Comments on: Daily Farm Report 05/26/2011

By: BigJawnMize

BigJawnMize — Sun, 29 May 2011 02:15:38 +0000

Actually there is quite a bit of research starting to come out on the number of revolutions and outcomes because of advancements in using dopler type radar. Verducci is the only article I could think of off hand.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/tom_verducci/04/12/fastballs.trackman/index.html

You are correct in that if the expected trajectory of a pitch is straight downward and you impart perfect backspin on the vertical axis the ball would fly truer. But I doubt that this is the case in actual pitching because of arm angles and how the ball is released off the finger tips will always impart some form of side spin on a ball.

My personal theory entirely from experience is that the angle of the spin off the vertical axis actually changes as it approaches home plate and this is what causes a fastball to appear to dart or run in a direction. So when we talk about Miller having a lot of arm side run on his pitches, what is actually happening is that his fastball when released has a backspin closer to vertical and as it approaches home plate it become closer to horizontal causing the run.

By: RichardRich

RichardRich — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:44:03 +0000

Ankiel was already up to Baseball America’s #2 overall prospect when he was 19.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:38:35 +0000

I’m pretty sure you’re wrong actually – the more backspin on a ball, theoretically the straighter and more predictably it should fly. It’s called the magnus effect and it’s the reason why four-seamers sometimes appear to “raise”, and why knuckleballs move so much (they’re thrown, theoretically, with as little back or side-spin as possible).

Might be wrong here but that’s what I always thought.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:35:49 +0000

A change with a 20mph speed difference would be very easy to hit IMO. I’m sure major league hitters will detect such an extreme velocity differential right out of the hand. I also imagine it’s nigh on impossible to throw one with the same delivery.

IIRC most of the good major league ones are in the 8-12mph slower range.

By: Felonius_Monk

Felonius_Monk — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:33:40 +0000

Ankiel was easily one of the top 5 pitching prospects in baseball at one time IMO. Martinez is nowhere near there yet – there’s an argument that he’s not in the top 30 (though I’d guess he’d be in the 20-some region).

By: hugecardsfan

hugecardsfan — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:05:53 +0000

“They had to add Brian Broderick back on…”

which would suggest that he was there before. He wasn’t, explaining the Rule 5 selection in the first place.

By: BigJawnMize

BigJawnMize — Sat, 28 May 2011 01:35:19 +0000

putting good backspin on the ball. Good backspin makes pitches pop, dart, etc as they approach the plate. Frankly if he can take a little off his fastball and get a little more spin and movement on it he might be better off as a starter in the future.

By: BigJawnMize

BigJawnMize — Sat, 28 May 2011 01:32:57 +0000

I usually don’t worry too much about fastballs being a little straight. If a pitcher has command and a good approach fastball movement can be developed like you said with cutter grips, etc.

The one thing that not having movement on the fastball that bothers me is that it is an indication that a pitcher is not puttin

By: RCHIII

RCHIII — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:56:43 +0000

Yes. He was told last year that his slider rated highly. Not sure if a curve would be in addition to or in place of the slider.

By: pitch and hit

pitch and hit — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:14:52 +0000

More like he tweeked something and needed a day off.