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2020 Minor League Thread

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Derek said:
90 mph is 90 mph regardless of if it's coming from 6'5 or 5'6.
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Not true. A pitch from a 6'5" pitcher is coming at a sharper downward angle than a pitch from a 5'6" pitcher, which would be coming in at a much flatter trajectory and would be easier to hit, even at the same velocity.

If I'm wrong, please explain the lack of 5'6" pitchers in the big leagues.
 
Derek said:
All of them sit around 90 and are extreme flyball pitchers.
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Actually, none of them are extreme fly ball pitchers. Only one of them gives up more fly balls than ground balls. Leake, in particular, is an extreme ground ball pitcher. I even cited the numbers but you continue to ignore the information that is given to you.
 
Wham with the Right Hand said:
Not true. A pitch from a 6'5" pitcher is coming at a sharper downward angle than a pitch from a 5'6" pitcher, which would be coming in at a much flatter trajectory and would be easier to hit, even at the same velocity.

If I'm wrong, please explain the lack of 5'6" pitchers in the big leagues.
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I'm not saying I fully disagree with your stance, but for the bolded, guys that are 5'6 are simply going to have much less aid from their body in propelling a projectile, in this case a baseball, at such a high velocity. The less overall body mass, distance the leg can kick/push, etc. the less aid in pumping up the radar gun. That's what makes the little guys who can throw so hard that much more rare.
 
Cassity14 said:
I'm not saying I fully disagree with your stance, but for the bolded, guys that are 5'6 are simply going to have much less aid from their body in propelling a projectile, in this case a baseball, at such a high velocity. The less overall body mass, distance the leg can kick/push, etc. the less aid in pumping up the radar gun. That's what makes the little guys who can throw so hard that much more rare.
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I'll take your word for it, although I think shorter QB's like Michael Vick and Baker Mayfield can put as much mustard on the ball as the 6'5" guys.

I found this column in Fangraphs which indicates that height matters - the top 23 pitchers in 2018 were 6'1" or taller and 18 of the 23 were 6'3" and over. The ideal height for a starter was 6'4".

"the optimal point appears to be 6-foot-4, with declining returns away from that (in both directions). Further, it appears the benefit of being taller is a recent phenomenon, with taller starters starting to outpace shorter starters."

Eli Mogan is a 5'10" starter, so I think it will be tough for him, especially with a below average fastball. He may end up being a reliever. Height isn't much of an issue with relievers, according to FG. IIRC, he's got a nasty slider.
 
I also think height is worth a minor uptick in velocity. Because of your longer arm, your release point is closer to the plate. That means the hitter has less time to react.

I made a post in here about a year ago talking about advanced metrics I'd like to see, and time to react or time to plate was one I would like to see.
 
Wham with the Right Hand said:
LOL. Morgan pitched 140 innings at Akron. He pitched 5 innings at Columbus. A one game cup of coffee.
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Morgan was scheduled to have most of this season at AAA. The only reason he would have been at AA for more than half the season was cause of no spots at AAA, but like Derek said he has proven he deserves the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove hs should be at AAA and maybe even higher.

I actually believe Morgan will end up in the pros and end up having the same potential as Tomlin did. That 5th starter/long reliever, who doesn't blow up the radar gun but really knows how to pitch and do what he needs to do to compete and stay at the pro level
 
Out of the Rafters at the Q said:
I also think height is worth a minor uptick in velocity. Because of your longer arm, your release point is closer to the plate. That means the hitter has less time to react.

I made a post in here about a year ago talking about advanced metrics I'd like to see, and time to react or time to plate was one I would like to see.
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Thats going to be hard since how you hide the ball in the delivery matters. Kevin Brown was a great example of using a different look to help hide th ball longer.

It be cool, but how to measure it would be the difficult part. Guys like O. Perez on our roster changes arm angles to mess up the timing and rhythm of hitters. I know other pitchers, like Byrd, used to always change the timing of the throws by adding in something or subtracting something in their motions. I'm personally surprised we don't see it more often, that change somethings and mess up timing.
 
Anyone have stats on the Lake County guys?
 
It seems like the sub-six foot right-handed starters who have been successful have been hard throwers. Guys like Sonny Gray, who is 5'10" like Morgan. I'm watching him throw 94-95 against the Indians right now. And Marcus Stroman. I'm trying to think of a short right-handed starter who didn't throw hard but had a successful career. Tomlin is the only guy who comes to mind.
 
Huber. said:
Anyone have stats on the Lake County guys?
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They are just playing almost pick me up games, they arent really doing anything worth recording honestly. I wish we could though get some info on how they are looking
 
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Wham with the Right Hand said:
It seems like the sub-six foot right-handed starters who have been successful have been hard throwers. Guys like Sonny Gray, who is 5'10" like Morgan. I'm watching him throw 94-95 against the Indians right now. And Marcus Stroman. I'm trying to think of a short right-handed starter who didn't throw hard but had a successful career. Tomlin is the only guy who comes to mind.
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Paul Byrd? I think I made that comparison a while back.

Byrd was a little taller at 6'1" but otherwise seems like a solid comp. His fastball was 86 mph his last year. His ground ball/fly ball ratio was 0.88, so he tended to put more balls in the air, like Morgan. He had a 15-year career but didn't become a regular starter until age 29 after five years in the pen.
 
Wham with the Right Hand said:
Paul Byrd? I think I made that comparison a while back.

Byrd was a little taller at 6'1" but otherwise seems like a solid comp. His fastball was 86 mph his last year. His ground ball/fly ball ratio was 0.88, so he tended to put more balls in the air, like Morgan. He had a 15-year career but didn't become a regular starter until age 29 after five years in the pen.
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Tim Lincecum
 
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