While Phillies fans are not completely aware of the out-of-the-ordinary talent in their midst, these two moundsmen are successful: one with control and the other with a specialized pitch.
Rarities:
For the Philadelphia Phillies or any major league franchise, accomplishing a higher degree of accuracy is worthy of notice and appreciation. Yes, both hurlers have surprised the faithful in one case and detractors in the other situation due to expected mediocrity.
"IN OTHER WORDS: “By concentrating on precision, one arrives at technique, but by concentrating on technique one does not arrive at precision.” – Bruno Walter"
Misunderstanding any front office decision is easy: Fans perceive a mistake because they missed one important piece of information. And many Phils faithful cloud their judgement with emotional considerations no organization factors into their determinations. Basically, facts reign supreme.
Over time, these beliefs harden, and those fans unwittingly prefer like-minded thinking to justify their perceptions. Normally, they read or listen to those who reinforce their own view rather than making an uncomfortable comparison. But even logic is not always successful against strong resistance.
Keep in mind, only the stars’ traits here are equal, and the stats are in no way equivalent now or in the future. Therefore, this is a comparison of two starters with above-average control and two relievers with a bread-and-butter pitch in common.
For the Phils, Aaron Nola‘s dominance is due to his control of four pitches. On the other hand, Greg Maddux was mostly a sinker-ball hurler with two other counted-on offerings. And, so, Nola only has the potential to achieve Maddux’s heights.
As for the split-finger fastball, most locals wouldn’t even consider Hector Neris in any category with Bruce Sutter. However, Neris has a rare deceptiveness with his splitter, and Sutter was effective for years with his. Similar or different? Yes, the comparison ends there because Neris won’t have enough remaining 162s.
Having a specific receiver makes a huge difference to some studs because the backstop adds the hitter’s reactions and the pitcher’s effectiveness that day to the game plan. Plus a top-tier catcher mostly reduces the ace’s need to rely on a specific batterymate. Of course, J.T. Realmuto is a standout receiver.