra doubled over a pulled in Francoeur. That was a true "mistake".
For those of you who have Hanson (I wish I did), here is the good news. His control is excellent. Was around the plate all day with confidence. Never looked lost. If you can believe the scoreboard speed-gun, he was zipping them in there 94-95 MPH with movement early, 91-92 MPH a little later in the game. The breaking and off speed stuff was mid-to high 70's and with the exception of Braun, most of the Brewers were really off balance most of the day by the movement and change in speeds. He never appeared rattled, only a little tired in the sixth. I like his motion. Hooks his wrist at the top of his motion which I think makes his fast ball a little faster with a little peek-a-boo effect. Needs to do it on every pitch or he will be tipping. Not good results today, but the kid has moxy. After the Cameron HR in the sixth, he came back and K'd Gamel on something like five pitches.
Other notes:
Mike Cameron, a good defensive OFer, totally misplayed Chippers triple. Could not make up his mind to dive or to take the bounce, so he did half of both. The ball scooted under his glove. Braun was either late to the scene or cut the angle too close on the back-up as both ended up chasing the ball to the wall.
Chipper Jones cannot run. On that "triple", he took so much time that I thought for a moment he stopped at second base to refresh his dip, call a cab, proposition (unsuccessfully) a hooker, and stop off at the Kwiky-Mart for a beef and cheese burrito.
Chipper had a couple of easy chances at third, but looked to me like he was "saving" his arm. Not a lot of zip on the balls.
Did not like Escobar's error on the Hardy dribbler. Not the easiest of plays, but one he should have made. Tried to barehand the ball and came up with turf.
Chipper Jones can hit. On his second home-run, Parra had him fooled on the pitch. Chipper was determined to swing on a 3-1 pitch, but ended up off-balance and had to lunge. That pitch went over the wall in left-center purely on the the strength of a wrist flick.
No one else on the Braves team can hit. To those who have Francoeur, he is TOTALLY lost. On the fourth pitch of his first AB, he hit a 60 foot dribbler to the pitcher. He saw a total of four more pitches in his next three AB spraying the ball around...ground out first pitch to 2B, ground out first pitch to SS, and ground out double play second pitch to 3B. Swinging at stuff above the letters and in the dirt. He should be in the minors.
Martin Prado will never produce more than singles or a few doubles, but he can play the field. Never played much first, but on Cameron's pick-off/caught stealing, he came inside the bag to take O'Flaherty's throw in order to have a clear line to throw to the SS who was covering on the play, like a seasoned vet.
Counsell's triple late in the game was an out. The throw came in high, but Jones got the tag down. Ump totally blew the call. Thank goodness the run didn't score.
Anyway, that is just what I was able to notice.
[ June 08, 2009, 06:43 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]
