Friday, December 21, 2012
Pirates, Liriano agree to two-year, $14 million deal
(mlb.mlb.com)
This is a better use of money than 2/17 on Russell Martin. Liriano could be this year’s version of A.J. Burnett.
This is a better use of money than 2/17 on Russell Martin. Liriano could be this year’s version of A.J. Burnett.
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1. McCoy Wilfong for Money posted on August 01, 2012 at 04:17 PM # hit 0 | hit 0I have been in a cave for the last four months, with only CAIRO projections to read.
Is there passed ball data for pitchers? I know catchers always have WP and PB number put together on their b-ref stat lines.
Also, I haven't seen a single mention here of the Pirates' "Zoltan Z" gesture, a phenomenon that should be sweeping the nation like the Red Sox's "Cowboy up", the 2009 Brewers' shirt-untucking ritual, and Quentin Richardson's antenna thing all rolled into one.
Here's a brief primer.
That probably has a big role -- but you can also look at his K/BB and BB/9 number -- his K/BB ratio has gone from 2.01, 1.86, and 2.08 in NYY to 2.76 in PIT; while his BB/9 number has gone from 4.2, 3.8, and 3.9 to 2.7. His HR/9 rate has also basically been halved.
Marry that with his WP/PB and HBP numbers and I think the answer is pretty simple.... he's pitching a lot better. When you walk better than 1 fewer per 9, throw a ton few WPs, hit a ton fewer batters, and chop your HR rate in half -- you're going to have a much better season.
The weird thing is, Burnett's WP went UP in 2011 from 2009-2010, even though he was pitching to a markedly better catcher (Posada was absolutely hopeless at blocking balls in the dirt toward the end). Maybe he really was just totally screwed up (mechanically and/or mentally) in NY.
And over 31,000? Really? Was it 30,000 Pirate fans because that would explain the first bit too.
On Burnett ... did the Pirates just simplify? "Hey, AJ -- y'know that pitch you keep throwing past the catcher and walking guys on? Maybe we should stop throwing that one."
On Burnett ... did the Pirates just simplify?
Unless an injury is involved, I usually chalk something like this up to game planning and pitch sequencing. The Pirates plan and pitch sequences are better tuned to A.J.'s strengths than whatever the Yankees were doing. Burnett obviously talented, it never made sense he wasn't better in New York. They were probably just using him wrong.
Obviously just speculation on my part. I was a fastball/change up pitcher with shitty breaking stuff. If my manager or catcher decided that I need to attack these guys with curve balls, I was going to have a problem. Coversations like: "This guy can't hit a good curve ball". "Well, I can't throw a good curve ball so I guess we're even".
...it was confirmed that AJ Burnett is a choker.
EDIT: I mean before they signed him.
Nah, all his peripherals (including UER, of which he's only allowed one) show he's been better this year. And while every start counts, his third outing is really doing a lot of heavy lifting on his overall numbers (negatively speaking). More than one-quarter of the runs he's allowed on the year were in that single, take-one-for-the club outing.
That's what I meant in my speculation. Something like "hey, AJ, ever notice that 65% of your sliders are outside the zone, including the 30 that got past the catcher, and the ones in the zone get hammered? What do you way we throw fewer of those?"
If I can find the quote later I will link it.
And a brief window of opportunity opens for Patriots' punter Zoltan Mesko to sign a lucrative endorsement contract in Pittsburgh.
Bruce Froemming drops in to scream: "Ball Four!"
Great... now I know why Milt Pappas suddenly appeared began pissing in my ear.
I think Jason Giambi got there first.
Heh.
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