Gio Gonzalez...SUPERSTAR

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DOUGHBOYS
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Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Gio Gonzalez...SUPERSTAR

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:06 am

I get chided via texts and emails about my columns here. I like it because at least I know they're taking the time to read my Stuff.
One NFBC player is very PRO K.
By that, I mean that he loves his Strike Out pitchers.
Here is a text he sent me to try and put a burr under my saddle...

"No staff that didn't average 8.5 K per 9 or more made the playoffs. K's are King."

I looked to see just how many teams had a ratio of at least 8.5 K per 9 Innings.
I was bowled over.
26 of the 30 teams.
Geez, odds are, those teams SHOULD make the playoffs!

The Strike Out has become cheap.
It's not because todays pitchers are so good.
It's mostly because hitters are selling out.
They all want the home run.
The days of Pete Rose, Tony Gwynn, and Ichiro are gone.
Usher in Kyle Schwarber, Joey Gallo, and Miguel Sano.
It's all or nothing here on Home Run Derby!

Experts still take the time to remind us of hitters K-Rate.
We don't care.
We don't care how they make their outs. We only care when they effect one of our roto categories.
Miguel Sano struck out in 90 of 186 at bats last year. Almost half of his at bats!
Do we care?
Nope.
13th rounder.

Strike Outs have risen every year for the last umpteen years.
You may say that velocity has increased, thereby increasing strike outs.
Maybe so. But velocity has plateaued and even took a little dip in the past few years.
It is clear that the driving force behind K's are the hitters.
Remember choking up with two strikes?
Remember not wanting to make the ump make a decision on a close pitch with two strikes?
Remember when it was a little embarrassing to strike out.
Not today.
Hitters (missers) own their whiffs.

Here is how hitters have made this generations pitchers, Strikeout Kings...
We all know Gio Gonzalez.
Gio Gonzalez, by most everybody's account, an average pitcher.
He had some good years, bad years, average years.
Right?
He could never be compared to pitchers like Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, or David Cone.
But, he can.

Gio Gonzalez 8.66
Curt Schilling 8.6
Roger Clemens 8.55
David Cone 8.28

Those are the K per 9 for those pitchers.
In fact, todays batters have made Superstars of todays pitchers in that category.
Five of the six All Time K/9 Pitchers are active.
Here's that list....

Yu Darvish 11.11
Chris Sale 11.10
Max Scherzer 10.62
Randy Johnson 10.61
Stephen Strasburg 10.6
Jake deGrom 10.5

The thought of RANDY vs. todays hitters makes me smile.

This exercise has led me to believe that ALL pitchers now, can be considered strikeout pitchers.
Zach Davies is Clark Kent to Yu Darvish Superman by todays standards.
But todays hitters has made a Superman of sorts out of Davies when comparing him to past Hall of Fame pitchers.
Davies is like Gio Gonzalez.
We consider him average.
But he struck out 63 batters in 69 innings last year.
Enough to better most Hall of Fame pitchers in K rate.

Hitters are striking out in nearly 25 per cent of their at bats now.
A 9/9 K rate has become the norm.
In 1968, 'The year of the pitcher', just two pitchers had a 9/9 k rate.
Only three exceeded 8/9...
Sam McDowell 9.5
Luis Tiant 9.2
Mickey Loich 8.1
In 1968, the answer was to lower the mound to give hitters more of a chance.
Today, it's the hitters who are not giving themselves much of a chance.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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