The Official Anti Elmer Dessens Rant Thread!

[KingLouieLouie]

Sorry...couldnt resist the inevitable.... I thought coming out of Spring Training that Dessens would return back to the level he pitched in '02 since he seemed to be in much better shape than he was at any time last season....however.. we all know that he flourishes for 4-innings and then suddenly hits a wall by the 5th and never recovers.... He's getting paid a pretty "hefty" contract and if it wasnt for that...he'd already be in the BP or demoted..... He better prove his worth soon or else....

 

[Ryanwb]

how does the mojo work in these threads? Do we be over critical or do we say how much we hate the guy? 'eh?

 

[KingLouieLouie]

how does the mojo work in these threads? Do we be over critical or do we say how much we hate the guy? 'eh?

Just criticize the player to the highest extent possible until he actually proves his keep, and then cautiously praise him as he continues to do well.....

It's fun "calling these players out"! No "exact science" really but bash them for the good of the team and their fans I guess!

 

[Ryanwb]

Dessens, what a waste of roster space, the guy can't go past the 5th inning.

Do you think he KNOWS he can't get passed the 5th inning and this is the reason for his complete failure? ...its all psychological?????

 

[schillingfan]

Sorry...couldnt resist the inevitable.... I thought coming out of Spring Training that Dessens would return back to the level he pitched in '02 since he seemed to be in much better shape than he was at any time last season

2002 was Dessens' career year. It wasn't his norm. Joe Jr. made the mistake of thinking that the Dessens of 2002 was the "real" Dessens and traded Durazo for him and gave him the two year contract.

Stupid thinking on his part. What you saw last year is what you get, what Dessens has pretty much always been.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

2002 was Dessens' career year. It wasn't his norm. Joe Jr. made the mistake of thinking that the Dessens of 2002 was the "real" Dessens and traded Durazo for him and gave him the two year contract.

Stupid thinking on his part. What you saw last year is what you get, what Dessens has pretty much always been.

I certainly agree that Jerry C. and Co. were too abrupt in signing him to a long-term deal..... I always questioned whether or not they should have gotten more for Durazo, despite that he's been struggling thus far this season....

He does seem to be in better conditioning than he was last season, so that could very well improve his stamina..... I think he was putting too much pressure on himself last season, but also was easily handed the starting job too easily...If he does continue to struggle, they must put him in the BP to send him a message...

 

[AZZenny]

I have a hard time thinking 'stamina' or arm strength or the like is his problem. He doesn't sort of fade over a couple batters, he just nosedives, crashes and burns. He has seemed to get badly rattled by errors or missed DPs. I wonder if it isn't to a large extent psychological - he does much better in Spring Training, where there is less pressure.

As Ryanwb suggests, he may have a self-fulfilling mental set now - middle innings, he expects trouble, and his focus goes that way instead of on the next pitch. Curt Schilling recently talked about how essential it is for the pitcher not to think in units of "the batter" - the potential danger of the guy who is up, or worse, thinking about the next guy - leave that to the catcher and manager. The pitcher can ONLY focus on making this pitch, or he's sunk. I just don't see Elmer having that mentality.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I have a hard time thinking 'stamina' or arm strength or the like is his problem. He doesn't sort of fade over a couple batters, he just nosedives, crashes and burns. He has seemed to get badly rattled by errors or missed DPs. I wonder if it isn't to a large extent psychological - he does much better in Spring Training, where there is less pressure.

As Ryanwb suggests, he may have a self-fulfilling mental set now - middle innings, he expects trouble, and his focus goes that way instead of on the next pitch. Curt Schilling recently talked about how essential it is for the pitcher not to think in units of "the batter" - the potential danger of the guy who is up, or worse, thinking about the next guy - leave that to the catcher and manager. The pitcher can ONLY focus on making this pitch, or he's sunk. I just don't see Elmer having that mentality.

I concur with everything you said...It could be a combination of both mental and physical....

I might do research later and edit this post with the run support that Dessens has received the last few years and that correlates if that forces too much pressure on him.... I cant fault him whatsoever for today though...

 

[schillingfan]

Louie, I think that the best explanation is that he simply isn't that good. He doesn't miss bats enough. In 2002, he was simply lucky. A really good sabermetric stat that explains it is the batting average of balls in play (BABIP). In 2002 it was very low, which probably explained his good ERA for that year. Luck

 

[BC867]

Although Elmer got the win on Sunday, he still was charged with 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Do you think Brenly is beginning to catch on? He left in him after 5 again, but this time removed him one-third of an inning later.

It reminds me of what we used to think about Suns coach John MacLeod many years ago.

The good ones make adjustments by the next game. The great ones, within the game.

John MacLeod (and Bob Brenly) . . . 5 games later . . . if we're lucky.

Ugh!

 

[Forrestham]

I got tired of thespin we heard about him. The bottom line is he is just not that good. It was encouraging to see good starts out of Sparks and Daigle but I don't like to have to see su score 12 runs to win

 

[moviegeekjn]

Do you think Brenly is beginning to catch on? He left in him after 5 again, but this time removed him one-third of an inning later.

Obvious that BB knows what's going on and has adopted "philosophy" acknowledging that Elmer will pitch pretty well up until 75 pitch count or through 5 innings max.

He had pen up and warming to start the top of the 6th (they were beginning to stretch a bit before that), and didn't hestitate after the second hit. It was the right time... unfortunately, the pen didn't hold them so Dessens got charged the two runners aboard. In closer games, they may have to go with Koplove to keep those guys from scoring.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Louie, I think that the best explanation is that he simply isn't that good. He doesn't miss bats enough. In 2002, he was simply lucky. A really good sabermetric stat that explains it is the batting average of balls in play (BABIP). In 2002 it was very low, which probably explained his good ERA for that year. Luck

I believe the simple explanation is that he doesnt "go after" the hitters enough, but true he doesnt have the greatest velocity either...

I do subscribe to the theory of sabermetrics, but sometimes some of those stats are a little skewed....