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Doug talks pitching and playoffs.
Doug Thorburn: There are some excellent questions in the hopper this week, so let's jump right in.
Daniel (Evanston, IL): In your mind, what are some of the main factors that go into predicting future injuries for pitchers?
Doug Thorburn: Injury prediction is a rough game that is full of pitfalls because there are so many unknowns. Structural integrity, genetics, and conditioning all play a major role, and these are things that we are unable to measure.
The precursors that I look for include elbow drag (elbow precursor) and poor posture (aka spine tilt - shoulder precursor). Elbow drag can be the result of an inverted W, heavy scapular loading, and/or an extreme delay of trunk rotation. A pitcher who has all three is at the greatest risk, especially when fatigued.
On the jukebox: Audioslave, "Cochise"
lewish (WA): what is the chain of events that happens when a pitchers head trails his center of mass and can you guide me to a pitcher as an example?-Thanks!
Doug Thorburn: A trailing head is an indicator of poor balance, and the most common scenario is a "rock n' roll" pitcher who collapses the back side (legs and/or torso) before the rotational elements kick into gear. Ubaldo Jimenez is a blatant example of a pitcher with a trailing head. This is one of the issues inherent with the coaching method that says "stay over the rubber," because the end result is a pitcher who is imbalanced with a trailing head.
Rex Little (Big Bear CA): 1. What is a "cut fastball"? How does it behave differently from other types of fastball?
2. Is "cutter" just another name for a cut fastball? If not, how does it behave differently?
3. From the name, I assume that a "12-to-6 curve" is one which breaks straight down, with little or no movement side to side. If that description is correct, how does it differ from a sinker?
Doug Thorburn: A cut fastball is just another name for a cutter, though you will hear it more often when there is less break (and more velo) on the pitch. The difference between a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, and a curveball (aside from the grip) is the degree of supination that the pitcher employs. This is why I often hand-wave the name of certain pitches as just semantics - one guy's slider is another's cutter (Madison Bumgarner says hi), and in the end they can call it whatever they want as long as it gets outs.
You are right that a "12 to 6" curve is one that has more vertical movement, and is often tied to a pitcher's functional arm slot.
On the jukebox: Alien Ant Farm, "Smooth Criminal"
Chris Sherwin (Windsor, Ontario): Josh Johnson recently had some bone spur clean up surgery. I know he was also bothered by a knee problem during the season. Do you feel this was the main factor in his poor performance? Do you think it had more to do with mechanical inefficiencies, sequencing or all of the above.
Doug Thorburn: Johnson is a different pitcher than he was at peak. The velo is down and he has scrapped the change-up for a curve. The biggest issue this season was fastball command (which is tie to mechanical repetition), and a pitcher who loses both velocity and command of the fastball will be a shell of himself on the mound. Johnson will need to continue making adjustments in order to find success on a major-league mound.
adenzeno (Austin Texas): Not really a playoff question, but has there been any research on whether or not a Splitter/Forkball causes more stress on the elbow due to the separation of the fingers?
Doug Thorburn: No research that I have found, yet you hear the concept passed around the table every once in a while. I am not an expert on the connective tissue that is involved with separating the fingers (paging Dr. Fleisig), but the fact that a splitter/forkball utilizes a fastball angle of pronation/supination actually makes it a safer pitch to throw than a breaking ball, all else being equal.
On the jukebox: Ratt, "Lay it Down"
Daniel (Evanston, IL): When evaluating pitching mechanics, what are the top 3 things you look at in a delivery?
Doug Thorburn: There are six essentials that I look for in particular when assessing mechanics: 4 baselines and 2 overall elements. The baselines are balance, momentum, torque, and posture. The all-encompassing aspects are release distance and repetition of timing (which is most important). There are several more ingredients to the recipe, but those are the major factors in my evaluations.
On the jukebox: Thrice, "Abolition of Man"
Dennis (LA): Thank you for the chat, Doug. You've probably been asked this many times already, but I just wanted to get your thoughts on Masahiro Tanaka. How do you think he will fare in the majors, both in 2014 and in the future?
Doug Thorburn: Tanaka has the mid-stride pause that is so common among pitchers from Japan, which is a point against him in my opinion. The purpose of the pause is related to maintaining balance, which I am on board with in general, but the problem with "stop at the top" is that it presumes that a pitcher has to find a balance point at max leg lift - I would prefer that he just starts balanced and stays fluid throughout the delivery.
The emphasis on balance is a major point of instruction among the pitchers in NPB, and many of the pitchers who succeed in the States have good balance and finish with strong posture - but not so with Tanaka. The right0hander invokes heavy spine-tilt late in the delivery in order to find an over-the-top slot, and the combination of his halt in momentum and poor postural stabilization could spell disaster for his ability to repeat the delivery. So I think that he will struggle in the majors, particularly his second time through the league when team's have a developed a scouting report.
On the jukebox: Guns n' Roses, "Night Train"
Alex (Anaheim): Who has the edge in the NLCS?
Doug Thorburn: I think that the depth of the Cardinals is a major asset, both in the lineup and on the mound, so I give them the edge versus the Dodgers. But the Kershaw factor is tough to ignore.
Dave (Pittsburgh): Why are the baseball gods so cruel as to let Cardinals fans have all the fun all the time?
Doug Thorburn: Because the Cardinals are so cruel as to have the player development skills to know who will fit into their system and how to get the most of those players. I mean the audacity!
The Cardinals organization has a long history of excellent player development, and I think that we are going to have to get used to a long string of playoff appearances.
On the jukebox: Misfits, "I Wanna Be a NY Ranger"
Reggie (Frankfort): What does an 8 curveball look like?
Doug Thorburn: Excellent depth and late break, with plus-plus command of the pitch. The ability to bury the curve or drop it on the lower shelf of the zone for a strike is a rare trait, and separates the waste pitches from the out pitches. An 8 curveball also does not have any "hump" in it as it leaves the pitcher's hand, instead leaving with a fastball trajectory before the break takes over. Pitchers with a hump in the curve are typically "twisting" the pitch, which is not only a major worry for purposes of injury prevention, but also acts as an early tell for advanced batters who can identify the pitch early in its flight path. 8 curveballs are exceedingly rare, as it is very difficult to command a pitch with extreme movement.
On the jukebox: Ozzy Osbourne, "Mr. Crowley"
Jim H (Sphinx Park, CO): Thanks for the chat, always enjoyable. Any insights into how Justin Verlander regained his form in his last few regular season starts and carried that into the series with the A's. It was a treat to watch. Hot streak or actual mechanical adjustments?
Doug Thorburn: Verlander has been tinkering with his delivery all season, and for much of the year he was struggling to repeat the balance and stride elements of his motion - which wreaked havoc on pitch command. He finally found his signature delivery near the end of the season, giving him the pitch repetition and command that make him one of the best pitchers in the game. Pitch command can be the difference between elite and simply good, and Verlander was a living testament to the phenomenon for much of the year.
I have often said that Verlander is like his own power reliever, as his ability to build velocity within a game gives batters several different looks over the course of 7 or 8 innings - we saw this yesterday, with the A's swinging through fastball after fastball and unable to lock down the timing on his heat.
Rex (Columbus): Harder to teach? A breaking ball or a changeup
Doug Thorburn: The changeup is probably the toughest pitch to teach in a pitcher's arsenal. Many pitchers struggle to get a feel for the pre-set pronation that is necessary to throw the pitch, while others attempt to manipulate arm action by slowing things down in order to get the velocity differential. Possession of a usable changeup is also what often dictates whether a big-leaguer has a future in the rotation or the bullpen, as they need something off-speed that does not break in to opposing hitters who have the platoon advantage.
On the jukebox: Led Zeppelin, "Going to California"
Jose canseco (Baseball overlord): Me vs justin Verlander in an AB who wins it?
Doug Thorburn: Verlander every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Unless we're talking slow-pitch softball, in which case you do have at least a shot in hell.
Trent (KC): Are you a fan of the palm ball grip for a kid with his CH?
Doug Thorburn: I am definitely not a fan of the palmball. It is extremely tough to harness, and is basically a trick pitch (like a knuckler). I certainly do not recommend it for kids - teach them a pitch-fork (the three-finger forkball) if they need something off-speed that is easy to execute.
Lucas Punkari (Airdrie, Alberta): Of the four teams that are left in the playoffs, is there anyone in the rotations that you have question marks about? Or at this point do you pretty much have a rough idea of what to expect?
Doug Thorburn: The four remaining playoff teams all have a strong combination of top-end talent and depth in the rotation. I feel least confident in the Boston rotation, but that is more a reflection of the other teams in the tournament than any indictment of the Red Sox. The Cardinals are relying on some relatively green players, so there is always risk there when it comes to consistency. The top two of the Dodgers can hang with anyone, and Ryu is no slouch as a #3. The re-emergence of Verlander makes the Tigers a scary opponent for anyone, and their rotation depth seemingly has no end in sight.
On the jukebox: Bob Marley, "Lively Up Yourself"
Dave (Chicago): If you were Oakland, who stays and goes for 2014? Some choices are obvious -- Chris Young and Kurt Suzuki are gone. Grant Balfour and Bartolo Colon are probably not affordable. Brett Anderson, Seth Smith, and Josh Reddick are all non-tender candidates, though Smith and Reddick could be back because it doesn't look like Michael Choice is ready. How do they fix the middle of the infield? Jed Lowrie isn't going to put up this type of offense to make up for that poor of a glove and Eric Sogard and Albert Callaspo -- just, no. The Coliseum hides the total mediocre state of the A's rotation.
Doug Thorburn: Great question. Agree on Young and Suzuki. Balfour will probably price himself out of Oakland, a team that has no problem with a revolving door of closers. I think that Reddick sticks around, unless his homer counts exorbitantly drive up the price in his first year of arbitration. It will be interesting to see what Colon wants contractually, and the A's could easily bow out if he wants a multi-year deal. There is no way that the A's pay $8 million for Anderson next year, so his option will be declined, but it will be interesting to see if he re-signs on a one-year deal to re-establish his value. Coco Crisp will probably be taken up on his $7.5 million option, given his somewhat unique blend of speed and power in CF (as well as his clubhouse appeal). The A's like the power that Lowrie offers in the middle of the diamond, and their backup options are less than inspiring (Nakajima has turned out to be a waste of $6.5 million).
The A's pitching succeeds in many ways that are tough to see. Yes, the Coliseum and its immense foul territory certainly help, but the A's have an excellent system in place for pitcher development. They emphasize balance, posture, and pitch repetition - and they eschew the slide step! So they earn the benefit of the doubt when it comes to developing pitchers from within and identifying which arms to bring into the system.
On the jukebox: Aerosmith, "Ragdoll"
Tim (NYC): Greater revolution in pitching, use of arm bands or greater emphasis on pitch counts
Doug Thorburn: Pitch counts have definitely been the greater revolution, but not all of the changes are positive. Pitchers are not prepared to survive large workloads these days, and I believe that teams are falling into strict categories in terms of pitch counts rather than developing a dynamic approach that treats each pitcher differently. There should be more than just two-three buckets tha we see today (essentially 110-pitch guys and 30-pitch guys), with the acknowledgment that there are pitchers who can fall anywhere on the pitch-count spectrum.
On the jukebox: Nirvana, "Breed"
Mike (McCoy stadium): Hi Doug thank for the chat. In your opinion in fantasy baseball would u rather have offense or great pitching??
As for David price I'm hearing dodgers rangers mariners as his top suitors.. What kind of packages would Friedman take for him?
Dodgers joc pederson & seager and ??
Rangers Perez profar &
Mariners ????
Doug Thorburn: In fantasy, great offense is more reliable and the tiers dry up quickly at the various positions, so I usually prefer to start with a strong offense. That said, I always make sure to have 1-2 aces who are difference-makers in the various categories, and am willing to pay top-round prices to acquire. But once the top is set, I like to dig through the bargain bin to find pitchers who I think will make significant gains - there are many more pitchers who jump onto the scene in short order then there are bats.
I understand the hoopla over trading Price, but it seems to me that he will still be a bargain next year at $13-14 million, and the Rays control his rights for two more years, so I am not quite on board with the impetus to move him this off-season. It all depends on the return, and if they can get two high-impact prospects then the team probably has to consider a deal, but I think that the Rays are in the director's chair. They can sit back and let the quality of offers dictate their timing on a potential Price trade.
casejud (Bothell, Wa): I enjoyed TINSTAPP, the other day for the first time.
What do you think of Sonny Gray going forward? Specifically, If you had a real team and could pick Michael, wa Wacha or Sonny Gray, who would you take, and why Doug?
Doug Thorburn: Thanks for listening! Paul and I have a blast recording each episode of TINSTAAPP, and we are trying something new for the playoffs - so stay tuned. (Spoiler alert: watch/record today's Game 1 of the NLCS)
Gray is an excellent pitcher, and he is unique among A's pitchers with his plus power grades (momentum, torque). On the downside, he also has worse posture than most of the pitchers on Oakland's staff, and the A's may not enforce an adjustment given that his curveball is sensitive to the over-the-top slot. This makes Gray an intriguing commodity, but one with a couple of red flags.
Wacha also has the over-the-top with a late posture change, but he lacks the plus momentum of Gray. Both pitchers have great stuff, but they also are two-pitch pitchers who need to develop a third offering in order to reach ceiling. Wacha is basically a fastball-changeup guy, and I think that his ability to succeed on his second go-around of the league will depend on the development of a breaking ball. Gray needs to harness a change-up. They are both promising prospects with an agenda for development, and they are both in excellent organization with respect to pitching development. Flip a coin as far as preference if making a decision today, but things could change quickly based on who is able to make adjustments.
On the jukebox: Rolling Stones, "Under My Thumb"
comish4lif (Alexandria, VA): 8 Curveballs? Who in the majors has one? If not, whose is the closest?
Doug Thorburn: Jose Fernandez's "Defector" might be the archetype of an 8 curveball. Just filthy, and exceedingly rare to see such incredible command of a pitch with such extreme movement, especially from a 21-year old kid.
Hank (LA): How hesitant are you to alter a pitchers so called 'natural mechanics' if that pitcher is having trouble on the mound? Is it more a last resort thing or something you do all the time
Doug Thorburn: It really depends on the type of issues that are present, and whether it pertains to pitcher signature or mechanical efficiency. A pitcher who is "naturally" imbalanced probably has to make improvements to functional strength, and that can be addressed through training - we make such adjustments all the time. Arm action is much more difficult, as it is extremely tough to teach a pitcher arm action that goes against his natural signature. For this reason, I typically leave the throwing arm alone when coaching pitchers, and instead focus on the other elements that can be fixed through conditioning, drills, and execution.
On the jukebox: Motorhead, "Damage Case"
Greg (Austin ): MLB is making more efforts in non traditional baseball countries such as India and China to recruit players. Will these efforts result in anything?
Doug Thorburn: It might take a couple of decades to really see an impact, but it can't hurt to teach baseball to players in new environments. The physical skills that are necessary in baseball require years of training for muscle memory - which is different than sports that lean on pure athleticism and size (football, basketball). So the earlier that we can get kids all over the world playing baseball, the greater impact that we will see in the long run.
BobcatBaseball (Athens, OH): Do you think we will ever see a legit two-way player in MLB?
Doug Thorburn: I think that the game is going the other direction, with increased emphasis on specialized roles as opposed to players with multiple talents. There is a considerable time investment that is necessary to develop at the plate or on the mound, and we are unlikely to see the real Steve Nebraska any time soon.
On the jukebox: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Naked in the Rain"
Bubba (St. Louis ): Why are people so hesitant to say Carlos Martinez can be a major league starting pitcher? Seems like he can do it just fine
Doug Thorburn: I agree, but it is tough to overcome the heavy bias against hard-throwing pitchers who lack prototypical size, so the bullpen whispers will likely continue until he finds sustained success in a starting role. Car-Mart actually lends some truth to the bias, in the sense that pitchers with high levels of momentum and huge torque often struggle to repeat their mechanics, which is a harbinger of doom for a career in the rotation - Martinez is one such pitcher, and his inconsistent stride is an element that he will need to address in order to succeed in longer bursts.
Nick (Southern California): In your time evaluating pitcher mechanics, who are some pitchers who displayed an erratic or unconventional delivery, yet managed to succeed on a consistent, year-to-year basis? Why were they successful compared to other pitchers who seem to be at the mercy of their mechanics?
Doug Thorburn: Amazing question. Pitchers with mechanical irregularities are fighting an uphill battle, but that isn't to say that it can't be done. My favorite example of this is Clayton Kershaw - he has three different speeds on his way to the plate, which has the potential to greatly disrupt his timing. It was an issue early in his career, but now Kershaw has figured it out and can repeat his delivery ad nauseum. Kershaw has also improved his posture at release point in virtually every season of his career, and the best pitchers are those who make the necessary adjustments over time (Felix Hernandez is another example). Also, keep in mind that "unconventional" is not synonymous with "inefficient," and there are pitchers who have some funk yet possess solid mechanics. There are many pitchers who survive on pure stuff, in spite of their mechanics, and these players tend to fall off the map when their raw stuff starts to wane and the lack of command or shallow release point rears its ugly head.
On the jukebox: Snot, "Tecato"
justarobert (Santa Clara): What did you think of Gray's mechanics last night? Was he significantly different from his previous body of work?
Doug Thorburn: Gray's curveball was not quite as sharp, and his fastball command was not what it was in Game 2. Mechanically, it boiled down to repetition - his heavy momentum and over-the-top can be tough to repeat, and though it wasn't bad last night, it certainly was not as consistent as his previous ALDS start. Fastball command is the most important attribute for the vast majority of pitchers.
R.A. Wagman (Markham): Is there a point at which it is too late to teach "improved" mechanics? Is it better for an org to try to alter a new pitcher immediately after signing, or wait until his "natural" mechanics begin to get the pitcher in trouble?
Doug Thorburn: Excellent question, R.A., and this is a quandary that different teams handle in disparate ways. My opinion is that flaws in mechanical baselines should be addressed ASAP - this is what minor-league development is all about. Often times, though, the difficulty is in getting buy-in from the pitcher. If he has been successful his entire life by pitching a certain way, then he might be reluctant to make a physical change. But I have found that the best buy-in occurs in the bullpen the moment that a pitcher feels the advantageous differences of proper balance, timing, etc.
Once a pitcher is in the majors, mechanics are less of an emphasis. The pitchers still have room for improvement, and I live under the credo that we all have room to improve - the best players of all-time have had an endless desire to get better - but there is a very real possibility that a pitcher will not be as effective while he is still learning the adjustments, and one can understand why a team would not want to make that trade. Small mechanical tweaks are fine, and bigger adjustments can be made during spring training, but some teams will just go with what they got.
On the jukebox: Santana, "Soul Sacrifice (live at Woodstock)"
R.A. Wagman (markham): Doug - Would love to get your take on the weighted ball program that purportedly resurrected the career of Steve Delabar and that is now being used by many on the Blue Jays' staff. Thank you.
Doug Thorburn: I am a huge fan of the weighted ball program, which we utilized heavily at the National Pitching Association (using 4oz and 6oz baseballs). The weighting is important, as the lighter ball develops the quick-twitch muscles while the heavier one encourages arm strength, but it is important not to go too far beyond +/- 1 oz. Delabar actually began using the program while working with my old boss, Tom House, and NPA guy Jaime Evans has carried the use of weighted baseballs with him to the Blue Jays staff.
Scott (LA): Do you think the Cardinals usage of Carlos Martinez in the playoffs is preparing him for the same transition that Trevor Rosenthal had this year or is this simply a matter of needs trumping development? Seeing how teams are only now becoming stricter about innings limits on young pitchers, how will 90 innings of high leverage relief be seen if Rosenthal or Martinez then transition to the starting rotation?
Doug Thorburn: I think that Rosenthal is better prepared to enter the rotation, as his mechanical baselines and repetition are more sound at this point. Car-Mart has a lot of work to do in order to hone his delivery, and until he does, it may not be ideal for him to be plying his trade in a big-league rotation. That said, I also don't want him to become pigeon-holed in the bullpen, because he has a future in the rotation if he makes the right adjustments.
casejud (bothell, wa): Regarding Tanaka; If he disn't struggle to repeat his delivery in Japan, why would here? I'm not sure I understand that.
Doug Thorburn: I am not so sure about the assumption that he doesn't struggle to repeat his delivery in Japan - he has been inconsistent in the clips that I have seen, but he gets away with it. Over-the-top guys can often mask issues with pitch command due to low walk rates that are the direct result of their pitch trajectories. A pitcher with a high arm slot will miss high or low if his timing is off - locations that can still generate strikes - but player with strong posture and lower arm slots end up having much more lateral variation in their pitches ... an early arm results in misses to the glove side, a late arm results in misses to the arm side.
Of course, I would have to see many more games/pitches to form a true assessment, but I do not think that Tanaka has great mechanical repetition, an issue which will be magnified in the majors against hitters who are more patient.
On the jukebox: Dredg, "Whoa is Me"
Wesley (LA): You see some players with unorthodox throwing mechanics like Alex wood or paco Rodriguez. Is this just what's comfortable for them or is there another reason?
Doug Thorburn: There can be all sorts of reasons behind a pitcher's funk. Pac-Rod's is associated with arm action, and is likely more of a comfort thing. Wood is a completely different story, as his complete imbalance appears to be a blatant manipulation - he might feel comfortable doing it, though that is hard to imagine, but its more likely that he uses the technique to create deception. Such is often the case with lefties, where mechanical efficiency is put on the back burner in lieu of creating odd angles that are tough for batters to pick up.
justarobert (Santa Clara): What would an 8 eephus pitch look like? More seriously, does it make sense for OFP to be an average of the pitch grades when some pitches will be much more important to a pitcher's success than others?
Doug Thorburn: You bring up an excellent point, justarobert. I believe that OFP goes much deeper than an average of the pitch grades, and the way that the elements of a pitcher's repertoire complements the rest of the arsenal is a critical consideration. It is also essential to consider that a pitcher's stuff changes over time, both in terms of quality and variation, yet it is very difficult to capture this when doing an OFP grade. Roger Clemens is a great example - he was a fastball-curveball guy who threw over the top in his 20's, but he morphed into a FB-splitter guy with excellent balance and posture later in his career. Both the curve and the splitter deserved plus-plus grades, and the fastball was always elite, but few would have predicted that he would make such a major alteration to his pitch selection.
On the jukebox: Lagwagon, "Dis' Chords"
Paul (DC): Do you ever see a fielder throwing the ball and think to yourself, why isn't he a pitcher?
Doug Thorburn: Not too often at the pro levels, because the necessary skill-set goes far beyond pure arm strength. But I do often see it with amateurs, with thoughts of how they would perform on the mound with proper training. That said, a big issue that many amateur pitchers have is that they try too hard to incorporate exaggerated movements - big leg kicks or excessive spine-tilt - when they would be better off with a simpler delivery that looked more like how they throw when playing in the field.
Boz (()): What does Tyler Skaggs need to work on? I see him as another Sean Marshall which is okay with me.
Doug Thorburn: My contention is that Skaggs has a ton of work to do. He does so many things that are intended to manipulate his arm angle - from a closed stride that is directed at the left-hand batter's box to his excessive spine tilt - that he is minimizing his potential effectiveness. The tricks might survive in the bullpen, but as a starter they create serious obstacles to pitch repetition. The techniques also give Skaggs a very shallow release point, which actually functions to limit his deception. I don't know that the D'Backs are trying to make any adjustments, but I feel that his ceiling is severely limited until he makes a drastic change to approach.
On the jukebox: Rage Against the Machine, "Killing in the Name of"
WAR ERA (NEW York): Where will timmy lincecum end up? would he consider the bullpen?
Doug Thorburn: I think that the bullpen might be his best fit, that is unless he regains the physical attributes that allowed him to repeat his excessive momentum and huge stride in the past. His ultimate destination and role are big stories this off-season.
John (CT): Odds of Dylan Bundy regaining his potential #1 starter status?
Doug Thorburn: Pretty solid. There are no certainties when it comes to going under the knife, but if Bundy returns with his stuff intact then he could quickly make the climb back to fulfilling his elite potential.
On the jukebox: Long Beach Dub All-Stars, "Rosarito"
justarobert (Santa Clara): Let's build a pitcher with an 8 fastball, a 7 breaking ball, a 7 change, and 8 command. Is there any way this guy is only a 5 pitcher, and if so, how? Lack of a good plan of attack? Makeup? An uncontrollable headhunting streak?
Doug Thorburn: There is no way that this fictional pitcher is only a 5, not with 8 command of three plus-plus pitches. If he just had the stuff but lacked command, then maaaybe I could see it (also if the pitcher had a very shallow release point). Command is just that important.
Steve (St. Louis): Are you going to be doing any advance reports on pitchers in the 2014 season?
Doug Thorburn: The advanced reports that our staff have been churning out this post-season are simply awesome. We will be expanding the series for pitchers in the near future, and there is a good chance that at least some of those reports will involve my fingerprints.
Doug Thorburn: Thanks to everyone for an over-abundance of excellent questions. Enjoy game 1 of the NLCS tonight, and be on the lookout for a very special episode of TINSTAAPP, coming soon to a website near you.
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