Pedro washed up??
 

Is it just me or does it seem that Pedro is nowhere near the pitcher he was in his prime? Everyone seems to be afraid to talk about his diminished ability but really, he was throwing 84 mph fastballs tonight against Baltimore. What's up with Pedro? I personally think he is too small to throw as hard as he used to and all that wear has finally caught up to him. I kind of wish the Sox would trade him now while they can still get something for him. I think he's washed up.

Pedro starts off slow every year, every year people try to get on the Pedro hating bandwagon early, and in the end they're wrong once again.

I have reason to believe this is the year Pedro finally lost it.

it's april and still in the 40's...

however...

http://www.nypost.com/images/front041604.gif

Pedro isn't done. He is a different pitcher than he was in his prime though. I think back to when he came out of the bullpen in the 99(?) playoffs and nohit the indians for something like 6 or 7 innings. Not a single fastball thrown. Everything was offspeed junk. Last season he was a pitcher not a thrower.

The problem is right now Pedro doesn't have his control. if he can't locate the ball he isn't going to be a good pitcher. I'm curious to see how things work out. I'm pretty sure he will get his control back and will continue to be the pitcher of last year (throws around 90, but still leads the league in Ks, WHIP, ERA...). That's different from the pitcher of 99 (which was possibly the best season for any pithcer relative to other pitchers in history), but still pretty good.

maybe it's wishful thinking. shrug shrug.

Well I guess it all comes down to this...

Pedro w/100 mph fastball = dominant
Pedro w/88 mph fastball = average

I don't buy into the bs about his arm needing a couple of months to warm up. Unless the fastball fairy visits Pedro in the middle of the night and sprinkles some "juice" on that ragged out arm, I think we've seen the last of super Pedro. I really hope he proves me wrong.

yeah, last night he looked like he'd lost at least 10mph off his fastball. not good news for the Bosox!

speed though is overrated IMO, I'd take a good 91mph fastball with movement over a 100mph heater straight as an arrow. Its all control for pedro so far, once he regains that he should be fine. I think his record shows that he'll come around eventually, but still any major leaguer can hit a fastball, but not all can hit one that dances like senior plunk.

The point I'm trying to make here is that Pedro once had a
100 mph fastball with vicious movement and losing 10 mph from that heater makes him a far less effective pitcher.

Also, I'd rather take a guy that throws 100 mph like Billy Wagner who has a straight fastball than a guy who throws low 90s with a little movement. Both pitchers still needs something offspeed.

Different managing strategies here I guess.

He is still a major league pitcher and a good number 3 or 4. I don't think he frightens anyone anymore though. He used to be good at one point. Now he is just average. I think he ate too much fast food and talked too much sh*t.

Every fastball pitcher has problems in cold weather. Look at Nolan Ryan's stats or Steve Carlton's or Koufax's every April they had problems with control and working up to their mid year form.
Or presently, Randy Johnson or Kerry Wood or Roy Halladay, all have high ERAs and have struggled so far. But by the end of the year all will have ERAs at 3 or under and all will win close to 20.

Power hitters go through the same thing. Look at Thome, he always struggles till mid May.

No Pedro will be fine. especially when he starts pitching to the lesser teams like the Central, Texas, etc.

When it gets mid-June and these guys are still struggling then it's time to worry. It's a marathon guys, and a slow start doesn't mean crap it's what they do in the middle and ending that matters.

hehe, as well "don't show'em your good stuff in april" might apply.

It's early yet. Mussina doesn't look so good either.

Mussina hasn't looked good since 2000.

If Pedro's control was off I might be able to attribute it to cold weather. Cold weather certainly doesn't take a guy that throws 98 mph and turn him into a guy that throws 86 mph. I just can't except that. I used to pitch and cold weather doesn't affect your velocity after you've warmed up. Also, for every hitter that starts slowly in April you can probably name some others that get off to quick starts historically. If Pedro starts throwing heat again I suspect it will be a rest/injury issue more than temperature.

There is always the possibility he might be injured and the Red Sox haven't said anything about it. I hope he finds his old stuff fast, because he has looked pretty bad so far.

There we go, he retired 15 of his first 17 batters tonight. I think we were just worrying too soon.

sounds like Pedro can't pitch in cold weather!