The purpose of this post is not to engage in sensationalism, but to take you on a journey of Jake Arrieta’s decline.
Contrary to what the ugly numbers are telling you, it all started back in May of 2016, not this year. Troubling warning signs from last season have continued to snowball into 2017, and maybe the snow is starting to give way and avalanche (okay, excuse the hyperbole here). In all seriousness, though, Arrieta’s poor start is not surprising; it was bound to happen.
Warning Sign #1: The slider disappears
In 2015, Arrieta became Jake Arrieta when he started churning 90+ mph sliders to batters regularly.