Game 93 Phillies (Nola) @ Yankees (German)

Yea I heard them say that on the broadcast. Maybe Chapman has turned a corner. Looked a lot better today.

If he hasn’t turned the corner, he’s at least facing in the right direction.  Each of his last three appearances has offered positive steps forward.  Not walking anyone tonight was the most important step, though he still uncorked one to the backstop and fell behind 3-0 to Harper.  There was also the benefit of the wide strike zone tonight, but seeing his velocity at 103 and spotting a couple really nice sliders tells me his arm slot is getting back to where it needs to be.  Also, he’s looking comfortable throwing strikes against right handed batters again, which is another reason to believe a positive run in near for him.  Mechanically, he’s looking much better, more balanced when gathering himself, and no diving downward on the follow through, enabling him to stay on top of the ball and to get in the appropriate arm slot.

I still want to see his splitter used every outing, which didn’t happen tonight.  His fastball is so much better when he’s showing the splitter.

I’d guess he’s not getting consistent break on it. It’s a wonderful pitch when it works, but if it hangs it’s a goner…

Maybe he only uses it when “finds it” in the bullpen. If it hangs in the pen it will probably hang in the game…

For me, the splitter was the key to Chapman staying on top of the baseball and finding his arm slot.  I suspect the Yankees do not view the pitch that way, instead focusing on the four seam fastball, which is the pitch he lost command of that led to his funk.  They likely do not see the splitter as the pitch to help recapture his four seam fastball mechanics as I do.   Also, Chapman has never used the pitch heavily, and Sanchez probably prefers catching the fastball and slider, as the splitter with its severe downward action is much harder to keep in front of him.  Even Tanaka began relying more heavily on the slider in his last two years, probably in no small part because of who was behind the plate.

Our starting lineup last night would not scare many folks but they found a way to win. Particularly nice to see some speed on the base paths with Allen. It does make a difference. The only negative I thought was the 0-7 with RISP but when you hit 4 home runs and get good pitching that is perhaps picking at nits. Gittens doesn't appear to be a major league hitter(I was one that wanted him brought up when Voit went on the IL the first time) but it would be nice to have him available to play 1st base as a late inning defensive replacement.

Sanchez limiting our pitchers' arsenals is not a good look.

There was definitely a change in the baseball during 2019, but by the end of the season Tanaka discovered a different grip to employ the use of the pitch; however, that does not explain 2020 or 2018, and it doesn’t explain the difference in where Tanaka began locating the pitch within the strike zone or finishing the pitch with Sanchez behind the plate, or the disappearance of the pitch with runners on third (the slider and the sinker becoming the out pitch) with Sanchez catching.

“One problem has been his command of the pitch. When he’s at his best, the righty buries his split-finger down and out of the zone and often in the dirt (first image). This season, he’s located it up a bit more often (second image).”





“It’s not a stark difference, but (first image) last year’s darkest red area covers a portion below the strikezone. That’s not the case thus far this year (second image). Obviously, it’s a lot harder to hit a splitter diving below the zone.”

I believe in past years with Sanchez behind the plate, pitchers altered their out-pitch offerings - especially with runners in scoring position- based upon their lack of confidence that the ball would be caught or at least blocked and kept from the backstop. I watch Cubs pitchers bury sliders and splitters purposefully to Willson Contreras and Cardinals pitchers to Yadier Molina that only happen accidentally with Sanchez.