Is Francisco Rodriguez Injured?

by James Kannengieser on Jun 6, 2011 10:36 AM EDT

Frank Rodriguez had a rough weekend. He allowed 4 runs in 2 outings, surrendering 2 home runs in the process. One was to Diory Hernandez, he of the career .279/.331/.387 minor league triple slasher. More troubling than his home run-to-flyball regression is his velocity. His average fastball velocity this year is 90.3 mph, down from 91.1 mph last season and 92.7 mph in 2009. His early season velocity was in the 91-93 range, but in last night's game he was throwing in the high 80s, topping out at 89.9 mph. Friday night his top speed was 90.1 mph.

A decline in velocity is one indicator of injury. Taylor Buchholz's velocity was down several mph in his last few appearances before he was put on the disabled list. The same can be said for J.J. Putz in 2009. Rodriguez's strikeout rate is still strong (9.4 per 9 innings) but his swinging strike rate of 9.2% is a career low. It was 11.2% in 2010 and 12.3% in 2009. This is another sign that maybe something is amiss.

This could be blamed on small sample size fluctuation, wonky mechanics, the mysterious "dead-arm" condition or simply aging of a max effort pitcher. Or it could be some kind of injury. This is about as lazy an armchair diagnosis as possible but it's something to monitor over his next few appearances. Frankie with an 89 mph fastball could get old really fast.

And hat tip to me for not mentioning the vesting option until now.

Tweet Comment 31 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

The right thing to do

is to place K-Rod on the DL, and give him all of the time that he needs to get well. The Mets should put K-Rod’s physical well being ahead of the team’s needs, and make sure that he doesn’t pitch again until he is 100%.

__________________________________________________
"He who gets the best players usually wins" - Bobby Bowden

by Russ on Jun 6, 2011 10:45 AM EDT reply actions 9 recs

He is not injured

He just wants to get his save just like every other closer in the league.

You guys just hate him soooo much.

by rcnt123 on Jun 6, 2011 11:02 AM EDT reply actions

Did you even read this post?

This could be blamed on small sample size fluctuation, wonky mechanics, the mysterious “dead-arm” condition or simply aging of a max effort pitcher. Or it could be some kind of injury. This is about as lazy an armchair diagnosis as possible but it’s something to monitor over his next few appearances.

Yeah, I can sense the vitriol

The 2011 New York Mets: Limit the Damage

by CTRefJay on Jun 6, 2011 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

yes I read it dude

the last sentence was just an overall sense of the majority fanbase, not so much a reflection of this individual post by James

by rcnt123 on Jun 6, 2011 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I like K-Rod a lot as a closer

I just loathe the vest

by Evan_S on Jun 6, 2011 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Same

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jun 6, 2011 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

mechanics

I’m hoping it’s just mechanics. He did cite that in an interview yesterday. Maybe it’s as simple as that and that’ll bring back the couple of MPH he’s lost.

Hopefully he figures it out. With Beato struggling and Izzy experiencing a similar ‘dead arm’ type period, I’d really like games to go back to 8 innings.

-Ceetar, the Optimistic Mets Fan

by Ceetar on Jun 6, 2011 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

They say anything and everything to hide injury,

until they have to go to the DL.

by SuperT on Jun 6, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I think something may be physically wrong

He went from absolutely dominant (albeit a bit scary at times) to getting crushed every time out.

by brooklynberger on Jun 6, 2011 11:11 AM EDT reply actions

It'd be nice if we had other options in the bullpen to play with.

At this point, if it’s a close game with a lead, is there any other pitcher who will be used to attempt to close the game out?

I think at this point, I’m just wary of seeing Izzy and K-Rod every single time a starter throws 7 nice innings. Having to be overly dependant on them is not wise especially considering Izzy’s injury history.

by Fmaxpont on Jun 6, 2011 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

Looking at his month by month fastball velocity from 2008 through 2010 we see this:

April……………91.9
May…………….91.9
June…………..92.2
July…………….91.9
August……….92.0
September..92.8

So generally he isn’t throwing as hard in April and May on average, but if there is a sustained 3+ mph drop I’d definitely think that’s suspicious.

Columnist at Beyond the Box Score. Contributor at Amazin' Avenue.

by Bill Petti on Jun 6, 2011 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

Is a .9 difference really that significant?

by Evan_S on Jun 6, 2011 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think so

Overall, he’s throwing about has hard as we’d expect for this time of year, which is why I’d get more concerned if we were talking about 3+ mph.

Columnist at Beyond the Box Score. Contributor at Amazin' Avenue.

by Bill Petti on Jun 6, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

or maybe he's just having a rough stretch, every pitcher goes through this

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jun 6, 2011 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

My vote.

I’ve noticed over the past decade or so that when an elite reliever (Hoffman and Riviera specifically) have a bad game after a good stretch, they generally will follow that with two more in their next three appearances. You just need to grimace and ride it out.

by Curtis3331 on Jun 13, 2011 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions

The drop in Ks is worrying

That is the one thing that Frankie has done really well and has made him an effective closer. He doesn’t have great control and he isn’t a groundball specialist but the strikeouts have allowed him to be effective and work himself out of trouble. He has lost some velocity since his days in Anaheim but has still been able to miss plenty of bats and his breaking ball and changeup have remained strong through his first couple of seasons in NY. While his K/9 is still strong compared to th average reliever I fear that the drop this season could cause Frankie a lo o problems if it is something permanent. He has maintained a high WHIP this season and if he continues to put men on base and more balls are put in play than usual against him I think we continue to see him struggle. The Ks have allowed him to work himself out of trouble and if those decline I dot think he will be a’s effective.

by MatthewM11 on Jun 6, 2011 12:36 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Sorry for the Typos/ spelling errors I posted this from my ohone

by MatthewM11 on Jun 6, 2011 12:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

*phone

by MatthewM11 on Jun 6, 2011 12:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Do relief pitchers go through dead arm stages?

I don’t think they do, but I could be wrong. They don’t really throw enough to, no?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jun 6, 2011 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

he says its just pitch execution

he is really smart and good at baseball, for now I will take his word.

I LIKE IKE!

by astromets on Jun 6, 2011 12:59 PM EDT reply actions

Could the pain from his teeth being removed have anything to do with it?

He said he’s been tryna keep his heart rate down when he throws, so the adrenaline is pumping so much and his teeth aren’t throbbing. One way to keep adrenaline down is to not throw as hard.

"Whatever I do, always act like I meant to do it" ~ R.A. Dickey

by MetRayGirl on Jun 6, 2011 1:45 PM EDT reply actions

According

to TC last night it has nothing to do with his dental surgery. Terry indicated it might be a ‘dead arm’ period right now.

However, in Frankie’s interview he vehemently denied there was any problem with dead arm or velocity (the latter you couldn’t prove by me). He claims it’s just execution, getting behind on hitters, etc. Said he’s going to look at films to pinpoint where his mechanics might be off.

So basically no one knows right now why his velocity is down or why he’s given up runs in his last 3 outings.

From my naked eye, I’m seeing even more of a violent delivery and falling off after the pitch. Makes me wonder if the problem is his ankle(s) not his arm.

by MetsFan4Decades on Jun 6, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

sigh hoep this doesn't affect his trade value any.

trade him now I say.

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jun 6, 2011 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

if we trade him

Who do we rotate back to closer? Izzy?

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Jun 6, 2011 1:55 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Meh

At that point, it probably doesn’t matter. I’d let Beato and Izzy duke it out for saves if that were the case.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Jun 6, 2011 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Or, in a perfect world

We take this opportunity to invent the “relief ace” position, cause again, I’d rather have my best reliever face Dicktorino, Utley and Howard in the eighth than Polanco, Ibanez and Francisco in the ninth.

by Evan_S on Jun 6, 2011 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Not "If" but when

As long as he’s healthy, KRod and Beltran should be the first ones shown the door. I agree with mistermet below – Beato may actually have a future with the team so he should be given some chances.

And of course Beltran breaks his shin-guard yesterday.

by Boz_Paladin on Jun 6, 2011 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions