Fangraphs: The Bottom of the Strike Zone

[srock]

I am going by what I saw when he was starting. He started off gangbusters as a starter, then the book came out and guys started taking the sinker, which wasn't being called a strike. He was forced to elevate it and it flattened out. He even went four seamer heavy a couple of starts.

Now maybe he has gained enough command of the pitch that even if the strike zone moves back up he will be able to adapt.

The Royals series would be a microcosm of what I remember seeing when he was starting and the zone was smaller.

No doubt, if you look back when he was a starter, he elevated the sinker far more often.

But this be due to fatigue and/or pacing himself.

His stuff really seams to 'play up' out of the pen, likely because he throws hard all the time.

So what he did as a starter is not highly comparable to his relief days.

[Can_of_corn]

No doubt, if you look back when he was a starter, he elevated the sinker far more often.

But this be due to fatigue and/or pacing himself.

His stuff really seams to 'play up' out of the pen, likely because he throws hard all the time.

So what he did as a starter is not highly comparable to his relief days.

Hard to tell. Maybe he elevated the sinker because he couldn't get called strikes on it? Called strikes he does get today.

I would be uncomfortable paying Britton his money if they move the strike zone up.

[srock]

Here is some wierdness.

Briton's vertical movement has actually decreases over the years. His sinke is actually moving less now then when he started.

His release speed however has increased in the same period, so that is a good explanation.

[srock]

Hard to tell. Maybe he elevated the sinker because he couldn't get called strikes on it? Called strikes he does get today.

I would be uncomfortable paying Britton his money if they move the strike zone up.

Squeamish maybe, but its far from conclusive.

Also, I wonder if Britton gets more strike calls at the bottom of the zone then other pitchers because his movement and velocity 'fools' the umpire? I guess that could work for or against him.