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Healthy Verlander

manchild98

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
21,769
A visit to a New York physical therapist late last year proved illuminating for Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander. The therapist knew he was a major league pitcher but had no knowledge of the intricacies of pitching mechanics, Verlander said. As soon as Verlander told the therapist that he underwent core muscle surgery near his left hip, the therapist promptly asked if Verlander experienced problems with his right shoulder.

"I was a little stunned that they could recognize that right away without me saying anything about the shoulder issues I had last season," Verlander said Thursday as the Tigers began their annual winter caravan. "It was eye-opening."

Verlander deemed himself fully recovered from the surgery, saying this is the best he's felt physically approaching the start of spring training in at least three years. Although it's doubtful that Verlander can ever again make radar guns sweat with eighth-inning fastballs eclipsing 100 miles an hour, there's legitimate optimism that last year's "twisted mess" was more an aberration than an admission of declining skills.

A revitalized Verlander offsets the loss of Max Scherzer.

"I've added 20 pounds of muscle," he said. "I busted my butt in the weight room. And my pitching motion already feels a lot more fluid now than it did a year ago. It was great having an uninterrupted off-season of training and conditioning. At this same time a year ago, I was barely a few days removed from having (core muscle) surgery."

Verlander admits now he knew that 2014 would be a struggle. He went 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA, a year after going 13-12 with a 3.46 ERA. He talked with Ian Kinsler and former teammate Torii Hunter in spring training last year and both told Verlander that it took each of them a full year to fully regain their lower-body strength after having similar procedures.

"I didn't want to use that as an excuse," Verlander said. "I didn't want to talk about it because there was nothing I could do about it. I just had to work through it and do the best that I could to get out there and pitch. But I was a twisted mess last season. I couldn't generate the power I needed from my hips and lower body. My strength doesn't come from my arm. But I've got no problem talking about it now because I know it's in the past."

Verlander has never suffered from a shortage of self-confidence. But the limits of that internal faith were severely tested last year as he worked through numerous mechanical reconstructions. He bit his tongue when critics wrongly blamed the disappointing numbers on a power pitcher's body falling apart just as he started a lucrative $180-million contract extension that he agreed to in March 2013.

He still likes the Tigers' chances very much this season -- despite the loss of Scherzer.

"Have you looked around and seen the names around here?" he said. "We weren't a one-man team. We're better in some other areas than we probably were a year ago."

But the Tigers remain a star-driven team. Two of its biggest stars -- Verlander and Miguel Cabrera -- are now a full year removed from comparable abdominal surgeries. That bodes well for both putting their relatively disappointing 2014 production far behind them. They're better now than a year ago because Verlander is feeling better about what he went through a year ago and what he must do going forward.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/2015/01/22/verlander-detroit-tigers-drew-sharp/22169459/
 
Let's hope he gets at least back to his career average stats. For me he is the single most important component to the success of this team in 2015
 
Him healthy and Miggy back to his normal self it could be a good year..
 
Him healthy and Miggy back to his normal self it could be a good year..

I am skeptical that Miggy will be fully healthy and back to his "normal" self. He just got out of his walking boot last week. He is a 32 year old who weighs 240+ lbs. I think if he hits his career average numbers we will be lucky.
 
I am skeptical that Miggy will be fully healthy and back to his "normal" self. He just got out of his walking boot last week. He is a 32 year old who weighs 240+ lbs. I think if he hits his career average numbers we will be lucky.


LOL Tom, the guy was putting up MVP type numbers when he was hurt 2 seasons in a row.

Miggy is the last guy I'd be worried about.
 
LOL Tom, the guy was putting up MVP type numbers when he was hurt 2 seasons in a row.

Miggy is the last guy I'd be worried about.

after his injury in 2013 and all of last year he was putting up good numbers but not MVP type numbers. All I said was I was skeptical that he would be back to his old self.
 
after his injury in 2013 and all of last year he was putting up good numbers but not MVP type numbers. All I said was I was skeptical that he would be back to his old self.



Last year he finished top 10 in MVP vote.

8th in B. Avg.
10th in OBP.
7th in Slg.
6th in OPS.
2nd in XBH
2nd in RBI
1st in Doubles.

While mostly injured.

/discussion
 
Last year he finished top 10 in MVP vote.

8th in B. Avg.
10th in OBP.
7th in Slg.
6th in OPS.
2nd in XBH
2nd in RBI
1st in Doubles.

While mostly injured.

/discussion

Just goes to show how good that guy is. He put up MVP type numbers but not "Miggy" numbers. It's like a whole different echelon.
 
Last year he finished top 10 in MVP vote.

8th in B. Avg.
10th in OBP.
7th in Slg.
6th in OPS.
2nd in XBH
2nd in RBI
1st in Doubles.

While mostly injured.

/discussion

Those are good numbers but aren't MVP numbers. Most Valuable Player...not 8th most valuable player.

Anyway, we are splitting hairs. My original point was Miggy has been hurt for the past 1.5 years, is 32 years old, weighs 240+ lbs and coming off surgery.
 
Those are good numbers but aren't MVP numbers. Most Valuable Player...not 8th most valuable player.

Anyway, we are splitting hairs. My original point was Miggy has been hurt for the past 1.5 years, is 32 years old, weighs 240+ lbs and coming off surgery.
Let's say he only returns to his career averages in 2015, we are still talking about +10HRs, +13RBI, +2SB, +17BB, +.007AVG, +.025OBP, +.040SLG, and +.065OPS. I have no idea what that equates to in wins, but I'd have to assume it'd be at least a one or two.

Same deal with JV, simply going back to his career averages would mean +2GS, +20IP, -1.01ERA, +50Ks, and -0.18WHIP. His career average W-L/season is 17-10, so we'd also be talking +2W and -2L over last season.

These two guys being healthier and simply being at their "career average" performance levels in 2015 might well be +4 wins for us. We should also expect some improvement at SS getting Iggy back, and maybe in LF with Cespedes joining, at C w/ McCann (or Alex simply seeing less time in the lineup), and maybe also with Nick at 3B. The BP can't be as bad as it was last year, there is just no way. I'd have to think that they'll be a couple wins better as well. All told, maybe this gets us +8 wins over last year from this group.

We'll mostly likely see a significant drop off in the starting pitching after losing Max and Rick, but having Price for a full year and JV and Sanchez hopefully being healthy again should help offset things somewhat. Maybe this ends us costing us 2-4 wins over last year's rotation. I'm expecting a drop off from VMart, JD, Kinsler, and Davis too. To what degree remains to be seen. I'd guess that it will equate to at least 2 wins since these guys all played really well last year. Maybe this will be overcome by the improvements I'm expecting elsewhere, but maybe not. Either way, it's not all doom and gloom just like it isn't all sunshine and puppy dogs. I'm going to say that I think we'll be a couple wins better, and hopefully a more consistent team in 2015 than we were in 2014.
 
C = +1 Win Improvement
1B = +1-2 Wins
2B = -1 Win
SS = +1 Win
3B = +1-2 Wins
LF = -1 Win
CF = -2 Wins
RF = -1 Win
DH = -1 Win

0 Win change from Position Players

Starting Pitching = -3 Wins

Relief Pitching = +1 Wins

Total = -2 to 4 wins
 
C = +1 Win Improvement
1B = +1-2 Wins
2B = -1 Win
SS = +1 Win
3B = +1-2 Wins
LF = -1 Win
CF = -2 Wins
RF = -1 Win
DH = -1 Win

0 Win change from Position Players

Starting Pitching = -3 Wins

Relief Pitching = +1 Wins

Total = -2 to 4 wins

Are these your opinions or based on some stats. Not trying to start an argument....just curious

My opinion based on nothing else besides what I think

1B 0+1
2B 0
SS +1 +2
3B 0 +1
LF -1 0
CF -2 -1
RF +2+3
DH -1

Starters -4-2
BP +1+2

Low end -4
Upper end +5
 
Are these your opinions or based on some stats. Not trying to start an argument....just curious

My opinion based on nothing else besides what I think

1B 0+1
2B 0
SS +1 +2
3B 0 +1
LF -1 0
CF -2 -1
RF +2+3
DH -1

Starters -4-2
BP +1+2

Low end -4
Upper end +5

It is based on the projected playing time stats and the player's last 3 years averages with age deviation included. Castellanos gets a boost because he is just 23. Kinsler gets a regression for being over 32.

FYI...you didn't address catcher.

I doubt either Cespedes or J.D. Martinez improved 2-3 wins over Hunter in 2015, otherwise your offense is basically inline with what I had. It looks we are about the same on pitching.
 
It is based on the projected playing time stats and the player's last 3 years averages with age deviation included. Castellanos gets a boost because he is just 23. Kinsler gets a regression for being over 32.

FYI...you didn't address catcher.

I doubt either Cespedes or J.D. Martinez improved 2-3 wins over Hunter in 2015, otherwise your offense is basically inline with what I had. It looks we are about the same on pitching.

oops.

As far as catcher...I think Avila has a similar year with the potential to be a little better. I think McCann will be better than the garbage they threw out there last year.

C 0 +1

As far as LF...I was putting JD there...even best case but probably a little regression. I think Cespedes will be a big upgrade over Hunter. I think he has a huge year offensively and think he is an upgrade defensively. I am very optimistic about Cespedes...but I have been wrong before!
 
The injury factor and Brad Ausmus are the two biggest elements in determining our entrance or exit from the 2015 post-season.
 
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