Foul Balls

[NewUserName]

Last night during the game, Len made a point to mention one the the reasons Rich Hill's pitch counts were so high was because of the large amount of foul balls hit against him. Is there a place that tracks foul balls per AB or something like that. I am not trying to say that Len is wrong, He didnt have any stats to back it up that I saw. Announcers are legendary for saying something that is a preception, than it becoming fact in the audiences mind. I just wanted to see if it was true.

[TruffleShuffle]

The Houston announcers said that Brenly had people look into the foul ball thing, and the Cubs pitching staff has given up more foul balls than any team in baseball. But again, I'm not sure if this is true or not - sort of taking Brenly's word on this.

[kente777]

Anyone who tracks the number of foul balls a team has given up has way too much time on their hands.

[Mephistopheles]

Anyone who tracks the number of foul balls a team has given up has way too much time on their hands.

 

It's not that hard to write a program to go through box scores and figure this stuff out.

[Omar]

Anyone who tracks the number of foul balls a team has given up has way too much time on their hands.

 

We spend all day discussing numbers...

[Magnetic Curses]

this is the way other teams began to combat prior and wood. looking at pitches and swingling defensively. it seems that they haven't modified their strategy now that prior and wood have been ruined.

 

this startegy is not employed, it seems, against any other team. however, if our starters continue to pitch well despite this strategy, other teams will have to change it.= at some point and actually attempt to hit the ball.

[Derwood]

STATS, Inc. keeps track of every pitch of every game. I'm sure they would have the answer

[Balsa]

What can you really do against this?

[Sammy Sofa]

What can you really do against this?

 

Stop trying to strike out every batter.

 

This organization has been obsessed with the k being the ultimate out every since Wood's big game in '98. Having Maddux back had its ups and downs, but damn, it was refreshing to see a pitcher who wasn't afraid to put the ball in play for an out.

[abuck1220]

What can you really do against this?

 

Stop trying to strike out every batter.

 

 

so hill should stop having such a good curve ball, and zambrano should stop having so much movement on his pitches? those guys can't help it that they're high k pitchers (not that they should want to change it)...high k guys are going to get a lot of foul balls.

[Derwood]

What can you really do against this?

 

Stop trying to strike out every batter.

 

 

so hill should stop having such a good curve ball, and zambrano should stop having so much movement on his pitches? those guys can't help it that they're high k pitchers (not that they should want to change it)...high k guys are going to get a lot of foul balls.

 

a pitcher who is trying to strike guys out is pitching to miss the bat, meaning he is generally nibbling the corners or trying to get batters to chase bad pitches rather than pitching to contact and allowing his defense to make outs

[Abe Frohman]

so hill should stop having such a good curve ball, and zambrano should stop having so much movement on his pitches? those guys can't help it that they're high k pitchers (not that they should want to change it)...high k guys are going to get a lot of foul balls.

 

You are absolutely right.

 

a pitcher who is trying to strike guys out is pitching to miss the bat, meaning he is generally nibbling the corners or trying to get batters to chase bad pitches rather than pitching to contact and allowing his defense to make outs

 

That's a bit too simplistic. Although a good pitcher (like Maddux) is going to be doing exactly what you say a "power" pitcher will do. I'm not sure if you have ever been a pitcher, but a finesse pitcher who actually does rely on his defense is going to be doing the nibbling, etc. that you say a power pitcher does. Actually, all good pitchers are going to be doing this.

[Sammy Sofa]

What can you really do against this?

 

Stop trying to strike out every batter.

 

 

so hill should stop having such a good curve ball, and zambrano should stop having so much movement on his pitches? those guys can't help it that they're high k pitchers (not that they should want to change it)...high k guys are going to get a lot of foul balls.

 

Of course I'm not saying these guys should drop their best pitches, but there are plenty of times it seems like they want the k and nothing but the k and they give up foul after foul and rack up a ton of high pitch battles...and it's hardly exclusive to Hill or Zambrano. Like I said, this has been the Cubs' SOP since Wood fanned 20. They seem to instill the thinking in their starters that they need to go after the k no matter what.

 

I'm obviously not saying that they shouldn't strike batters out, but to me it seems like I've been seeing Cubs starters seemingly avoid trying to get any kind of out but the k for the better part of a decade now...and what have we gotten? Tons of walks of handed out and overworked pitchers. Grand. Sometimes they need to just need to try and put the ball in play.

[abuck1220]

people on this board have remarkable insight as to the inner workings of rich hill's mind.

[Sammy Sofa]

people on this board have remarkable insight as to the inner workings of rich hill's mind.

 

What exactly is this in response to?

[abuck1220]

people on this board have remarkable insight as to the inner workings of rich hill's mind.

 

What exactly is this in response to?

 

people that are saying that hill (or whoever) tries to strike guys out. and in doing so, nibbles at the corners.

[Lockes Eye Scar]

rich hill doesn't even try when he hits, why would he try to K guys? lolz

[Sammy Sofa]

people on this board have remarkable insight as to the inner workings of rich hill's mind.

 

What exactly is this in response to?

 

people that are saying that hill (or whoever) tries to strike guys out. and in doing so, nibbles at the corners.

 

I believe that the Cubs have instilled a "k uber alles" mentality in most of, if not all, of their pitching prospects over the last decade. I'm not trying to pick on Hill or single him out.