Although I usually skip the extended Josey-led discussions that are commonplace at LSB, I did take notice of the 97 comments that resulted from Josey's suggestion on Friday that Little Boy Donuts will not get credit for the Rangers' turnaround.  While reading through that thread, it occurred to me that Josey's interaction with the Rangers' cyber-fans is akin to a crafty left-hander pitching against the Rangers.  Josey's stuff isn't often very good, but he knows how to use it to bait opponents into swinging at pitches that are out of the strike zone.  Against a line-up that is anxious to rack up home-runs, the approach can be surprisingly effective.   

This revelation led me down the path of trying to understand Josey's repertoire.  Like most veterans, Josey has a handful of favorite pitches that he knows how to use to irritate and even infuriate his opponents.  Presented below are five of Josey's favorite pitches. 

The Nolan Ryan - Used approximately 4 times per week, the Nolan Ryan is Josey's fastball that he locates well to spark conversations that are often cordial, though he'll occasionally bust a Nolan Ryan up-and-in to set up another pitch.  The average number of comments that result from a Nolan Ryan reference is 12, though that number would be much lower if not for the many occasions when the Nolan Ryan is used in combination with a "Johnny Donuts/Boy Blunder" (see below).

The Galloway - Though used less frequently than the Nolan Ryan (~1.5 times per week), The Galloway averages the same number of responses (12 responses/mention) primarily because of its often shocking support of LSB's least favorite sports columnist.  The Galloway is a lot like Padilla's lollipop curve - it comes in so slow and easy that hitters line up to take a whack at it.  Unfortunately, the pitch creates a large number of pop-ups and foul balls that yield anger and frustration among the members of the opposing line-up.

The Bill James - The Bill James is Josey's highest velocity pitch, though he rarely throws it for strikes.  Used mostly for show, Josey whips off a Bill James less than once per week with approximately 9 responses per mention.  Beware the Bill James when Josey gets frustrated for he often uses the pitch to plunk an opponent immediately before leaving a game.  A favorite Josey retort as he exits a thread - "On this argument, I feel very comfortable siding with Bill James over you."

The Great Game - Used approximately once per week with ~5 responses per mention, the Great Game is like a knuckleball that flutters on its way to the plate.  Though occasionally a strike, the pitch is often well off the mark and only a problem for the worst hackers in the line-up.

The Johnny Donuts/Boy Blunder - Josey goes to the Donuts/Boy Blunder line approximately twice per week and gets a whopping 21 comments per mention.  The pitch is Josey's version of the split finger which he never throws in the strike zone but none-the-less induces a large number of strikes.  Nearly impossible to lay off, many an LSBer has taken a mighty hack only to find that the pitch has bounced before reaching the catcher. 

The Killer Combo - The Nolan Ryan followed by the Johnny Donuts is almost guaranteed to bring aggravation to those who are compelled to take a swing.  When you see Nolan Ryan in the title, keep a close eye for the Johnny Donuts in the follow-up text.  This combination produced the 97 comment thread mentioned in the introductory paragraph and is typically good for a 30 comment discussion/debate. 

Recommended Strategy When Facing Josey

Be patient and avoid over-swinging, otherwise you might find yourself looking like the Chris Davis of LSB.  Lay off the Galloways, the Johnny Donuts, and the other junk that the crafty lefty likes to throw.  If you can avoid swinging at these pitches, then Josey will be forced to throw the ball over the plate.  And when The Outlaw brings the ball into the strike zone, his fringe-average stuff is as easy to hit as a little leaguer's fastball.