Zack Grienke

[ragecage]

Matt Weiters washes Zack Greinke's jock strap. I havent seen anyone this good since Pedro and Randy Johnson were in their primes. Its fun to watch.

I know I spelled his name wrong, im used to the i before e rule.

[Fish Troll]

I know I spelled his name wrong, im used to the i before e rule.
Your a weird creature to type all that instead of fixing it. :/

[ragecage]

Your a weird creature to type all that instead of fixing it. :/

dont know how :o

[Jeffy25]

there have been other good stints since...but zach does look unthittable at this point at least

[grasshopper]

The kid looks good. Cant compare him to Wieters or Price though. Both those guys are being held down for money reasons. In 5 years, lets replay this convo. If you want to talk about this, wait for Jason Heyward on Atl. or Madison Bumgarner on SF. 1 good season doesnt equal a superstar.

[Jeffy25]

The kid looks good. Cant compare him to Wieters or Price though. Both those guys are being held down for money reasons. In 5 years, lets replay this convo. If you want to talk about this, wait for Jason Heyward on Atl. or Madison Bumgarner on SF. 1 good season doesnt equal a superstar.

it's not even one good season...it's a great first five weeks

[200tang]

The kid looks good. Cant compare him to Wieters or Price though. Both those guys are being held down for money reasons. In 5 years, lets replay this convo. If you want to talk about this, wait for Jason Heyward on Atl. or Madison Bumgarner on SF. 1 good season doesnt equal a superstar.

Wait..are you comparing Zack Greinke to David Price/Matt Wieters/Jason Heyward/Madison Bumgarner? Are you also saying that this one season won't make Greinke a superstar too? Because the guy has 3 really good seasons already under his belt. Not realizing that Greinke has the stuff + command + periphs that make him an ace is pretty funny to me.

Unless your definition for superstar is HOF caliber, but if that's your definition then I don't know why you're comparing him to those guys. None of them have even proven themselves at the major league level and 2 of them are still a bit away.

[AndrewOsborn]

Actually I think it is real. Ever since he came back to baseball after being diagnosed with his social disorder, he has started throwing 97 instead of 84 and has started to really unleash his breaking stuff. There is a really good article in sports illustrated about him this week.

[HoustonGM]

When you have pinpoint control of both a 95 MPH fastball and a 65 MPH curveball, you're awesome.

[dickay]

Grienke is just another completely overrated Royal. When you have a minor league team amongst a bunch of major leaguers, you have to create stories whenever you can. ;)

[KowboyKoop]

2004: ERA+ 120
2007: ERA+ 127 (bullpen and starting)
2008: ERA+ 123
2009: ERA+ 1173 (45 innings)

He's good. He's legit. He's an ace.

I wasn't quite ready to call him an ace before the year started...thought he needed to keep it up just a little more. Now..there is simply no question. He can throw a 95 mph fastball whereever he wants. He can throw his devestating slider in the dirt and for strikes. He can spot a curveball, ranging from 70-61 mph, at any spot in the strike zone....and he has a decent changeup too..that's improving.

They said he might be Greg Maddux with a better fastball when he first came up. That may not be much of an exaggeration at this point.

[beerchaser]

I saw a little of last night's game, first time I can remember ever seeing Greinke pitch. Was very impressed. What he did to Alexei Ramirez, with the chin music and then the hammer, was just nasty. You could just see Ramirez's legs turn to jelly on that curveball.

[QHowes]

When you have pinpoint control of both a 95 MPH fastball and a 65 MPH curveball, you're awesome.

So true...I never mastered that..in fact I never mastered anything but a fastball with no movement on it...probly stands to reason why I was a lousy pitcher and stuck to the field.

[grasshopper]

Wait..are you comparing Zack Greinke to David Price/Matt Wieters/Jason Heyward/Madison Bumgarner? Are you also saying that this one season won't make Greinke a superstar too? Because the guy has 3 really good seasons already under his belt. Not realizing that Greinke has the stuff + command + periphs that make him an ace is pretty funny to me.

Greinke has not had 3 great seasons in a row or otherwise. He was good in 04, sucked in 05, went to the minors in 06, came back for a half season in 07, and had a great season last year. Yes I think he is the real deal, but so are 4 out of 5 pitchers on Tampa Bay. My idea of a superstar is consistency. If he can keep it up this season and next season too, Ill be a believer. Same with Nolasco.

[200tang]

Greinke has not had 3 great seasons in a row or otherwise. He was good in 04, sucked in 05, went to the minors in 06, came back for a half season in 07, and had a great season last year. Yes I think he is the real deal, but so are 4 out of 5 pitchers on Tampa Bay. My idea of a superstar is consistency. If he can keep it up this season and next season too, Ill be a believer. Same with Nolasco.

He was also dealing with depression during those years and he isn't the first rookie to ever have a sophmore slump. Not to mention that the pitchers in TB benefit from an amazing defense & Greinke..doesn't..among many other things.

[dickay]

He was also dealing with depression during those years and he isn't the first rookie to ever have a sophmore slump. Not to mention that the pitchers in TB benefit from an amazing defense & Greinke..doesn't..among many other things.

so...even more reason to have doubts and want to see consistency. if he has emotional issue who's to say depression won't sink back in?

i like how nobody takes my royal knocks seriously anymore...sucks though i can't fire up you KC fans with them though. All that aside, he's pitching great but lets not be so quick to get ahead of ourselves and make him more than he is. I agree 100% with grasshoppa, lets see it through the remainder of this season and much of next season before we coin him a legitimate year in year out superstar ace.

[HoustonGM]

He was good in 04, sucked in 05, went to the minors in 06, came back for a half season in 07, and had a great season last year.
That's not exactly what happened. Yes, good in 2004, sucked in 2005. In 2006, he was dealing with severe psychological problems including social anxiety disorder and depression. Took time away from baseball ENTIRELY. In 2007, he played a full season, split between the rotation and the bullpen.


Yes I think he is the real deal, but so are 4 out of 5 pitchers on Tampa Bay. My idea of a superstar is consistency. If he can keep it up this season and next season too, Ill be a believer. Same with Nolasco.
I have no problem proclaiming that a former top prospect with two consecutive very good years is a superstar after one fantastic year. Tim Lincecum is a superstar, for example. Now, of course, this is 6 starts, not a whole season, but I firmly believe that Greinke will be a perennial Cy Young candidate barring injury.

What he did in 2004-2006 is completely irrelevant at this point. He fundamentally changed. His fastball averaged 89.5 in 2004/2005. From 2007 til now, he's averaged over 93. His slider velocity has also increased, and he's using it more. Further, he's using his curveball less, making it MORE effective. He's also increased his groundball percentage (beginning in 2008). He's simply a fundamentally different pitcher than he used to be.

[KowboyKoop]

When reliever David Riske was with the Royals in 2007, that's when Greinke became a new pitcher. He started out in the rotation and had some struggles, then they moved him to the pen and Riske basically told him to stop being stupid and use his best fastball all the time. From that point on, Greinke starting hittng 98mph out of the pen, and when moved back to the rotation later that year, he brought the gas with him. From that point on, he's been what he is now.

Greinke owes a LOT to David Riske and he knows it. He's always had amazing breaking stuff, but that stuff is a lot more effective when it comes after 95 mph heat instead of 90.


EDIT: From that point on, he has a 2.78 ERA as a starter in 281.3 IP. 268 Ks/74 BBs (3.62:1 K:BB ratio)

That's a pretty damn good starting pitcher in the AL.

I do understand not wanting to call him a "superstar" though, I have no problem with people wanting a little more sample size...but he's well, WELL on his way..and given his clean mechanics and his pitching IQ...it's hard to see him falling short in any way

[filihok]

As if Greinke didn't have enough going for him.

http://coedmagazine.com/2009/05/03/zack-greinkes-baseball-wag-emily-kuchar/

[KowboyKoop]

Meh, she's good not great.

[HoustonGM]

Also, I just found out that Zack Greinke loves Chipotle.

AWESOME.

[ragecage]

Also, I just found out that Zack Greinke loves Chipotle.

AWESOME.

dam you and your chipotle. :p Theres one in the town next to mine, maybe ill try it this week, whats good to get there?

[HoustonGM]

dam you and your chipotle. :p Theres one in the town next to mine, maybe ill try it this week, whats good to get there?
Anything. :p

I always get a chicken fajita burrito with corn, sour cream and cheese, and chips and medium salsa on the side, and Pibb Extra to drink. :p

You can get burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, salads....four different meats - chicken, pork, beef, or steak...different salsas and beans...

Sooo good.

[ragecage]

Anything. :p

I always get a chicken fajita burrito with corn, sour cream and cheese, and chips and medium salsa on the side, and Pibb Extra to drink. :p

You can get burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, salads....four different meats - chicken, pork, beef, or steak...different salsas and beans...

Sooo good.

Chicken fajita sounds like a winner.

[KowboyKoop]

"“I like the guacamole,” Greinke said. “Now, I don’t really love the guacamole. So I get it when I feel like it. They changed their guacamole from $1.50 to $1.80. I mean, $1.50 is already pretty darn high. So they changed it to $1.80, and I’ll never again get guacamole.”

"It’s not about the guacamole itself,” Greinke said. “I just don’t want to let them win"

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AnuPz31homtswFzLQ_9R9nTZn414?slug=jp-greinke043009&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


Greinke is a chipotle freak and is a quote machine. Every one of his interviews is a must read.

[Alloutwar]

I would pay good money to see a Greinke/Lincecum pitching duel. Two young phenoms. Here's hoping Greinke keeps it up.

As for Chipotle, he does not have my support on that one. yuck. :)

[filihok]

Chipotle is ok.

It's no Taco Bel (http://www.tacobell.com/)l or Dos Hermanos (http://www.redorgreen.com/) though

http://www.redorgreen.com/images/burrito.jpg

[dickay]

Chipotle is ok.

It's no Taco Bel (http://www.tacobell.com/)l or Dos Hermanos (http://www.redorgreen.com/) though

http://www.redorgreen.com/images/burrito.jpg

that looks f'in good

[filihok]

that looks f'in good

It tastes 50 times better

Shredded beef and potato with green

Chicken and rice with red

Every time I go home I hit up Dos a couple of times per week, and gain weight accordingly

[HoustonGM]

Uh, I haven't had that place, but...Taco Bell > Chipotle? No way....and I love Taco Bell.

[ragecage]

Uh, I haven't had that place, but...Taco Bell > Chipotle? No way....and I love Taco Bell.

Man Taco Bell isnt even food, nasty. I just got back, I drove 20 minutes for the best carne asada burrito ever. And the beautiful part, they also got a meat market connected so I bought their seasoned Carne Asada and Chicken. Mmmmmm.

[Astrosfan183]

So, uh, how'd this go from talking about Zack Grienke to Taco Bell vs Chipotle? :P

[HoustonGM]

So, uh, how'd this go from talking about Zack Grienke to Taco Bell vs Chipotle? :P
Because Zack Greinke prefers Chipotle.

[KowboyKoop]

So, uh, how'd this go from talking about Zack Grienke to Taco Bell vs Chipotle? :P

Zack Greinke is a Chipotle fanatic.

[ragecage]

So, uh, how'd this go from talking about Zack Grienke to Taco Bell vs Chipotle? :P

Because he really enjoys Chipotle

[HoustonGM]

LOL :D

Nice.

[KowboyKoop]

Man, I wish I had all of Greinke's interviews on my Ipod or something...many of them are comedy gold. The story about when he first heard about that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston broke up and couldn't believe it....him trying to convince a fan that he wasn't Zack Greinke and that the short, hispanic man sitting next to him was Zack Greinke...priceless.

EDIT: Also, I just read that apparently, Zack was NOT a unanimous selection for AL pitcher of the month. WOW, what kind of waterbucket dumbass is voting for somebody other than Zack Greinke for AL pitcher of the month.

[Iammetsguy234]

If anyone asks me about Grienke, I cry. I had this kid on my fantasy team but then someone offered my favorite pitcher (Jon Lester) for him, and I accepted the trade...

The guy is doing good so far. I wish every pitcher on the Mets was pitching like him!