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 (six years ago) link
Almost up to 150 IP with the Astros--better right now than in 2011.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 2 May 2018 14:32 (five years ago) link
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 (five years ago) link
gonna need that gif'ed pronto
― na (NA), Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:14 (five years ago) link
i think ohtani got away with the check swing?
― mookieproof, Thursday, 17 May 2018 19:29 (five years ago) link
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 (five years ago) link
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 (five years ago) link
Four homers surrendered to the Tigers, the least-homering team in MLB.
RIP.
― Andy K, Sunday, 15 July 2018 21:27 (five years ago) link
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 (five years ago) link
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 (five years ago) link
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 VerlanderIP: 346.1 305.1H: 257 216K: 310 401BB: 87 56HR: 17 42ERA: 1.97 2.36
IP: 346.1 305.1H: 257 216K: 310 401BB: 87 56HR: 17 42ERA: 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 (four years ago) link
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 (four years ago) link
2800 strikeouts
― mookieproof, Sunday, 26 May 2019 19:26 (four years ago) link
He went off on Manfred and the baseball a few weeks ago. Something from Posnanski this morning:
Back to Verlander: He has now allowed 31 home runs this year — an astounding 1.64 homers per nine innings. He also has a 2.81 ERA. These two things happening concurrently does not compute. Here are the best ERAs for pitchers who have allowed 1.6 or more homers per nine innings:
1. Justin Verlander, 2019, 2.812. Mike Fiers, 2018, 3.563. Ramon Ortiz, 2002, 3.774. A.J. Griffin, 2013, 3.835. Bert Blyleven, 1986, 4.01
From 2005-15, Verlander's HR/9 rate was 0.8 (ERA, 3.52); 2016-18, 1.2 (ERA, 2.97); this year, 1.6 (ERA, 2.81). That's bizarre.
― clemenza, Saturday, 17 August 2019 13:41 (four years ago) link
He's given up three in a game four times this year.
Obviously...he's leading the league in WHIP!
When he pitched for Detroit, it used to be way more doubles than home runs but the numbers have gotten closer since he was traded and this year it's 31 HR, 23 2B.
― timellison, Saturday, 17 August 2019 16:41 (four years ago) link
tbf, houston's a more homeriffic park than detroit
(and also the ball is juiced)
― mookieproof, Saturday, 17 August 2019 20:52 (four years ago) link
Taking this weirdness to the next level: complete game two-hitter, 11 strikeouts, no walks, 99 pitches...both hits HR, loses 2-1.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 August 2019 02:38 (four years ago) link
didnt throw a single pitch w a runner on base
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 22 August 2019 02:53 (four years ago) link
That is an insane all time loss.
― earlnash, Thursday, 22 August 2019 03:46 (four years ago) link
According to sports betting sites, it was the biggest single game upset in 15 years.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 22 August 2019 06:08 (four years ago) link
I noticed this weird headline last night on The Detroit Free Press (slightly altered this morning): "Vintage Verlander pitches Tigers to 2-1 victory in Houston." Maybe that's behind this unfortunate story:
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2019/08/22/houston-astros-detroit-free-press-justin-verlander/2081318001/
Just what baseball needs, a shot of Donald Trump.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 August 2019 14:32 (four years ago) link
The Tigers beat Justin Verlander again. They continue to win the trade.— anthony fenech (@anthonyfenech) August 22, 2019
― Andy K, Thursday, 22 August 2019 14:56 (four years ago) link
lol this guy should really stop talking
― brimstead, Saturday, 15 February 2020 18:41 (four years ago) link
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/justin-verlander-donation-coronavirus-relief-1.5522293
Whatever you think of him, that's great.
― clemenza, Sunday, 5 April 2020 00:24 (four years ago) link
Tommy John
― Andy K, Saturday, 19 September 2020 17:30 (three years ago) link
Worth it financially: set to make $33M next year. Is it worth it beyond that? His HOF induction is a lock, he plays for a despised team, and I'll stop there.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 September 2020 19:08 (three years ago) link
Re the HOF: while he benefitted in terms of run support and probably a few extra wins, I assume the sign-stealing doesn't stick to Verlander the way it will with Altuve or any other hitter.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 September 2020 19:15 (three years ago) link
He probably won’t be back until the last month of next season. And he’ll be going on 40 in the 2022 season. If he’d been mediocre I could see him hanging it up, but I feel like he’s got to feel like he has a few years left in him.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 19 September 2020 19:18 (three years ago) link
has anyone else had TJ at age 37?
― mookieproof, Saturday, 19 September 2020 21:17 (three years ago) link
Moyer had it at like 47!
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 19 September 2020 22:15 (three years ago) link
I've no doubt he'd still be effective at 40, I'm just not sure why he'd push himself to get there (beyond the obvious incentive of the big payday...I'm so clueless about contracts; I assume he forfeits the money if he were to retire?).
― clemenza, Sunday, 20 September 2020 01:14 (three years ago) link
Yup. But if he w aged to retire I’m sure the team could work with him to renegotiate since they’d want to avoid paying that full salary (opting to defer likely) while he’s hurt.
But I totally get why someone would want to keep playing baseball as long as possible. A) you’re playing baseball. B) it’s all you know, life after any career can be scary. C) you’re playing baseball!!! Who wouldn’t want to play ball as long as possible?!
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 20 September 2020 01:20 (three years ago) link
most successful big leaguers are insanely competitive; i'm sure he's no different
― mookieproof, Sunday, 20 September 2020 01:28 (three years ago) link
pretty remarkable season, at 39, coming off TJ
12-3, 1.89, 0.88 WHIP, just passed schilling and gibson for 14th on the all-time K list
― mookieproof, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:24 (one year ago) link
didn't know he was still pitching tbh. that's amazing.
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:32 (one year ago) link
Posnaski had a shareable piece two weeks ago about his chances for 300 wins:
https://joeposnanski.substack.com/p/verlander-and-300?r=1jtu0&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
62 more wins would seem almost impossible to me, unless he is indeed Randy Johnson (or a chemically-assisted Roger Clemens).
― clemenza, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:40 (one year ago) link
He is honestly incredible
Love that Kershaw is still doing it too
― ✖, Sunday, 17 July 2022 01:48 (one year ago) link
Pos' stats are a bit misleading -- Randy Johnson had 75 wins from his age 39 season onward.
Verlander's FIP is over 3.00, but most pitchers need a year to return to form after TJ, so he might be getting better.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Sunday, 17 July 2022 12:12 (one year ago) link
Another great start today: now 13-3 (yes, yes, I know), 1.86 ERA, the usual excellent rate stats. Gotta be one the half-dozen greatest years ever for a 39-year-old starter (post-war, anyway). But he'd lose the Cy Young to McClanahan.
(Manoah pitched well today too, and he's hanging on. But unless both those guys get shelled a couple of times, he's got no chance.)
― clemenza, Saturday, 23 July 2022 23:15 (one year ago) link
Or maybe the best-ever for a 39-year-old starter. Checked Randy Johnson (hurt) and Clemens (so-so), and beyond them, who else would there be? Even Cy Young (so-so), Walter Johnson (last season, hanging on), and Christy Mathewson (three years into retirement) don't rate.
― clemenza, Saturday, 23 July 2022 23:19 (one year ago) link
Yeah, Clemens was so-so in his age 39 season, but won the Cy at age 41 and posted a sub-2.00 ERA the year after. Narrowing the search down to a specific age is a bit misleading.
Even so, Phil Niekro had a 10.0 WAR season at age 39 (he was very good and pitched over 300 innings), Wainwright was great just last year. I'm sure there are others.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Sunday, 24 July 2022 09:40 (one year ago) link
Clemens was so-so in his age 39 season, but won the Cy at age 41 and posted a sub-2.00 ERA the year after.
― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 24 July 2022 14:18 (one year ago) link
For that same reason, I kind of put Niekro (and Hough, who led the league in IP at 39 with 285, and was pretty effective in a hitter's year) in a separate category.
― clemenza, Sunday, 24 July 2022 14:39 (one year ago) link
check out nolan ryan's age 40, 42, and 43 seasons, particularly 1989, when he was 42:
239 IP, 16W-10L, 11.32 K/9, 3.69 BB/9, 3.20 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 7.0 fWAR
his competition for best pitcher in the AL in 1989 was a pair of royals, Saberhagen and Mark Gubicza, both of whom struck about half as many as people but also gave up fewer walks and home runs.
― Bruce Stingbean (Karl Malone), Sunday, 24 July 2022 15:03 (one year ago) link
Embarrassed that I forgot to check Ryan. How about Warren Spahn at 42?
23-7, 2.60, 259.2 IP, 22 CG (different time, I know--1963--but still, 42!). His age-41 season was better by WAR.
― clemenza, Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:18 (one year ago) link
'63 was also the year that Spahn and Marichal hooked up for this:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN196307020.shtml
15.1 innings, 1 run, against a lineup that 1-5 went Harvey Kuenn, Mays, McCovey, Felipe Alou, and Cepeda.
― clemenza, Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:21 (one year ago) link
i didn't realize Spahn pitched into his 40s, let alone so well! i guess i should have figured by his 363 wins, which is one of those numbers seared into my brain even as i've forgotten so many other things
― Bruce Stingbean (Karl Malone), Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:25 (one year ago) link
while we're doing rando old pitcher tidbits, as i was scanning the internet to look for good old pitchers i ran across good 45-year-old charlie hough throwing the opening day / opening franchise game for the florida marlins in 1993! hough toughed it out for 200+ innings that year, which i find impressive given that i'm 39 and when i bend down to tie my shoes i usually give a heavy grunt and take lord's name in vain
― Bruce Stingbean (Karl Malone), Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:27 (one year ago) link
A couple of excellent 40-year-old seasons: Jamie Moyer and Bartolo Colon.
― clemenza, Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:32 (one year ago) link
final rando aside, sorry:
if i could go back in time and try to be a pro baseball player again (I topped out at age 13), but have to deal with the same constraints (my ISO is 0.00; all of my skills are like "mini" versions of what larger people can do), i would appear out of nowhere to myself and say "hey squirt! hey lil fucker! you're done for. you cannot be ozzie smith. instead, you must learn how to throw a knuckleball. a knuckleball specialist is like a placekicker - a wild card, the only possible way that lil squirts can possibly be useful to a professional team. also, don't worry about hannah not liking you back -- she ends up being a meth head. ok good luck! also, don't go to college!" *poof*
― Bruce Stingbean (Karl Malone), Sunday, 24 July 2022 16:35 (one year ago) link
indeedy
― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 3 November 2022 16:23 (one year ago) link
Ya. I’m now on team fuck Verlander too, now that I know that. I hope his arm flys off mid fastball.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 3 November 2022 17:11 (one year ago) link
There’s no need to hope for that, just hope he continues to have a worse WS record than Barry Zito. Which he will, unless he plays until he’s 70.And he can take his shithead brother with him as well.
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Thursday, 3 November 2022 17:19 (one year ago) link
Fine. I hope his penis turns into an innie instead. His arm can stay.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 3 November 2022 18:31 (one year ago) link
i just assume any white baseball player is a conservative republican
― na (NA), Thursday, 3 November 2022 18:54 (one year ago) link
Yeah but there’s voting that way, which is obviously bad in itself, and there’s being golf buddies with Trump.
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Thursday, 3 November 2022 18:56 (one year ago) link
Slightly related, I have been watching US feeds of the ws, and I have to say some of these election ads are appalling. Like absolutely grotesque garbage that would get pulled off the air up here.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 3 November 2022 19:09 (one year ago) link
Some?
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 3 November 2022 19:13 (one year ago) link
i've seen a couple that were merely cringy/questionable. but a lot of been hair-raising in their unhinged lunacy.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 3 November 2022 19:41 (one year ago) link
Running tabulation I enjoy checking in on: award shares on Baseball Referencew. With his unanimous Cy Young, Verlander now sits third all-time in CY shares.
1. Roger Clemens (7 wins) - 7.662. Randy Johnson (5 wins) - 6.503. Justin Verlander (3 wins) - 5.21
He passed five guys this year: Pedro, Carlton, Kershaw, Scherzer, and Maddux.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 16:06 (one year ago) link
He should share his secret of how he returned from TJ surgery at age 39 (looking twice that) with his lowest ERA ever.
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 17:18 (one year ago) link
You think PEDs? I have to assume that on the cusp of the HOF, and all the financial rewards that go along with that, that he couldn't possibly be that stupid...But then Cano got caught in the homestretch, so who knows? (Verlander also spent time on the IL this year, which would seem at odds with PED use.)
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 17:37 (one year ago) link
I follow enough other things to be suspicious of people making sudden, late career improvements, yeah.
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 18:16 (one year ago) link
I don’t think the league is even testing this season cos of the collective bargaining agreement lapsing so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 18:18 (one year ago) link
As I say, anything's possible, witness Tatis, who will take years to climb out of this, if he even manages to. (They must have been testing last season for him to have been caught, no?) It's just hard for me to imagine the level of stupidity it would require for Verlander to risk losing the HOF for the sake of two or three extra seasons. I guess it's possible he's someone who just doesn't care about getting in there, but after money, players play for championships, and they play for awards/honors/legacy. Verlander's already rich as God, he's got two WS now, so that last, especially legacy, would seem to me to be what it's all about right now.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 20:43 (one year ago) link
Clemens and Bonds presumably had both tons of wealth, honours and promising hall of fame cases before they started on the bad stuff. I don’t know for definite about JV, obviously, it’s just my inclination to suspect it with the way his stats took off, his age and especially his history of injury and surgery.
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:07 (one year ago) link
Clemens and Bonds also played in an era where steroids were really common and nobody had really been punished for using them yet, if Verlander was pitching in that era he'd 100% be using them
― frogbs, Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:11 (one year ago) link
That's the difference to me--that Bonds and Clemens and the others did so in 1998-2004, not 2022.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:14 (one year ago) link
Found this, which I have zero recollection of:
https://www.si.com/si-wire/2013/08/09/justin-verlander-retorts-peds-allegations
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:16 (one year ago) link
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:19 (one year ago) link
xp that’s what I kept thinking about watching him pitch in postseason too - his velocity was pretty sustained even when he was being drawn out on lots of pitches. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also this, which was maybe a reaction to the above:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15429713/justin-verlander-asks-changes-ped-rules-dee-gordon-tests-positive
(Made me laugh: "Verlander said he is strict about what he puts in own body. He said his girlfriend, supermodel and actress Kate Upton, has suggested he take some of the vitamins she does, but he refuses unless things are NSF-certified.")
There were definitely lots of people who didn't get caught, including, I'm pretty sure, a handful in the HOF. But I think what we're saying is that using in the year 2000 had no repercussions, not yet. Using in 2022, if you get caught, has major repercussions.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:21 (one year ago) link
Verlander was Cano gets suspended vs. Verlander when former Tigers teammate Jhonny Peralta got suspended. pic.twitter.com/rnKEdhkeIZ— Mike Axisa (@mikeaxisa) May 15, 2018
― after several days on “the milk,” (gyac), Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:23 (one year ago) link
Twitter's demise will be a great gift to every living baseball player.
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 November 2022 21:25 (one year ago) link
i will say that i was sort of surprised when i saw Verlander’s face recently. i hadn’t paid too much attention to him in a couple of years. he suddenly looks kind of beefy and bloated around the jowls in a way that i associate with mcgwire, clemens etc.
― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 20 November 2022 09:55 (one year ago) link
comeback player of the year (AL)
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 23 November 2022 08:36 (one year ago) link
More like PEDs are making a comeback! (Kidding.)
― clemenza, Wednesday, 23 November 2022 14:45 (one year ago) link
Steeling myself for when these ads are every other commercial on Houston TV in the autumn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGiKhz_5YFI
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 1 August 2023 23:17 (eight months ago) link
Lost, but pretty solid start yesterday: 7 IP, 2 runs, 2 BB, 4 K. Of course hoping for him vs. Scherzer in a crucial September game.
― clemenza, Sunday, 6 August 2023 13:03 (eight months ago) link
I didn't realize he won his 250th game the other day (and 251st last night)--did that get any attention? There must have been stories about how he'll be the last guy ever to win 250. He turned 40 in February, so 300 seems almost inconceivable. But I wouldn't rule it out completely if he wants to keep going. Ryan pitched till he was 46, Randy Johnson 45, Clemens 44; whether one or all of them got some help, probably.
― clemenza, Saturday, 12 August 2023 14:30 (eight months ago) link
Carlton lasted to 43, but his was terrible his last two seasons.
― clemenza, Saturday, 12 August 2023 14:32 (eight months ago) link
"he"
He seems quite ready to play till nobody wants him, so I guess it'll be health and money, in that order--if he's healthy, I'm sure someone will be willing to pay him.
https://www.sportico.com/leagues/baseball/2023/justin-verlander-mets-300-wins-chase-1234730600/
― clemenza, Saturday, 12 August 2023 16:08 (eight months ago) link
I feel like 300 wins is one of those achievements that'll definitely be accomplished but it'll truly require a Maddux-like level of being consistently injury free and declining slowly vs precipitously.
There's no one under the age of 30 with 100 career wins. Top 3: Berrios (29 yrs old, 81 wins), Marquez (28 yrs old, 65 wins), Giolito (28 yrs old, 60 wins).
― omar little, Saturday, 12 August 2023 16:51 (eight months ago) link
I wonder if Verlander's injury troubles the last few seasons have been a trade-off: costing him wins, obviously, but saving him innings and extending his career. If he is serious about 300, I'd do my best to stay in Houston.
― clemenza, Saturday, 12 August 2023 17:00 (eight months ago) link
Had the game on in the background last night, listening more than watching. Two outs away from a shutout; got a great inning-ending DP early in the game after loading the bases.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 26 September 2023 13:00 (six months ago) link
Man, that Justin Verlander's a great pitcher.
https://phildellio.tripod.com/lincecum.jpg
(Kidding around here.)
― clemenza, Friday, 10 November 2023 14:56 (five months ago) link
lol
― mojo dojo casas house (gyac), Friday, 10 November 2023 16:59 (five months ago) link
Returns tonight. He was good last year, but how long can he keep this up? Clemens won a Cy Young at 41; probably had some help. Spahn, Johnson, and Ryan were good. Maddux was so-so. I don't know if there are any other relevant comparisons.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 April 2024 22:39 (five days ago) link
he got shelled in his two minor league rehab outings
― mookieproof, Friday, 19 April 2024 23:15 (five days ago) link
Didn't know that...I should have included Seaver and Glavine; both so-so at 41. I left out guys like Jamie Moyer and Bartolo Colon--impressive careers, but not the same caliber as the others. Left out Niekro, too, for obvious reasons.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 April 2024 23:51 (five days ago) link
One guy who famously tried to stretch it out and fell apart at 41 was Carlton.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 April 2024 23:53 (five days ago) link
6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 K, 0 BB, 78 pitches is nice work, even if it is against the nats
8/21 first-pitch strikes is subpar, but maybe even more impressive that he overcame it
― mookieproof, Saturday, 20 April 2024 00:40 (four days ago) link