4/12 Games

[NorthSideSox72]

Bruce Blixton, thanks for the kind words about Brad. (my son) I wouldn't normally have responded, but I wanted to build on your comment about "not having a lot of mileage on his arm". I know we are very early into the season, but since he was converted into a pitcher, we have always emphasized about being efficient, as it relates to the pitch count. Strikeouts are fine, but over-rated. (even Greg Maddux would say so) The main goal is to pitch to contact & get the ball in play within 4 pitches. There's 8 other defenders to help make outs & it saves the arm. Having been a former shortstop, he knows what it's like to have pitchers throwing 5, 6 or 7+ pitches to every batter & he doesn't want to be that guy.

 

Last year was his 1st full year as a pitcher & his pitches/inning were a pretty good 15.8 with a 63.2% strike rate. We set goals before spring training of getting the P/Inn to 14 or less & strike % rate to 70%. As I said, it is still early, but the P/Inn is currently at 11 & the strike % is at 67.3%. He's got 5 total innings in 2 games with only 55 pitches. I think the thing I'm most proud of is getting the ball in play in 4 pitches or less. So far he has faced 19 hitters & balls in play in less than 4 pitches is 14! (73.7%) (10 of those batters were 2 pitches or less) That saves the arm & keeps the fielders on their toes & into the game, cause the ball will be put in play. There are so many numbers as it relates to Sabermetrics these days, and admittedly, I sure don't understand them all. I try to stick with the few basics:

 

First-pitch strikes - 11-19 (58%) - needs to improve a little there. Granted, it's only a 2 pitch difference, but the goal is 67% (13-19 would be 68%, but it's still a goal)

 

Strike % on a 1-1 count - 4-5 (80%) - very happy with that - a strike thrown on a 1-1 count favors the pitcher by a difference of roughly .200 points in batting avg. than if you throw a 1-1 pitch for a ball

 

Getting the first batter of the inning out - 5-5 (100%) - very happy with that

 

Pitches per batter - (2.9) - very happy with that.

 

So far, so good. Just need to keep focused & working hard.

Glad to have you aboard! I'll be down at Kanny the first weekend of May to report live, and I'll try to say hello to your son if I get the chance.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Bruce Blixton, thanks for the kind words about Brad. (my son) I wouldn't normally have responded, but I wanted to build on your comment about "not having a lot of mileage on his arm". I know we are very early into the season, but since he was converted into a pitcher, we have always emphasized about being efficient, as it relates to the pitch count. Strikeouts are fine, but over-rated. (even Greg Maddux would say so) The main goal is to pitch to contact & get the ball in play within 4 pitches. There's 8 other defenders to help make outs & it saves the arm. Having been a former shortstop, he knows what it's like to have pitchers throwing 5, 6 or 7+ pitches to every batter & he doesn't want to be that guy.

 

Last year was his 1st full year as a pitcher & his pitches/inning were a pretty good 15.8 with a 63.2% strike rate. We set goals before spring training of getting the P/Inn to 14 or less & strike % rate to 70%. As I said, it is still early, but the P/Inn is currently at 11 & the strike % is at 67.3%. He's got 5 total innings in 2 games with only 55 pitches. I think the thing I'm most proud of is getting the ball in play in 4 pitches or less. So far he has faced 19 hitters & balls in play in less than 4 pitches is 14! (73.7%) (10 of those batters were 2 pitches or less) That saves the arm & keeps the fielders on their toes & into the game, cause the ball will be put in play. There are so many numbers as it relates to Sabermetrics these days, and admittedly, I sure don't understand them all. I try to stick with the few basics:

 

First-pitch strikes - 11-19 (58%) - needs to improve a little there. Granted, it's only a 2 pitch difference, but the goal is 67% (13-19 would be 68%, but it's still a goal)

 

Strike % on a 1-1 count - 4-5 (80%) - very happy with that - a strike thrown on a 1-1 count favors the pitcher by a difference of roughly .200 points in batting avg. than if you throw a 1-1 pitch for a ball

 

Getting the first batter of the inning out - 5-5 (100%) - very happy with that

 

Pitches per batter - (2.9) - very happy with that.

 

So far, so good. Just need to keep focused & working hard.

Also by the way, I think your son's story of converting from position player to pitcher could make for an interesting story. We've had a few players write guest posts for the blog (FutureSox.com) over the last couple years (i.e. Kevan Smith, Scott Carroll, Chris Bassitt, Mike Recchia), focusing on some one unique part of their stories. I'd love to see if Brad is interested in writing one on that conversion process, so I may reach out to him via Twitter if that's alright.

 

[LDF]

Bruce Blixton, thanks for the kind words about Brad. (my son) I wouldn't normally have responded, but I wanted to build on your comment about "not having a lot of mileage on his arm". I know we are very early into the season, but since he was converted into a pitcher, we have always emphasized about being efficient, as it relates to the pitch count. Strikeouts are fine, but over-rated. (even Greg Maddux would say so) The main goal is to pitch to contact & get the ball in play within 4 pitches. There's 8 other defenders to help make outs & it saves the arm. Having been a former shortstop, he knows what it's like to have pitchers throwing 5, 6 or 7+ pitches to every batter & he doesn't want to be that guy.

 

Last year was his 1st full year as a pitcher & his pitches/inning were a pretty good 15.8 with a 63.2% strike rate. We set goals before spring training of getting the P/Inn to 14 or less & strike % rate to 70%. As I said, it is still early, but the P/Inn is currently at 11 & the strike % is at 67.3%. He's got 5 total innings in 2 games with only 55 pitches. I think the thing I'm most proud of is getting the ball in play in 4 pitches or less. So far he has faced 19 hitters & balls in play in less than 4 pitches is 14! (73.7%) (10 of those batters were 2 pitches or less) That saves the arm & keeps the fielders on their toes & into the game, cause the ball will be put in play. There are so many numbers as it relates to Sabermetrics these days, and admittedly, I sure don't understand them all. I try to stick with the few basics:

 

First-pitch strikes - 11-19 (58%) - needs to improve a little there. Granted, it's only a 2 pitch difference, but the goal is 67% (13-19 would be 68%, but it's still a goal)

 

Strike % on a 1-1 count - 4-5 (80%) - very happy with that - a strike thrown on a 1-1 count favors the pitcher by a difference of roughly .200 points in batting avg. than if you throw a 1-1 pitch for a ball

 

Getting the first batter of the inning out - 5-5 (100%) - very happy with that

 

Pitches per batter - (2.9) - very happy with that.

 

So far, so good. Just need to keep focused & working hard.

 

welcome aboard, i hope the best for you son's success.

[Bruce_Blixton]

Bruce Blixton, thanks for the kind words about Brad. (my son) I wouldn't normally have responded, but I wanted to build on your comment about "not having a lot of mileage on his arm". I know we are very early into the season, but since he was converted into a pitcher, we have always emphasized about being efficient, as it relates to the pitch count. Strikeouts are fine, but over-rated. (even Greg Maddux would say so) The main goal is to pitch to contact & get the ball in play within 4 pitches. There's 8 other defenders to help make outs & it saves the arm. Having been a former shortstop, he knows what it's like to have pitchers throwing 5, 6 or 7+ pitches to every batter & he doesn't want to be that guy.

 

Last year was his 1st full year as a pitcher & his pitches/inning were a pretty good 15.8 with a 63.2% strike rate. We set goals before spring training of getting the P/Inn to 14 or less & strike % rate to 70%. As I said, it is still early, but the P/Inn is currently at 11 & the strike % is at 67.3%. He's got 5 total innings in 2 games with only 55 pitches. I think the thing I'm most proud of is getting the ball in play in 4 pitches or less. So far he has faced 19 hitters & balls in play in less than 4 pitches is 14! (73.7%) (10 of those batters were 2 pitches or less) That saves the arm & keeps the fielders on their toes & into the game, cause the ball will be put in play. There are so many numbers as it relates to Sabermetrics these days, and admittedly, I sure don't understand them all. I try to stick with the few basics:

 

First-pitch strikes - 11-19 (58%) - needs to improve a little there. Granted, it's only a 2 pitch difference, but the goal is 67% (13-19 would be 68%, but it's still a goal)

 

Strike % on a 1-1 count - 4-5 (80%) - very happy with that - a strike thrown on a 1-1 count favors the pitcher by a difference of roughly .200 points in batting avg. than if you throw a 1-1 pitch for a ball

 

Getting the first batter of the inning out - 5-5 (100%) - very happy with that

 

Pitches per batter - (2.9) - very happy with that.

 

So far, so good. Just need to keep focused & working hard.

 

Thank you for such a lengthy and informative reply, I am absolutely impressed with your understanding and involvement in Brad's progression. He's lucky to have such a great father around!

 

It sounds like he has a great gameplan on the mound and having watched Mark Buehrle all those years I completely agree with your philosophy on working efficiently and keeping your fielders involved in the game. The numbers that you shared with us, especially the situational strike %s, lead me to believe that Brad could make the leap to starter. I would love to read a first-hand account on his transition from SS to P, I've always had a lot of respect for players that can do that.

[LDF]

this system just keep getting better and better. all the potential of players keeps popping up. can't wait for the influx of hitters.

[jmsalgado]

Thank you for such a lengthy and informative reply, I am absolutely impressed with your understanding and involvement in Brad's progression. He's lucky to have such a great father around!

 

It sounds like he has a great gameplan on the mound and having watched Mark Buehrle all those years I completely agree with your philosophy on working efficiently and keeping your fielders involved in the game. The numbers that you shared with us, especially the situational strike %s, lead me to believe that Brad could make the leap to starter. I would love to read a first-hand account on his transition from SS to P, I've always had a lot of respect for players that can do that.

 

Thanks Bruce. I really appreciate the positive comments. As far as the starter/reliever situation.... Brad did get 1 start in spring training & did just fine. I think he would like to do that, but at the same time, he's always been very coachable & will do whatever the Sox want him to do.

 

The transition from SS to pitcher wasn't necessarily a tough one. As it's been said, hitting is the hardest thing to do in all of sports. He was a very good defensive SS, but the bat was simply too inconsistent. Hitting in the .180s in the low minors doesn't bode well for any future MLB aspirations, so the Sox proposed the switch & he was in full agreement with it, and has been 100% committed to it ever since. He did pitch up untill his senior year in high school. That being said, before the conversion, he hadn't been on the mound for about 4 4 years, so yes, he had a very fresh arm. He spent all of 2013 in Great Falls re-learning how to pitch. He only pitched in 3 games (1 inning each) at the very end of that season, so that's why I said last year 2014 was his first full year actually pitching in games. He's a very hard worker. He has the right attitude & the dedication & will to succeed. So as his dad, all I can do is listen to the games. I do keep a pitching chart & have for every games he's pitched in since 2013. That's how I know the numbers so well. We discuss the good & bad after every game. Fortunately, he has the desire to be good, so I don't have to worry about motivating him. He does that on his own. We'll just keep our fingers crossed that he continues to do what he's been doing & let things play out as they will.

[caulfield12]

If you know that the difference between most fastballs and change-ups is roughly 10 MPH, then why would you think Montas' change-up would be in the high 70s/low 80s if his fastball is sitting high 90s and touching 100? Sorry if that comes across as dickish, that's not my intention, I'm just wondering.

 

I never played any level of organized baseball (not even Little League ), but I'd have to think the speed differential from a 100 MPH fastball and a 90 MPH change-up would be pretty drastic for a batter despite both pitches being considered "fast."

 

A change-up isn't necessarily a "slow" pitch. From my understanding, it's meant to deceive the batter into believing it's a fastball when it's not, which will hopefully lead him to swing earlier than he should have. Given the ~10 MPH difference in speed, most change-ups are in the low 80s because most pitchers fastballs sit in the low 90s.

 

I suppose if a pitcher were able to throw a fastball at 110 MPH, a change-up at 100 MPH (both pitches considered fast by anyone's standards) would still be effective, seeing as how it's all about the speed differential between the two pitches.

 

Depends on how you throw/hold the ball too...obviously, you don't want a "tell" or slowed down arm action, but holding it like the famous "Mario Soto circle-K finger position" will give a different result in MPH compared to other ways of holding the ball.

 

Maybe now 70 off a 100 MPH fastball, but probably 75-83ish, for example.

[caulfield12]

Thank you for such a lengthy and informative reply, I am absolutely impressed with your understanding and involvement in Brad's progression. He's lucky to have such a great father around!

 

It sounds like he has a great gameplan on the mound and having watched Mark Buehrle all those years I completely agree with your philosophy on working efficiently and keeping your fielders involved in the game. The numbers that you shared with us, especially the situational strike %s, lead me to believe that Brad could make the leap to starter. I would love to read a first-hand account on his transition from SS to P, I've always had a lot of respect for players that can do that.

 

 

Sounds a lot like the Twins of 2002-2004/06/10 and the Pirates' philosophy of throwing sinkers/shifts/advanced metrics for positioning and getting guys like Liriano/Volquez to get away from worrying about K's and radar gun readings and focused on pitching more effectively/efficiently...keeping the ball on the ground with 2 seam FB/sinkers instead of throwing it 2-3 MPH faster but with less movement (straighter).

 

The example out of the (major league) bullpen last year would be Putnam, who barely got the ball above 90 MPH but was incredibly effective, vis a vis past results/historical stats record.