Could the Broken Hand Still Be Affecting Devin Williams?

[pitchleague]

Just as Henry Rowengartner was lights out until he fell on his shoulder, ending his magical run of dominance, is there any correlation between Devin Williams and his broken hand from last year creating a change that has eliminated his run of dominance?  
 

To me, it appears that his change up has lost its magic.  It no longer airbends with any consistency.  It actually seems to hang in the zone more often.  His fastball, on the other hand, still has good velocity but seems to be very straight and hittable.

Now, it may seem that I’m just reacting to tonight’s subpar performance, but I’ve actually been thinking about this for about two weeks.

I’m concerned.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I feel like last season Williams was slow to start and took awhile to find consistency with that changeup as well.  Some of that was due to other minor injuries keeping him out of action and some was just not getting the job done.

If he isn't feeling pain in that hand, we can only hope his changeup rounds into form and he can rely less on having to spot that fastball to get outs - his heater has always been straight as an arrow and if he's not commanding that changeup he's going to get knocked around.

 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Relief pitchers are, by and large, very volatile. Williams is not immune to that volatility. He will be fine in the long run if the Brewers stick by him. I think we have been a bit spoiled having the best reliever in MLB in Josh Hader. But even Hader has had a few rough stretches in his career.

[Jopal78]

I doubt his fractured hand has any lingering effects, I think Williams has actually been really good for Milwaukee. In his 13 appearances this year, almost half of them (6) have been clean innings with no hits or walks allowed. In 10 of his 13 appearances, the opponents went scoreless. Therefore, it is not like he's been struggling on the whole, rather he's had 3 poor outings. In the 3 appearances, however, (totaling 1 and 2/3 innings), he's walked 7 and given up 6 hits and hit a batter. 

Looking in even further, on April 13th in  Baltimore Williams gave up a 1-2 single to Jorge Mateo, was 3-0 to Anthony Bemboom before walking him on a full count, was ahead of Mullins and got the strike out. Next, he was behind on Mountcastle (1-0) when he hit an RBI single, and was behind 3-1 on Santander before hitting him with a pitch and being pulled from the game. Boxberger then gave up a sac fly charged to Williams before retiring the side. 

On April 17th against the Cardinals, he struck out O'Neill on a 2-2 pitch, was ahead 0-2 on Arenado when he doubled. Next he walked Pujols on 4 straight, gave up an 0-2 RBI single to Edman, struck out Bader on a 2-2 pitch, was ahead of Dejong 1-2 before walking him on a full count, and was ahead on Dickerson 1-2 before walking him to force in a run. 

Last night in Cincinnati, he was behind 3-2 to Friedl and got a pop up, was behind 3-2 on Drury and walked him, was behind 3-1 on Pham and walked him, was behind 3-2 on Moustakas and gave up an RBI single. Next he issued a four pitch walk to Moran, and gave up the double to Naquin on a 2-2 count. 

Against Baltimore and Cincinnati, Williams struggled throwing strikes and was knocked around. Against the Cardinals he ran into some poor luck giving up an 0-2 double to Arenado and 0-2 RBI single to Edman, and then couldn't seemingly finish batters off despite getting ahead 1-2. 

[stoutdude04]

1 hour ago, Jopal78 said:

I doubt his fractured hand has any lingering effects, I think Williams has actually been really good for Milwaukee. In his 13 appearances this year, almost half of them (6) have been clean innings with no hits or walks allowed. In 10 of his 13 appearances, the opponents went scoreless. Therefore, it is not like he's been struggling on the whole, rather he's had 3 poor outings. In the 3 appearances, however, (totaling 1 and 2/3 innings), he's walked 7 and given up 6 hits and hit a batter. 

Looking in even further, on April 13th in  Baltimore Williams gave up a 1-2 single to Jorge Mateo, was 3-0 to Anthony Bemboom before walking him on a full count, was ahead of Mullins and got the strike out. Next, he was behind on Mountcastle (1-0) when he hit an RBI single, and was behind 3-1 on Santander before hitting him with a pitch and being pulled from the game. Boxberger then gave up a sac fly charged to Williams before retiring the side. 

On April 17th against the Cardinals, he struck out O'Neill on a 2-2 pitch, was ahead 0-2 on Arenado when he doubled. Next he walked Pujols on 4 straight, gave up an 0-2 RBI single to Edman, struck out Bader on a 2-2 pitch, was ahead of Dejong 1-2 before walking him on a full count, and was ahead on Dickerson 1-2 before walking him to force in a run. 

Last night in Cincinnati, he was behind 3-2 to Friedl and got a pop up, was behind 3-2 on Drury and walked him, was behind 3-1 on Pham and walked him, was behind 3-2 on Moustakas and gave up an RBI single. Next he issued a four pitch walk to Moran, and gave up the double to Naquin on a 2-2 count. 

Against Baltimore and Cincinnati, Williams struggled throwing strikes and was knocked around. Against the Cardinals he ran into some poor luck giving up an 0-2 double to Arenado and 0-2 RBI single to Edman, and then couldn't seemingly finish batters off despite getting ahead 1-2. 

This is what concerns me - it feels like he cant finish hitters off when they are at 2 strikes. Though, I have no stats to back that up and I may have some recent bias happening.

[Dragonbait]

It's of course possible it is affecting him. But there is no evidence that it is.

[jerichoholicninja]

He's a one pitch pitcher and if he can't throw strikes with that one pitch he's doomed. As to the reason why he can't throw strikes with it, I don't know. Last year he had spells where he couldn't find it too and the results weren't good.

[Axman59]

It's very possible that is a factor. A changeup is one of the most difficult pitches to grip. Which is major factor why many pitchers never master the pitch.

[PlayerHader]

What's bewildering to me is how a guy with a magical changeup could never really put hitters away or really miss sticks with a 97 MPH fastball.