This Is Terrifying

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 25, 2009 2:43 PM PDT in Seattle Mariners Stats

Hernandez credited an on-form changeup for his high strikeout total.

"The strikeouts, everything was changeups," Hernandez said. "It was unbelievable today. First time I've had a changeup like this."

Felix recorded 17 swinging strikes against the Jays. Three of them came on what, according to the PITCHf/x data, were unmistakably breaking balls. Of the 14 remaining, the slowest was 89.5mph, and the other 13 all came in higher than 90.6.

He also recorded 11 strikeouts. Three of them came on breaking balls. The others were all 90.6mph or above.

Either Felix doesn't differentiate between his two-seamer and his changeup in his head, or he was throwing his changeup faster than Johan throws his fastball.

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Felix's stuff seems to have changed from year to year. I feel his changeup is in need of greater analysis, because the more I watch it the more it's movement reminds me of a splitter.

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Sep 25, 2009 3:01 PM PDT reply actions

I think his changeup got faster again and broke Gameday

According to Brooks Baseball he threw:
78 FourSeam Fastballs
8 Sinkers
7 Sliders
15 Curves

When you look at the Horizontal Movement x Speed and Vertical Movement x Speed graphs it looks like a fair amount of the pitches were mislabeled.

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 3:03 PM PDT reply actions

Horizontal Movement x Speed

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions

When I went into the data I only classified four changeups

Because I didn’t think anything at 90.6 or above could be a changeup.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 25, 2009 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

According to Fangraphs, his change is averaging 89.1 MPH this year

Would it be that much of a stretch to assume that something in the low 90s would be possible from a change? Or would that be another pitch altogether?

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions

No, it's not a stretch at all, which just blows my mind

I can’t really tell his fastball and changeup apart anymore.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 25, 2009 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if batters can't tell them apart anymore either.

Everyone always talks about the ideal difference in speed between a fastball and a change. If Felix is throwing his FB around 95 and his change around 91-92, is there enough difference between the two considering both speed and movement to throw batters off?

Based on the 17 swinging strikes last night, I’d guess yes.

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I just saw the gif you so kindly provided...

Holy crap.

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Vertical Movement x Speed

Via Brooks Baseball.

by CMC_Stags on Sep 25, 2009 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

There was a picture from the AP

that shows Felix throwing a circle change. At least, I think it is a circle change – I don’t know my grips very well. Hopefully, this link will work. If not, you should be able to click on the Griffey/Guti picture in the Game Notes article you wrote and find it.

by Jed MC on Sep 25, 2009 3:05 PM PDT reply actions

Sure looks like a circle change, certainly no splitter.

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Sep 25, 2009 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Captain says it's from the first inning

Slowest pitch he threw in the first was 91mph. Jesus.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 25, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Captain?

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 25, 2009 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Captain is the name of the guy who writes the AP photo captions

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 25, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I really hope that's his first name.

I will smash your face into a jelly.

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Sep 25, 2009 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Captain Munnerlyn?

[DELETED ZOMG NO POLITICS]

by bluemax on Sep 25, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Whatever happened to him anyway?

by seattlebruin on Sep 25, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

And how many "Got a little Captain in you?" jokes do you think he's heard in his lifetime?

by seattlebruin on Sep 25, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions

According to Wikipedia

the Panthers nabbed him in the 7th round. He has 1 tackle this season.

[DELETED ZOMG NO POLITICS]

by bluemax on Sep 25, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions

I hereby apologize

for every 2007-early 2009 post in which I wondered aloud if Felix would ever realize the awesome potential that everyone ascribed to him. I have never been more delighted to be proven wrong.

Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.

by pdb on Sep 25, 2009 3:06 PM PDT reply actions

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Sep 25, 2009 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions

It's a gyroball!

I will smash your face into a jelly.

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Sep 25, 2009 3:19 PM PDT reply actions

And it's name is

El Negro Muerte!

"Let this big fucker come in and walk the world here." - Dave Niehaus on JJ Putz

by section331 on Sep 25, 2009 3:20 PM PDT reply actions

by CapSea on Sep 25, 2009 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions

by seattlecougar on Sep 25, 2009 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions

I’d love to see what the highest swinging strike games that have been pitched are. It looks like it starts in 1988 on baseball reference, but maybe retrosheet has that data for further back. (I found Clemens with a couple 29 swinging strike games in 1988)

It looks like Felix’s career high is 21 swinging strikes in one game, which he did against the Giants earlier this year.

by Decatur on Sep 26, 2009 7:19 AM PDT reply actions