Drungo's Blog About Pitchers Throwing Harder Today - Question?

[Can_of_corn]

I didn't intend to type that but am riding home on a train and bouncing around and the phone must have defaulted to that word

I figured you for a rotary phone kinda guy.

[Old#5fan]

Incorrigible.

You are aware that Nolan Ryan who I believe holds the record for no hitters was a far cry from a soft tosser as were most pitchers of no hitters other than knuckleballers

[Old#5fan]

I figured you for a rotary phone kinda guy.

I phone wrong again with making assumption as usual

[weams]

How would you know?

It's a guess. It sounded loud when it hit the mitt!

[weams]

You are aware that Nolan Ryan who I believe holds the record for no hitters was a far cry from a soft tosser as were most pitchers of no hitters other than knuckleballers

Nolan Ryan threw very hard. And he is of the more modern era as well.

[OFFNY]

Assuming guys like Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, and Palmer threw in the 90's (saw all of them pitching in fairly close proximity seating in Memorial stadium) Phoebus looked every bit as fast. The fact he threw a no-hitter would also seem to attest to that as he wasn't throwing curve balls the entire game.

Incorrigible.

You are aware that Nolan Ryan who I believe holds the record for no hitters was a far cry from a soft tosser as were most pitchers of no hitters other than knuckleballers

Yes, I'm aware of that.

I'm also aware that there have been 146 no-hitters thrown since 1960, by more than 120 different pitchers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_no-hitters

As I said, you're incorrigible. You'll throw anything up against the board, regardless of whether or not it proves whatever claim that you're trying to make.

Phoebus may have thrown that fast, but your assertion that he once threw a no-hitter hardly attests to that.

[Old#5fan]

Well I say he likely did as I actually saw him pitch can you say that? Again he had a darn good heater too bad some else of my age group isn't on this thread that may have also seen him pitch since for some reason some of you seem to doubt my description

[OFFNY]

Well I say he likely did as I actually saw him pitch can you say that? Again he had a darn good heater too bad some else of my age group isn't on this thread that may have also seen him pitch since for some reason some of you seem to doubt my description

I don't doubt your description.

And I don't necessarily doubt that Phoebus threw in the mid-to-high 90's.

I just think that you sometimes make dubious claims that tend to take away from your credibility, rather than add to it.

[DrungoHazewood]

And I don't necessarily doubt that Phoebus threw in the mid-to-high 90's.

I most certainly do. He was 5' 8", 180ish. How many starting pitchers are there today who are of that stature who regularly throw in the mid-to-high 90s?

[OFFNY]

I most certainly do. He was 5' 8", 180ish. How many starting pitchers are there today who are of that stature who regularly throw in the mid-to-high 90s?

I don't know.

But there have been pitchers of small stature that have thrown that fast, so Phoebus' size does not necessarily prove that he could not have thrown that fast ...... just as Old Fan's assertion that Phoebus' throwing a no-hitter doesn't necessarily attest to/prove his claim that he did throw that fast.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't know.

But there have been pitchers of small stature that have thrown that fast, so Phoebus' size does not necessarily prove that he could not have thrown that fast ...... just as Old Fan's assertion that Phoebus' throwing a no-hitter doesn't necessarily attest to/prove his claim that he did throw that fast.

I think it makes it less likely. Since 1990 the leader in starts among pitchers who'll admit to being Phoebus' height or shorter is Daniel Garibay, with eight. That would not be the case if you could find 5' 8" starters who could throw 95 mph.

So, looked up Phoebus in the Neyer-James guide to pitchers. Quoted a source saying he threw a "strong overhand curve and a good fastball." I'd think that since when I was a kid in the 80s they called a MLB fastball one that went maybe 85 or 88 mph, if Phoebus had regularly thrown in the mid-90s 20 years prior they'd have called it something a bit more than "good".

[OFFNY]

I think it makes it less likely.

It may be less likely, but it's not impossible, which is what I stated.

[DrungoHazewood]

It may be less likely, but it's not impossible, which is what I stated.

Sure. Cursory Googling revealed a couple charts that all but dismissed an correlation between height and fastball velocity. But there are precious few starters that short who throw at any velocity nowadays.

[OFFNY]

Sure. Cursory Googling revealed a couple charts that all but dismissed an correlation between height and fastball velocity. But there are precious few starters that short who throw at any velocity nowadays.

Hazewood, you can be just as incorrigible and just as arrogant as Old Fan sometimes.

Also, another source has Phoebus throwing his fastball between, 91 and 93 M.P.H.

http://antiquityleague.anthonygiacalone.net/news/html/players/player_2146.html

Also, making presumptions based on "Since I was a kid in the mid 80's, this was considered the norm, so if anything extraordinary were happening 20 years earlier, I think I would have heard about it" is specious, at best.

[Can_of_corn]

Sure. Cursory Googling revealed a couple charts that all but dismissed an correlation between height and fastball velocity. But there are precious few starters that short who throw at any velocity nowadays.

Of course that could be due to being moved off the mound, or being encouraged to play other sports.