Pitch F/x and the Mariners
Dave · October 28, 2008 at 5:47 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Eric Siedman, my colleague over at FanGraphs, has a piece at his blog today looking at the Mariners pitching staff through the Pitch F/x data.
It’s more fun to read than the thread below this, I’ll tell you that.
It’s definitely a better read, but no less depressing.
Our seemingly entrenched bad/expensive pitchers appear to cripple any rapid rebuilding effort. (And by rapid I mean 2 years to contend).
I do take issue with the ‘they can’t possibly be worse’ comment by Mr. Siedman as regards Silva and Bautista…wanna bet? Now if he’d said ‘they couldn’t be less value for the cost’…well sure.
The bullpen walk problem – was it due to the relative youth of the pen? Actually, that raises a question. Convensional Wisdom says pitchers are more wild when they’re young and gain control as they age. Is that true, or just a myth? I know I should go chug some numbers myself, but does anyone have info on that?
I took a quick look at Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. Here are their BB/9 over five year periods:
Ages Ryan Clemens
21-25 5.7 2.4
26-30 5.5 2.6
31-35 4.4 3.4
36-40 3.9 3.3
Interesting. Ryan shows a steady decline in walks, Clemens an increase. Well, both are fairly exceptional pitchers in their own ways and not much to hang a theory on. But I am curious.
Eric mentioned the name of whom we shall not speak in reference to Morrow. Any chance one of our mods could delete his post (while adding a really snarkdelicious mod comment)?