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Related: About this forumThe Pirates pitcher who succeeds by not throwing strikes
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-pirates-pitcher-who-succeeds-184606885.htmlIf only they didnt swing. That should be the strategy against Francisco Liriano. Lope into the batters box, sling bat over shoulder and play statue. Stare at every ball that whizzes by. And chances are, if temptation doesnt take over, if the almost pheromonal scent of Lirianos pitches cant cajole a swing, the exercise will end in a leisurely stroll to first base.
Because in a pitching world whose mission boils down to a two-word statement repeated ad nauseam throw strikes Liriano serves as the literal and figurative wild child. Nobody in baseball delivers fewer pitches in the strike zone than the Pittsburgh Pirates 31-year-old left-hander, and his mastery of effective wildness has grown into wild effectiveness.
In the last 10 years, since baseball started tracking the strike zone through its PITCHf/x system, only one time has a pitcher thrown fewer baseballs in the zone than Lirianos 36.8 percent this year: Liriano last season, at 35 percent. Thats exactly what it sounds like: nearly two out of every three pitches Liriano throws would be a ball were it not for the lure of his sinker, slider and changeup, the finest three-ingredient combo since peanut butter, jelly and bread.
Hes got two of the most dynamic off-speed pitches in the game, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. And he has good enough stuff that he still gets swings even when its not close.
Because in a pitching world whose mission boils down to a two-word statement repeated ad nauseam throw strikes Liriano serves as the literal and figurative wild child. Nobody in baseball delivers fewer pitches in the strike zone than the Pittsburgh Pirates 31-year-old left-hander, and his mastery of effective wildness has grown into wild effectiveness.
In the last 10 years, since baseball started tracking the strike zone through its PITCHf/x system, only one time has a pitcher thrown fewer baseballs in the zone than Lirianos 36.8 percent this year: Liriano last season, at 35 percent. Thats exactly what it sounds like: nearly two out of every three pitches Liriano throws would be a ball were it not for the lure of his sinker, slider and changeup, the finest three-ingredient combo since peanut butter, jelly and bread.
Hes got two of the most dynamic off-speed pitches in the game, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. And he has good enough stuff that he still gets swings even when its not close.
People, please. You're big-league hitters. Show a little discipline up there.
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The Pirates pitcher who succeeds by not throwing strikes (Original Post)
KamaAina
Aug 2015
OP
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)1. Yeah, but he can't hit.
.120 average.
Oh, and the Rox are tied 3-3 with him tonight.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)2. Are they laying off and making him walk in runs?
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)3. Naw. Rockies can fill the bases?
Cargo hit a 2 run blast that tied the score and Liriano got chased.
The Buccos are now 2 runs up in the 9th.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)4. A better strategy might be to work him into a 3-0 or 3-1 count
then see if he grooves one and say BAM!