Ever wonder why I rip on Radke?

[Saber]

Waruv, they don't like him. They won't change their mind no matter how well he pitches.

[mntwinsfan]

Radke is the most overpaid sp in the game today i believe. Is he worth what he is making right now? Hell no. How about we deal him????

[mntwinsfan]

Radke is the most overpaid sp in the game today i believe. Is he worth what he is making right now? Hell no. How about we deal him????

[Steak]

Fisher: I have been on Brad's corner in the last two years and I have been his biggest critic at times, but with that said, something is wrong. He is getting hit like a christmas tree. He is not getting ground balls like he always does. He is just getting hit a lot. I am also worried about his preparation for the game. Something is wrong. I am hoping Rick Anderson can start detecting some problems. This can not continue if the Twins want to win the division. Yeah his ERA is respectable, but keep in mind that his defense especially his outfielders have made great catches to rob the extra base hits. It's not just the first inning problems that is worrying me. It's the fact that he is giving up HRs at a crazy rate that is worrying me not to mention that he is getting lit up badly.

Moving Brad to the pen is not happening and it should not happen. He needs to find a way to solve his first inning problems. Rick Anderson is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. I am hoping he can find out what is wrong with Brad.

There is this blog that I read a lot. The author of this blog has gone out of his way to rip Brad. In fact, he always rips Brad all the time. The blog is sundappledwood.blogspot.com

Right now, Twins fans are just not happy with Brad if you read message boards like KFAN.com or Scout.com or etc.

[Steak]

Waruv, they don't like him. They won't change their mind no matter how well he pitches.

I like Brad. This year though I am very dissapointed in him.

[DiamondGirl]

Brad does not deserve to go to the pen. He is a starter and has been our ace for some time. You can't compare Brad and Johan because they are two different types of pitches. Brad has to find his groove since he is a control pitcher and whether we like it or not it takes a good inning or two to do that. For the most part once he gets through the first inning he is in his zone. He's not going to win every game he pitches! It would be nice but it isn't going to happen.

Look at some of the other pitchers around the league that are known to dominate every game they pitch and have fallen way short of that mark. Relax, Brad will continue to struggle in the first but he'll continue to throw stikes and get guys out too. But the Twins also need to support him by scoring runs too - let's not forget that.

[Fishercat]

Fisher: I have been on Brad's corner in the last two years and I have been his biggest critic at times, but with that said, something is wrong. He is getting hit like a christmas tree. He is not getting ground balls like he always does. He is just getting hit a lot. I am also worried about his preparation for the game. Something is wrong. I am hoping Rick Anderson can start detecting some problems. This can not continue if the Twins want to win the division. Yeah his ERA is respectable, but keep in mind that his defense especially his outfielders have made great catches to rob the extra base hits. It's not just the first inning problems that is worrying me. It's the fact that he is giving up HRs at a crazy rate that is worrying me not to mention that he is getting lit up badly.

Moving Brad to the pen is not happening and it should not happen. He needs to find a way to solve his first inning problems. Rick Anderson is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. I am hoping he can find out what is wrong with Brad.

There is this blog that I read a lot. The author of this blog has gone out of his way to rip Brad. In fact, he always rips Brad all the time. The blog is sundappledwood.blogspot.com

Right now, Twins fans are just not happy with Brad if you read message boards like KFAN.com or Scout.com or etc.

He is NOT giving up more fly balls than before (or not getting ground balls as you put it). His GB/FB ratio is 1.17 ground balls to 1 fly ball (meaning 117 ground balls for every 100 fly balls). That's his best GB ratio since 2000.

His HRs are a problem, but I'm thinking it is a response to the Twins new pitching approach this year, meaning no walks if possible. That will give more pitches to hit which will result in more HRs (especially for a pitcher that relies on control like Radke) along with less pitches per PA. That is an alarming trend, but it's one third of the year, it could be flukish, it could be he is giving up more meatballs, it could be the new approach.

With that said, it is his only problem, the power issue. Obviously a notable one since he is reverting to his 2003 ways instead of keeping the 2004. For most pitchers, drastically cutting walks helps. However, Radke was always a great control guy, so the benefits for him are limited and there is an adverse effect as he can't blow balls by players like Santana or make them chase. Silva was more prone (but still good) to walks than Radke, and avoiding walks has lowered his OBP. He's avoiding contact or major contact more now.

I honestly do think that it is a combination of the approach, and if I may say so, bad luck that Radke has performed like this so far (although a low 4 ERA isn't bad). He's doing everything he should be doing. His K rate is like last year (and some of the books I have read seem to believe that keeping balls out of play is the most important job for a pitcher, since once it hits the field, luck comes into play too much). His OBPA is similar to last year (higher BA, lower walks). He isn't walking anyone, which actually could be a detriment for him to an extent. You want to be skinny (give up few walks), but pitching to contact too much turns it into anorexia). His pitchers per inning and PA are down.

The HRs are a problem, the thing is, they have to find his problem and correct it.

However, I'll say to you guys what I say to some Reds fans all the time. If you guys are sick of Radke, send him to Boston for peanuts and we'll surely find a use for him. IIRC, Epstein made a better offer to Radke then the Twins did, but he took the hometown discount.

[Fishercat]

BTW, if you're disappointed in a season that is better than his average, well, tough cookies.

[Steak]

What matters is wins and losses. I can care less about stats. What matters is keeping runs at a minimium. Brad has just beeing getting hit hard. It's not just this board where Twins fans have problems with him. You ought to go to KFAN Rube Chat board where Radke is open season for the Twins fans. It's not just mntwinsfan and Lynch that has been on Brad's case. I have been on Brad's corner in recent years, but these last two starts have me concerned.

Anyway, here is open season on Brad:

http://feedback.kfan.com/topic.aspx?...8-C413F5026CB7
http://feedback.kfan.com/topic.aspx?...7-BF6CD3A67395
http://feedback.kfan.com/topic.aspx?...0-CC4D25C604E0
http://mb3.scout.com/fminnesotatwins...cID=1784.topic

Good thing Boston did not sign him or Red Sox fans would eat Radke for lunch and the media would be all over him. The media in Twin Cities rarely ever criticize Radke. The only guy that I have known that has ripped Brad at times was Dan Barriero, former columnist for the Star-Tribune and now a talk show host on KFAN. Heck Brad got a free pass for his bad performance in Game 2 of the ALDS. Joe Nathan got all the criticism out there along with Gardenhire, but Brad did not get ripped considering the Twins gave him a huge lead to work with in that game.

[Fishercat]

Radke's ERA would be the second best on the Red Sox, he wouldn't be gettiing flack.

I cannot believe you've stooped to judging pitchers on wins and losses. At least you admit Curt Schilling should have gotten the Cy Young, he had more wins after all. We all know Roger Clemens sucks this year because he has 4 wins. In fact, Brad Radke is better than Roger Clemens, since all that matters is wins. Jon Lieber is better, El Duque is better, Chan Ho Park is better, Sidney Ponson, Jeff Weaver, Tim Wakefield, Jamie Moyer, Oliver Perez, Jeff Francis, Daniel Cabrera, all of them better.

I'm not going apeshit on Bronson Arroyo because he's had a few rough starts and he sucked in Game 3 of the ALCS.

Just because Twins fans are spoiled in regards to pitching and cannot appreciate a pitcher being good but not great does not mean he sucks.

If what matters is keeping runs at a minimum, Brad Radke has been an average #2 starter.

I'd love him in Boston, please send him over. A 7 man rotation will be a bit busy, but who cares.

I'll say this: people criticize players for going for the money instead of loyalty to their team all the time, and look what happens when a veteran has some struggles even when staying for cheaper, we hate the guy.

Hey, if you guys want to see an overpaid gopherballer who just got signed to a big deal, talk to our many Reds fans. A Twins fans complaining about one of their SPs at this point (with that rotation) just seems like a man complaining that his Benz's radio doesn't have good reception for the radio while people are walking to their destination in the frigid cold. The best ERA in baseball and your 4th best SP has a low 4's ERA, and this is how you treat him?

[General]

Kevin Brown had that problem earlier in the year for the Yanks...what they did is make him pitch a simulated inning, take a break, and then go out and pitch. It worked for a while, then Kevin Brown became...Kevin Brown.

[Steak]

Fisher: If TM can get ripped in this board, anyone can get ripped.

[Porter]

Fisher- I did say Moyer

Moyer and Radke are similar in their spilts its amazing. Im sure 3/5ths of the M's rotation would love to have Radkes Splits.