Yesterday, Jason Kendall went his fourth straight game without grounding out to third. So my Kendall fast (see sidebar) is now over.
In its place, I am beginning an Esteban Loaiza fast. I can’t stand watching the dude throw another 84-mph batting practice fastball. During today’s game against the Royals, you could tell after about five pitches that Loaiza had absolutely nothing. You could send out any single-A pitcher from Kane County, and they’d have a better chance at getting people out than Loaiza did today.
I have no idea why Macha didn’t just yank him right away. The guy has an injured trapezius muscle, has no velocity or control whatsoever, and they leave him in there to put a grand slam on a tee for Reggie Sanders. He needs to go join Rich Harden on the DL until whatever is wrong with him is fixed.
I don’t want to see Loaiza again until he’s back throwing his 90+ mph fastballs. Because otherwise, he’s worse than useless. So my Loaiza fast begins right now. I’m not even waiting for this game to be over. Ideally, I’d like to keep fasting Loaiza until he throws a fastball above 90mph, but if I’m not watching the game, it’s kinda hard to know when he throws that speed, because that data isn’t readily available online.
So here’s my Loaiza fast parameters: I’m not watching another Loaiza appearance until he throws five consecutive shutout innings. Because my walls and furniture deserve to remain intact.
1. i hope your loaiza fast gets results as quickly as the kendall fast did.
2. Well, it kinda worked. Kendall didn't really start hitting well, he just stopped grounding out weakly to third, and started popping out weakly to center. But perhaps it's a good sign of a change in approach. I hope.
3. maybe you shouldn't have made your fast so specific about the grounders, then. but then, if you set the bar too high (say, fasting till he hit a homer), it may never happen at all.
4. I think if I'm gonna fast, it has to be about something I'm genuinely sick of. I'm not really bothered that Kendall doesn't hit the ball over the fence. I am bothered that he doesn't hit the ball hard anywhere at all.
5. The grey jerseys worked for Haren but alas they were not able to help Loaiza. Good thing the whole thing was erased by the rain. Or else the bullpen may have been erased by the Royals! Boycott Loaiza!
6. If only the Loaiza contract signing could be rained out as easily as last night's game...