Breaking down the types of pitches out there....

Pitches 101

Ever wonder why professional hitters sometimes look like they really don't know what's coming at them ? Have you ever stopped to really think about the potential arsenal a Pitcher takes with him to the mound ? Considering it takes about .44 sec for a 95mph fastball to travel 60'6", and even less when you factor in that the pitchers stride shortens the distance even more, giving a batter about .25 sec. to react, it's amazing that major league hitters can do what they do as often as they do it. Then again a failure rate of 70% is considered outstanding, so I guess it's all perspective.

Here are some of the pitches that a batter can face at any given time. The difference in speed between them can be up to, and greater than, 15mph, which means a hitter can be kept very off balance, especially if the arm action of the pitcher doesn't vary much from pitch to pitch.

4-seam fastball

---Grip and rip. This is typically the hardest thrown pitch and is thrown with the intention of little or no movement. This ball is gripped with fingers across the seams, the 4 perpendicular seams, added to the backspin created by throwing it, causes this ball to go as straight as possible with maximum velocity. This is typically thrown directly over the top.

2-seam fastball

---Hard with a bite at the end. This is typically not thrown quite as hard as a 4-seam, and will dart down and to the opposite side of the arm used by the pitcher. This is a very effective pitch if controllable, and can either saw off a batter or show a late break away depending on which side of the plate the hitter is on. Arm angle can influence how this ball moves.

Split Fingered

---Hard and down. This pitch has the appearance of a fastball to the batter, but has late movement straight downward making it extremely hard for a batter to compensate for and react too. Arm angle can influence how this ball moves

Cutter

---Hard with a bite at the end. This pitch is very similar to the 2-seamer and Slider (which I feel are all variants of the same pitch). Usually not thrown as hard as a 2-seamer in order to have a bit more movement at the end. This pitch can really saw off a batter, or move hard away depending on which side you are on.

Sinker

---Hard and down. This pitch is very similar to the Split Fingered Fastball (which I feel is essentially the same pitch). This pitch has the appearance of a fastball to the hitter, but has extreme late movement straight downward. I suppose one could argue that it's not throw as hard as a Splitter, but I believe that changing speeds of a pitch doesn't necessarily require a name change as well. Again arm angle can change how and what this pitch does.

Offspeed and Breaking Balls

Curveball

---Medium Speed, large break. This pitch is exactly what it sounds like a ball that curves. It varies from pitcher to pitcher but essentially by placing the middle finger along a larger seem, then snapping off the wrist, a pitcher can actually get enough rotation on the ball to cause it to break one way or the other. There are variants of this pitch as well depending on arm angle, speed the pitcher chooses to throw the ball at etc., which can cause this pitch to move more or less.
One such pitch is the 12-6 Curveball, in which the pitcher is able to get the rotation to go right over the top of the ball causing it to break straight downward. This is a very tough pitch to hit as there is more vertical break. Most Curveball's come in more like 2-8 and slide across the strike zone more.

Knuckleball

---Slow and unpredictable. An almost non-existent pitch now a days, this pitch was thrown by placing either knuckles or fingernails on the ball to try and stop all rotation. The result is a ball that has seams catching air currents in every direction causing this slow pitched ball to dart in an unpredictable manner. This is not only a problem for hitters, but for the Catcher as well since he really has no idea where the ball is going to go. Every time the pitcher throws this pitch is can react differently. Altering the grip, and changing speeds can cause this pitch to do different things as well. One such pitch is the Knuckle Curve. This is a pitch thrown like a fastball, but with a Knuckleball type of grip. The result is a very deceptive Curveball like pitch.

Changeup

---Slow to Medium, can have movement. A very important pitch to just about every arsenal is a good off speed pitch. The Changeup is the most common. By placing the ball further back in the hand while using a fastball delivery, the ball actually comes out with less velocity. Batters can have a very hard time with a good Changeup since it looks and acts like a fastball. In that split second a batter has to react, the brain sees fastball, and the bat is put into motion. The problem is the ball is going so much slower that by the time the ball enters the strikezone the batter has finished his attack on the ball. This pitch can be varied many ways by arm angle, grip (circle and vulcan) and velocity adding great movement to the pitch and making it that much harder to hit.

Palm Ball

---Slow to Med with movement. This pitch is very similar to the Changeup ( which I feel is essentially the same pitch ). If you push the ball into the back of the hand, holding it with the ring finger and thumb, and throw it like a fastball the pitch will appear like a fastball coming out of the hand, but with far less velocity and can have tremendous movement as well.

Eepheus

---Very very slow. This pitch is thrown overhand but with a trajectory similar to soft toss softball, meaning a very very high arc. It's extremely rare to see this anymore since it can catch batters off guard, but if not then it's likely going to be deposited in the OF seats. Either way it's pretty fun to see this happen from time to time. Especially if it works !

Screwball

---Medium speed, moderate break. This pitch is like a Curveball, but breaks in the opposite direction depending on the pitching arm. For instance if you are a right handed pitcher, your Curveball breaks from right to left, so your Screwball would break from left to right. It's a very difficult ball to throw well, and depending on the arm angle can have a bit of downward action to it as well.

There are many pitches out there we didn't cover, mostly because I feel they are just versions of what we just got done talking about. Also because as the decades pass different guys want to put their stamp on the game, and thus a new name for the same old pitch is given and adopted into baseball vernacular.

Here is an interesting test I've found while bouncing around the web to see if you even possess the reactions necessary to at least give yourself a chance to hit a fastball. Keep in mind this test doesn't mean you can hit one, just gives an idea of whether or not you have the ability to react quick enough to maybe hit one. Click here and enjoy

T.Pichierri
-Writer Planet Padres-

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108 Stitches w/ Bill Pierce

Planet Padres would like to welcome it's newest Beat Writer Bill Pierce. He will be dropping by and posting occasionally under the title "108 Stitches". You might find him at Petco Park or covering the Elsinore Storm from time to time. We hope you enjoy his contributions. Thank you for joining us Bill, and we hope you stick around for a long time to come.

- 108 Stitches -

Nick Hundley.... Time for the big boy pants

Maybe Nick is not your your first choice as the starting backstop for the friars but if a close look is given you may be surprised at what what you see. He comes from a strong college program (Arizona), and since his debut in 08' has played well. His largest sampling would be last season where he pretty much filled-in for an aging Torrealba. This came out as about a half year of work. Projecting a full service type of year barring injury, I think a solid season lies ahead.

These projections are...

550 AB's
66 runs
140 hits
36 2B
4 3B
16 HR
86 RBI
and 50 BB

... basically, not bad at all.

Now consider this. A full season of reps and constant playing time will only make these numbers go up..... Defense is a little bit of a ? In the past I have seen that he can loose his focus behind the plate. This is not to say that the staff doesn't like throwing to him, but boxing simple pitches is a little too common for him. This costs the staff strikes and runners often advance when they should not. I believe he has a plus arm, and with some seasoning can rectify these shortcomings.

Hundley has been a great clubhouse guy and has shown that he can rally the troops. I predict that he has a career year and perhaps solidifies the near future for the Padre catcher position.

-Bill Pierce -

Planet Padres Beat Writer

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Additions, Subtractions, Maturation - It's a whole new team

Add / Subtract / Multiply & Divide

Well Pitchers and Catchers have reported so I guess it's time to take a look at what Hoyer has done this off season, which has been pretty interesting to say the least. Already on paper, even with the loss of the best player they had, this team looks like it could be better than at the same time last year. So here we go.

We'll start with the obvious in Adrian Gonzalez. It was time for him to discuss a long term deal with the team, and to be perfectly frank there was no way the Padres could afford what he was going to demand. So they parted ways and traded him to the Boston Redsox, which also freed up some payroll room.

There there was Jon Garland who was the work horse for this team last year and they chose not to bring back. This is maybe the only piece that they still have yet to address, and to many still appears like a hole that needs filling.

Other players of note that are not coming back David Eckstein, Yorvit Torrealba, (another key loss ) Ryan Webb, Edward Mujica, Miguel Tejada, Matt Stairs, Chris Young, Scott Hairston and brother Jerry Hairston Jr.(also a key loss). Some of these players will be missed, but with others it's addition by subtraction.

Now lets talk about some key additions that were made that should offset any losses suffered by Adrian going to the Redsox.


Orlando Hudson will be taking over at 2b, and lets be honest here, he's a pretty large upgrade to Eckstein on both sides of the ball. We should actually see something in the way of production , other than hustle and grit, from the 2b spot in the order. He has the ability to drive in runs, hit for gap power in a ballpark built for that, and is a very good defensive player.



Jason Bartlett will be taking over the SS duties. He's a guy who has been playing in the toughest division in baseball, played under that pressure and now brings a much needed stability to a position that has been a problem for a few years. Everth Cabrera didn't evolve quite like they had hoped, and Miguel Tejada was a very nice mid-season addition last year, but he was not the long term solution. The last time this team had a legitimate SS manning the spot was Kahlil Greene, and his final time spent here was less than impressive, so this acquisition should be some kind of nice.


Cameron Maybin will be the new CFer. He brings a legitimate 5 tools (hit, hit for power, run, throw & play defense) to the position, is still only 23 years old, and was at one time a more highly touted prospect than guys like Evan Longoria. He still has yet to put it all together, but a fresh start is what many think he needs to finally kick start his career. He will also bring far more tools to the ballpark on a daily basis than any CFer since Mike Cameron, and maybe even more than him. Considering last year the best choice for CF was Gwynn Jr., this stands to be quite a bit of a upgrade overall.

Brad Hawpe is your new 1b and he will likely share time with Jorge Cantu. Together these two will do their best to fill in where Adrian Gonzalez left off, and if they both have their career avg types of seasons the loss of Adrian will be far less than what many expect. Many don't realize that Hawpe was a 1b in the minors, and converted to the OF due to being blocked by Todd Helton. So he has experience at 1b, and shouldn't miss too much of a beat moving back. Cantu can also play 3rd, which will allow Bud Black to spell Headley from time to time hopefully keeping him from getting run down.

Approx. Avg Seasons -

Hawpe- 20HR's / 80RBI / .280BA
Cantu - 16HR's / 76RBI / .274BA



Aaron Harang was brought in to help fill the SP role vacated by Jon Garland. He's a local boy who is looking to have a bounce back season. He is an injury risk, but if he can manage to remain reasonably healthy he should benefit by playing in Petco and the NLWest ballparks. He also wont be asked to be a #1 type of arm so there wont be any added pressure from that respect.



Ryan Ludwick wasn't with this team to begin last year, and the hope is that he'll go back to his typical year. If he does this the LF position will be tremendously upgraded over where it started off last year.

Another year of maturity for guys like Headley, Venable, Hundley should lead to better years by all. So since I'm a Padre fan and this is a Padres blog, I'm going to remain on the positive side of things where they are all concerned and take the leap that they will all have better (not sure how much) years than last and call their positions upgraded as a result.

So to recap from a position player standpoint:

1b - Downgrade (how much remains to be seen as the players involved could combine for good years)
2b - Big Upgrade
3b - Upgrade (due to maturity)
SS - Upgrade
LF - Upgrade
CF - Big Upgrade
RF - Upgrade (due to maturity)
C - Upgrade (due to maturity)

So on paper the starting lineup looks like it could be better overall, compared to this same time last year. That should be really good news to Padre fans out there and it shows just how hard Hoyer and the rest of the Front Office worked to make things happen. Now the players need to go out there and get it done.

The Bench and Bullpen look strong if not stronger as a whole also but we'll get into them next time. And like I said earlier the Starting Pitching might be the one spot that this team still needs to address. Losing Garland and replacing him with Harang and expecting Harang to have a Garland type of season is quite a gamble. We'll also get into that next time so keep checking back.

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First update of 2011

Portland Beavers land in Tuscon as Padres

Tucson gets AAA affiliate for at least 2011. Here is the new logo. Great to see at least one of the affilates using the old school font.

More to come soon so keep checking back.

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Dog Days approach and the Padres are STILL in 1st

42-30

... Every "expert".......Everyone in the media.......Everyone associated with baseball.......Oh hell just about everyone on the planet, outside San Diego, figured the Padres to not be a factor this season. Nice work guys, they're only one of the best teams since last July. I do hope that crow tastes good so far.....

The national media still doesn't give them much credit, saying it's all smoke and mirrors, or at best just glossing over their accomplishments as usual. This last series the Padres went into TB, and did what they've been doing all year, and beat up what many think is one of the best teams in all of MLB taking 2-3 and nearly sweeping them on their home turf. During the last game of the series which aired on MLB Network, it was crystal clear that the announcers were anti-Padres, and really pulling for the Rays. Instead of giving the Padres pitching credit, as they should have since it's some of the best in the game, they talked about how the Rays were slumping. They even went so far as to use a solo HR by a TB player as the Coors Light Cold Hard hit of the game, instead of the go ahead HR by Oscar Salazar which happened shortly after. It's these kinds of snubs that prove that either an east coast bias exists, or just a sheer hatred for San Diego and it's sports.

Hey "experts" wake up and realize that this is a team sport, and the Padres are proving every day that it's about team chemistry, not necessarily having the best individual players.

Keep up the great work Padres !!! And keep sticking it to those so called "experts" who clearly don't know as much as they think they do.

End rant.....

Play Ball !!!

Hoyer on the road

Jed Hoyer heads to Florida to go watch the hottest team in MLB play the Marlins.

By Corey Brock / MLB.com

04/25/10 2:35 PM ET

CINCINNATI -- On Monday morning, Jed Hoyer will fly to Florida to watch the hottest team in the Major Leagues -- the San Diego Padres.

The first-year general manager of the Padres will meet up with a team that has certainly been one of the biggest surprises of the season, especially since the team was pegged by many to finish last in the National League West.

What has Hoyer liked about the eight-game winning streak the Padres carried into their series finale in Cincinnati on Sunday?

In a word: Pitching.

"First and foremost, our pitching and run prevention has been good ... we're keeping the ball in the ballpark," Hoyer said by phone on Sunday. "Going down the line, everyone has been throwing the ball well and with confidence."

The Padres entered Sunday's game against the Reds having the lowest ERA (2.73) in the Major Leagues. San Diego ranks second in the Major League teams in opponent batting average (.220).

"The key to our early success is holding our opponent down," Hoyer said.

Hoyer has also seen things he's liked about the offense, one that's already produced two games of 10 or more runs. It's not so much the volume of runs that has impressed Hoyer, but how the Padres have gone about scoring them.

"One of the things that sticks out is how we're being aggressive and opportunistic on the bases," Hoyer said. "Our aggressiveness has led to some runs."

Link

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PETCO concessions see change for the better

Padres clue in and listen to the fans....
What a concept ! It's about time !!

Listening to the fans when the speak up is something this franchise really hasn't done much of in recent years. They like to claim they do, but when it's all said and done they missed the boat more often than not. Well the changes at the top seem to have a trickle-down happening, and it's good news for fans.

SAN DIEGO, CA - The San Diego Padres today announced everyday low pricing for general concessions, including lowering prices on many fan favorite foods and introducing new food options.

"We've spent a lot of time asking fans what they want," said San Diego Padres President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Garfinkel. "We listened and we're responding by creating more choices and improving affordability throughout PETCO Park."

Ballpark favorites - soda, hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts and bottled water - will be available for $4 each. All other general concession items will not see increases from their 2009 non-promotional pricing. In addition, fans will be able to purchase a Padres cap for only $7 and a team T-shirt for $8.

The Padres will offer a 14-ounce, $5 beer in 2010. A 20-ounce domestic beer - which cost $8.50 in 2008 - is now priced at $7.25.

The team is also introducing a $5 'Kids Meal,' which will feature healthier items and be available throughout the ballpark. "We are acting on fan suggestions by adding the Kids Meal and by introducing specific categories such as gluten-free food options," Garfinkel stated.

For the first time since the opening of PETCO Park, the Toyota Terrace Level will be open to all fans, allowing access to Club 19, Baja Bistro, the PCL Club and Coronado's. In conjunction with this expanded access, the Padres are implementing a Toyota Terrace restaurant reservation system for Founder's Club members to reserve tables. Fans can expect to see lower prices, the addition of kids' menus and new signature dishes on the restaurant menus across the Toyota Terrace level.

Additional improvements include a refresh of The Omni Premier Club which will offer "ballpark fare" alongside the current Premier Club dining options. The Padres have also upgraded their All-You-Can-Eat program by improving the seat location and reducing pricing. Seating is now in lower level sections and prices have dropped from $37 in 2009 to $29 in 2010.

The enhanced options and lower pricing go into effect on Opening Day, April 12th when the San Diego Padres take on the Atlanta Braves at 3:35 p.m. at PETCO Park.

$5.00 -- Kids Meal

$4.00 -- Small fountain soda
$4.00 -- Peanuts
$4.00 -- Popcorn
$4.00 -- Hot Dog
$4.00 -- Bottled water

$5.00 -- 14 oz. domestic draft beer
$7.25 -- 20 oz. domestic draft beer
$7.75 -- Plastic bottle domestic beer
$8.25 -- 20 oz. premium draft beer

$7.00 -- Padres cap
$8.00 -- Padres T-shirt

All other general concession items same as 2009 (no increases)

Link

Good job Padres..... This should go a long way in the eyes of most fans.

Play Ball !!!