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Eno Saris: Best MLB pitches of 2023


Moose Milligan

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It's mostly a review of how guys did related to Stuff+.

Stuff + is defined here: https://library.fangraphs.com/pitching/stuff-location-and-pitching-primer/

This is the essence of it:

" Stuff+ looks only at the physical characteristics of a pitch. Important features include, but are not limited to, release point, velocity, vertical and horizontal movement, and spin rate. A pitcher’s secondary pitches are defined based on their primary fastball — with “primary” defined by usage in an outing — and so are judged by velocity and movement differentials along with raw velocity and movement numbers. The model also includes “axis differential,” a statistic that attempts to describe the difference between the movement expected by spin alone and the observed movement affected by the phenomenon described as seam-shifted wake....Generally, the model aims to capture the “nastiest” pitches in baseball, using a decision tree-based model to capture the nonlinear relationships that exist across release points, velocities, pitch movement, and more."

This really lends credence to the concept that Felix is a complete freak of nature. Here's to hoping he comes back in 2025 and is healthy and effective.  

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Eno on Rates and Barrels the other day characterized Pitcher List's Nick Pollack's overall dislike for splitters as rooted in it generically being a pitch almost impossible to command.

Looking at the best splitters of 2023 by the Stuff+ metric, it does look like except for Chris Martin, the pitcher's overall Location component scores are low.    No surprise to see Shintaro Fujinami's the very lowest!

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&type=36&season=2023&month=0&season1=2023&ind=0&qual=50&sortcol=6&sortdir=default&pagenum=1

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23 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

It's mostly a review of how guys did related to Stuff+.

Stuff + is defined here: https://library.fangraphs.com/pitching/stuff-location-and-pitching-primer/

This is the essence of it:

" Stuff+ looks only at the physical characteristics of a pitch. Important features include, but are not limited to, release point, velocity, vertical and horizontal movement, and spin rate. A pitcher’s secondary pitches are defined based on their primary fastball — with “primary” defined by usage in an outing — and so are judged by velocity and movement differentials along with raw velocity and movement numbers. The model also includes “axis differential,” a statistic that attempts to describe the difference between the movement expected by spin alone and the observed movement affected by the phenomenon described as seam-shifted wake....Generally, the model aims to capture the “nastiest” pitches in baseball, using a decision tree-based model to capture the nonlinear relationships that exist across release points, velocities, pitch movement, and more."

This really lends credence to the concept that Felix is a complete freak of nature. Here's to hoping he comes back in 2025 and is healthy and effective.  

You’ve probably seen this, but for others here is a good article on Stuff+ that gets into the weeds.

https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2021/12/what-is-stuff-quantifying-pitches-with-pitch-models/

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38 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Eno on Rates and Barrels the other day characterized Pitcher List's Nick Pollack's overall dislike for splitters as rooted in it generically being a pitch almost impossible to command.

Came here to say this.  Plus Enos said that "if" a guy can command the splitter then it's among the best pitches.  

Probably why Fuji was enticing at the trade deadline last year...

 

As much pub as Strider rightfully gets on his SL, it's nice to see Bradish force his way into the discussion too.  Yes, I put them in the same sentence and I'm fine with that...  :)

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2 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

Came here to say this.  Plus Enos said that "if" a guy can command the splitter then it's among the best pitches.  

Probably why Fuji was enticing at the trade deadline last year...

 

As much pub as Strider rightfully gets on his SL, it's nice to see Bradish force his way into the discussion too.  Yes, I put them in the same sentence and I'm fine with that...  :)

Fuji was enticing because he was cheap to acquire.

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I wonder how far Clubs go down the road with training techniques and isolating "Pitching is proactive, hitting is reactive" process.

I've heard Joey Votto describe his process to try and simplify the human on the mound to a pitching machine, and on the other side Kevin Costner's "clear the mechanism" in a C-list baseball movie dramatizes the pitcher's goal to only see the glove.

Leaning into the shtick, as the Orioles are crafting say Teddy Sharkey or Luis De Leon's training, would it go so far as trying to minimize them from worrying much about who Aaron Judge even is?

They are pitching in the 2025 playoffs and maybe think "that guy's kind of big" but then "let me get back to the speaker in my hat and Adley's target".

One of Spencer Strider's comments after Nick Castellanos homered off a 100mph fastball was notable - conversationally in the aftermath of a devastating loss he had it like "I haven't given up a HR on a 98mph+ fastball all year".     It was pretty matter of fact -- pitches are data, I controlled what I can control.     

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11 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I wonder how far Clubs go down the road with training techniques and isolating "Pitching is proactive, hitting is reactive" process.

I've heard Joey Votto describe his process to try and simplify the human on the mound to a pitching machine, and on the other side Kevin Costner's "clear the mechanism" in a C-list baseball movie dramatizes the pitcher's goal to only see the glove.

Leaning into the shtick, as the Orioles are crafting say Teddy Sharkey or Luis De Leon's training, would it go so far as trying to minimize them from worrying much about who Aaron Judge even is?

They are pitching in the 2025 playoffs and maybe think "that guy's kind of big" but then "let me get back to the speaker in my hat and Adley's target".

One of Spencer Strider's comments after Nick Castellanos homered off a 100mph fastball was notable - conversationally in the aftermath of a devastating loss he had it like "I haven't given up a HR on a 98mph+ fastball all year".     It was pretty matter of fact -- pitches are data, I controlled what I can control.     

I’d be surprised if they didn’t have an entire department that focuses on best mental approach custom tailored to each player.  This stuff is leaking down to HS and youth levels now.  Here’s a link to a local guy (I’m sure many are familiar with) who also works with teams & players as a consultant.  Knowing the Os forward thinking and outside the box thinking, I have to imagine they have a custom in house program.  
 

Edited by emmett16
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1 hour ago, emmett16 said:

You’ve probably seen this, but for others here is a good article on Stuff+ that gets into the weeds.

https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2021/12/what-is-stuff-quantifying-pitches-with-pitch-models/

Thank you! I have been looking for a good explanation of seam shifted wake effect. I found a good one through the link you provided.

https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2020/11/more-than-what-it-seams-an-introduction-to-seam-shifted-wakes-and-their-effect-on-sinkers/

Much obliged!

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12 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

I’d be surprised if they didn’t have an entire department that focuses on best mental approach custom tailored to each player.  

Kathryn Rowe used to head it up.  Maybe still does?

 

28 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I wonder how far Clubs go down the road with training techniques and isolating "Pitching is proactive, hitting is reactive" process.

I've heard Joey Votto describe his process to try and simplify the human on the mound to a pitching machine, and on the other side Kevin Costner's "clear the mechanism" in a C-list baseball movie dramatizes the pitcher's goal to only see the glove.

Leaning into the shtick, as the Orioles are crafting say Teddy Sharkey or Luis De Leon's training, would it go so far as trying to minimize them from worrying much about who Aaron Judge even is?

They are pitching in the 2025 playoffs and maybe think "that guy's kind of big" but then "let me get back to the speaker in my hat and Adley's target".

One of Spencer Strider's comments after Nick Castellanos homered off a 100mph fastball was notable - conversationally in the aftermath of a devastating loss he had it like "I haven't given up a HR on a 98mph+ fastball all year".     It was pretty matter of fact -- pitches are data, I controlled what I can control.     

Swing decisions and simulated BP (instead of meatballs) are part of the proactive hitting approach.  They work on pitch recognition right out of the hand.  Definitely leaning into it.

Was "pitch to the heart of the plate" a coded way of saying "ignore the fact that Judge is looming" and trust your stuff.  We euphemize so much that goes much deeper from a human psyche perspective.  

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