NFT: Great piece by Verducci on trend away from fastballs

Thanks for sharing.

I know this is a great article because I wish I wrote it. This is something you sense from watching so many games but its great that it is now documented.

In comment 13532108 ChicagoMarty said:

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Thanks for sharing. I know this is a great article because I wish I wrote it. This is something you sense from watching so many games but its great that it is now documented.

Agree, it seemed that way, but I didn't sense it was that dramatic

but Smoltz was a great listen a few weeks back with Francesa. Talked about how prospects fall through the cracks if they don't have top end speed and that teams need to do a better job of not ignoring them since command and accuracy is supreme.

In comment 13532111 UConn4523 said:

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but Smoltz was a great listen a few weeks back with Francesa. Talked about how prospects fall through the cracks if they don't have top end speed and that teams need to do a better job of not ignoring them since command and accuracy is supreme.

I heard that too. It was a great interview

.

Front offices definitely seemed to fall in love with the guys who throw 97-99 in recent years and it looked like something that was being really overvalued.

FB velo is sexy and looks cool but give me a guy who can locate, change eye levels, and throw strikes with his secondary stuff any day of the week.

The Mets definitely relied too much on flamethrowers and it was fat Bartolo Colon who wound up being one of their more reliable pitchers in terms of taking the mound every 5th day and giving them a decent outing.

Pitchers don't have much use if they're always hurt.

thanks

Is going to have a chance

In comment 13532111 UConn4523 said:

Quote:

but Smoltz was a great listen a few weeks back with Francesa. Talked about how prospects fall through the cracks if they don't have top end speed and that teams need to do a better job of not ignoring them since command and accuracy is supreme.

Smoltz is a great listen about all things pitching and developing pitchers.

but it also touches on the possible downside - blown elbows. It cites how Pineda was a slider throwing machine this season - then blew out his elbow

I think it's still hard to statistically prove correlation between more breaking balls and higher risk of elbow injury, but it's a risk worth including in the discussion.

the Mets, is behind the curve.

Literally.

In comment 13532535 mfsd said:

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but it also touches on the possible downside - blown elbows. It cites how Pineda was a slider throwing machine this season - then blew out his elbow I think it's still hard to statistically prove correlation between more breaking balls and higher risk of elbow injury, but it's a risk worth including in the discussion.

Great point. Bill James has written about how the great fastball pitchers tend to have longer careers than the crafty nibblers.

The starting pitching for the Yankees may not be as bad as I've been thinking lately. They just lack that one dominant ace that a championship team likes to have.

In comment 13532729 Milton said:

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The starting pitching for the Yankees may not be as bad as I've been thinking lately. They just lack that one dominant ace that a championship team likes to have.

Interesting perspective. I'm literally sitting on a bus thinking about how the Yankees SP is so insufficient.

We may see more pitchers requiring Tommy John surgery. Breaking balls place quit a bit more strain on the elbow.