Greinke Pitches Well in Final Game of Season

by ZackAttack on Aug 30, 2006 9:52 AM EDT Comment 11 comments

I saw Zack Greinke pitch against Springfield last night. I think he pitched very well, although his stat line is misleading...6IP,6H, 5 Earned, 4K/3BB. All runs came in the first, and he yielded one hit the following five innings.

I will say that Lubanski misplayed a ball for an E, but Zack didn't allowed a double to the next batter, so it counted against him.

He looked really shaky in the first, and he threw almost all fastballs. I assume he just didn't feel comfortable yet. He definitely settled down. Example: Against Stavinoha, he threw an 84MPH change for a swinging strike. Next pitch was a 92MPH 2-seamer up in the zone, brushing him off the plate. He then threw a 64MPH change for strike two, then finished him off with a 88MPH slider swinging strike three. He did this consistently for the rest of his outting. One curve was so slow, it wouldn't register on the radar gun! I am telling you, this thing looked like a slow pitch softball coming in. Of course, the Cards swing at that crap, and sure enough, Richardson did! That looked like the Zack Greinke of old.

What do you guys think? I really hope the Royals won't call him up and throw him in the starting rotation after Wichita wins the Texas League Championship. I think he could get some action out of the bullpen, but I don't want to see him rushed at all, especially considering the Royals aren't going anywhere this year.

Oh, and I tried to get his Autograph on my Greinke jersey on Monday night. I was the only one trying. He came out of the tunnel, looked up at me, shook his head, and kept walking. So I waited for him to sit down behind home plate to chart pitches. Just before the game began, my wife asked him to sign. HE DID, the bastard, but I still respect the guy. I am going to shaddow box the thing.

GOOD LUCK ZACK!
~Royals, World Series hopefulls, 2010~A guy can dream.

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Pitches well?

5 ER in 6 innings is never pitching well.

But thanks for the scouting report.

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Aug 30, 2006 10:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It can be

If Lubanski misplayed a catchable ball into a hit. Scorekeepers aren't infallible, you know.

by samjjones on Aug 30, 2006 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

scorekeepers

yeah, just ask Manny Ramirez...

by Pawtucket Pat on Aug 30, 2006 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Greinke

This was a fairly poor statline for Greinke, but he has been pitching great overall since June/July.

I would be shocked if the Royals bring up Greinke after the AA season is over, I think they will just shut him down for the year and get him ready mentally for next year.

by eazyb81 on Aug 30, 2006 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Autograph

Thanks for the autograph story. I like the kid more already. I've never understood the autograph thing. Don't own anything autographed. Have never sought out an autograph. If I was a player I'd be inclined to just sign primarily for kids and chics. Go Zack!

Bobby Crosby - a poor man's Adam Everett.

by natsfan2005 on Aug 30, 2006 10:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Its kinda creepy for an adult to pester somebody for their autograph. Is it for proof that you were within their proximity? Is autograph seeking the gateway into move obsessive celebrity collecting? Like locks of hair?

by samjjones on Aug 30, 2006 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn't disagree more!

Well, I guess I didn't really think of it that way, considering I am younger than he is. I am a fan, just wanted it to remember meeting the guy...I have followed his career since he was a senior in HS and knew he would be pretty good. He is a pitcher, not a thrower like a lot of guys today that just come in and throw as hard as they can.

IMO, signing autographs is part of the game. You get paid to play baseball, and you get paid well at that...taking a few minutes before the game to sign for fans that aren't going to just turn around and flip the auto for money is what the game is about~Giving back. Sorry if no one can appreciate that, but if it weren't for people that still believe in him--and pay to watch him play, he would probably be out of baseball!

by ZackAttack on Aug 30, 2006 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

Different strokes for different folks. I don't value autographs at all.

As far as it's part in the game... well... if the fan doesn't act as if he's entitled to the autograph and the setting is at a ballpark or team event I don't have a problem. But stalking the hotel or interupting a player's dinner or personal space at a restaurant or whatever would be going over the line... yet people do it.

Bobby Crosby - a poor man's Adam Everett.

by natsfan2005 on Aug 30, 2006 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you are aware...

... that the man has a social anxiety disorder? That is the exact reason that he's in the minor leagues to begin with? This is the absolute last guy you should be getting on for not being as fan-friendly as you might like.

and boom goes the dynamite.

by Mean Dean on Aug 30, 2006 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of Course

I agree with NatsFan; that is going too far. And I am aware that he has Social Anxiety Disorder. No, I didn't stalk him, and he was very polite to both my wife and myself when we got the autograph. He asked where we got the jersey and if we were Royals fans, and seemed genuinely satisfied that we even had a jersey to sign and that we would ask him. We both wished him luck and let him know that we were pulling for him, and that was the end of it. Anyway, that was a minor detail in my initial post.

My main point was that if you don't figure in the first, he had a very successful outting. Yes, I realize the enitre outting is part of the game, but I mainly wanted to emphasize that he looked really good after the first~that's all.

by ZackAttack on Aug 30, 2006 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs