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Around SBN: Pacquiao vs Bradley: Potential Undercard Fighters

New Arms of the Week - First of June

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)

Star-divide

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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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  

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  

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  

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  

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