Pitching

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Some stuff from Zack Meisel in The Athletic:

Plutko, first time through the order: .229/.250/.371 opponent slash line
Plutko, second time through the order: .423/.483/.731 opponent slash line

Three starts is far from a foolproof sample size, but …

Carrasco’s last three outings:
4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 7 K vs. Cubs
4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K vs. Pirates
3 1/3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K vs. Tigers

Entering his start on Sunday:
Carrasco, first time through the order: .171/.244/.293 slash line
Carrasco, second time through the order: .184/.311/.447 slash line
Carrasco, third time through the order: .350/.458/.450 slash line

When the Tigers faced him for a second time on Sunday, they went 4-for-9 with four extra-base hits.

My comment: Between these numbers on Carrasco and the corresponding decline in velocity shown in the charts jup posted you have to wonder if Cookie's days as a starter are over. The combination of age and illness seem to be taking a toll.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

He seemed to throw less and less fastballs as the start went on as well, not sure if that is him or Taylor, but the Tigers did most of their damage on his off-speed pitches.

Both home runs were on off-speed pitches and I think they were also on the first pitch of the at-bat. Cookie's fastball usage has declined 20% over the last four years. It's down to about 38%. It looked like the Tigers were sitting on his breaking ball.

Carrasco not only lost velo on his fastball from the 1st to the 4th inning but he also lost command. It definitely appears his arm was getting tired.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

And this from Meisel's column, this time on Karinchak...

James Karinchak has tallied 28 strikeouts and surrendered only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings this season. Opposing hitters are batting .089 with a .303 OPS against him.

His strikeout rate (52.8 percent of hitters) is the best in baseball. So are his xERA, xBA and xSLG...a hitter achieves a “barrel” when he strikes a ball with the combination of high exit velocity and proper launch angle that often results in an extra-base hit. In his first 20 major-league innings, Karinchak has not allowed a single barrel.

20 innings, not a single barreled ball. OMG. Incredible. Can this guy be for real?

 

[CDAV45]

And this from Meisel's column, this time on Karinchak...

James Karinchak has tallied 28 strikeouts and surrendered only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings this season. Opposing hitters are batting .089 with a .303 OPS against him.

His strikeout rate (52.8 percent of hitters) is the best in baseball. So are his xERA, xBA and xSLG...a hitter achieves a “barrel” when he strikes a ball with the combination of high exit velocity and proper launch angle that often results in an extra-base hit. In his first 20 major-league innings, Karinchak has not allowed a single barrel.

20 innings, not a single barreled ball. OMG. Incredible. Can this guy be for real?

Wait until Clase joins him with his 100 mph cutter. Throw in Gose with his 97 mph FB from the left side and this BP's future looks pretty good at the moment.

 

[Lee]

And this from Meisel's column, this time on Karinchak...

James Karinchak has tallied 28 strikeouts and surrendered only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings this season. Opposing hitters are batting .089 with a .303 OPS against him.

His strikeout rate (52.8 percent of hitters) is the best in baseball. So are his xERA, xBA and xSLG...a hitter achieves a “barrel” when he strikes a ball with the combination of high exit velocity and proper launch angle that often results in an extra-base hit. In his first 20 major-league innings, Karinchak has not allowed a single barrel.

20 innings, not a single barreled ball. OMG. Incredible. Can this guy be for real?

I love him but his delivery is so weird to me, still have not got used to it.

 

[Kiddo]

Karinchak failed to strike out 2 batters last night, prior to that he had 7-8 straight games with at least 2 K's. Hand also has looked more like himself the last 3-4 outings.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Wait until Clase joins him with his 100 mph cutter. Throw in Gose with his 97 mph FB from the left side and this BP's future looks pretty good at the moment.

Another guy coming up under the radar is Phil Maton. Eight innings, one run, zero walks, 12 K's. He's quietly developing into a very dependable bridge from the starter to the back end.

I'm not sure what to make of Cam Hill. In 11.2 innings he's allowed only 4 hits, so he's definitely got some nasty stuff. His WHIP is an outstanding 0.60. He gets guys out. But he's allowed 5 earned runs. He had one bad outing where he gave up 4 earned runs in 0.2 innings in a 7-1 loss to the White Sox. In his other ten appearances he's pitched 11 innings, allowing 2 hits and 1 earned run.

If he pitches great 9 games out of 11, which he has so far, then he'll be another useful piece going forward.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Karinchak failed to strike out 2 batters last night, prior to that he had 7-8 straight games with at least 2 K's. Hand also has looked more like himself the last 3-4 outings.

Better trade Karinchak now while his value is still high. Maybe package him with Clevinger and Lindor to the Padres for their entire farm system.

 

[DCTribefan]

I love him but his delivery is so weird to me, still have not got used to it.

What matters most is whether the funky delivery will ultimately lead to arm troubles?

 

[jup]

What matters most is whether the funky delivery will ultimately lead to arm troubles?

Could be arm, but posture shift guys are also very susceptible to back and hip.

 

[CDAV45]

Another guy coming up under the radar is Phil Maton. Eight innings, one run, zero walks, 12 K's. He's quietly developing into a very dependable bridge from the starter to the back end.

I'm not sure what to make of Cam Hill. In 11.2 innings he's allowed only 4 hits, so he's definitely got some nasty stuff. His WHIP is an outstanding 0.60. He gets guys out. But he's allowed 5 earned runs. He had one bad outing where he gave up 4 earned runs in 0.2 innings in a 7-1 loss to the White Sox. In his other ten appearances he's pitched 11 innings, allowing 2 hits and 1 earned run.

If he pitches great 9 games out of 11, which he has so far, then he'll be another useful piece going forward.

Wham, I think Hill and Maton are similar pitchers in the sense that they spin the ball exceptionally well. Both are doing pretty well and look to be able to bridge the gap from the starters to the back end. Wittgren does one helluva a job too. The BP doesn't appear to be anything but a strength going forward, but BP are notoriously unpredictable.

 

[LL3]

FWIW, Keith Law's on thoughts on the Triston McKenzie debut. Law notes that he is used to seeing prospects in person, visiting camps, etc. , but that is of course not a possibility in the current environment.

Triston McKenzie‘s prospect status took a hit after he missed all of 2019 with upper back and pectoral strains and half of 2018 with forearm soreness, but he’d been a top 100 prospect prior to last year because of his combination of stuff, exceptional command and big extension in his delivery. His major-league debut this year was one hell of a comeback statement, as he struck out 10 Tigers and allowed just three baserunners in six innings for the Indians — the longest start by any rookie pitcher so far in 2020 — where he showed exactly why he was my No. 19 overall prospect after the 2018 season.

McKenzie worked from 93-97 in his debut, showing exquisite command for someone so young and with only about 320 pro innings before his callup. He located it very effectively down and away to right- and left-handed batters, and also was able to work with it just above the top of the zone to get chase swings. His changeup was his most effective pitch, with hitters swinging and missing at three of the nine he threw on the night; it doesn’t have much action, but hitters clearly don’t pick it up out of his hand. The one run he allowed was on a changeup, though, an 88 mph pitch that he left up, middle-in to Willi Castro, who either picked it up out of his hand or just guessed right and hammered the pitch out to right.

McKenzie’s breaking stuff is more average to fringe-average, but is effective because hitters just don’t seem to recognize his pitches – which I suspect is from his huge extension out over his front side, giving hitters very little time to react to what he throws. He used what appeared to be two distinct breaking balls, a curveball mostly 79-82 and a slider 86-89 (one of which got a swinging third strike against Miguel Cabrera), although he’d get caught in between and throw a slurve of sorts in the middle of those ranges. Although neither pitch has great spin or especially sharp break, the slider seems to fool hitters gearing up for the fastball. With that, the changeup, and his ability to put his fastball where he wants to three different sports at the edges of the zone, he looked even better than I had expected when I ranked him among the game’s top pitching prospects.

He offers thoughts on other players new to the Majors in his article.

 

[petes999]

FWIW, Keith Law's on thoughts on the Triston McKenzie debut. Law notes that he is used to seeing prospects in person, visiting camps, etc. , but that is of course not a possibility in the current environment.

Triston McKenzie‘s prospect status took a hit after he missed all of 2019 with upper back and pectoral strains and half of 2018 with forearm soreness, but he’d been a top 100 prospect prior to last year because of his combination of stuff, exceptional command and big extension in his delivery. His major-league debut this year was one hell of a comeback statement, as he struck out 10 Tigers and allowed just three baserunners in six innings for the Indians — the longest start by any rookie pitcher so far in 2020 — where he showed exactly why he was my No. 19 overall prospect after the 2018 season.

Thanks ... I think that it is a fair assessment. The thing that Law leaves out is even though there are the injury concerns that dropped him from the 19th best prospect down and out of most top 100s ... the ability to work with Beiber during next year's spring training on getting a few off-speed pitches to work just a bit better will help him even more. He could be special. Think of last night's outing by Clevinger and how he did it mostly on fastball command (up in the zone) and why he is a top 10 type pitcher. Law hinted at that with McK .. but adding a little bit more off-speed effectiveness will take him quickly to the next level and why we can look at trading Clevinger.

 

[petes999]

So, while we are waiting for the trade deadline ... let's take a look at how good Clevinger is ... (top 5 ... top 10 ... top 15 ....)

Best Pitchers this year in AL

Beiber -- 4 more outings will wrap up unanimous vote.

Lynn -- If it were not for Beiber ... his 1.59 ERA and .86 WHIP would be up there in voting ... but is also 33 so on the start of down side of his career (2-3 more good years?)

Cole -- He is still very good but is struggling at times like last night .. but at $36 million, you start to see where Clev can end up

Verlander -- Would be up there but injured this year

Giolito -- An quick up and comer

Sale -- Injured (Tommy John at 31 ....)

Snell -- at 28 with a few good years is comprable ... but not as consistent.


Best Pitchers in the NL

Gray -- Finally had that break-out year ... but on consistency would you take him over Clev?

Bauer -- Again another break out year ... but would you take what is between his ears over Clev?

deGroom -- Clearly up there

Scherzer -- At 36, showing his age

Buehler -- Would put at Clev level ... give or take

Kershaw -- Always consistently good ... at 32 just a few years older than Clev

Strasburg -- Injury issues and getting up there now in age (32)

Woodruff and Marquez -- Two up and comers in NL that I haven't seen much of

So how many would you take ahead of Clev? Beiber, Cole, Giolito, Lynn(?), deGroom, Kershaw/Buehler (one of two) maybe Woodruff/Marquez... so maybe 8th-10th best starting pitcher if you were to take your pick of who you want for next 2-3 years? Maybe 11th if I forgot someone else ... So basically, he his a TOR for most teams ... (24 teams as some have 2 already like us).

 

[jup]

So, while we are waiting for the trade deadline ... let's take a look at how good Clevinger is ... (top 5 ... top 10 ... top 15 ....)

Best Pitchers this year in AL

Beiber -- 4 more outings will wrap up unanimous vote.

Lynn -- If it were not for Beiber ... his 1.59 ERA and .86 WHIP would be up there in voting ... but is also 33 so on the start of down side of his career (2-3 more good years?)

Cole -- He is still very good but is struggling at times like last night .. but at $36 million, you start to see where Clev can end up

Verlander -- Would be up there but injured this year

Giolito -- An quick up and comer

Sale -- Injured (Tommy John at 31 ....)

Snell -- at 28 with a few good years is comprable ... but not as consistent.


Best Pitchers in the NL

Gray -- Finally had that break-out year ... but on consistency would you take him over Clev?

Bauer -- Again another break out year ... but would you take what is between his ears over Clev?

deGroom -- Clearly up there

Scherzer -- At 36, showing his age

Buehler -- Would put at Clev level ... give or take

Kershaw -- Always consistently good ... at 32 just a few years older than Clev

Strasburg -- Injury issues and getting up there now in age (32)

Woodruff and Marquez -- Two up and comers in NL that I haven't seen much of

So how many would you take ahead of Clev? Beiber, Cole, Giolito, Lynn(?), deGroom, Kershaw/Buehler (one of two) maybe Woodruff/Marquez... so maybe 8th-10th best starting pitcher if you were to take your pick of who you want for next 2-3 years? Maybe 11th if I forgot someone else ... So basically, he his a TOR for most teams ... (24 teams as some have 2 already like us).

So I get your list is clearly subjective, given guys like Verlander and Sale are not even pitching this year, and guys like Strasburg will be on the shelf with no exact time frame for return, but that also diminishes its credibility. Reads more like an all star ballot where what you have done in the past makes you eligible. On a list like this, why not include Kluber, he is on the shelf but only a few years out of Cy contention. And Thor would seem to qualify, but he is absent also.