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Is Pelfrey's Slider Coming Around?

As Eric alluded to yesterday, Mike Pelfrey threw an unusually high number of bendy things in his dominating performance versus the Brewers (22 to be exact). Seeing Pelfrey confident in a secondary pitch is pretty exciting, as his lack of one has seemingly held him back from becoming a great pitcher. So was it in fact the slider which made a difference in yesterdays start?

3680287387_4e8c0a10df_o_medium

Pelf's slider, which usually has about 3.5 inches of vertical movement, averaged just 2.2 inches this time. Sliders generally sit somewhere between curves and fastballs in terms of movement, and these looked less like fastballs than usual. The benefit of Pelfrey distinguishing his secondary offerings from his fastball should be obvious. Probably more importantly, he threw it for 68% strikes, more than even the fastball. The full list of results on the slider reads as follows:

  • 1 Swinging Strike, 1 Called Strike
  • 7 Foul Balls
  • 7 Balls
  • 3 Line Drives (2 Line Outs, 1 Hit)
  • 2 Groundballs, 1 Flyball 

These results hardly suggest a dominating "outpitch," but the 7 foul balls support the possibility that Pelfrey's slider is becoming more different than his fastball, keeping hitters off balance. The 2 lineouts suggest a little luck, although I didn't witness the alleged liners and can't comment on how hard they were hit.

Also of note is that Pelfrey effectively used it to get through the lineup the second time around. The first time through, he only threw 5, 4 of which were directed at Jody Gerut. The second time around the order, he threw 9 and the third time the Brewers' faced him, he used 10. Craig Counsell didn't see one until he accounted for the lone aforementioned hit in the sixth inning.

Ultimately, it seems to soon to draw conclusions, although the early results seem positive, albeit a bit mixed. His strikeouts came mostly on fastballs, but the threat of a good slider certainly makes his fastball all the more deadly in pitchers' counts. Watch for the number and results of Pelfrey's sliders going forward , they could indicate a real breakout.

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Nice caption

Also, Pelfrey’s pitch value (as somewhat flawed stat I know) is 1.2 wSL as compared to -8.1 last year. Good stuff.

by Sokojoe on Jul 2, 2009 7:59 AM EDT reply actions  

You know, sometimes I look at this blog and feel there is way way way too many stats in baseball…

by Mark D on Jul 2, 2009 8:05 AM EDT reply actions  

Stats...

Why? Statistics are just numerical representations of what is happening on the field. Numbers are easier to manipulate, analyze, and dissect than other information, and also far less susceptible to bias.

by sjohnson125 on Jul 2, 2009 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions  

He struck out more

He walked few. He induced some grounders. “Looks like he’s throwing that slider, Keith” “Yes indeed Ron.” “Check out the break” “Yup.”

The stats give you a level of precision. Or confirm or disprove your gut, if you are Jerry Manuel and actually get paid a bundle to run a team. :)

by wobatus on Jul 2, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions  

Statistics are like a girl in a bikini...

They show you a lot, but they don’t show you everything.

You don't cheer for the Mets. You drink for the Mets.

by Kevin H on Jul 2, 2009 8:35 AM EDT reply actions  

Maybe, but in that case

using only your eyes and instincts is like a girl in a bikini but wearing a coat over the top of it.

by deadspy3 on Jul 2, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions  

this thread is useless without pics

Any numbers on the velocity difference between slider and fastball?

by hotspur on Jul 2, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions  

nm, I'm on it

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfx/index.php?month=7&day=1&year=2009&game=gid_2009_07_01_nynmlb_milmlb_1%2F&pitchSel=460059.xml&prevGame=gid_2009_07_01_nynmlb_milmlb_1%2F&prevDate=71

It looks like his slider is ~85 mph or 0.44 sec to plate while the FB is ~92 mph or 0.41 sec to plate. That sounds pretty good, but I don’t have a good comparison to show you.

Is that changeup real, or just a flat slider?

by hotspur on Jul 2, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions  

whoops

Is that curveball real, or just a flat slider?

by hotspur on Jul 2, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions  

Good metaphor

But what are you saying, exactly?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jul 2, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions  

I'm confused too

The numbers in the post aren’t even stats, they’re units of measurement (inches, MPH, etc). This guy has something against geometry and physics?

by Zwill on Jul 2, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

LOL

Very funny. Mind if I borrow that one?

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

by The Glider on Jul 2, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions  

Does that make batting average a one piece swimsuit

While wOBA would be a g-string?

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jul 2, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions  

BA with RISP=1976 East German Women's Swim Team

Yikes.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jul 2, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions   1 recs

LOL

rec’d, hilarious

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jul 3, 2009 4:36 AM EDT up reply actions  

Stats are like a girl in a bikini...

they are awesome.

batting helmets. batting titles. obp.

by Durelo on Jul 2, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions   1 recs

and some stats are like some girls in bikinis

in that I never want to see them again

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Jul 2, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

And some are like elderly women in bikinis

in that…um…they’re saggy.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jul 2, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions  

From what I remmeber last night

Lots of Pelf’s Ks were backwards, on that Greg Maddux-esque “front door” two seamer. One of the few pitches that can sustainably generate called third strikes if the guy can command it consistently.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jul 2, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions  

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