How long do you give it?

by devil_fingers on May 27, 2008 3:00 PM EDT

I think we've all gone from curious to surprised to enchanted to a little creeped out by the budding, um, "relationship" between two darlings of the virtual public: Internet poster boy Brian "Banny" Bannister and award-winning journalist Joe Posnanski. From text messages to "Banny Logs," all the elements of a great romance in the making are there. Yet, with Bannister's recent slide, one has to wonder how long before JoPo starts looking for a way out. Look at how he turned on his childhood hero, Buddy Bell. So, how long do you give it? How many more ugly Banny defeats in a row before the "Banny Log" is abandoned?

Poll

How many more ugly Brian Bannister losses in a row before the Joe Posnanski stops writing "Banny Logs"?

1

0 votes

2

1 votes

3

4 votes

5

2 votes

20

4 votes

"OMG I wish I cld quit u Banny"

5 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 41 comments

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They make up tonight

Minnesota is a very favorable matchup for Bannister with lots of right-handed, low OBP hitters. If he pitches around the two good lefties (Mauer and Morneau), he should have a good outing.

by Gopherballs on May 27, 2008 3:49 PM EDT 0 recs

Wow,

I didn’t know this was happening. Of course, Tona Pena Jr. stole Brian Bannister’s significant other…

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 27, 2008 3:57 PM EDT 0 recs

Poz will stick with it all season

Poz likes the morbid fascination of writing about Royals failure as much as Royals success. While he would definitely prefer Bannister succeeding, he’d be happy to write about Bannister’s devolution into a major league burnout as well. Of course, I don’t think he’ll have that opportunity.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 3:57 PM EDT 0 recs

Ditto.

It’s worth a season of them to gain perspective on the brains vs. arm debate. It’s probably secretly helping Poz to understand one of the 70s Reds pitchers he’s researching for his book on the Big Red Machine. – TL

by timlacy on May 27, 2008 5:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

i do

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:15 PM EDT 0 recs

You think Bannister is going to prove himself a major league failure this year?

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

not a failure...but no better than a bottom of the rotation innings eater....

which we need…and will make him alot of money

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:23 PM EDT 0 recs

I'd take that bet

I know you didn’t propose a bet, but I’m just saying…

I’m sticking with my presason prediction of a 4.25 ERA (with a FIP and DERA just a bit higher than that).

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Uh oh

we know what how the last “wager” re: a Royals pitchers performance turned out here

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 27, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't think this one would end in exile

or even “exhile”

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

you still think me and the billybutlermvp guy are the same person?

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

It seems increasingly unlikely

I’d give it about a 2.5% chance now.

j/k

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

All this reminising

is making me miss Steve “Joel” Phillips. Great entertainment, perfectly fitting nickname, awesome arguments from authority…. Excuse, me, I need a moment.

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 27, 2008 4:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

I wish he'd come back

If Gload as a 7-game hit streak, he’ll be back.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

Now there's something putting money on

Not whether or not Gload gets the streak, but the inevitability of the return of our friend

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 27, 2008 5:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

It will happen

As soon as Gload gets hot, he’ll be back and say that Gload would have hit even better if he played every inning of the Royals games this year. And then he’ll chide us for not knowing the game.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

1-6, dude

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on May 27, 2008 5:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

id have a hard time deciding on an over/under of 4.80 or so

he will have his dominant starts once in awhile, but he also will get lit up…badly…at times which kills an era

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:36 PM EDT 0 recs

If the over/under were 4.50...

...I’d take the under in a heartbeat and put a lot of money on it.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

how much is alot?

and whats your address?

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 4:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Betting pool time!

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 27, 2008 4:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

How much are you comfortable betting.

We can do this by PayPal if you’re serious. I’m taking bets from anyone and everyone.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

the only problem

even if i believe it to be true, i don’t think my karma can handle the prospects of betting against my own team

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

That's understandable

But you really think Bannister won’t end the season with an ERA under 4.50?

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 4:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

i do not....i really hope he does but i just dont see it

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

i think

he will be pretty close, but no, i think it will be over 4.5

i know he is smart, but i still believe pure stuff wins out in the end.

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

i think smarts can make a big difference when you have great stuff...

which maddux always had…not necessarily the velocity, but his pitches had ridiculous movement and he had pinpoint control even with all that movement. i dont see how knowing that you need to get ahead in the count and such things will help all that much in the long run…if you are doing anything you can to get ahead in the count, you’re likely throwing fastballs…and hitters pick up on that, guess fastball…they will hit his average fastball over alot of fences when they’re pretty sure its coming

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 4:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

exactly

the great pitchers who lacked velocity tended to have great movement/command/etc. banny certainly isn’t bad in those areas, but great? eh…on good days maybe.

i think the plus side of that is those are the things he should naturally be able to develop since those tend to be fixable mechanics related.

maybe…hopefully….but doubtful

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Many pitchers without great stuff use their smarts/experience/savvy/pitchability/stategy to succeed

Like late career versions of Maddux, Glavine, Moyer, etc. It’s just that usually you have to have been around a long time to know enough about pitching to make that work for you when you don’t have great stuff. Bannister has that now.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

In case you're interested

http://www.royalsreview.com/2007/10/11/192941/55

A fanpost I wrote on this issue.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

even

Maddux, Glavine, Moyer

maintained great breaking pitches and pinpoint command late into careers, better than bannister now

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 5:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

Replay

maintained great breaking pitches and pinpoint command late into careers, better than bannister now

I think you are overrating their breaking pitches, particularly in the latter parts of their careers. And Bannister’s walk rate this year and last year is as good or better than the last few years of both Glavine and Moyer.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on May 27, 2008 5:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

check out

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/anatomy-of-a-player-tom-glavine/

kinda-sorta supports both us, but on this exact subject

by ZeppelinDZ on May 27, 2008 5:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

moyer throws like 80...which is better than throwing 90...

AND hes lefthanded and has a better changeup than any of bannys secondary pitches and he pitches in the NL so he gets to face a pena type better EVERY start AND over the past two years he’s right at 4.5

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on May 27, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up 0 recs