Only 34 pitchers in 2018, threw a Complete Game.
Eight pitchers threw two Complete Games.
No pitchers threw more than two.
There were 19 Shutouts in 2018.
No pitcher threw more than one.
Back in the day, a hitter could 'dig in' on a pitcher that was no threat to hit him with a pitch.
Blake Snell hit one batsman in all of 2018.
Snell's ERA was 1.89
Dig that.
Tyler Chatwood walked 95 batters this year.
I knew that would get your attention, Joey Votto.
It was the most walks allowed by a pitcher since 2014.
And even at that, Chatwood was 'relieved' of his duties after just 103 innings.
Imagine if he had finished the season.
Take heart, Tyler.
The two pitchers who have given up the most BB's in a season?
They are in the Hall of Fame.
Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan.
They walked over 190 batters......
TWICE!
Speaking of four years ago...
In 2014, only 88 starting pitchers had enough innings to 'qualify' as Starting Pitchers...
Pretty easy stuff, really . Make 32 Starts. Throw five innings in each. Not even a 'Quality Start' is needed.
This past year, according to ESPN, just 58 Starters qualified.
Less than two per team.
Remember when we used to chuckle at the 'Quality Start' statistic?
Get this......
Only 22 qualifying starters averaged even just six innings per game in 2018.
No pitcher averaged seven innings per start.
One of those 'qualifying' Starters was Derek Holland.
A friend of mine had glowing remarks about Derek Holland.
Said he should be in the running for 'Comeback Player of the Year'.
Holland threw 171 innings, won seven games, 169 K's, 1.29 WHIP, 3.57 ERA
But all those innings and only SEVEN Wins? deGrom it!
Josh Hader threw half that many innings. 81.
Hader had six Wins AND 12 Saves. He also contributed almost as many K's (143) with a 0.81 WHIP and 2.43 ERA
Miles Mikolas threw 200 innings.
He had three more strike outs than Josh Hader.
Blake Treinen had 38 Saves and nine Wins
Edwin Diaz saved 57 games and went 0-4 in the W/L column
In most of my leagues, Treinen would be of more help.
The triumvirate of Rodney/Familia/Treinen was a 21 game winner
Jake Odorizzi struck out close to a batter an inning...
If that doesn't tell you that hitters are selling out in swinging hard with two strikes, nothing does
Dylan Bundy started 15 games from July 1 to the end of the season...
He gave up at least one home run in 14 of those games
In August and September, Bundy went 1-10 and allowed 15 homers...
BUT, he still k'd more than a batter an inning...
Woo...freakin...Hoo
THAT, is becoming too easy
Bundy has a split that is highly unusual
He finished the season 8-16 with a 5.45 ERA
In night games, 2-15 with a 7.48 ERA
In day games, 6-1 with a 2.28 ERA
Bundy is knockturnal
In seven full MLB seasons, Chris Sale has won 23 games in May....
In seven full MLB seasons, Chris Sale has won just eight September games
Randy VanWarmer sang 'Just When I Needed You Most'
I sing that song when owning Sale on fantasy teams the last two years....
When traded to Boston, it was thought that Sale would increase wins along with WHIP and ERA a bit...
This year, he only had 12 Wins, but set full seasonal career lows with an 0.86 WHIP and 2.11 ERA...
We know nothing
Some Pitching Stuff
Some Pitching Stuff
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!