MLB's Weirdest Pitcher Doesn't Need Strikeouts | Baseball Bits

Foolish Baseball
13 Oct 202112:20
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe script discusses MLB's top active pitchers by career ERA, highlighting Richard Bleier as an unconventional standout with a low strikeout rate. Despite his low velocity, Bleier excels with exceptional command, inducing ground balls and limiting home runs and walks. His pitching style, described as 'zone filling,' has resulted in impressive ERAs and a unique place in the game, proving that diverse approaches can be effective in preventing runs and enhancing the spectator experience.

Takeaways
  • 🏆 Craig Kimbrel is the top active MLB pitcher with a career ERA of 2.18, while Clayton Kershaw is noted as the best starting pitcher closely followed by Jacob deGrom.
  • 🚫 The majority of pitchers on the list average at least 90 mph on their fastball and have a strikeout rate of at least one per inning.
  • 🌟 Richard Bleier stands out with a notably low strikeout rate of only five per nine innings, making him unique among the top pitchers.
  • 🔍 To compare strikeout rates across different eras, K percentage plus is used, with 100 being league average and higher indicating better performance.
  • 🎖️ Eric Gagne's 2003 season is highlighted as the top relief season by K percentage plus, enhancing his Cy Young Award credentials.
  • 📊 Bleier's 2017 season had a K percentage plus of 45, which was effective despite being low, and he had the best ERA among the bottom 15 with a 1.99.
  • 🤔 Bleier's pitching style is unconventional, focusing on managing the three true outcomes: strikeouts, walks, and home runs, with a particular emphasis on avoiding home runs and walks.
  • 🎰 Bleier is known as a 'zone filler', consistently throwing a high percentage of pitches in the strike zone, which is a bold strategy in the 'juice ball era'.
  • 🏞️ Bleier's pitching approach results in a high number of ground balls, which are favorable outcomes for pitchers due to their lower batting average compared to fly balls.
  • 📈 His success with a low strikeout rate and below-average velocity challenges the recent trends in pitcher development that favor high velocity and spin rate.
  • 🎉 Bleier's diverse pitching approach and effectiveness over the past half-decade make him one of the most effective pitchers in the game, emphasizing the importance of run prevention.
Q & A

  • Who is the top active MLB pitcher by career ERA?

    -Craig Kimbrel is the top active MLB pitcher by career ERA with a 2.18 ERA.

  • Which pitcher is mentioned as having one of the best starts in MLB history?

    -Eric Gagne's 2003 campaign is mentioned as one of the best starts in MLB history.

  • What is Richard Bleyer's career strikeout rate per nine innings?

    -Richard Bleyer's career strikeout rate is 5 per nine innings.

  • How does Richard Bleyer's strikeout rate compare to the MLB average?

    -Richard Bleyer's strikeout rate is significantly lower than the MLB average, making him stand out in today's league.

  • What is the metric used to compare strikeout rates across different eras in MLB history?

    -The metric used to compare strikeout rates across different eras is K percentage plus.

  • What is Richard Bleyer's K percentage plus in 2017?

    -Richard Bleyer's K percentage plus in 2017 was 45.

  • What is unique about Richard Bleyer's pitching style compared to other pitchers?

    -Richard Bleyer is a zone filler, which means he pitches to fill the strike zone with strikes, rather than focusing on high strikeout rates.

  • What type of batted ball does Richard Bleyer induce most often?

    -Richard Bleyer induces ground balls most often, making him unique among active pitchers.

  • How does Richard Bleyer's ERA compare to other pitchers with low strikeout rates?

    -Richard Bleyer has a remarkably low ERA for a pitcher with a low strikeout rate, with a 1.99 ERA being the best among the bottom 15.

  • What is the significance of Richard Bleyer's cutter in his pitching arsenal?

    -Richard Bleyer's cutter gives him an option against right-handed hitters, which is necessary with the three-batter minimum rule and helps diversify his pitch selection.

  • How does Richard Bleyer's success challenge the conventional wisdom about pitching?

    -Richard Bleyer's success challenges the conventional wisdom that high velocity and high strikeout rates are necessary for a pitcher to be great, proving that a holistic approach can also lead to success.

  • What is the importance of Richard Bleyer's approach to player development?

    -Richard Bleyer's approach to player development advocates for diversity and a broader range of skills, which can enhance the spectator experience and challenge the homogeneity of modern pitching.

Outlines
00:00
🏆 Richard Bleyer: The Unconventional Pitcher

This paragraph introduces the theme of the video, focusing on Richard Bleyer, a unique MLB pitcher known for his low strikeout rate compared to other top pitchers. It highlights the top active pitchers by career ERA, with Craig Kimbrel and Clayton Kershaw mentioned, and emphasizes the typical characteristics of these pitchers, such as high fastball speeds and high strikeout rates. Bleyer, however, stands out with a significantly lower strikeout rate. The video will explore how Bleyer's pitching style, which includes a focus on ground balls and low walk and home run rates, has allowed him to achieve success despite not fitting the mold of the modern power pitcher.

05:02
🚀 The Art of Pitching to Contact: Bleyer's Strategy

This paragraph delves into Richard Bleyer's pitching approach, which contrasts with the high-strikeout strategies of his peers. It discusses the importance of balls in play and the advantages of inducing ground balls over fly balls, using batting averages and slugging percentages to illustrate the point. Bleyer's knack for getting ground ball outs is highlighted, along with his impressive stat of having a majority of his appearances end in ground balls. The paragraph also touches on Bleyer's ability to avoid allowing home runs and his low walk rate, which are key components of his success on the mound.

10:04
🌟 Bleyer's Unique Place in MLB History

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion on Richard Bleyer by emphasizing his outlier status among modern pitchers, particularly in terms of his strikeout rate and velocity. It points out that despite the trend towards high-velocity pitching, Bleyer's success argues for a more holistic approach to player development that values a diversity of pitching styles. The video concludes by recognizing Bleyer as one of the best run preventers over the past half-decade, suggesting that his effectiveness is a testament to the importance of run prevention over other pitching metrics.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Career ERA
Career ERA stands for Earned Run Average over a player's career. It's a statistic used in baseball to measure a pitcher's effectiveness by calculating the average number of earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings pitched. In the video, it's mentioned that Craig Kimbrel has the lowest career ERA among active pitchers, which highlights his consistent excellence in preventing runs.
💡Strikeout Rate
Strikeout Rate is a pitching statistic that represents the average number of batters a pitcher strikes out per nine innings pitched. The video discusses Richard Bleier's unusually low strikeout rate, which is a key aspect of his pitching style, making him stand out in the modern MLB where high strikeout rates are common.
💡Finesse Pitcher
A finesse pitcher is a term used to describe a pitcher who relies on control, pitch selection, and strategy rather than overpowering velocity to get batters out. The script mentions that Bleier's low strikeout rate would have made him a finesse pitcher in the past, contrasting with the power pitchers of today.
💡K Percentage Plus
K Percentage Plus is a sabermetric statistic that measures a pitcher's strikeout rate relative to the league average, with 100 being average. It's used to evaluate a pitcher's ability to strike out batters. The video uses this metric to compare strikeout rates across different eras, noting that Bleier's K Percentage Plus of 45 in 2017 was quite low while still being effective.
💡Zone Filler
A zone filler is a pitcher who frequently throws pitches into the strike zone, often resulting in more contact from the batter. The script describes Richard Bleier as a zone filler, emphasizing his strategy of filling the strike zone with pitches, which leads to a high number of balls in play and a low strikeout rate.
💡Three True Outcomes
The Three True Outcomes in baseball are home runs, strikeouts, and walks. These are the outcomes of a plate appearance that are not affected by defensive play. The video discusses how Bleier manages these outcomes effectively, particularly by keeping his home run and walk rates very low.
💡Launch Angle
Launch angle is the angle at which a batted ball leaves the bat, measured in degrees. A negative launch angle indicates that the ball is hit towards the ground. The script notes that Bleier is one of the few pitchers with a negative career launch angle, which contributes to his effectiveness by generating ground balls.
💡Ground Ball Out
A ground ball out occurs when a batted ball is hit into the ground and is subsequently fielded and thrown to first base to record an out. The video highlights that Bleier's pitching often results in ground ball outs, which are considered favorable outcomes for pitchers due to the lower likelihood of extra bases.
💡Cutter
A cutter is a type of pitch in baseball that has slight lateral movement, making it harder for batters to make solid contact. The script mentions the re-emergence of Bleier's cutter in 2021, which gives him an effective pitch against right-handed hitters and contributes to his success.
💡Barrel Percentage
Barrel percentage is a statistic that measures how often a batter makes contact with the 'sweet spot' of the bat, known as the barrel, resulting in a high probability of a hit. The video points out that Bleier has the league's best barrel percentage since his first full season, indicating that he is adept at avoiding allowing solid contact.
💡Holistic Approach
A holistic approach in the context of the video refers to a comprehensive method of player development that values a variety of skills and attributes, not just high velocity or specific pitch types. The script suggests that Bleier's success challenges the homogeneity of modern pitcher development and advocates for a more diverse and holistic approach.
Highlights

Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom are among the top active pitchers by career ERA.

Most pitchers on the list average at least 90 mph on their fastball and strike out at least one batter per inning.

Richard Bleier stands out with a low strikeout rate of only five per nine innings.

Bleier was drafted by the Rangers in 2008 and played for 10 minor league teams before reaching the majors in 2016.

His debut with the Yankees showcased his skill set with three pitches and two ground ball outs.

Bleier's career strikeout rate is historically low, even by past MLB standards.

K Percentage Plus is introduced as a tool to compare strikeout rates across different eras.

Eric Gagne's 2003 season is highlighted as the top relief season by K Percentage Plus.

In 2017, Bleier had a K Percentage Plus of 45, making him very effective despite a low strikeout rate.

Bleier's 1.99 ERA in 2017 was the best among the bottom 15 with low strikeout rates.

Terry Leach is mentioned as another pitcher with a sub 2 ERA while striking out less than 10% of batters.

Bleier's pitching style is characterized by managing the three true outcomes: strikeouts, walks, and home runs.

He maintains a very low home run rate and an impressive walk rate.

Bleier is a 'zone filler', consistently throwing a high percentage of pitches in the strike zone.

Ground balls are a favorable outcome for pitchers, and Bleier is particularly effective at inducing them.

Bleier is the only active MLB pitcher with the majority of his appearances ending in a ground ball.

His success challenges the notion that high velocity and high backspin four-seamers are necessary for greatness.

Bleier's career barrel percentage is the best since his first full season, indicating his ability to avoid being barreled up.

He played in the 2020 playoffs, showcasing his consistent ability to induce ground outs and fly outs.

Bleier's 2021 season saw the re-emergence of his cutter, giving him an effective option against right-handed hitters.

He concluded the season as the first reliever since 2017 to have a walk rate and home run rate of less than 1 per 9 innings.

Bleier's success is an outlier in terms of strikeout rate and velocity, emphasizing the importance of run prevention.

His approach to pitching advocates for a holistic player development strategy, diversifying the game.

Transcripts

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MLBPitchingRichard BleyerStrikeout RateEffective PitchingBaseball AnalysisThree True OutcomesZone FillerGround BallFinesse Pitcher