What is wrong with Jeremy Jeffress?

[paul253]

5 more walks tonight in like 1.2 innings. I believe he has more walks than innings pitched, which is never good. His K rate is still up, but that seems to be about his only good stat. Does anyone know what his deal is or why he can't throw strikes? Is he working on some new pitches that he can't control yet? I know his control has never been pin point, but it seemed like up until this year it was improving and now he's taken a big step backward.

[TheCrew07]

He lacks control and will struggle until he can locate against better hitters... they won't swing at garbage out of the zone.

[Never Outhustled]

Is he working on some new pitches that he can't control yet?

I wonder if this is the issue with him, as he started throwing a 2-seemer last year. I remember back when Dave Stewart pushed this same thing on Ben Sheets. Sheets would get alot of groundballs with it, but he also give up more HRs. Sheets was better when he went back to throwing his straight heater, and his command of it became pinpoint. I can't say for sure that this is the issue with Jeffress, but if it is, ditch it and move on.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Why couldn't the Brewers just try to address Jeffress' command instead of letting him add pitches. Adding pitches is fine, but if you can't command the pitches, it's a lost cause.

 

Then you look on the other side and you realize he's only 21 years old.

[twobrewers]

I mentioned it after his last start...

He has walked 15 batters in his last 7 innings. It is obviously way to early to lose faith - but I, personally, have downgraded his prospect status. I doubt he will ever be a #1 pitcher.

[Brily0204]

Then you look on the other side and you realize he's only 21 years old.

Not saying Jeffress will follow his path, but it's fun to look at Randy Johnson when he was even older than Jeffress is now.

 

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Lvl	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SH	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP	H9	HR9	BB9	K9	WHIP
1986	WES	FSL	22	Mtl	A+	8	7	3.16	26	26	2	1	0	0	119.2	89	49	42	3	94	133	13	6.7	0.2	7.1	10.0	1.53
1987	JCK	Sou	23	Mtl	AA	11	8	3.73	25	24	0	0	1	0	140.0	100	63	58	10	128	163	12	6.4	0.6	8.2	10.5	1.63

[paul253]

Jeffress has a chance to be a very good pitcher. But as long as he's walking this many, it can't happen. I would really hate to see his potential go down the drain because he can't throw strikes.

[Tbadder]

It's my impression, and feel free to correct me, that hard throwers, especially young hard throwers take lots of time and tend to greater inconsistency than regular human beings. It may be that he never harnesses his extreme potential. That's why you keep drafting pitchers; they're an unreliable lot.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I think he's trying to follow the career path of Nuke LaLooche of Bull Durham. A guy that wild that throws that hard has to be a real treat to get in the batter's box and face.

 

It's definitely concerning, but I'd rather it be just command related and not injury related. A guy with his stuff just needs to develop a repeatable delivery and release point, and the light suddenly goes on. Sometimes it takes longer for guys to figure it out, and there are many instances when they never do.

[prophet]

It kind of makes me wonder if people are still adamant about not trading jeffress as the gem in a package for someone like Peavey. I wondered this when the Peavey discussions first started to surface. I've always believed that unless a prospect is a completely can't miss prospect, (which is one in a million), you trade him in a heartbeat to get a sure thing (relatively speaking). It kind of goes along with the Escobar/Hardy debate. Hardy is a proven commodity, Escobar hasn't done a thing yet. If you are FORCED to trade one, you trade the one that you think will succeed, rather than the one that has succeeded. To me the, minors are to make the major league club better, whether by trade or promotion. I don't care how good the records are for the minor league teams. I understand that this philosophy might be stupid for a small market team, but what i'm saying is, if you have one chance to acquire Peavey/Halladay/Greinke, or whoever it is that is guaranteed to win you games, and all it takes is Jeffress or even Escobar (nonproven prospects) to be the cornerstone, you pull the trigger.

[TheCrew07]

You're neglecting a rather large portion of the argument which is what players can you realistically afford? Which top 3 prospects go? Knowing that it's almost a given he'll want his 22 mil option picked up to waive his no trade how would the Brewers resign Hardy with Peavy's contract? Is signing a player like Prince Fielder in the club's best interests?

 

If the financial aspect wasn't absolutely crucial to the Brewers sure you could move prospects for Peavy, hope he stays healthy, and resign the players we already have. The problem is there isn't money to resign everyone, so they'll some of those prospects to plug the holes left behind. What if Peavy gets hurt? The Brewers would absolutely be crippled by a contract like that if the player was healthy, but if he gets hurt there's no way they could afford a Milwaukee version of Pavano.

 

Halladay is more realistic, but none of the guys you mention are going to be a cornerstone in Milwaukee, they all make way too much money. Halladay carries the least amount of long term risk because his current contract is the shortest. Young players like Yo will have to anchor the rotation if the Brewers are going to be successful, it's truly that simple.

[Postseason2006]

In other news, how about Mike Jones?

[paul253]

Another shaky outing by Jeffress. Is it to the point where his control problems are getting into his head? I sure hope not.

[jackalope02ca]

I'm pretty sure it's all in his head. Whether he ever turns it around or not it's time will tell. At his age he has lots of time to develop or not. It takes experience to break through at times and talent will only take you so far. I've always been open to trading any prospect. If we still have a record in the top 5 in baseball come the trade deadline I doubt Jeffress will be a Brewer. There will likely be several other prospects looking at new addresses as well. Salary really isn't relevant at that point as you can trade someone back away for other prospects in the offseason and playoff revenue and increased souvenir sales around the world help to offset the salary anyways.

Jeffress has always had questions about his mental makeup since his suspension and it will never be any different. Even if he wins 300 games in the majors he'll still have that asterix beside his name. Same goes for any other player who has an similar issue.

[Patrick425]

Jeffress has always had questions about his mental makeup since his suspension and it will never be any different. Even if he wins 300 games in the majors he'll still have that asterix beside his name. Same goes for any other player who has an similar issue.

Not sure why he would have an asterisk associated with his name? A. It happened in the minors B. I'm pretty sure it was marijuana related.

 

Halladay is more realistic

I can't see Toronto trading him if they continue any where near the pace they are on now.

[colbyjack]

Jeffress has always had questions about his mental makeup since his suspension and it will never be any different.

 

I don't recall Jeffress ever being questioned for his mental makeup. He got busted but testing positive for smoking pot, more than once, a problem that seems to be behind him. That doesn't constitute a mental issue to me. All other reports we've heard indicate that he's actually a pretty solid, competitive individual.

 

It's one thing to try and dissect the problem, and unless I'm completely wrong here, please try not to make up reasons as to why this young man may be having troubles commanding the strike zone.

 

As far as trading Jeffress goes, if he can't command the strike zone, what kind of value is he going to bring in a trade? It's not like other teams are unaware of his control problems.

[jackalope02ca]

Doing illegal drugs when there are potentially millions of dollars on the line for you would constitute a mental weakness. Not sure how you could possibly spin that any other way. It's not like it was performance enhancing and going to help him.

 

Lots of young pitchers struggle at times. All I'm questioning is with his history whether he has the mental makeup to get through them. Time will tell. Jeffress would be a key cog in any trade as other teams would pay a premium for the raw talent he has at is age thinking with their own coaching he could put it all together.

[battlekow]

I like how we're now saying that Jeffress is even dumber than someone who used steroids/HGH. Because he smoked pot? Are you kidding me?

[homer]

Doing illegal drugs when there are potentially millions of dollars on the line for you would constitute a mental weakness. Not sure how you could possibly spin that any other way. It's not like it was performance enhancing and going to help him.

I don't think you can use stupidity as a reason for control problems.One doesn't necessarily lead to another.

[jjfanec]

Doing illegal drugs when there are potentially millions of dollars on the line for you would constitute a mental weakness. Not sure how you could possibly spin that any other way. It's not like it was performance enhancing and going to help him.

 

Lots of young pitchers struggle at times. All I'm questioning is with his history whether he has the mental makeup to get through them. Time will tell. Jeffress would be a key cog in any trade as other teams would pay a premium for the raw talent he has at is age thinking with their own coaching he could put it all together.

So, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, Manny Ramirez, A-Rod and many others who used illegal (or at least banned drugs) which could have cost them millions if caught are all mentally weak. Many other athletes have been caught with pot and I dont think I would call them mentally weak, maybe not the brightest people out there but a lot of players are not super smart. I am not condoning pot use in any way but is Michael Phelps mentally weak because he made a mistake like that?

 

Jeffress has serious control problems right now but it is early and AA is usually the rough level for young pitching.

[JohnBriggs12]

Jeffress looked like a much better prospect to me as a 19 year old in West Virginia than he does now at 21 in Huntsville. He's now in his 4th professional season and isn't nearly as far advanced as Gallardo was at the same age. You just never know with HS pitchers, especially ones that feature power arms as their primary weapon.

[TheCrew07]

He looked better in WV because the hitters would swing at garbage out of the zone, it really is that simple. He's not worse than he was, he's the same, but the hitters are better, and they'll only continue to get better. If he's not able to locate for strikes, he's not going to have success.

 

Think Turbow, when he could get the slider over for a strike he was unhitable, when he didn't... well the results speak for themselves.

[colbyjack]

Comparing Jeffress to Gallardo isn't very fair to Jeffress. Gallardo clearly is a special pitcher who breezed through the minors with incredible polish. Being at AA at 21 years of age during his fourth year as a pro (his third full year) for a power arm, even with a setback or two, is actually pretty good.

[JohnBriggs12]

Comparing Jeffress to Gallardo isn't very fair to Jeffress. Gallardo clearly is a special pitcher who breezed through the minors with incredible polish. Being at AA at 21 years of age during his fourth year as a pro (his third full year) for a power arm, even with a setback or two, is actually pretty good.

I said he wasn't nearly as far advanced as Gallardo. How is that being unfair? It's factual. Both were high picks out of HS two years apart. Comparisons are natural.

[rousieboy]

So JJ lacks polish if that is the difference. JJ is just a thrower now with what seems to be little feel for what is going on between his release and the catch/walk/HBP/hit...best of luck to him...