Ricky Nolasco PITCHf/x

Homecoming, of sorts, for Nolasco. He's an interesting pitcher, and he's not easy for Gameday to classify, so hopefully you'll find my classifications useful (want 'em? Just ask).

I'm using labels for his breaking pitches simply to distinguish them. I think he's throwing a slutter, slurve and a curve. Since it's tough to abbreviate those first two without going past the fourth letter, I went with cutter and slider.

almost 3 years ago Harry Pavlidis 2 comments 0 recs |

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awesome

You really can’t argue with Nolasco’s numbers vs. RHH, but he’s basically throwing them two pitches (fastball/‘slutter’) away away away. That would seem to jive with the stuff that says platoon splits have a lot to do with sliders losing their distinguishing paths when you’re hitting from the same side. So Ricky is basically challenging them to guess which is coming, and even if they get it right, they’re his best pitches and they’re away. But against lefties, where the difference is more apparent, he tosses in all his other pitches and has to work both sides. But throwing lesser pitches and having to come inside on guys seems to more than balance out in the long-run.

At least, that’s how it reads to me.

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by dan 2.0 on May 3, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

That sounds right to me

It’s games like this where the Cubs decision to get more left-handed could pay off. Other than Miles, Nolasco hasn’t seen any of the Cubs since 2006. And that just includes Ramirez, Soriano and Sean Marshall. I don’t know if Ramirez is even playing today, and that lack of familiarity almost always benefits the pitcher, or so says the conventional wisdom.

by Harry Pavlidis on May 3, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions