No Sinker No Worry Cause Guts Leads To Glory

The Backstop Back At Ya: The Backstop Back At Ya:

I needed to see Pelfrey pitch again to compare his delivery to his last start.  Besides less of a soft step on his follow through, I did not see any difference.  Perhaps the team he was pitching against was the difference.  The Nats are not the best team in the game, I grant.  Fact is, they seem like they could put up a fight for the worst team at this point.  That said, I must mention that they are not baron of talent.  Zimmerman and Johnson at the corners makes for a B+/A- factoring in offense and defense.  *You heard it here, John Lannan is going to be a very effective #1 or #2 starter for years to come.  Jordan, or the pitcher - Zimmerman, though not battle tested, has the physical, and likely mental make up to be a top-of-the-line starter as well.  Come June when the player draft happens, they will likely pay for and get the best pitching prospect since...maybe ever.  They are a major league team nevertheless.

Mike obviously did not have his best stuff for today's game, but he was able to put a notch in his belt that is perhaps more important than the win.  Having caught a small unit of talented pitchers myself, it is my opinion that the difference between the good and the great, is that great pitchers can get through a game purely on guts.  My dad called that heart.  Others call it...manhood.

Pelfrey's sinker was not doing it's job early in the game.  Did not seem like much at any point in the game to be honest.   But he grew a, shall we say, plan B's.   For this, I give him all the credit in the world.  He was not afraid to face and go after guys.  He never let the batters dictate his game.  He identified and used the strike zone.  Most of all, he had faith in the seven guys behind him and one guy in front of him and they did not let him down.

The amazing play that Murphy made was a good example.  But perhaps a better example is the play he did not make in the 6th.  There was a ball hit to left center that Beltran clearly had a play on.  Problem was that Murphy was raging towards it like a hungry bulldog, so much that Beltran, who would have had an easy play, had to pull up and let it fall.  I suspect memories of getting his head stuck in Mike Cameron's face back in SanDiego may have been a lingering thought in Carlos' mind.  And who could blame him.  The fact remains that when you got guys like that behind you, willing to attack every ball hit to their area, you learn to trust them and they you.  Nice Work Mike.

The Backstop appreciates your efforts, and here is a "W" for your trouble.