5/16 Sox @ Royals 7:10PM CT

[CeaseAndExist]

Good win. Most of the megaposters getting even more pissed after the Robert HR was fantastic. Dude really ruined a lot of melties lol

[chw42]

1 hour ago, maxjusttyped said:

If anyone can find evidence (that goes beyond anecdotal AB's) that Sox pitchers throw significantly more fastballs with Yaz behind the plate, I'd love to see it. I highly doubt it actually exists, though. Liam (since he's the pitcher being cited here) has essentially had the same fastball/slider/curve usage percentages for years at this point.

You got me intrigued enough to look. 

Here's all the situations this year with a runner on third and how Liam threw his pitches. I'll also list who was catching at the time. I know this is a small sample and a very specific situation (also, I don't think I want to sift through more data than this at 1 AM), but I think the results kind of speak for themselves. 

5/14 vs. NYY - 12 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching.

4/8 at DET - 9 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching.

4/16 vs. TBR - 9 pitches, 6 fastballs, 1 curveball, 2 sliders. McGuire catching.

4/24 at MIN - 4 pitches, 4 fastballs. Grandal catching.

5/7 at BOS - 4 pitches, 3 fastballs, 1 slider. Grandal catching. 

4/13 vs. SEA - 2 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching. 

5/9 vs. CLE - 1 pitch, 1 fastball. McGuire catching. 

 

Final count:

Grandal - 31 pitches with a man on 3rd base, 30 fastballs, 1 slider.

McGuire - 10 pitches with a man on 3rd base, 7 fastballs, 1 curveball, 2 sliders. 

 

FWIW, Hendriks with men off base, Liam throws 63% fastballs, 25% sliders, and 12% curve. 

With men on base, it goes to 76% fastballs, 14% sliders, 10% curve. 

With RISP, it goes to 81% fastballs, 11% slider, 9% curve. 

With a man on 3rd, it's 90% fastballs, 3% slider, 2% curve. 

 

I think the fact that Grandal has called 1 breaking pitch all season with a man on third speaks volumes about just how little confidence they have in him blocking pitches in the dirt. It's only 31 pitches, but these are all very high leverage pitches. You're basically telling opposing hitters to only expect fastball when there's a guy 90 feet away from scoring. 

McGuire's sample probably isn't big enough to make any real judgements on, but his ratio of pitches is much closer to what Liam's career numbers are with a man on third. I think this is a lot more telling of what the Sox think of Grandal as a defensive catcher right now. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by chw42

[hankchifan]

2 hours ago, Heads22 said:

when you get a day off you get a day off, no exceptions

One more reason to finally retire TLR.

[maxjusttyped]

2 minutes ago, chw42 said:

You got me intrigued enough to look. 

Here's all the situations this year with a runner on third and how Liam threw his pitches. I'll also list who was catching at the time. I know this is a small sample and a very specific situation, but I think the results kind of speak for themselves. 

5/14 vs. NYY - 12 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching.

4/8 at DET - 9 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching.

4/16 vs. TBR - 9 pitches, 6 fastballs, 1 curveball, 2 sliders. McGuire catching.

4/24 at MIN - 4 pitches, 4 fastballs. Grandal catching.

5/7 at BOS - 4 pitches, 3 fastballs, 1 slider. Grandal catching. 

4/13 vs. SEA - 2 pitches, all fastballs. Grandal catching. 

5/9 vs. CLE - 1 pitch, 1 fastball. McGuire catching. 

 

Final count:

Grandal - 31 pitches with a man on 3rd base, 30 fastballs, 1 slider.

McGuire - 10 pitches with a man on 3rd base, 7 fastballs, 1 curveball, 2 sliders. 

 

FWIW, Hendriks with men off base, Liam throws 63% fastballs, 25% sliders, and 12% curve. 

With men on base, it goes to 76% fastballs, 14% sliders, 10% curve. 

With RISP, it goes to 81% fastballs, 11% slider, 9% curve. 

With a man on 3rd, it's 90% fastballs, 3% slider, 2% curve. 

 

I think the fact that Grandal has called 1 breaking pitch all season with a man on third speaks volumes about just how little confidence they have in him blocking pitches in the dirt. It's only 31 pitches, but these are all very high leverage pitches. You're basically telling opposing hitters to only expect fastball when there's a guy 90 feet away from scoring. 

McGuire's sample probably isn't big enough to make any real judgements on, but his ratio of pitches is much closer to what Liam's career numbers are with a man on third. I think this is a lot more telling of what the Sox think of Grandal as a defensive catcher right now. 

I appreciate all of your research here. This is good stuff. It's definitely something I'll keep an eye on going forward. I don't think 31 pitches is enough to make any definitive conclusions on because it's not like Grandal hasn't been calling breaking pitches when he's caught other pitchers, but it's still notable nevertheless. Liam was spiking every curve/slider he threw during his early April appearances, so it's possible that's why he's gone away from it and the reason has nothing to do with Grandal. I don't know. 70% fastballs with Reese behind the plate is still a high percentage and more than I think any of us would really want to see.

[hankchifan]

2 hours ago, ron883 said:

Ozzie and Chuck ripping Tony pre and post for batting Vaughn 9th

Good for them.  TLR is too stubborn and inflexible.  Does not adjust and doesn’t  maximize the use of his bench when warranted.  I think he has only pinched hit 5 times the whole season.  TLR should resign or retire, he is ineffective and is ruining our season.  Miguel Cairo should go with TLR as well.  What has he done this season? Is he advising TLR or is he afraid to contradict him?

[tray]

38 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

Ozzie and Chuck ripping Tony pre and post for batting Vaughn 9th

Vaughn has not been that great against top RH pitchers. AV will get his chances this year  to prove that wrong.