My Favorite Wife: The Justin Verlander Thread

Every player headed for the HOF deserves his own thread. Go make a Robinson Cano thread, someone.

Verlander's turnaround seems real. Or if you simply look at 2014 as a blip, he never really went away. He's now 7-0 with Houston, 32 hits in 60.2 innings, 77 K against 10 BB (not counting the postseason). For his career, he's in the neighborhood of Halladay.

Verlander: 190-114, 3.44, 1.179 WHIP, 3.16 K/BB, 124 ERA+
Halladay: 203-105, 3.38, 1.178 WHIP, 3.58 K/BB, 131 ERA+

Clear advantage Halladay, and it's doubtful Verlander's career rate states are going to end up better than where they are now. But if he stays relatively strong for another two or three seasons, Verlander's HOF resume will be solid.

― clemenza, Monday, 16 April 2018 11:26 (one year ago) Permalink

Icky old-school appreciation:

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23174792/justin-verlander-last-dying-breed-mound

"The ace starter, the workhorse, the guy who can lift a team on his back and carry it across the finish line -- one-name guys like Gibson, Unit, Rocket, Koufax, Verlander -- these are the legends of the game."

Three surnames and two nicknames. I don't think he really understands the "one-name" concept.

― clemenza, Monday, 16 April 2018 11:45 (one year ago) Permalink

incredible game last night yet overshadowed (ahem) by Big Bart

― thots and players (rip van wanko), Monday, 16 April 2018 11:55 (one year ago) Permalink

They had exactly the same Game Score: 86.

― clemenza, Monday, 16 April 2018 12:06 (one year ago) Permalink

xxp Oh yes, the famous one-word nickname, Unit

― francisF, Monday, 16 April 2018 15:56 (one year ago) Permalink

He understands half the concept. If you say Elvis, Marilyn, Jackie, Beyonce, or LeBron, I know who you're talking about. And, it's true, if you say Koufax, I know you mean Sandy Koufax the baseball player, and not certified accountant Fred Koufax from Lansing, Michigan.

― clemenza, Monday, 16 April 2018 16:30 (one year ago) Permalink

I don't understand the thread title!

― Van Horn Street, Monday, 16 April 2018 23:23 (one year ago) Permalink

I think it's worth remembering that the Tigers had Scherzer, Verlander and Price (and Porcello) in their rotation at one point.

― Van Horn Street, Monday, 16 April 2018 23:27 (one year ago) Permalink

Almost up to 150 IP with the Astros--better right now than in 2011.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 2 May 2018 14:32 (one year ago) Permalink

Justin Verlander Breaking Ohtani's Ankles with an 88 mph Slider. 🤢

Pitcher-on-Half-Pitcher Crime. 👮‍♂️🚨🚔 pic.twitter.com/6Otnryc715

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2018

― na (NA), Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:12 (one year ago) Permalink

gonna need that gif'ed pronto

― na (NA), Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:14 (one year ago) Permalink

i think ohtani got away with the check swing?

― mookieproof, Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:29 (one year ago) Permalink

Every player headed for the HOF deserves his own thread. Go make a Robinson Cano thread, someone.

sigh, it was a simpler time...

― reggae mike love (polyphonic), Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:46 (one year ago) Permalink

Another strong start. Puzzling pitch count, though: 111 over 6.2 innings, but low hits (5), walks (0), and strikeouts (5). A lot of foul balls, I guess.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 29 May 2018 02:22 (one year ago) Permalink

Four homers surrendered to the Tigers, the least-homering team in MLB.

RIP.

― Andy K, Sunday, 15 July 2018 21:27 (eleven months ago) Permalink

Justin Verlander just compared himself to Dory of 'Finding Nemo': "Keep swimming. Just keep pitching."

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 12, 2018

― mookieproof, Friday, 12 October 2018 20:20 (eight months ago) Permalink

Posnanski has Verlander #92 on his 100-greatest countdown (and managed to sneak in a photo of he and Kate Upton engaging in a little no-you're-schmoopy).

― clemenza, Saturday, 13 October 2018 19:10 (eight months ago) Permalink

I noticed Verlander is 27-10 with the Astros, which is the same record as Carlton in '72 (famously, with the last-place Phillies). A comparison:

Carlton             Verlander
IP: 346.1           305.1
H: 257              216
K: 310              401
BB: 87               56
HR: 17               42
ERA: 1.97           2.36

Huge advantage for Carlton in HR; huge advantage for Verlander in strikeouts. After you make all the adjustments for era, park, etc., Carlton's WAR was 12.1, Verlander's 10.0--he's basically (with a World Series winner, yes, rather than a last-place team) put together Steve Carlton's 1972 over two seasons.

― clemenza, Sunday, 12 May 2019 13:20 (one month ago) Permalink

A little Monday-morning quarterbacking here, but what exactly was it that gave Verlander such pause about going to the Astros? Was it all the young talent and playing for a potential dynasty that he was worried about?

― clemenza, Wednesday, 22 May 2019 18:15 (one month ago) Permalink

2800 strikeouts

― mookieproof, Sunday, 26 May 2019 19:26 (one month ago) Permalink