Glynn Throws QS to 4th Loss

It seems to be Ryan Glynn's lot it life to lose his Quality Starts. As mentioned before, he had 17 Quality Stars with the Fighters last season, but only a 7 wins and 14 losses record as Nippon Ham gave him virtually no run support. In his second start of this season for the BayStars on April 11, Glynn allowed 3 runs in 7 innings against Yakult for his first Quality Start of the year, only to lose 3-0, the 'Stars grounding into inning ending double plays in each of the first three innings to kill the only real threats they put up.

This afternoon at Yokohama Stadium sees Glynn's fate continue. Glynn threw 7 good innings. Sure, he allowed a few base runners, but never really any real threats. One mis-placed pitch saw Wada park the ball into the right field bleachers for a 2-run home run, but that was it. 2 runs over 7 innings, and Glynn did his part with his second Quality Start of the season.

The BayStars' bats, on the other hand, couldn't get anything going against Chen through the first 6 innings. That is to say, Chen threw 6 perfect innings against Yokohama. Leading off the bottom of the 7th inning, Ishikawa lined the ball into left field to become the first BayStars base runner of the afternoon. A sacrifice bunt got him to second, but no further.

The bottom of the 8th saw a pair of lead-off hits put runners at the corners with nobody out. While we later loaded the bases with two down, home plate was as far away as ever and Yokohama came out scoreless.

Runners at the corners with one out in the 9th saw a game ending double play end our hope of getting out of last place. (Yokohama was 1-half game behind the Dragons going into the game.) It doesn't look like Glynn can buy a run when he pitches well. Here is a list of Glynn's starts so far this season:

                 Desc   IP    H  HR   K  BB   R  ER   ERA     Offense
Apr  4 at CHU:   Loss   4.0   5   2   4   2   5   5  11.25 |  0 Runs on 3 Hits
Apr 11 vs YAK:   Loss   7.0   9   0   7   0   3   3   6.55 |  0 Runs on 6 Hits
Apr 18 vs HAN:   Loss   5.1   8   1   3   4   4   3   6.06 |  4 Runs on 10 Hits
Apr 26 at YAK:   Win    5.2   6   0   3   4   2   2   5.32 |  6 Runs on 8 Hits
May  3 vs CHU:   Loss   7.0   7   1   2   1   2   2   4.66 |  0 Runs on 5 Hits
==============  =====  ====  ==  ==  ==  ==  ==  ==  =====   =======    =======
Totals:         1W 4L  29.0  35   4  19  11  16  15   4.66   10 Runs on 32 Hits

Here are the photos that I took during the game. I hope you enjoy them.

2009-05-03 CHU vs YOK

Yeah I have been noticing what you have been talking about with Glynn as well. Even on the 18th, all 4 of those runs Yokohama scored and 7 of the 10 hits happened AFTER Glynn was out of the game. So if you want to talk about run support while he is actually pitching, its even worse.

4 out of your 5 starts they dont even score 1 run for you while you are in the game!? Must be frustrating to say the least.

Ouch. So, I see nothing has really changed since I saw Glynn totally meltdown on April 4th @ Nagoya (by way of him coming up short in the win column I mean).

Perhaps I was wrong about the pitching this season and should focus more on the on again/ off again offense . I think the pitching has been OK to say the least despite the ever lingering presence of "ippatsu-byou".

Great pictures too btw Michael. I really need to get to Yokohama Stadium for at least one regular season game this year but it's proving to be very difficult with all the other stuff I want to cover in the blog.

And just when one thought that all hope was lost, pinch hitter Kinjyoh, for starting pitcher Glynn, comes through with a bases clearing double to left against the Tigers to take a 3-0 lead in the 7th inning of the game this afternoon (May 9) at Yokohama Stadium. Finally! Some runs support!

Relief did their job of continuing the second shut out of the Tigers in a row, and the BayStars find themselves just one game behind the fifth place Tigers. That tail's within reach!

Move on BayStars.

I wonder whether quality starts are themselves the problem. Because the opposition scores very few runs batters relax too much and don't try hard enough. Currently Tigers are suffering from a similar malaise - Nohmi had a quality start in the game you mention but ended up with a loss.

That's an interesting theory. But I don't think that the batters on either side were relaxed. To the contrary, they were both frustrated facing good pitching. Neither were able to get the clutch hit to put a run on the board. Even when Yokohama did score, they had already blown a bases loaded with nobody out setup, Nohmi getting two easy pop ups. Just when it looked like the BayStars were going to strand the bases loaded for the 1,000th time this season (or so it seems), Kinjoh delivered.

I won't comment on the Tigers' offense, but the BayStars' offense has been anything but "too relaxed" with their inability to drive in runs.

I realize that this is an old thread, but I just need to add this. I have been watching Ryan Glynn's career over many years in the United States and keeping up with him now through the internet overseas. I have seen the struggles in person at minor league games with the Richmond Braves and Indianapolis Indians and had the chance to see two Major League starts in Baltimore while with the Texas Rangers and in Washington with the Oakland A's.

I think everywhere I have seen Ryan pitch he has had very low or only adequate run support. He has his 3 and 4 inning games where he struggles on his own or gives up that one big inning of runs, but he also has complete game losses by as little as a run because a ball is dropped by his defense or his team ends its chances by not making the best of scoring opportunities.

I will continue to support Ryan Glynn no matter where he is or which team he is throwing for that season. He is doing something I will never get the chance to do and thats play baseball as a professional. No matter where it is or how much he is making, he is doing something only a handful of the 10,000s of kids in the US and all over the world only dream of.

If Ryan gets to see this, tell him that Patrick Nee from Portsmouth, VA will always be his biggest fan. Take care Ryan and continue to do what you do.

Thank you for letting me post this on your forum.
Patrick Nee

I realize that this is an old thread, but I just need to add this. I think it's sad that not one team in Japan has signed Glynn for this up coming season. He is a very good pitcher and if you look at it from his point, I am sure it gets hard and frustrating when you pitch your butt off and get a loss because you loss 1-0 more times than one and now no one signs him and signs guys who have worse records.