Where Did All This Pitching Come From?

[ajzepp]

Doesn't it seem as though once the steroid era came to a close, all of a sudden teams have had a groundswell of young pitching talent? Is it BECAUSE the steroid era has come to an end that the advantage has shifted back to pitching? It seems all across the board ERAs are lower than ever, and team BA's are lower than ever, too.

 

Even if I just look at my Braves, it's just staggering: Not only do we have our older guys still pitching well like Huddy and D.Lowe, but we've got a ridiculous number of young starters who have already put out quality work. Check it out, we've got T.Hansen, J.Jurrgens, B.Beachy, M.Minor, J.Tehran (tearing up AAA), and R.Delgado (another youngster with heat) as starters, and then there's potential ROY closer C.Kimbrel, J.Venters, and another green reliever with huge talent in C.Martinez.

 

I've seen times when we've had four strong in terms of starters and MAYBE a solid closer (Rocker, Wohlers), but I've NEVER seen us with this much pitching talent before. But it's not just ATL, cause I see the same thing around the league. What is up with this resurgence in pitching?

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Doesn't it seem as though once the steroid era came to a close, all of a sudden teams have had a groundswell of young pitching talent? Is it BECAUSE the steroid era has come to an end that the advantage has shifted back to pitching? It seems all across the board ERAs are lower than ever, and team BA's are lower than ever, too.

 

Even if I just look at my Braves, it's just staggering: Not only do we have our older guys still pitching well like Huddy and D.Lowe, but we've got a ridiculous number of young starters who have already put out quality work. Check it out, we've got T.Hansen, J.Jurrgens, B.Beachy, M.Minor, J.Tehran (tearing up AAA), and R.Delgado (another youngster with heat) as starters, and then there's potential ROY closer C.Kimbrel, J.Venters, and another green reliever with huge talent in C.Martinez.

 

I've seen times when we've had four strong in terms of starters and MAYBE a solid closer (Rocker, Wohlers), but I've NEVER seen us with this much pitching talent before. But it's not just ATL, cause I see the same thing around the league. What is up with this resurgence in pitching?

 

Don't forget Ivan Nova who's likely the rookie of the year. All that kid did was come up from the minors when called and pitch lights out.

[BB2004]

Doesn't it seem as though once the steroid era came to a close, all of a sudden teams have had a groundswell of young pitching talent? Is it BECAUSE the steroid era has come to an end that the advantage has shifted back to pitching? It seems all across the board ERAs are lower than ever, and team BA's are lower than ever, too.

 

Even if I just look at my Braves, it's just staggering: Not only do we have our older guys still pitching well like Huddy and D.Lowe, but we've got a ridiculous number of young starters who have already put out quality work. Check it out, we've got T.Hansen, J.Jurrgens, B.Beachy, M.Minor, J.Tehran (tearing up AAA), and R.Delgado (another youngster with heat) as starters, and then there's potential ROY closer C.Kimbrel, J.Venters, and another green reliever with huge talent in C.Martinez.

 

I've seen times when we've had four strong in terms of starters and MAYBE a solid closer (Rocker, Wohlers), but I've NEVER seen us with this much pitching talent before. But it's not just ATL, cause I see the same thing around the league. What is up with this resurgence in pitching?

 

That is true. The Braves usually have good pitching every year. Now whether they can get past the Phillies this year is another story.

Edited September 7, 2011 by BB2004

[HopsGuy]

Not to get all conspiracy theory, but I get a sense that MLB umpires have expanded the strike zone to where it almost follows the rules. Remember a couple of years ago a few ballparks had installed QuesTec in an effort to determine whether umpires were calling the pitches correctly? The umpire union cried foul (see what I did there?) but it seems as though runs have come down and the game has sped up a bit - with the exception of Red Sox-Yankee games, which are arduous.

 

I have no data to back up this speculation, so take it with a brick of salt.

[Alaska Darin]

I think the steroid era led to more free swingers throughout baseball. 10 years from now we're going to be talking about HRs being down and averages being up. That's what I think, anyway.

 

I also think that teaching pitchers how to pitch has made it's way down all the way to the little league level. It's no longer just the "big armed" guys getting run. Everyone is looking for the next Tim Lipscomb too. The LLWS had kids who were setting hitters up for out pitches. That was interesting.

 

I think the Glavine/Smoltz/Maddux Braves ruined the strike zone by making it wide rather than tall. You want to see baseball sped up? Call the high strike instead of the wide strike. Right now, if a pitcher throws the ball more than 3 inches above the belt, it's a ball. Ridiculous.

[ajzepp]

I think the steroid era led to more free swingers throughout baseball. 10 years from now we're going to be talking about HRs being down and averages being up. That's what I think, anyway.

 

I also think that teaching pitchers how to pitch has made it's way down all the way to the little league level. It's no longer just the "big armed" guys getting run. Everyone is looking for the next Tim Lipscomb too. The LLWS had kids who were setting hitters up for out pitches. That was interesting.

 

I think the Glavine/Smoltz/Maddux Braves ruined the strike zone by making it wide rather than tall. You want to see baseball sped up? Call the high strike instead of the wide strike. Right now, if a pitcher throws the ball more than 3 inches above the belt, it's a ball. Ridiculous.

 

Hey, AD...good to see you, man...seems like it's been forever since I saw a post of yours