Post by chinmusic on Aug 31, 2020 17:01:03 GMT -8
The Cubs seeking to fortify their pen have acquired Josh Osich from the Red Sox.
Chicago is the 5th stop for Josh in his MLB career. Osich brings value to the Cubs in the form of durability - three career 50 appearance seasons, and effectiveness in retiring left handed hitters. Unfortunately the new 3 batter rule has dampened that some by his having to face more RH hitters in previous calls.
Osich has a bread & butter "cutter" that sits in the 86-88 mph pocket that bites inside hard on the lefties. He mixes that with a low 90's fastball and this year has averaged 11.5 K's / 9 innings. The right handed hitters have success against him, his FIP 6.71 accompanied by an ERA of 5.74. YTD.
You wonder if an effective 3rd pitch might aid him in recording outs from the RH hitters.
The cut fastball isn't seen as much today - somehow it lost it's appeal along the way. The scouts love to reminisce about Catfish Hunter pitching for the A's - he had a plus-plus cutter and loved to torment the awesome power stacked in the middle of the Yankees order. He and the A's would laugh in the dugout between innings at the Yank's futile attempts to hit it. The big swingers could never square the barrel on the ball and Catfish would spend the afternoon watching them hit lazy fly balls to shallow right field off the end of their bats.
Chicago is the 5th stop for Josh in his MLB career. Osich brings value to the Cubs in the form of durability - three career 50 appearance seasons, and effectiveness in retiring left handed hitters. Unfortunately the new 3 batter rule has dampened that some by his having to face more RH hitters in previous calls.
Osich has a bread & butter "cutter" that sits in the 86-88 mph pocket that bites inside hard on the lefties. He mixes that with a low 90's fastball and this year has averaged 11.5 K's / 9 innings. The right handed hitters have success against him, his FIP 6.71 accompanied by an ERA of 5.74. YTD.
You wonder if an effective 3rd pitch might aid him in recording outs from the RH hitters.
The cut fastball isn't seen as much today - somehow it lost it's appeal along the way. The scouts love to reminisce about Catfish Hunter pitching for the A's - he had a plus-plus cutter and loved to torment the awesome power stacked in the middle of the Yankees order. He and the A's would laugh in the dugout between innings at the Yank's futile attempts to hit it. The big swingers could never square the barrel on the ball and Catfish would spend the afternoon watching them hit lazy fly balls to shallow right field off the end of their bats.