Pitch Location in MLB

[ArmWhip]

Here is some analysis of pitch location in MLB as related to exit velocity and batting average. A little nerdy but still very interesting for someone who calls pitches.

Zack Greinke on Pitching Inside

After we finished talking about his changeup and what he learned from Felix Hernandez, after we finished talking about command for the Hardball Times Annual, after we talked a little about his slider…

blogs.fangraphs.com

 

[CoachJD]

This is fascinating.

I've been thinking about this a lot because we have a LOT of hitters that are either inexperienced, not very good, or poorly coached. There is not a lot of lower body use, especially on inside pitches. On a pitch middle-away, the swings can look solid, but you can really eat these hitters up inside (I have these types, too, who just don't understand the role of the hips in the swing and they try to do everything with their hands).

I wonder how this chart changes when you have players who swing differently/more inefficiently (but can still hit the ball well).

 

[Towny9]

Very good article. Shows how smart Greinke is too.

I was trying to see how this article supports or discredits my pitch calling philosophy which has always been looking at the strike zone like an “L”. When I call a pitch inside I need it to be in. Up/middle/down I don’t care as much as long as it is inside. When I call a pitch outside I really mean down. If you are going to miss when throwing outside, miss down. I would rather a pitch miss middle down than outside/up. Pitches that are outside and up usually get barreled up pretty good unless you are a high velocity pitcher who can beat bats up in the zone.

 

[ArmWhip]

What I found interesting was that up and in gave up more hits but weaker contact, whereas balls down and away had higher exit velocity but fewer hits. The difference seemed to be that the harder hit balls carried to the outfielder whereas the weaker hits fell in front of them. The MLB outfield has a lot more room than a softball outfield but I guess the basic principle still applies. But who thinks this way? Greinke had a hunch and the facts back it up. But you also have to factor in MLB hitters, a lot different from teenage travel ball players.

 

[Towny9]

What I found interesting was that up and in gave up more hits but weaker contact, whereas balls down and away had higher exit velocity but fewer hits. The difference seemed to be that the harder hit balls carried to the outfielder whereas the weaker hits fell in front of them. The MLB outfield has a lot more room than a softball outfield but I guess the basic principle still applies. But who thinks this way? Greinke had a hunch and the facts back it up. But you also have to factor in MLB hitters, a lot different from teenage travel ball players.

100%. Most of the pros got there because they can hit the inside pitch. That differentiates a lot of good hitters from everyone else.

 

[_MIA_]

What I found interesting was that up and in gave up more hits but weaker contact, whereas balls down and away had higher exit velocity but fewer hits. The difference seemed to be that the harder hit balls carried to the outfielder whereas the weaker hits fell in front of them. The MLB outfield has a lot more room than a softball outfield but I guess the basic principle still applies. But who thinks this way? Greinke had a hunch and the facts back it up. But you also have to factor in MLB hitters, a lot different from teenage travel ball players.

One thing to consider is that getting jammed a little is less penalizing with composite bats..

 

[Gtrips07]

What I found interesting was that up and in gave up more hits but weaker contact, whereas balls down and away had higher exit velocity but fewer hits. The difference seemed to be that the harder hit balls carried to the outfielder whereas the weaker hits fell in front of them. The MLB outfield has a lot more room than a softball outfield but I guess the basic principle still applies. But who thinks this way? Greinke had a hunch and the facts back it up. But you also have to factor in MLB hitters, a lot different from teenage travel ball players.

There is a series called filthy pitching that covers that a fastball up and in is perceived to be two to three mph faster than low and away. Change levels and change perceived speed.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[efastball]

In pitch calling, it's probably more important to know where the previous pitch went (and also don't get confused as to where it was called, vs where it actually went).

And in non-MLB it's important to know what kind of swing the hitter has. If they only pull hits, then dont throw anything slow inside/middle (unless they just hit one in the dugout, then throw them another one in the same place). If they 'arm bar' or 'cast' and swing late, dont throw anything slow or down/away. Etc.

 

[El Oso]

Very good article. Shows how smart Greinke is too.

I was trying to see how this article supports or discredits my pitch calling philosophy which has always been looking at the strike zone like an “L”. When I call a pitch inside I need it to be in. Up/middle/down I don’t care as much as long as it is inside. When I call a pitch outside I really mean down. If you are going to miss when throwing outside, miss down. I would rather a pitch miss middle down than outside/up. Pitches that are outside and up usually get barreled up pretty good unless you are a high velocity pitcher who can beat bats up in the zone.

The article shows that the hardest pitch to hit is high outside.

 

[Towny9]

The article shows that the hardest pitch to hit is high outside.

I think we read different articles.