Velocity and its effect on the game

[JohnU]

Well-researched article that covers a lot of how the game has changed over the years.
Well worth the read.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...&utm_term=.e260900fc7b7&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

 

[Sparhawk]

Cutters and sliders have more bite than ever.
Curveballs more rpm's.

Some great analytical stuff going on right now with how the game has evolved.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Cutters and sliders have more bite than ever.
Curveballs more rpm's.

Some great analytical stuff going on right now with how the game has evolved.

Some would call it devolution.

I hate 3 outcome baseball.

 

[Sparhawk]

Some would call it devolution.

I hate 3 outcome baseball.

While I know how these threads fare in the Politics Forum , I think we will find that this is how you have to survive to pitch in MLB.

Is small ball the equivalent of the long 2 in the NBA?

 

[Chewbaccer]

While I know how these threads fare in the Politics Forum , I think we will find that this is how you have to survive to pitch in MLB.

Is small ball the equivalent of the long 2 in the NBA?

There’s always gonna be the outliers that rely on movement and location, but yeah you’d better throw 95+ to be a pitcher today. Really, I wonder if guys like Maddie and Glavine would even be drafted in today’s game.

And small ball is a thing of the past.

I guess it’s why I like Nick Markakis. He’s not gonna hit many bombs, but that runner on third with one out is scoring every time.

 

[Sparhawk]

There’s always gonna be the outliers that rely on movement and location, but yeah you’d better throw 95+ to be a pitcher today. Really, I wonder if guys like Maddie and Glavine would even be drafted in today’s game.

And small ball is a thing of the past.
I guess it’s why I like Nick Markakis. He’s not gonna hit many bombs, but that runner on third with one out is scoring every time.

Ah, but it's not just about throwing really hard.

In my mind, a pitcher that throws 95 with minimal movement and/or deception will be less effective than the dude that throws 85-90 with lots of movement. Pitchers like Maddux and Glavine would always find work. Even Jamie Moyer would still be effective with that changeup and location.

Here's some light reading :
MLB Curves And Sliders Have Gotten Alarmingly Nasty

 

[tducey]

The game is changing for sure, we see pitches changing, wonder how hitters will adapt their game to the changes.

 

[JohnU]

Until hitters learn to adapt, not much is going to change. But as long as pitchers are being taught to pitch they way they do, hitters aren't going to see anything else so they aren't going to be able to adapt.

They can practice bunting, I guess, to beat the shifts. Nobody gets paid to dink 43-hoppers down the third base line so don't count on that happening over twice a month.

Defenses in MLB are getting better as players learn to be more versatile.

 

[The Q]

There’s always gonna be the outliers that rely on movement and location, but yeah you’d better throw 95+ to be a pitcher today. Really, I wonder if guys like Maddie and Glavine would even be drafted in today’s game.

And small ball is a thing of the past.

I guess it’s why I like Nick Markakis. He’s not gonna hit many bombs, but that runner on third with one out is scoring every time.

People forget how hard Maddux threw coming up. Plus he could take advantage of the analytics.

But the real strike zone would hurt too.

 

[wazzu31]

Until hitters learn to adapt, not much is going to change. But as long as pitchers are being taught to pitch they way they do, hitters aren't going to see anything else so they aren't going to be able to adapt.

They can practice bunting, I guess, to beat the shifts. Nobody gets paid to dink 43-hoppers down the third base line so don't count on that happening over twice a month.

Defenses in MLB are getting better as players learn to be more versatile.

All fair except evolving as a hitter isn’t what these new non baseball guys who have the ears of or are the GM’s. The only evolving a hitter is being taught is a dumbass launch angle.

It is like the NBA with their 3’s but unlike the NBA new baseball exec’s want their hitter instead of dunking it or an uncontested lay up they’d rather them kick it back out into a triple team and still shoot a 3.

 

[The Q]

All fair except evolving as a hitter isn’t what these new non baseball guys who have the ears of or are the GM’s. The only evolving a hitter is being taught is a dumbass launch angle.

It is like the NBA with their 3’s but unlike the NBA new baseball exec’s want their hitter instead of dunking it or an uncontested lay up they’d rather them kick it back out into a triple team and still shoot a 3.

I’d like the next evolution to be more bunts against the shift, especially for guys like Jackie Bradley.

But it is the most efficient way to score runs. It’s a lot harder to collect 3 hits and score a run with the new age velocity and spin rates. The problem is that hitters were ahead of the pitcher s for years, that now pitchers have caught up and maybe surpassed with spins rates and the higher mound.

 

[Kevin12773]

Kyle Hendricks threw an 81 pitch shutout last week never topping 88mph.

The good ole days

 

[Chewbaccer]

I’d like the next evolution to be more bunts against the shift, especially for guys like Jackie Bradley.

But it is the most efficient way to score runs. It’s a lot harder to collect 3 hits and score a run with the new age velocity and spin rates. The problem is that hitters were ahead of the pitcher s for years, that now pitchers have caught up and maybe surpassed with spins rates and the higher mound.

Home runs are definitely the easiest way to score. But when there's a runner on third with one out, I don't think it's asking a while lot to shorten up and make sure you get that run in, especially with 2 strikes.

 

[JohnU]

I suppose we could sell the contact-matters theory to the league but the Twins and the Dodgers have this thing going this year that says ... chicks love the long ball. Until the whole process is a failure, launch angle will still turn the announcers' underwear to wet panties.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I suppose we could sell the contact-matters theory to the league but the Twins and the Dodgers have this thing going this year that says ... chicks love the long ball. Until the whole process is a failure, launch angle will still turn the announcers' underwear to wet panties.

Twins entered play last night with the 3rd fewest strikeouts in baseball.

 

[wazzu31]

I’d like the next evolution to be more bunts against the shift, especially for guys like Jackie Bradley.

But it is the most efficient way to score runs. It’s a lot harder to collect 3 hits and score a run with the new age velocity and spin rates. The problem is that hitters were ahead of the pitcher s for years, that now pitchers have caught up and maybe surpassed with spins rates and the higher mound.

I would just like the numbers guys to do their homework. More stolen bases and putting runners in scoring position is more valuable through 8 innings than swinging out of your ass. The whole philosophy is based on bases loaded with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. Only having walks/k’s/homeruns as the only offensive philosophy is a losing philosophy as the entire history of baseball has shown. The best player since Mickey Mantle wasn’t a top 10 pick because analytics have taken over common sense and logic in baseball.

 

[The Q]

I would just like the numbers guys to do their homework. More stolen bases and putting runners in scoring position is more valuable through 8 innings than swinging out of your ass. The whole philosophy is based on bases loaded with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. Only having walks/k’s/homeruns as the only offensive philosophy is a losing philosophy as the entire history of baseball has shown. The best player since Mickey Mantle wasn’t a top 10 pick because analytics have taken over common sense and logic in baseball.

I don’t think it was analytics. More like probability and statistics.

Northern high school hitters haven’t had a strong historical track record.

 

[Sparhawk]

Another interesting article on player development and pitch spin speeds.

How the Astros Revolutionized Player Development

 

[navamind]

Twins entered play last night with the 3rd fewest strikeouts in baseball.

And the most home runs in the AL

 

[eaglesnut]

Lower the fucking mound and move back the fucking fences.

This shit has gotten so lame.