New Arms of the Week - First of June

by Harry Pavlidis on Jun 8, 2009 11:00 AM EDT Comment 5 comments

Jess Todd was one of two Memphis Redbirds who got the call last week.

This week we introduce nine young pitchers from three countries. PITCHf/x data after the jump.

Antonio Bastardo (PHI) Undrafted Free Agent 2007 - 9/21/85 Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic - Started 2009 closing games in Double-A and made two starts in the Majors this week

Tommy Hanson (ATL) - 22nd round 2006 Riverside Community College - 8/28/86 Tulsa, OK - We've seen Tommy's PITCHf/x before thanks to an exhibition start in April; the only shock about his call-up is that it coincided with the release of Tom Glavine

Blake Hawksworth (STL) 28th round 2001 - Bellevue Community College - 3/1/83 North Vancouver, BC - Second stint in Triple-A Memphis was a big improvement over 2008

Steven Jackson (PIT) 10th round 2004 by Arizona - Clemson University - 3/15/82 Eutawville, SC - Waived by the Yankees in May, was part of the Randy Johnson trade in 2007

Matt Maloney (CIN) 3rd round 2005 by PHI - University of Mississippi - 1/16/84 Sandusky, OH - Known for his command, acquired from the Phillies in 2007 in the Kyle Lohse trade

Vin Mazzaro (OAK) 3rd round 2005 - Rutherford High School - 9/27/86 Hackensack, NJ - Proved tough to hit in his second brief stint in Triple-A and was a two-start pitcher this week for the A's

Travis Schlichting (LAD) 4th round 2003 by TB - Round Rock High School - 10/29/84 Denver, CO - Drafted as an infielder, the Dodgers are his third team, and first to call him up

Jess Todd (STL) 2nd round 2007 - University of Arkansas - 4/20/86 Kilgore, TX - Moved to the bullpen for 2009, had 32 K and 7 BB in 24.1 innings for Memphis; played in 2008 Futures Game, so this isn't his first look via PITCHf/x

Wes Whisler (CHA) 2nd round 2004 - UCLA - 4/7/83 Noblesville, IN - Not overwhelming stuff (just 4.8 K/9) but attractive Triple-A ERAs (3.92, 2.81)

Key:
CH = change-up
CU = curveball
F2 = Two-seam fastball (sinker)
F4 = Four-seam fastball (fastball)
FC = Cutter
FS = Splitter
SL = Slider or Slurve
pfx_x = spin movement in inches, lateral (negative is to catcher's left)
pfx_z = spin movement in inches, vertical (negative top spin/more sink than gravity)
deg = spin axis, adjusted for arm angle
rpm = spin rate

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Wes Whisler	CH	5	0	5	79.7	6.5	4.4	122.1	1,483.3
Wes Whisler	F2	3	2	1	89.1	10.2	3.6	109.4	2,143.6
Wes Whisler	F4	17	12	5	88.7	5.8	9.4	147.2	2,217.5
Wes Whisler	SL	5	2	3	84.5	1.7	4.2	158.3	865.9

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Steven Jackson	CH	18	7	11	84.5	-7.3	5.7	231.8	1,765.2
Steven Jackson	F2	41	19	22	90.9	-6.5	8.2	218.1	2,119.4
Steven Jackson	F4	9	4	5	91.2	-3.1	11.1	194.9	2,333.3
Steven Jackson	SL	10	0	10	83.8	1.3	3.8	147.6	887.0

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Antonio Bastardo	CH	14	0	14	84.9	7.1	9.4	142.4	2,223.1
Antonio Bastardo	F4	161	63	98	92.9	5.3	11.3	154.5	2,571.6
Antonio Bastardo	SL	29	18	11	83.0	-2.0	3.1	222.1	808.2

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Blake Hawksworth	CH	6	3	3	82.5	-9.7	1.6	260.5	1,808.6
Blake Hawksworth	CU	7	2	5	76.3	2.4	-5.8	22.8	1,069.6
Blake Hawksworth	F2	14	10	4	92.8	-10.3	5.0	244.0	2,361.6
Blake Hawksworth	SL	1	0	1	87.0	-2.3	2.7	219.8	691.4

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Travis Schlichting	CH	4	4	0	86.4	-8.1	4.4	241.7	1,762.7
Travis Schlichting	F2	24	15	9	94.0	-7.3	7.7	223.3	2,220.9
Travis Schlichting	F4	6	3	3	93.8	-4.5	9.8	204.6	2,229.4
Travis Schlichting	SL	6	1	5	83.6	2.7	0.9	105.9	581.3

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Tommy Hanson	CH	1	1	0	83.8	-2.8	8.0	199.3	1,600.6
Tommy Hanson	CU	29	15	14	76.0	7.1	-7.4	44.1	1,738.1
Tommy Hanson	F2	4	3	1	92.4	-9.0	6.0	236.3	2,250.8
Tommy Hanson	F4	92	35	57	93.6	-5.8	8.8	213.5	2,229.7
Tommy Hanson	SL	32	8	24	84.4	3.0	0.7	110.3	736.8

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Matthew Maloney	CH	34	0	34	80.3	10.3	5.8	119.3	2,107.5
Matthew Maloney	CU	6	1	5	72.5	-2.9	-5.8	276.5	1,063.9
Matthew Maloney	F4	45	4	41	89.2	7.8	10.3	142.8	2,538.2
Matthew Maloney	SL	4	1	3	78.7	0.9	-2.1	26.9	435.8

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Vin Mazzaro	CH	15	14	1	86.7	-6.8	3.4	243.2	1,466.0
Vin Mazzaro	CU	17	5	12	82.3	2.6	-2.8	41.1	720.1
Vin Mazzaro	F2	139	71	68	93.5	-9.3	5.8	237.4	2,292.4
Vin Mazzaro	F4	4	1	3	94.4	-6.7	9.2	215.7	2,379.1
Vin Mazzaro	SL	34	7	27	86.5	0.0	2.7	182.3	616.0

Pitcher	Pitch	#	v LHH	v RHH	MPH	pfx_x	pfx_z	Deg	RPM
Jesse Todd	CH	2	1	1	82.9	-3.9	0.5	261.9	760.8
Jesse Todd	F2	19	12	7	90.1	-3.7	2.8	232.3	951.4
Jesse Todd	F4	24	12	12	90.3	-2.5	4.8	205.8	1,107.9
Jesse Todd	SL	16	7	9	84.7	2.7	-0.6	103.1	662.6

Background info from Baseball Cube and Minor League Ball

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Comments

a quick overview

of some good ranges that these numbers should be in

like bastardo’s changeup has an RPM that is wayy more than other people. help me interpret!

by jamiethekiller on Jun 8, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

and on your left is the Holy Grail :-)

Turning this #’s into “should be” ranges is somewhere on the horizon. These are (a) indirect and (b) estimated measures. Even direct measures are tough to use like that.

That said, I didn’t even notice his high RPM. Pretty interesting.

RPM is heavily impacted by limitations of PITCHf/x. For example, sliders spin faster than they seem in PFX data, but their spin axis is oriented in such a way that the rate is underestimated in the calculations. The spin rate, in general, highly correlates to the spin movement. I’m not sure it adds value, yet, and it isn’t something I include all the time for that reason. It’s an interesting curiosity, but your question may spark some more thoughts, for me and other readers.

for the spin movement, One way to look at them is to consider the difference between fastballs and the other pitches. That gives you an idea of how much a hitter may experience the movement, as in Bastardo’s change drops (due to spin) only two inches more than his fastball, it’s pretty straight in that regard. Travis Schilttling (great name which I’ll never spell the same twice) has a huge drop on his change, relative to the heater.

by Harry Pavlidis on Jun 8, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for some clarity

looking more into the RPM of his changeup. its been said that his change-up is a plus pitch for him. its 8MPH slower(would like 2 more MPH difference on that), but if he has good arm speed and the RPM of it being so close to his fastball i would think that its a highly deceptive pitch?

by jamiethekiller on Jun 8, 2009 1:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

8 mph is fine, so is 7mph, 10 may not be better

But I like the thought about spin rate increasing deception. The spin axis is pretty close, so the appearance of the pitch, to a hitter, could indeed be very close. Hmm. I’ve seen speed gap studies on change effectiveness, but I think this is a very interesting idea.

by Harry Pavlidis on Jun 8, 2009 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs