Velocity

[downsouth]

With starters throwing harder these days, do yall ever think with their increased velocity it reduces the effectiveness of relief pitchers? 

What I'm thinking is batters are seeing 95+ from the beginning of the game, which should make a relievers fastball easier to time. I know alot of it has to do with pitch movement, different arm angles, presentation and such. 

It just makes me wonder if the hard throwing starters are making it harder on relievers. What do yall think?

[Frobby]

Aren't relievers also throwing harder?

[Aristotelian]

Pretty sure relievers are more effective than ever. All the teams that have gone deep in the playoffs lately have had excellent bullpens, starting with that KC team that knocked us out in '14.

[wildcard]

When you are talking about starting pitching throwing harder you are not talking about the O's.   Bundy is averaging 92-93,  Miley is mostly a breaking ball pitcher.  Ubaldo is low 90s most of the time.  Gausman is a power pitcher who needs  better off speed stuff to be effective.  Tillman is having a hard time breaking 90 right now.  Maybe after the 3rd inning when he gets loose.

[downsouth]

Yes I think relievers are throwing harder, but your not seeing a big swing in velocity throughout the game. Your seeing 95-98 or so mostly, instead of upper 80s early and high 90s late. I could be totally off base on this, but it would just seem to me like it would make a fastball easier to time if it's about the same speed the whole game.

[downsouth]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

When you are talking about starting pitching throwing harder you are not talking about the O's.   Bundy is averaging 92-93,  Miley is mostly a breaking ball pitcher.  Ubaldo is low 90s most of the time.  Gausman is a power pitcher who needs  better off speed stuff to be effective.  Tillman is having a hard time breaking 90 right now.  May after the 3rd inning when he gets loose.

No I'm not talking about the O's starters. That was part of my theory of why their bullpen is so effective. I know O'Day and Hart present different angles, but Brach and Givens are effective with relatively straight mid 90s heat, which is something the hitters haven't seen throughout the game

[ArtVanDelay]

Very few starters sit 95. 

FG has 13 starters averaging 95 on their fastball.  Gausman is one. 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=sta&lg=all&qual=y&type=4&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=4,d

[Cumberbundy]

Worth noting that velocities are up this year because they are now measuring mph out of the hand rather than st 50ft. 

Speaking on Carlos Martinez Fangraphs notes: "He was popping 100, though it’s worth noting that they are measuring velocity differently this year which will yield about a +1 mph across the league. Instead of measuring at 50 feet, they are now measuring out of the hand."

http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/paul-sporers-bold-predictions/

 

This makes me more concerned about Bundy as the weather warms up and his luck evens out.