I don't know if there is a better way to summarize the 2016 Minnesota Twins season than overthrowing your catcher when you are trying to intentionally walk a batter.

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/779064548695375876

 

Minnesota Twins' Pat Light now joins that elite club of pitchers who have airmailed what should have been non-competitive throws. Those members include the Nationals' A.J. Cole, who launched a toss over his catchers head and allowed a run to score at the end of April. 

 

 

Cole later said that it was "just one of those things that happened, first time I’ve ever done it and hopefully it never happens again." Amen. 

 

Then there was the Yankees Dellin Betances who, just last month, lobbed one to the backstop but was fortunate enough that the Giants runner, Angel Pegan, was napping at third and did not score.

 

 

As weird of a play as it is, it's actually not that uncommon. It's happened so often, there's a near three minute Youtube video dedicated to it.

 

 

The question is: Was Pat Light's the worst? 

The problem wasn't necessarily that he airmailed it. It was the complete lack of concentration or effort when he threw it.  The kind of ho-hum nonchalant way he did it.

Edited September 22, 201610 yr by jimmer

He did walk the guy which is what he was trying to do. It would have been a lot worse if he'd missed over the plate and the guy drilled a homer. So no not the worst about what we should expect really.

 

He did walk the guy which is what he was trying to do. It would have been a lot worse if he'd missed over the plate and the guy drilled a homer. So no not the worst about what we should expect really.

allowed a guy to score.

 

probably not a good idea to just assume something worse would have happened and then say, eh, throwing a wild pitch allowing a guy to score wasn't so bad after all.

 

Additionally, the same kind of, um, logic, could be said for any of the other examples shown here.

 

But since it was an intentional walk attempt, and that's what we are discussing here, was it the worst attempt at an intentional walk? Worst I've seen, that's for sure.  For sheer lack of giving a carp about doing the task assigned.

Edited September 22, 201610 yr by jimmer

Good to see Kevin Jepsen made it in this pantheon of heroes. 

I remember seeing this - I think it was 1987 and Will Clark was being intentionally walked and the pitch was thrown too close too the plate (very high and very outside) and Clark hit a SF to the LFer.

 

I think that at least equals this feat of ineptitude.

Thanks for brightening my day Pat Light! 

 

 

Am I the only one who has seen enough of Pat Light?

 

I remember seeing this - I think it was 1987 and Will Clark was being intentionally walked and the pitch was thrown too close too the plate (very high and very outside) and Clark hit a SF to the LFer.

 

I think that at least equals this feat of ineptitude.

This same thing happened a couple weeks ago!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WgK4FtRkTo

 

 

This same thing happened a couple weeks ago!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WgK4FtRkTo

You see? My apathy and disappointment made me miss that! (:

You know that it would be untrue
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Pat, you can't get much higher

Come on set Pat Light on fire
Come on set Pat Light on fire
Try to set the whole pitching staff on fire...

 

Am I the only one who has seen enough of Pat Light?

 

Not to the point of giving up on him, but he has been a little disappointing. More disappointing has been the lost velocity. Even in Rochester, Trackman showed him hitting over 100, but for the most part, he's been 93-95 in the big leagues. 

 

The other thing... I mean he was available in a trade for Fernando Abad, so I don't think the expectations should have been real, real high. 

 

He did walk the guy which is what he was trying to do. It would have been a lot worse if he'd missed over the plate and the guy drilled a homer. So no not the worst about what we should expect really.

He was setting up Tonkin for that honor.....

My thoughts... in reality, this happens a lot. I means nothing. It's not lack of effort or apathy or anything like that.

 

I would say this... I don't know if it's something teams practice. It always seems to work better when the pitcher throws it 3/4 speed or more as opposed to lobbing it. Much better control when just throwing it rather than thinking so much. I'm almost surprised it doesn't happen more often. Not that teams should devote hours to it, but it seems like it's done often enough in a season that it should be practiced. For relievers, it happens maybe once or twice a season.

 

Not to the point of giving up on him, but he has been a little disappointing. More disappointing has been the lost velocity. Even in Rochester, Trackman showed him hitting over 100, but for the most part, he's been 93-95 in the big leagues. 

 

The other thing... I mean he was available in a trade for Fernando Abad, so I don't think the expectations should have been real, real high. 

 

Totally agree about the expectations.  I am talking about potential future.  Do you remember Juan Morillo, in that rainy evening in Baltimore, half a dozen seasons ago?  I swear, that's what he reminds me of when he pitches...

 

(and if the Rochester radar gun is like Fort Myers', Houston we've got problems...)

 

 

Am I the only one who has seen enough of Pat Light?

It was a lazy, lazy throw.  He had just made a horrible pitch, then he was told to walk the guy, and he threw it like he didn't even care.

Edited September 23, 201610 yr by jimmer

Not to the point of giving up on him, but he has been a little disappointing. More disappointing has been the lost velocity. Even in Rochester, Trackman showed him hitting over 100, but for the most part, he's been 93-95 in the big leagues. 

 

The other thing... I mean he was available in a trade for Fernando Abad, so I don't think the expectations should have been real, real high.

 

A little disappointing??

My thoughts... in reality, this happens a lot.

 

 

Exactly. I mean, celebrities screw this up all the time. Just look at 50 Cent.

 

http://p.fod4.com/p/media/undefined/JrmPv4R56eOUkQERIDMQ_50.gif

He did walk the guy which is what he was trying to do. It would have been a lot worse if he'd missed over the plate and the guy drilled a homer. So no not the worst about what we should expect really.

A friend of mine had a son who played a little D2 as a pitcher. We were watching him in a game where he was facing a guy who had a cup of coffee with the Red Sox. He was supposed to IW him, left one on the edge, and the guy hit it over the RF fence. My friend yelled at his son, "when your supposed to throw strikes you throw balls, and when your supposed to throw balls, then you throw strikes". Lol

 

Totally agree about the expectations.  I am talking about potential future.  Do you remember Juan Morillo, in that rainy evening in Baltimore, half a dozen seasons ago?  I swear, that's what he reminds me of when he pitches...

 

(and if the Rochester radar gun is like Fort Myers', Houston we've got problems...)

 

All four Twins full-season affiliates use the Trackman system, so the numbers they're all getting are the same source. 

Dunno. Is it worse to airmail an IBB pitch or have it hit for an RBI single?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6YzVvtxoaY

 

Dunno. Is it worse to airmail an IBB pitch or have it hit for an RBI single?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6YzVvtxoaY

yes.

yes.

Con...

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3x648wxbj1ru99qvo1_500.png

...cur.

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