Nice piece on David Robertson by Bob Klapisch today:
How he destroys hitters is a secret that baseball technology is only beginning to understand, but Robertson was at his blow-away best against Kansas City. After getting Aviles to fly to center, Alcides Escobar and Chris Getz whiffed.
How? Because neither Royals hitter had a chance against Robertson’s 82-mph curveball.
Why? Because both hitters had been battered by the ferocity of Robertson’s fastball, which, although clocked at 93 to 94 mph, has the signature of a 97-mph heater.
That’s made possible by Robertson’s enormous push-off from the mound – a full 7 feet from the rubber, the most behind Tim Lincecum. Last month, Sports Illustrated profiled a Dutch company, Trackman, which extrapolates virtual speed from actual velocity and distance from the plate. Robertson can add as much as 4 mph to his fastball because he’s closer to the hitter than other pitchers. The average major league stride is 5 feet, 10 inches.
…That’s the beauty of his gift: Robertson doesn’t have to repeat any internal monologue to get his legs into gear. Instead, in times of stress, he thinks about the machinery of strikes-throwing, watching as hitters struggle to catch up to his heat, deciding when it’s time to unleash the killer curveball.
[Photo Credit: Post 34 Baseball]
Excellent. I really like Klapisch. But I love D-Rob.
He's the Any Inning Guy. Gimme Good AJ, with a quick hook before he turns into a psychological wreck, maybe a little Boone just for Mattpat, then D-Rob in the toughest spot of the game, and Mo FTW.
Actually, according to Michael Kay he did hit 97 on the gun once against KC last night. It looked every bit of 97 to me too. The Alabama Stopper.
"maybe a little Boone just for Mattpat"
Hahahahhahaha!!
Oh, God, that slays me!
[2] The Alabama Stopper? Shades of Deliverance.
[4] Exactly. His stuff is "purdy mouth" scary.