I for one was thrilled to see 100mph appear in a multicolored font over the ball in the MLB AP while I was on the train. Its an experience I wont trade for anything. Thanks JV.

Tuesday, his job was to entertain.

If so, he failed miserably, since the entire country shut the game off after the top of the first.

I dare say people in Washington and San Francisco and Pittsburgh, not to mention a few other places, found it wonderfully entertaining.

Basically, he had it in his mind that folks in the ballpark — and those watching around the world — wanted to see him throw the baseball as hard as he possibly could.

I think he had it in his mind that there was no way he was pitching more than an inning or two.

I'd love to see the 93 ramping up to 100 thing fact checked.

I'd love to see the 93 ramping up to 100 thing fact checked.

My buddy watches 90% of the Tigers games at our apt. This is in fact how JV pitches. He has massive talent and doesn't really "go to the well" so to speak, until the middle and later innings, the 2nd and 3rd time through the lineup.

chris

concur with mud. verlander may not have the big fastball every night but instead of going large early and then changing speeds downward verlander mixes in faster pitches

I love watching Verlander pitch, and that includes those knee-buckling curve strikeouts. Those are fun to watch, particularly after a 101 MPH fastball.

While I can understand his reasoning, I do wish he had mixed it up to show all his skills.

I love watching Verlander pitch, and that includes those knee-buckling curve strikeouts. Those are fun to watch, particularly after a 101 MPH fastball.

I was more entertained by the knee-buckling curve Verlander threw Votto to strike him out, than all the "impressive" 100 mph fastballs he was leaving up in the zone to get hammered.

Didn't Pedro Martinez work similarly? He didn't quite hit 100 of course, but during his Red Sox career he would start games around 90 and ramp up to 95-96 in the middle innings.

I watched him pitch in college at ODU, and he was doing it even then -- low 90s early, 96-97 in the 7th and 8th. I remember the scouts checking with each other to see if their guns were right.

I'd love to see the 93 ramping up to 100 thing fact checked.

I've watched a lot of Tiger games, but I can't confirm the 93 mph in the early innings or the gradual ramp-up. It seems more likely that he hovers around 95, then throws harder late.

It is common, well-documented knowledge that Verlander routinely hits 99 and 100 in the 8th and 9th inning (if he's still in the game). And it's rather impressive.

I also think (but with less certainty) that he rarely hits 98+ in the early innings.

I'd love to see the 93 ramping up to 100 thing fact checked.

Bill Petti at Fangraphs recently looked at Verlander's velocity in the 9th inning. He doesn't average 93 in the 1st or 100 in the 9th, but he clearly throws more and harder fastballs late in the game, and his fastball average velocities suggest that he commonly does throw some 93 mph fastballs in the 1st and some 100-milers in the 9th.