Adam Wainwright explains late season slump, showing more class for Cards fans
It turns out his arm wasn't dead; his stride was.
Adam Wainwright goes the extra mile, on and off the field.
The latest example being this afternoon when Wainwright took to Twitter to explain his late season problems on the mound. While a "dead arm" analysis was initially given as the reason his season took an ugly and ill-timed nose dive, the pending free agent has identified another root in the issue.
Read the whole thread, even if you need to sign up for a conehead Twitter profile pic. It's worth the read, because this isn't some politician-like reach. I genuinely think this was eating him from the inside out since last week's uneventful exit by the Cardinals.
Wainwright took a grounder off his knee on Aug. 28, triggering an alteration in his delivery. Instead of the usual step-release-plant motion, Wainwright's stride gained almost a foot during his delivery to the plate. Due to a lack of timing, Wainwright's arm started pulling harder in order to generate extra power, making up for the extended length in his stride. Compensation in a bad way.
With the front side pulling, along with the head movement and back arching, Wainwright, being new to these issues, had to take time in adjusting and fixing the problem. If only you could simply turn it off and back on like a smartphone. Wainwright had to break it all down, and reassemble it. The only problem arose when he was finished: The season was over.
He didn't have to do this. Most pitchers would have stuffed this in a well inside their mind, and deposited it for good. Not Adam Wainwright, a guy who would go back into a QT to apologize for not saying "have a nice day" to the cashier. He's just that guy. Being able to be so open and clear with his fans is what makes Twitter a great thing, because of the instant connection between a well-paid professional and Tony on his couch.
While I could send a shot at Mike Maddux for not spotting this length difference, I'll pass on that. He's not without criticism, but I feel like Wainwright is an island to himself when making fixes. The team also seemed to buy into the "dead arm" reasoning, which can send a coach's mind to other needs. For something that struck a 17 year veteran as a surprise, I won't put it solely on the shoulders of Maddux, even if the rant lane is open there right now.
All I can hope is that the longer-striding Wainwright will give us an encore in 2023. He was still potent for five months of the regular season at age 41, and still could offer this team a solid middle of the rotation arm at worst next year. Imagining a healthy and successful Wainwright in the Wildcard Series with Philadelphia wouldn't turn up a different result; the bats didn't work for Jose Quintana, Miles Mikolas, and Jordan Montgomery. Wainwright has felt that run-less vibe plenty this year.
If he comes back, and Quintana and Montgomery return with the emergence of Matthew Liberatore not far behind, the rotation won't be something to worry about this offseason. The team can then direct their spending and dealing at the lineup, like catcher and possibly a stop-gap shortstop.
If they do that, the NL Central can be won (unless Milwaukee makes big improvements) and the playoffs will be sitting there waiting for the Cards once again. A returning Wainwright helps those plans greatly, which would give him the chance to exit on his own terms, and not a comebacker going off his knee.
That's what I want for Christmas. Someone new for Wainwright to throw to, and the big guy himself. One more time. But if he chose to be home with his kids and his numerous charity efforts, I couldn't be mad at his sage decision-making. What we're getting is a bonus anyway, following that fall-off in 2018 and 2019.
You always want more of a great thing, and Wainwright is definitely that. He goes above and beyond what the Major League player should be, and then goes a bit further. The explanation was his way of a mea culpa with Cardinal Nation. Here's to hoping he returns for one more ride.
Molina spent 19 years in the big leagues. Wainwright can go 18 years, and fall a year behind his best friend. Seems almost fitting. Technically, he has been in the league 18 years, but 2011 was all lost to Tommy John surgery.
However you carve up the math, Adam Wainwright is still capable of getting Major Leaguers out. That's half the criteria for a comeback. The other half is desire. We will find out soon enough.
Thanks for reading.