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He is very good; though the Doc is in Philly now; so not sure there is a clear cut front-runner
You don't think there is a clear front runner?
How about Mr. 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA, Ubaldo Jimenez.
Tim Lincecum this year so far: 8-3 with a 3.13 ERA, not bad but Tim has NOTHING on Ubaldo. Except for a few more strike outs
Roy Halladay this year so far: 9-6 with a 2.29 ERA, WAY to many losses to compete with Tim let alone Ubaldo. Tim has more strike outs and Ubaldo has less but Ubaldo blows Tim and Roy out of the water with the Win/loss percentage and the ERA, and he isn't bad with strike outs. I'd definitely say we have a clear cut front-runner.
His velocity during the game showed a pretty obvious decreasing trend the few innings that he was in there
This graph doesn't say much other than that he uses fastballs AND off speed pitches. Those down spikes are the off speed pitches. If it was straight all the way through, people would catch up to his stuff and he would get hurt.
This graph doesn't say much other than that he uses fastballs AND off speed pitches. Those down spikes are the off speed pitches. If it was straight all the way through, people would catch up to his stuff and he would get hurt.
Look at the fastest of the first 16 pitches. Well above 92 MPH.
Look at the fastest of the last 20 or so pitches. Well below 90 MPH.
After making his start today against the Rays, Justin Verlander has now taken the hill 24 times this year, throwing 2,674 pitches on the season. Roy Halladay has also taken the hill 24 times, and has thrown 2,623 pitches, 51 fewer than the Tigers ace, and yet he’s thrown 28 more innings than Verlander – 185 to 157.
Now, this isn’t meant to be a knock on Verlander – few pitchers can rack up the innings like Halladay. It does, however, illustrate one of the big advantages that that groundball strike-throwers have over dominating power pitchers who get a lot of outs in the air.
Groundballs vs flyouts also mean little. It's these 2 vs. strikeouts. Contact pitchers usually throw less pitches per inning when they have good control.
Speed means nothing. Changing speeds and fooling batters is much more effective and that's what made Greg Maddux such a GREAT pitcher.
Of course speed is meaningful. You admit that changing speeds to fool batters is critical, so it would follow that the fellow with the greater range of speeds would have more room for changing. The guy who can choose between throwing 75 mph and 98 mph, enjoys an advanatge over the one who can alter speeds between 75 mph and 88 mph.
Further, the faster that you can throw, the harder it becomes for a hitter to try and anticipate an off speed pitch. Hitting a 98 mph fastball calls for an early decision to swing on the part of the batter, if he is hesitates trying to determine if it is a slider or curve, he won't have time to make contact. Speed turns selective hitters into guess hitters.
Speed is not the only meaningful thing, and being the fastest pitcher doesn't mean that you are the best pitcher, but it is certainly an advantage and certainly is very meaningful.
Of course speed is meaningful. You admit that changing speeds to fool batters is critical, so it would follow that the fellow with the greater range of speeds would have more room for changing. The guy who can choose between throwing 75 mph and 98 mph, enjoys an advanatge over the one who can alter speeds between 75 mph and 88 mph.
Further, the faster that you can throw, the harder it becomes for a hitter to try and anticipate an off speed pitch. Hitting a 98 mph fastball calls for an early decision to swing on the part of the batter, if he is hesitates trying to determine if it is a slider or curve, he won't have time to make contact. Speed turns selective hitters into guess hitters.
Speed is not the only meaningful thing, and being the fastest pitcher doesn't mean that you are the best pitcher, but it is certainly an advantage and certainly is very meaningful.
Sometimes dude you have to read between the lines and stop being so literal. What my comment means is that if a guy throws 93-95 every pitch it is not as good as a guy who throws 90 and then 78-80. I feel like i'm talking to my young kids. Pitches of varied speeds are much better than a solid fastball every pitch. Got it? Also speed does NOT turn selective hitters into guys that guess. Varied speeds do that!!!
Sometimes dude you have to read between the lines and stop being so literal. What my comment means is that if a guy throws 93-95 every pitch it is not as good as a guy who throws 90 and then 78-80. I feel like i'm talking to my young kids. Pitches of varied speeds are much better than a solid fastball every pitch. Got it? Also speed does NOT turn selective hitters into guys that guess. Varied speeds do that!!!
I do not think that I have an obligation to read between the lines, I think that you have an obligation to state what you mean in terms so clear that no one is required to try and interpret it or guess at what it means. If the above is what you actually meant, then the above is what you should have written the first time.
You didn't. You wrote "Speed means nothing."
So there.
Take that.
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