Avoiding 'Pitch To Contact' Pitchers?
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 2:49 pm
An NFBC friend of mine and I were talking about next year. We were doing this because, to put it bluntly, our teams suck this year.
My friend made a statement that I dislike. I didn't call him out on it and I know we'll talk later about it.
He said, "Next year, I am not going to draft 'pitch to contact' pitchers."
First of all. Bullshit.
There are not enough strike out pitchers to avoid 'pitch to contact' pitchers.
I mean, it sounds great to say, "I am only drafting guys that throw 100".
We sound smart saying it, but when the draft starts, the realization that those pitchers run short quickly manifests itself quickly.
'Pitch to contact' pitchers is a generalization.
A connotation that a pitcher cannot strike out a batter by blowing the ball by them.
Rafael Devers, a left handed batter saw a 101 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman and hit a home run to the opposite field.
Seriously. Does velocity count that much?
We have Chris Sale being occasionally great. Piling up strike outs. But not helping the E.R.A. and surely, not helping in the Wins category.
In the mean time, Zack Greinke is great again. Ryu may win a Cy Young Award.
Kershaw is throwing well WITHOUT previous velocity.
Kyle Hendricks may be the most well known 'pitch to contact' pitcher in baseball.
Greg Maddux Lite.
Hendricks leads Cubs starters in ERA and WHIP.
Yu Darvish leads the Cubs in strike outs.
Darvish has won three games this year. THREE games. He has started 21.
Darvish has never won a game at Wrigley Field as a Cub. (That has nothing to do with this piece. Just a terrific bit of trivia)
Darvish does not win a whole lot of games because he only averages five and a half innings per start.
A lot of things have to right for a pitcher that is throwing a lot of pitches in striking out and walking batters, to win games.
If Hendricks is the quintessential 'pitch to contact' pitcher, Darvish is quintessential 'hit or miss thrower'.
Really, this conversation should not come down to who would we rather have on our fantasy team, Hendricks or Darvish.
Although for me, pitchers like Darvish drive me crazy, so I would take Hendricks.
Instead, it should be about bullshitting ourselves.
My friend will draft 'pitch to contact' pitchers next year.
It just SOUNDS good saying that he won't.
Next year (especially with a 'normal' ball in play), may be different.
Weak contact may not mean a ball going over the fence next year.
We don't know.
My friend made a statement that I dislike. I didn't call him out on it and I know we'll talk later about it.
He said, "Next year, I am not going to draft 'pitch to contact' pitchers."
First of all. Bullshit.
There are not enough strike out pitchers to avoid 'pitch to contact' pitchers.
I mean, it sounds great to say, "I am only drafting guys that throw 100".
We sound smart saying it, but when the draft starts, the realization that those pitchers run short quickly manifests itself quickly.
'Pitch to contact' pitchers is a generalization.
A connotation that a pitcher cannot strike out a batter by blowing the ball by them.
Rafael Devers, a left handed batter saw a 101 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman and hit a home run to the opposite field.
Seriously. Does velocity count that much?
We have Chris Sale being occasionally great. Piling up strike outs. But not helping the E.R.A. and surely, not helping in the Wins category.
In the mean time, Zack Greinke is great again. Ryu may win a Cy Young Award.
Kershaw is throwing well WITHOUT previous velocity.
Kyle Hendricks may be the most well known 'pitch to contact' pitcher in baseball.
Greg Maddux Lite.
Hendricks leads Cubs starters in ERA and WHIP.
Yu Darvish leads the Cubs in strike outs.
Darvish has won three games this year. THREE games. He has started 21.
Darvish has never won a game at Wrigley Field as a Cub. (That has nothing to do with this piece. Just a terrific bit of trivia)
Darvish does not win a whole lot of games because he only averages five and a half innings per start.
A lot of things have to right for a pitcher that is throwing a lot of pitches in striking out and walking batters, to win games.
If Hendricks is the quintessential 'pitch to contact' pitcher, Darvish is quintessential 'hit or miss thrower'.
Really, this conversation should not come down to who would we rather have on our fantasy team, Hendricks or Darvish.
Although for me, pitchers like Darvish drive me crazy, so I would take Hendricks.
Instead, it should be about bullshitting ourselves.
My friend will draft 'pitch to contact' pitchers next year.
It just SOUNDS good saying that he won't.
Next year (especially with a 'normal' ball in play), may be different.
Weak contact may not mean a ball going over the fence next year.
We don't know.