Starting pitchers

[navamind]

It's pretty crazy to see how fewer innings pitchers are going just over the last few seasons.

Starting pitchers averaging 6+ IP/S (2009-18):
2018: 30
2017: 34
2016: 52
2015: 59
2014: 86
2013: 80
2012: 71
2011: 88
2010: 85
2009: 64

Pitchers with 200+ innings:
2018: 13
2017: 15
2016: 15
2015: 28
2014: 34
2013: 36
2012: 31
2011: 39
2010: 45
2009: 36


2018 Major League Baseball Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com
2018 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[navamind]

Another thing to note is just how few 120+ pitch games have been thrown. There's only been 12 in all of MLB this year. In 2009, there were 92.


There's only been 1211 games with 100-119 pitches thrown in 2018. There were 2085 in 2009. There were 2567 games where pitchers threw 80-99 pitches. In 2009, there were more games with 100-119 pitches thrown than there were with 80-99 pitches thrown (2049).

 

[navamind]

Year-by-Year Top-Tens Leaders &amp Records for Batters Faced | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[molsaniceman]

WELCOME TO THE BP ERA

 

[Mistaken4193]

Yeah, I think pretty soon we are not gonna see starters go more than 2 innings in the Playoffs.

 

[kburjr]

I haven't looked at the links yet. Do they have it broken down by league? The NL is starting to set up their own defacto DH.

 

[navamind]

I haven't looked at the links yet. Do they have it broken down by league? The NL is starting to set up their own defacto DH.

Those lists are all of MLB.

2018 American League Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

2018 National League Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[kburjr]

Those lists are all of MLB.

2018 American League Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

2018 National League Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

Thanks

 

[navamind]

There are currently 26 pitchers in MLB averaging 6+ IP per start this year. Scherzer leads the league at 6.7 with Kershaw behind at 6.5.

There's currently 14 pitchers averaging 100+ pitches per start. Only 3 are averaging more than 105 (Bauer, Lynn, Scherzer). In 2014, 43 pitchers averaged 100+ pitches and 11 of them averaged 105+.

There's been 12 games this year where a starting pitcher threw 120+ pitches in a game. Trevor Bauer accounts for 5 of those games.

Pitchers are averaging 87 pitches thrown per start. It was 96 in 2014.

2019 Major League Baseball Starting Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[Rod Freakin' Dangerfield]

I love it when Tom Glavine is in the analyst chair for Braves games. You can really tell it eats him up that starters are pulled so quickly. Even heard him, on several occasions when asked about how he'd react if he was pulled in that situation, say something along the lines of, "there'd be a fight."

I also love it when he scoffs at how if a ball is pitched in the dirt that it is automatically thrown out.

 

[navamind]

I love it when Tom Glavine is in the analyst chair for Braves games. You can really tell it eats him up that starters are pulled so quickly. Even heard him, on several occasions when asked about how he'd react if he was pulled in that situation, say something along the lines of, "there'd be a fight."

I also love it when he scoffs at how if a ball is pitched in the dirt that it is automatically thrown out.

Yeah, I'm just not a huge fan of the way starters are limited now even if it makes sense (keeping them from going through the order 3 times). I find the number of relievers used to be too excessive not to mention complete games are becoming an endangered species. It also used to be considered an insult for pitchers to be called a "6 inning pitcher", now it could be considered a compliment. Not only that, but pitcher's duels just aren't the same IMO.

The point of the thread was to illustrate just how much pitcher usage has changed. I think most baseball fans are well aware of how much baseball's pitcher usage has shifted, but I think it's even crazier when you look at it through certain metrics.

 

[navamind]

There are 16 pitchers in MLB averaging 6+ IP/GS. There's only been 5 occasions where a starter threw 120+ pitches, and only three pitchers averaging 100+ pitches per start (Bauer, Wheeler and Bieber).

 

[Cedrique]

Another weird thing that might have come out of all the pitch counts and stuff. We have a ton of no hitters this year but most of them don't seem to be from the power pitchers. Like if they held Nolan Ryan to the same pitch counts we use today would they have taken him out in some of those no-hitters? Like that one where he had 17 ks and 4 walks. That's a lot of pitches right there. On the other hand, if you got 17 strikeouts maybe they're not even fouling off that many.

 

[navamind]

Good observation... only a few of those pitchers have strikeout rates above the league average.

Maybe it's just me, but I was surprised to see the league average ERA for starting pitchers (4.28) isn't much higher than relievers (4.18). Starters have lower WHIPs (1.28 to 1.32)

 

[navamind]

There's no guarantee we see any 200 IP pitchers, though Wheeler, Buehler and Wainwright look like they should hit that mark.

 

[nynasty]

There's no guarantee we see any 200 IP pitchers, though Wheeler, Buehler and Wainwright look like they should hit that mark.

Cole would've gotten there easy if he didn't get Covid. Still got a good shot, he should be around 150 innings give or take after tonight.

 

[Cedrique]

Good observation... only a few of those pitchers have strikeout rates above the league average.

Maybe it's just me, but I was surprised to see the league average ERA for starting pitchers (4.28) isn't much higher than relievers (4.18). Starters have lower WHIPs (1.28 to 1.32)

Does that include relievers that are actually position players coming in in a blowout game?

 

[navamind]

Does that include relievers that are actually position players coming in in a blowout game?

Yes. Not sure where you can find position player pitching stats though.

 

[broncosmitty]

Yes. Not sure where you can find position player pitching stats though.

Not what you’re looking for, but this list is interesting.

Non-pitcher with Pitching Appearances | Baseball-Reference.com

A list of non-pitchers who pitched in a major league baseball game

www.baseball-reference.com