Slip Sliding Away: Francisco Liriano

Whats the deal with Fransisco Liriano? How can a pitcher that was so dominant in 2006 be so bad in 2009? We know about the tommy john surgery that ruined his 2007. His subsequent slow recovery. His horrible start to 2008, demotion to the minors. His terrrific numbers in the minors that season and his callup at the end of the year and the solid starts that followed.

Everything we know told us 2009 was going to be his return to form. He should have been recovered from his surgery, still young, still gifted with the sort of stuff that you could only describe as nasty. There was little to doubt about his 2009 performance. Liriano was back and it was going to be 2006 all over again. But on the way to garuanteed super-stardom something happened, but what?

The problem, it seems, was Lirianos' fear of commiting to the slider. His fastball seemed to be back to pre injury form, as was his ability to locate, but his slider lacked the late movement that had so confused hitters in his first go around the league.

Well Lirianos' slider is back, or that is to say, his fear of throwing that devastating slider is gone, and if his arm can hold up against the strain of that motion all year, then Liriano circa 2006 is back. And therein lies the question. Can he snap the elbow on that pitch for the next 6 months? The next 6 years? Or is it only a matter of time before the ligament snaps back? Either way it's been great watching him baffle hitters again this spring. Here's hoping his elbow can handle it.