May 24, 2013

Quote: Derek Lowe on Ubaldo Jimenez’ Work Ethic

May 17, 2012 by 32 Comments

People don’t understand how hard this guy works. He understands the things he’s trying to fix; it’s not like he puts his head in the sand and says ‘Hey, I’m not going to work.’ He works extremely hard every day on trying to get rid of or clean up some of the things he wants to clean up. I think everyone just because he got here has had some expectations that he could win 20 games every year — not to say that he won’t. He’ll get it figured out and when he does we will all be better for it.

– Indians starting pitcher Derek Lowe, via 92.3 The Fan on teammate Ubaldo Jimenez who has been given, in his eyes, a bit of unfair treatment from Cleveland fans since last summer’s trade.

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  • mgbode

    yep, you get traded for 2 of the org’s best prospects and expectations get heaved on you.  if you struggle, people will be upset.

    you get traded where your old team picks up 67% of your salary and you have virtually no expectations.  if you excel, it’s just a double-bonus.

  • BIKI024

    good to see Lowe showing some veteran leadership and sticking up for his new teammate.  not that the fans are going to let Ubaldo off the hook for his inconsistency, but hopefully the combination of the daily hardwork/grind that Ubaldo is putting in rubs off on the other guys and everyone improves, obviously including Ubaldo who had one of his better outings last night.  now let’s see how he does in his next start.  

  • Natedawg86

    When is Carmona coming back…his baseball name will still be Carmona right?

  • MrCleaveland

     White and Pomeranz = LaPorta and Brantley. Maybe.

  • kjn

    Roberto Hernandez’s return is still completely up in the air. Basically, it’s the government’s willingness to give him a visa. I’ve tried to find even a guess or a general time table and haven’t found anyone willing to venture one.

  • Harv 21

    Like the way Lowe stands up for his teammate, much like Gomez stood up for Choo. This team seems to have a nice vibe cutting across positions, ages and ethnicities. Acta should get some credit for that. 

  • AlexMathews

    I sure hope not…if only because Ubaldo Jiminez /= C.C. Sabathia.

  • Vindictive_Pat

    I would hope Ubaldo doesn’t think the fans have been unfair to him.  The team has mostly succeeded in spite of his performances on the mound.  That’s not to say he can’t keep working and eventually fix the issues.  But if he doesn’t think the fans should be upset while he’s pitching poorly, then he doesn’t get the nature of fans.  Ask Boston fans how cool they are with Josh Beckett’s performances so far this year.

  • mgbode

    well, it’s not like Beckett every helped the Red Sox pull out an ALCS out of his behind and win a WS before

  • kjn

    What fans? I’ve been to funerals that have drawn more people than your average home game.

    Also, there is zero indication that Ubaldo is upset with the fans. That’s purely a hypothetical. I realize you’re just putting it out there, but from everything we’ve seen and heard this is a kid with a very good attitude who is trying his best to work through a rough patch. No need to suggest that he has some attitude or an entitlement complex. Guy has enough problems.

  • Vindictive_Pat

    For the record, I didn’t suggest it… Scott did.  I was assuming he had heard something.  If Jiminez is not complaining, then obviously I have no beef with him.

  • kjn

    It was a really good outing that could have been better if….

    Kotchman makes that play on the grounder in the first, a play he really should have made imo, and turned two or at least got one then Ubaldo gets out of the first without giving up a run and saving himself maybe 15-20 pitches. Granted, we can’t how things would then have played out, but it definitely would have helped his chances of pitching into the 7th and beyond.

  • kjn

    I should add that I’m not aware of Ubaldo saying he’s upset with fans. If I’m wrong, I’ll recant my point.

  • kjn

    Yeah, I noticed that on a second reading, thus my second post. Sorry.

    I’m not aware of it either. Maybe I missed it. Though. I’d have to imagine if he was complaining it’d be a bigger story.

  • BIKI024

    Kotchman made a few plays to help Ubaldo out as well, so it could’ve been worse as well..  but yeah, would’ve been nice to see him get through 7.. 

    but a Quality Start is a Quality Start, will take those all day..  hopefully we’ll see his pitch count come down earlier in the game and he can last through 7 and hand-off to VP and CP.  nice for the offense to pick him up though, should take some of the pressure off while he works through this..  

  • kjn

    Kotchman did make some very nice picks at first yesterday. He does continue to look confused at the plate though.

    Offense looked really good. You could tell they had the approach to swing early and not let FH get ahead in the count. Once he realized that, he had to try to nibble and just didn’t have the command to do it. And this is a team that will kill you if you’re pitching from behind.

    Choo looks so much better when he’s just try to make contact and drive the ball. He needs to forget the power stroke and just make good contact. If he does that consisently, the power numbers will come.

  • BIKI024

    yeah, great to see Choo getting hot, Manny looks like a genius moving him there..  Jon wrote in another post that “Since May 9th, he’s batting .407 over 33 plate appearances with four doubles, four BBs, and a HR.”

    Brantley picking it up too, hitting .330 since the last week of April..  brought his BA up to .275.  but for all the walks the Tribe has, this dude just doesn’t seem to get too many bad pitches, but at least he doesn’t strike out much either.. 

  • kjn

    If Brantley keeps making contact like he does, the lack of walks shouldn’t be an issue. That said, It’s weird that he doesn’t walk more. He seems like a pretty patient, smart hitter. He walked a lot in the minors too.

    Imagine this offense if we had a LF and a 1B who could contribute regularly. We’d be unstoppable!

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Yea so take that all you Colt I mean Ubaldo haters!  White and Pomeranz drive faster (and tipsy) then they throw!

  • Jack

    I miss Carlos Carrasco…

  • Jaker

    Whether Lowe is right or wrong, its cool to see them sticking up for one another. I too expect Ubaldo to be better the rest of the season. as well as Masterson

  • kjn

    I had totally forgotten about him.

  • Hypno_Toad

    Unfortunately Harv, all the Acta haters (DID YOU SEE HOW BAD HIS RECORD WAS WITH THE NATIONALS!! HE TOOK OUT MASTERSON ON OPENING DAY!!!) won’t allow that to happen.

    I also think it was a brilliant move by Acta to put Choo in the leadoff spot. He has been on some kind of tear since moving to the top of the order and I think Acta deserves all the credit in the world for that move. 

    Look at that, he just led off the game today with a double. He’s on fire!

  • AlexMathews

    Are pitchers ever as effective again in their careers after coming back after Tommy John surgery? I wish somebody could look that up and write an article about it.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Hypno I think the move of Choo to lead-off was largely because of the fact he had nowhere else or better yet noone else to move there.  I think it says alot about a lineup when so many guys seem to do better once they bat lower in the lineup.  What it tells me is you have a lineup largely comprised of 6-7-8-9 hitters with few 1-2-3-4-5 guys.

  • mgbode

    Choo has speed, high OBP, low SLG%.  Really, once he actually made the move, it made perfect sense as he’s become a prototypical leadoff hitter.

    We had just become so accustomed to him being a middle of th order bat that noone seemed to have thought about it (other than Acta).

  • mgbode

    it doesn’t appear to be affecting Strasburg this year much :)

    not exactly what you are asking for but a good article on stuff like it:

    http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7712916/tommy-john-surgery-keeps-pitchers-game-address-underlying-biomechanical-flaw-espn-magazine

  • AlexMathews

    That’s a really fascinating article. Thanks for sharing that!
    It just goes to show that having solid and dependable mechanics is really important for long-term pitching health. (looking at you, Ubaldo)

    Anyway, the reason why I asked my original question is because I remember when Jake Westbrook had that surgery and came back…he didn’t really look like the same guy he once was. Same for a couple other pitchers I’ve seen. So it would be interesting to see the numbers on that.

  • Hypno_Toad

    That may be a factor, but I was listening to Hammy talk about Choo the other day and he said that Choo was trying to do too much when he was hitting in the middle of the order. Now that he’s at the top he’s just trying to get on base, and he is. 

    Whatever the reason is I’m enjoying the production from the top of the lineup. Kipnis is looking good in the 2 spot also. I just kind of vomit at the idea of Brantley hitting 6th. 

  • Hypno_Toad

    I think the Rockies have really mismanaged Pomeranz. I can’t really explain the struggles of Alex White other than Jack Daniels, but with Pomeranz I think he should have been in AAA this year and made a September call up. The jury is still out on this one.

  • GreatestHurley

    I don’t know about being an Acta hater…but I’ll be more willing to cut him some slack when he has a team finish over. 500 for a year.

  • Hermie13

    Westbrook has been very good this year….