Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Red Wings Cannot Cull the Herd

Buffalo enjoys a day off today after picking up a victory in Rochester on Memorial Day Monday.

Buffalo 7 Rochester 5

Cullen Large belted a home run in the second inning and capped off a five-run third with a two-run single that proved to be the difference in the Herd's win over the Nationals affiliate. Samad Taylor singled in the game's first run and had a sacrifice fly to open the third. Otto Lopez had an RBI single and he raced home on a Chavez Young triple as part of Buffalo's early 7-0 lead. Large had three hits while Lopez and Young had two apiece. Taylor drew a walk to go along with his single and stole his 20th base of the year. Seven different Bisons had a hit and eight got on base at least once.

Nick Allgeyer allowed all five runs on seven hits and had a strikeout-walk total of 2-2 over three-plus innings. He could not retire any of the five men he faced in the fourth. Eric Yardley stranded one of Allgeyer's two runners and threw out a runner at the plate after a comebacker to the mound. The former Padre and Brewer was perfect over two frames and struck out one to earn the win. Derek Holland pitched two more scoreless innings with one walk and two whiffs. Adrian Hernandez locked it down with a pair of 1-2-3 frames, striking out the side in the ninth for his fifth save.

*** 3 Stars!!! ***

3. Adrian Hernandez, Buffalo

2. Samad Taylor, Buffalo

1. Cullen Large, Buffalo

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 12:02 AM EDT.

Red Wings Cannot Cull the Herd | 17 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 06:34 AM EDT (#414542) #

Adrian Hernandez has thrown 14 innings in Buffalo, and has regularly been used in save situations. In those 14 innings, he has given up 1 run on 3 his and 4 walks while striking out 21. That's dominance, and you want him on the major league roster no matter that he's right-handed.

scottt - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 06:53 AM EDT (#414543) #

Hernandez has one very good pitch, but it's a changeup that he throws more than half the time.
He's a short guy who doesn't throw harder than Ryu.
He's not a sure thing by any means.

lexomatic - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 08:11 AM EDT (#414547) #

<br>repeating this here in case anyone wants to discuss it more.
hypobole: ouch, I hadn't checked Martin's basic fielding stats (as generally errors aren't a big thing vs range) but that is terrible. In 148 games Bo Bichette played 1271 innings last year with 24 errors. Adjust Martin to that many innings and you get 66 errors. Yikes. Last year's rate would work out to 56 errors. 100% unacceptable even if he has Ozzie Smith range, which he doesn't (no one does). Mix in that a big chunk of his OBP is HBP (thanks uglyone for the reminder) and one has to figure the Jays traded him at his peak value.

<br>re Martin errors. Highest in 21st century at SS is 35
30s are more common going back Jeffries had 40, a few 40 seasons in thr 80s and 70s (Griffin with a "great" 3 year run) but you have to go back to 1950 for 50!
It fits in with the 20s and teens.
Vern Stephen's is another profile player you MIGHT tolerate high errors from, but would likely move to 3rd 2nd or the OF.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/E_tf_leagues.shtml

Also, apparently Reyes "led" the league with 19 in 2014? Tiedbfor lowest worst in the AL.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 08:19 AM EDT (#414548) #

[Hernandez] isn't a sure thing

That's correct. He's a pitcher.

Gerry - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 08:35 AM EDT (#414549) #

I listened to the first edition of Around the Nest, the excellent Blue Jays minor league podcast. Pat Malacaro, the Bisons broadcaster, said that Hernandez's change-up was really a screwball. That could explain why he has been so effective, if the pitch behaves differently than what the hitters expect.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:18 AM EDT (#414551) #

Could it be that Hernandez throws both a screwball and a change? Mike Cuellar did that, and was very effective despite not having much of a fastball.

hypobole - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:34 AM EDT (#414552) #

This from Longenagen last year:
"Interestingly, Hernandez�s changeup is of the high-spin variety and tends to finish to his glove side, which at first glance made me wonder if it was being labeled correctly by Savant, but this is indeed Hernandez�s changeup and it has been very effective."

Devin Williams is another with a high-spin "changeup". with unusual shape. It's still highly effective even as his FB velo has dropped from 96-97 to 94-95. That still leaves more margin for error than Adrian's reported 90-91 FB.

The key for Hernandez when he's promoted will most likely be FB command. Hitting his spots with the FB will help generate swings on the "change".

scottt - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:38 AM EDT (#414553) #

Most change ups have movement towards the throwing arm side.
It's often like a two-seamer with more vertical drop.
That's why it's mostly used when the hitter has the platoon advantage.

Major league quality screwballs are pretty rare these days.
A good change up gets mistaken for a fastball by the hitter.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:53 AM EDT (#414554) #

What's the variation in velocity on his "change"? If he throws a fastball at 91, a screwball at 84 and a change at 77, that can be a very effective combination. Messing with timing and with good movement will work even if you start at 91.

Cracka - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 10:56 AM EDT (#414557) #

In a Spring Training game against the Yankees, Hernandez was hitting: 92 mph fastball, 80 mph change, and 76 mph breaking ball (a "screwball" to some). He's not the typical power arm that modern bullpens feature, but I still think he's going to get his chance sooner rather than later.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 11:29 AM EDT (#414558) #

Here's an interesting article on the vanishing screwball.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 11:35 AM EDT (#414559) #

And here's some useful video of Hernandez.

Nigel - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 01:04 PM EDT (#414564) #

FWIW - after watching that video, my impression was that he didn't throw two different pitches (CH and screwball) but that he had the ability to manipulate his CH/screwball to take a bit more off and to give it more break/movement. That's an important skill and was one of the reasons Marcum was so effective. It's a change up off the CH. I'm optimistic that that arsenal would play in the majors.

Magpie - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 01:34 PM EDT (#414567) #

he had the ability to manipulate his CH/screwball to take a bit more off and to give it more break/movement.

Yeah, I thought he was getting it to run away from the LH batters, which is why it looks vaguely like a screwball. He did throw a couple of breaking pitches, labelled as sliders on the video although only one of them looked like a slider to me (it missed down and in to a LH batter.)

Gerry - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 06:19 PM EDT (#414588) #

Nate Pearson is on his way to Buffalo. Should be available to pitch tomorrow.

Gerry - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:21 PM EDT (#414603) #

Gabriel Martinez left the game today. It looks like he was injured during an at-bat, perhaps by fouling a ball off himself. Also could be a Blue Jay special oblique.

Gerry - Tuesday, May 31 2022 @ 09:32 PM EDT (#414608) #

Cameron Eden has been promoted to New Hampshire. #2JB had the update first on his twitter.

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