It's Dan Wheeler's World, We're Just Living In It

by Erik Hahmann on Jul 9, 2009 6:24 PM EDT

A couple of days ago I wrote about the improvement Dan Wheeler had showed over the last month or so. Wheeler had upped his slider usage tremendously and it seemed to be paying dividends as he hadn't allowed a run in his last 13 appearances. Today would be no different.

With J.P. Howell not available to pitch the 9th inning, it would be Dan Wheeler who would get the call from Joe Maddon. Wheeler made quick work of the Blue Jays, retiring right handed hitting trio John McDonald, Jose Bautista, and Aaron Hill in order on just 7 pitches to pick up his first save of the season. Coming into the game right handed batters were batting just .153 against Wheeler in 21.2IP. He did it in what we can now call 'Dan Wheeler fashion', which is to say he threw a lot of sliders and kept the ball away from the inner part of the plate. Of the 7 pitches he threw 5 were sliders, and each of the three outs was recorded via the slider. It was odd watching Wheeler come into the 9th inning of a one run ball game and not get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I liked it.

Dan Wheeler. Sliders. Ballgame.

via brooksbaseball.dustinkikuchi.com

Tweet Comment 27 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

his sliders looked pretty nasty

And he got a lot of help from aaron hill. What a terrible swing.

by jacksontsmith on Jul 9, 2009 6:28 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Congrats to Wheels, who gets no love here

by Raymondo on Jul 9, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions

When he does well he gets love

by Erik Hahmann on Jul 9, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions

No love for Balfour?

He was the real closer today

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Jul 9, 2009 8:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

This Wheeler is fun.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jul 9, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions

holy shit. that's some bend.

by walkoffwalk on Jul 9, 2009 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions

That's my video!

Dockoftherays.com

by Jason Collette on Jul 9, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm aware. I reminded you that you had it about a year ago.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jul 9, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

That's right....I had to dig that sucker up.

That’s going to go in my next DOTR blogpost now :)

Dockoftherays.com

by Jason Collette on Jul 9, 2009 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Watch him warm up sometime, his sliders frisbee all over the place

I never understood why he didn’t go to it more.

SOSH AUCTION to K ALS

by Sandy Kazmir on Jul 10, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Call it coincident, DRB bias, or fact...

Pitch selection seems to be a theme of determining success for TB pitchers. In general, throwing more non-fastballs.

Beyond the Boxscore Not a member? Sign up.

by Sky Kalkman on Jul 9, 2009 6:38 PM EDT reply actions

I think that's the case for everyone besides Balfour. I could be wrong but his sliders don't seem to be as effective as hoped.

by Erik Hahmann on Jul 9, 2009 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions

its effective if its in the strike zone

mostly

Come ON Pat the Bust, Navi can not have more homers than you

by 4QB on Jul 10, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I might get technical and say pitch sequencing is important, but I agree about non-fastballs.

Rather than insist on fastball command, it makes more sense to have “best-pitch” command.

by Doyouseeit? on Jul 9, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Balfour gets the save today. I don't care what the record book says. Wheels was super-efficient today, though.

by walkoffwalk on Jul 9, 2009 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

Dan wheeler owns the world

Save yourselves

Come ON Pat the Bust, Navi can not have more homers than you

by 4QB on Jul 9, 2009 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

Now with Billy Mays gone

I think Wheeler should become the spokesmen for Big City Sliders. In fact I will refer to Wheeler as Big City as long as he keeps the bendy things coming.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Jul 9, 2009 8:15 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

OT:Question for RJ

Who leads the AL in triples?

by Raymondo on Jul 9, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions

The Jays:

We know something you don't know
And if we don't share then we don't grow
Unabomber set the whole world on fire

by Orlando Rays on Jul 9, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions

OT Part 2: Royals win Yeah

4.5 GB

by Raymondo on Jul 9, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

naysayers: "Wheeler's slider looks pretty average to me"

naysayers: “wait . . . what’s this? (click – ”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gwb9EAfKo0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gwb9EAfKo0)
naysayers: “holy !#$%#$%^, WT!#$%$%@F?!?!?”

by tropbeachbum on Jul 10, 2009 12:59 AM EDT reply actions

dang

i messed that up pretty bad somehow.

check it – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gwb9EAfKo0

(ps: i will no longer attempt witty comments)

by tropbeachbum on Jul 10, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions

You do know that this video was posted six hours ago in this same thread, right?

by GvilleRay on Jul 10, 2009 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions

yes

just wanted to make sure you saw it twice.

by tropbeachbum on Jul 10, 2009 1:55 AM EDT up reply actions

my bad

by tropbeachbum on Jul 10, 2009 2:02 AM EDT reply actions

It was odd watching Wheeler come into the 9th inning of a one run ball game and not get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I liked it.

This. So hard.

If he keeps throwing the slider on the outter half of the plate, it would seem it would be very hard to be homer prone. By correcting one of his biggest problems, he will once again be a solid reliever. Simple, yet brilliant.

by rglass44 on Jul 10, 2009 9:08 AM EDT reply actions