BBTF.org/m/justin_verlander : Morosi: Even a roughed-up Verlander delivers

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

SI: The 50 highest-earning athletes

(sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

posted 5 days ago by RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) to adrian gonzalez, albert pujols, alex rodriguez, alfonso soriano, barry zito, boxing, c.c. sabathia, carl crawford, cole hamels, derek jeter, felix hernandez, golf, joe mauer, joey votto, justin verlander, mark teixiera, matt cain, matt kemp, miguel cabrera, nba, nfl, prince fielder, roy halladay, ryan howard, salaries, tim lincecum, vernon wells, yankees, zack greinke | 40 comment(s)

When welterweight Floyd Mayweather was No. 1 on Sports Illustrated’s Fortunate 50 last year—knocking out Tiger Woods, who had been No. 1 every year since SI started producing the list in 2004—it looked like a fluke, the result of the $85 million he received for his fights with Victor Ortiz and Miguel Cotto. Now Mayweather is proving that he belongs at the top. From just two bouts this year, one earlier this month and the other scheduled for September, he will earn at least $90 million, ...

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1. dr. scott posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:49 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

2. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:51 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

3. TerpNats posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:59 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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

4. Tom Nawrocki posted on July 11, 2012 at 12:16 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

5. Chris Needham posted on July 11, 2012 at 01:02 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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

6. madvillain posted on July 11, 2012 at 01:23 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

7. Harveys Wallbangers

posted on July 11, 2012 at 02:20 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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

8. JDLk posted on July 11, 2012 at 03:12 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

9. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) posted on July 11, 2012 at 03:20 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

10. Karl from NY posted on July 11, 2012 at 03:29 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

11. sotapop posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:00 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

12. Cooper Nielson posted on July 12, 2012 at 06:08 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

13. Matt Clement of Alexandria posted on July 12, 2012 at 06:32 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

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.

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

SI: The 50 highest-earning athletes

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Justin Verlander Think Factory