To help tide you over until Jeff's recap is up and since there's not much else happening for the rest of the day, here's a leaderboard of pitchers who have missed the most (and fewest) bats and thrown the fewest (and most) balls up through play yesterday. I've included some mini-thoughts that jumped out at me from looking over this list.
Starting Pitchers |
|
Relief Pitchers |
Player |
Swing% |
|
Player |
Swing% |
|
Player |
Swing% |
|
Player |
Swing% |
Mike Mussina |
3.46 |
|
Rich Harden |
15.64 |
|
Chris Britton |
1.83 |
|
Jose Valverde |
17.36 |
Livan Hernandez |
3.79 |
|
Randy Johnson |
13.21 |
|
Steve Trachsel |
1.98 |
|
Ramon Ramirez |
16.99 |
Jason Jennings |
4.42 |
|
Edinson Volquez |
12.61 |
|
Wes Littleton |
2.84 |
|
Dennys Reyes |
15.66 |
Carlos Silva |
4.44 |
|
Scott Kazmir |
12.54 |
|
Kirk Saarloos |
2.88 |
|
Max Scherzer |
15.29 |
Daniel Cabrera |
4.45 |
|
C.C. Sabathia |
11.91 |
|
Alberto Arias |
3.54 |
|
Juan Cruz |
14.88 |
Steve Trachsel |
4.52 |
|
Jason Bergmann |
11.88 |
|
Greg Aquino |
3.97 |
|
Aaron Heilman |
14.52 |
Kyle Kendrick |
4.52 |
|
Tim Lincecum |
11.58 |
|
Jeremy Accardo |
4.00 |
|
Brad Lidge |
14.52 |
Shawn Hill |
4.66 |
|
Jake Peavy |
11.55 |
|
Kevin Cameron |
4.19 |
|
Rafael Perez |
14.41 |
Aaron Cook |
4.77 |
|
Brandon Webb |
10.86 |
|
Glendon Rusch |
4.25 |
|
Jonathan Papelbon |
14.32 |
Sidney Ponson |
4.78 |
|
Scott Baker |
10.60 |
|
Brian Moehler |
4.26 |
|
Mark DiFelice |
14.29 |
Zach Duke |
4.88 |
|
Clay Buchholz |
10.60 |
|
Freddy Dolsi |
4.50 |
|
Huston Street |
14.29 |
Scott Feldman |
4.90 |
|
Jonathan Sanchez |
10.51 |
|
Luis Ayala |
4.51 |
|
Octavio Dotel |
14.23 |
Pat Misch |
4.99 |
|
Cole Hamels |
10.45 |
|
Ehren Wassermann |
4.55 |
|
Al Reyes |
14.08 |
Brian Bannister |
5.12 |
|
Tim Hudson |
10.36 |
|
Lee Gardner |
4.64 |
|
Jonathan Broxton |
13.97 |
Joe Blanton |
5.17 |
|
Chad Billingsley |
10.21 |
|
Justin Germano |
4.67 |
|
Rafael Betancourt |
13.66 |
Ian Kennedy |
5.18 |
|
Johan Santana |
10.11 |
|
Billy Traber |
4.67 |
|
Boone Logan |
13.40 |
Kyle Lohse |
5.22 |
|
Shaun Marcum |
10.10 |
|
Todd Jones |
4.71 |
|
Scott Eyre |
13.39 |
Glen Perkins |
5.41 |
|
Carlos Villanueva |
10.08 |
|
Denny Bautista |
4.78 |
|
Francisco Cruceta |
13.30 |
Mark Redman |
5.48 |
|
Javier Vazquez |
10.07 |
|
Gary Glover |
4.96 |
|
Tyler Walker |
13.27 |
Mark Hendrickson |
5.50 |
|
Micah Owings |
10.02 |
|
Ryan Speier |
5.04 |
|
Joe Nathan |
13.16 |
Greg Reynolds |
5.53 |
|
Johnny Cueto |
9.97 |
|
Brandon Medders |
5.06 |
|
Pat Neshek |
13.08 |
Kenny Rogers |
5.55 |
|
Brandon Backe |
9.95 |
|
Jose Veras |
5.20 |
|
Cla Meredith |
13.08 |
Jamie Moyer |
5.58 |
|
Jeff Francis |
9.89 |
|
Esteban Loaiza |
5.39 |
|
Matt Thornton |
13.04 |
Matt Belisle |
5.63 |
|
Ervin Santana |
9.87 |
|
Marino Salas |
5.45 |
|
Brandon Morrow |
13.00 |
Justin Germano |
5.69 |
|
Dustin McGowan |
9.87 |
|
Clay Rapada |
5.56 |
|
Trevor Hoffman |
12.98 |
Jarrod Washburn |
5.74 |
|
John Danks |
9.81 |
|
Brad Thompson |
5.61 |
|
Mariano Rivera |
12.94 |
Darrell Rasner |
5.81 |
|
Todd Wellemeyer |
9.76 |
|
Zach Miner |
5.80 |
|
Francisco Cordero |
12.79 |
Paul Byrd |
5.83 |
|
Ted Lilly |
9.60 |
|
Chad Bradford |
5.81 |
|
Jorge Julio |
12.75 |
Barry Zito |
5.84 |
|
Erik Bedard |
9.43 |
|
Dustin Nippert |
5.85 |
|
Joaquin Benoit |
12.75 |
Greg Maddux |
5.90 |
|
Chris Young |
9.41 |
|
LaTroy Hawkins |
5.88 |
|
Justin Miller |
12.70 |
- Tim Lincecum could be in bold and Brandon Morrow would likely not be on this list. To what could have been I guess.
- Barry Zito misses more bats than Jarrod Washburn.
- Mike Mussina misses fewer bats than any other starting pitcher in the major leagues. Mussina has thrown 11 innings against the Mariners in which he's walked a lone batter and struck out nine.
- Daniel Cabrera is neck and neck with Carlos Silva?
- Brian Bannister can study the stats all he wants but he should really invest some time in improving his curveball.
- For as long as Rich Harden is healthy he might have the filthiest combination of stuff and command in baseball. Funny thing is that this rate is even less than it was last year (16.06%).
- Max Scherzer has really burst onto the scene and was quickly given some starts for Arizona. DIAF Mariners.
Starting Pitchers |
|
Relief Pitchers |
Player |
Ball% |
|
Player |
Ball% |
|
Player |
Ball% |
|
Player |
Ball% |
Scott Baker |
28.55 |
|
David Purcey |
51.66 |
|
Jose Valverde |
28.10 |
|
Chris Schroder |
48.65 |
Josh Banks |
29.07 |
|
Dontrelle Willis |
49.41 |
|
Jon Lieber |
28.20 |
|
Greg Aquino |
47.68 |
Andy Sonnanstine |
31.24 |
|
Nick Adenhart |
47.06 |
|
Mark DiFelice |
28.57 |
|
Mitch Stetter |
46.63 |
Cliff Lee |
31.41 |
|
Francisco Liriano |
46.95 |
|
Bobby Jenks |
28.92 |
|
Derrick Turnbow |
46.47 |
Nick Blackburn |
31.44 |
|
Luis Mendoza |
45.62 |
|
Jonathan Papelbon |
29.41 |
|
Erick Threets |
45.51 |
Paul Byrd |
31.81 |
|
Adam Loewen |
44.77 |
|
Trevor Hoffman |
29.50 |
|
Mike MacDougal |
45.45 |
Brian Moehler |
32.14 |
|
Rich Hill |
44.76 |
|
Chad Bradford |
30.23 |
|
Kirk Saarloos |
45.19 |
Glen Perkins |
32.25 |
|
Steve Trachsel |
44.10 |
|
Mariano Rivera |
30.29 |
|
Sean Burnett |
45.08 |
Greg Maddux |
32.26 |
|
Jason Jennings |
44.04 |
|
Esteban Loaiza |
30.54 |
|
Steve Trachsel |
44.55 |
John Lackey |
32.39 |
|
Franklin Morales |
43.60 |
|
Mike Timlin |
30.62 |
|
Renyel Pinto |
44.46 |
Aaron Harang |
32.60 |
|
Shawn Estes |
43.50 |
|
Cory Wade |
30.64 |
|
Evan Meek |
44.34 |
Cole Hamels |
32.62 |
|
Kason Gabbard |
43.28 |
|
Rafael Betancourt |
30.67 |
|
Freddy Dolsi |
44.00 |
Kevin Slowey |
32.67 |
|
Tom Glavine |
42.47 |
|
Shawn Camp |
30.80 |
|
Julian Tavarez |
43.50 |
Jason Bergmann |
32.72 |
|
Chuck James |
42.39 |
|
Mike Adams |
30.81 |
|
Sean Marshall |
43.40 |
Jorge Campillo |
32.76 |
|
Phil Dumatrait |
42.35 |
|
Jesse Carlson |
30.84 |
|
Kevin Gregg |
43.35 |
Roy Halladay |
32.76 |
|
Oliver Perez |
41.85 |
|
Royce Ring |
30.85 |
|
Kip Wells |
43.25 |
Joel Pineiro |
33.23 |
|
Jeremy Sowers |
41.81 |
|
Doug Brocail |
30.93 |
|
Todd Coffey |
43.13 |
Javier Vazquez |
33.26 |
|
Miguel Batista |
41.55 |
|
Jon Rauch |
31.10 |
|
Dustin Nippert |
42.93 |
Ben Sheets |
33.28 |
|
Tom Gorzelanny |
41.45 |
|
Pat Neshek |
31.31 |
|
Zach Miner |
42.71 |
Darrell Rasner |
33.50 |
|
Mike Parisi |
41.42 |
|
Bob Howry |
31.31 |
|
Denny Bautista |
42.65 |
Roy Oswalt |
33.61 |
|
Ian Kennedy |
41.42 |
|
Billy Wagner |
31.58 |
|
Ramon Troncoso |
42.57 |
Brad Thompson |
33.71 |
|
Matt Albers |
41.24 |
|
Brian Shouse |
31.71 |
|
Sean Henn |
42.39 |
Johan Santana |
33.80 |
|
A.J. Murray |
41.10 |
|
Yusmeiro Petit |
31.73 |
|
Tyler Yates |
42.25 |
Ted Lilly |
33.82 |
|
Doug Davis |
41.06 |
|
Kerry Wood |
31.83 |
|
Brad Thompson |
42.06 |
Micah Owings |
33.89 |
|
Jeff Niemann |
41.01 |
|
Joe Nathan |
31.90 |
|
Wes Littleton |
41.84 |
Josh Beckett |
33.90 |
|
Greg Reynolds |
40.84 |
|
Brian Wolfe |
31.94 |
|
Hideo Nomo |
41.82 |
C.C. Sabathia |
33.97 |
|
Manny Parra |
40.69 |
|
Eddie Guardado |
32.17 |
|
Alex Hinshaw |
41.74 |
Mike Mussina |
34.00 |
|
Jeff Bennett |
40.50 |
|
Joel Peralta |
32.27 |
|
Ron Villone |
41.65 |
Jered Weaver |
34.02 |
|
Jeremy Bonderman |
40.44 |
|
Troy Percival |
32.33 |
|
Micah Bowie |
41.61 |
Tim Hudson |
34.03 |
|
Bronson Arroyo |
40.38 |
|
Kevin Cameron |
32.34 |
|
Scott Proctor |
41.53 |
- A combination you do not want to see is Ian Kennedy on the list for highest percentage of balls thrown and the list for fewest bats missed. Kirk Saarloos is also a member of this list on the relief pitcher side.
- Jose Valverde: most bats missed, fewest balls thrown. That's dominance. Oh and he's a goddamn superhero too.
- The jump in pitches thrown outside the zone for Tom Gorzelanny is a big factor in his falling off a cliff in 2008.
- David Purcey was Ankiel-like terrible in his short major league stint. Dontrelle Willis has three more years on his contract.