Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Explaining Jeremy Lin's Early, Surprising Success

New Arm of the Week: Mat Latos

Mat Latos went from Futures to Majors in a week. Latos' debut with the Padres came on Sunday, making him the only rookie pitcher to make his debut in the weekend after the All Star break. Latos throws two fastballs (four-seam and two-seam), a breaking ball (let's call it a slider) and a straight change-up, according to KFFL:

Chris [Hadom] informed me that Latos actually ditched a knuckle change in favor of one with a more traditional grip.

Here's what I found, including the inning from the Futures Game:

Pitch                   #  MPH  PFX_X  PFX_Z
Change CH 1 83 -3.5 10.5
Two-seam Fastball F2 4 95 -6.3 8.0
Four-seam Fastball F4 59 96 -2.8 10.2
Slider SL 14 83 1.0 -0.2

Star-divide

Latos01_medium

Some Video

Interview:

 

Warm-ups from his debut:

 

Some Observations

  • Fly ball pitcher (28% GB, just 9% LD)
  • Attacks the zone (.610 with F4, .5 with SL)
  • Slider hasn't offered at (3 swings, 1 grounder, 2 fouls)
  • Missed a lot of bats with the fastball (.25 whiff rate on 32 swings)
  • Not enough two-seam fastballs (4) and change-ups (1) in the available data
  • Possibly three different looks on slider, or inconsistency, or fatigue

Take a look at the three sliders. #3 (shown in yellow) had less sink and more sweep. #2 (dark red) is about the same as the average variety (shown in bright green), #1 was the most curve-like of the bunch, sinking without sweeping like a 12-6 pitch.

Latos02_medium

Type "3" sliders appeared only at the end of his final inning on Sunday. Something to watch for next time out.

Comment 8 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

So his slider gets better as he tires?

Wow.

@bs_uf15bosox9be:OverTheMonster-ALLERGEN WARNING:May contain PB.

by bdalebs on Jul 21, 2009 2:26 PM EDT reply actions  

I dunno about that

First, I’m not certain he was tired, just wondering. It seems plausible, though. And I’m not sure which is better, one with sink or one with sweep. I guess it depends on what he’s trying to do, and if he even has any control over it.

by Harry Pavlidis on Jul 21, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

True.

Perhaps they’re different grips?

@bs_uf15bosox9be:OverTheMonster-ALLERGEN WARNING:May contain PB.

by bdalebs on Jul 21, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

Even though there are only four

It’s surprising he doesn’t throw that two-seamer more often. Looks nasty.

by Tommy Bennett on Jul 21, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions  

Harry, what’s the best way to eyeball the 4 seamer from the 2-seamer with the raw data?

by Mike Rogers on Jul 22, 2009 1:09 AM EDT reply actions  

It's easier for some pitchers

Sometimes you get two distinct clusters. The spin axis is usually a good way to find the cut-off. Which reminds me, it’s time to write that pitch classification tutorial…..

by Harry Pavlidis on Jul 22, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions  

Pitch classification tutorial would be fantastic!

by Mike Rogers on Jul 23, 2009 2:27 AM EDT up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

We use numbers and stuff.
Community Guidelines
Why be a member?

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Small
Context Neutral Run and RBI projections
Small
Free Agent Compensation
Img_0001_small
Value of Various Plate Approaches
Strike_three2_small
Effect of Foul Area on Strikeouts: AL 1954-68: Erratum
Small
Baseball on a stick
Small
Player Evaluating Statistic
Baseball_small
Rays Outfield: Cheap but Extremely Productive
Small
A new xBABIP
Small
Jack Morris "pitching to the score"
Strike_three2_small
Foul Area and Differences in SO: AL vs NL

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

SaberGraphics

MLB Daily Dish

Get the latest MLB Trade Rumors, Transactions, and News at MLB Daily Dish!


Managing Editor:

Jbopp-kc_small Justin Bopp

Columnists:

Adam_small adarowski

Dme_small Satchel Price

Closeup4_small J-Doug

Carlosicon_small Julian Levine

Billy_and_daddy_4th_of_july_small Bill Petti

Featuring:

Dayton_small Jeff Zimmerman

12475953_small Jacob Peterson

Picture-6_small Chris St. John

Btbpro_small Dave Gershman

229331_10150183361996591_674441590_6760167_6637860_n3_small Lewie Pollis

Img_3830_small David Fung