Team Pitching Efficiency: Interesting Revelation

[alexlegge]

Take a look at this list of pitches thrown per game. Teams in playoff spots are highlighted. 

Obviously, this sort of statistic takes a lot of things into account, but it seems to be a good measure of overall team pitching efficiency. Maybe this is one metric where the Twins' old organizational philosophy of 'pitch to contact' is kind of a good thing. Of note: there are a small handful of pitchers whose stats I did not incorporate because they've pitched for more than one team already - including Nick Masset, who has pitched for both the Marlins and Braves this year. Accounting for his 195 pitches, both of those teams are probably worse than the Twins and Royals.

[Otto von Ballpark]

By pitches per plate appearance, the Twins are currently #1 in MLB.  Although we were also #2 in MLB by that measure in both 2012 and 2014, and #2 in the AL for it in 2011.  (Only #6 in the AL in 2013.)

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2015-pitches-pitching.shtml#teams_pitches_pitching::4

[Otto von Ballpark]

By your measure, pitcher per game, the Twins were likewise 8th in MLB for 2014, and 7th in MLB for 2012.

 

Seems mostly like a rough proxy for BB rate...?

[spinowner]

 

Seems mostly like a rough proxy for BB rate...?

Strikeout rate, too.

[alexlegge]

 

By pitches per plate appearance, the Twins are currently #1 in MLB.  Although we were also #2 in MLB by that measure in both 2012 and 2014, and #2 in the AL for it in 2011.  (Only #6 in the AL in 2013.)

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2015-pitches-pitching.shtml#teams_pitches_pitching::4

Cool - thanks for the link! If you go by pitches per game over the last 2 years, the Twins were 8th in 2014 (5 out of the top 6 teams made the playoffs) and 26th in 2013 (7 out of the top 9 teams made the playoffs).

[nicksaviking]

 

Maybe this is one metric where the Twins' old organizational philosophy of 'pitch to contact' is kind of a good thing.

 

Nice chart, pretty interesting.  However, the top ten on that list aren't consistant with strikeouts.  Not exactly consistant anyway.

 

It does appear that five of the top ten teams from your list are among the worst ten at strikeouts, while three are in the top ten.  Only two are in the middle of the pack.  Perhaps if your goal is to be as efficient as possible, either get a lot of strikeouts, or very few strikeouts.  The middle ground isn't the place to be here.

 

That being said, pitch efficency isn't something I'm overly concerned with.  Of the teams in the top 10 in K/9, only two, the Brewers and the Padres are outside of the top 10 in team pitching WAR.  Meanwhile, only 3 of the bottom 15 teams in K/9 are NOT in the bottom 15 of WAR. 

 

I'll take a staff that gets outs without putting the ball in play over the staff that throws fewer pitches if those were my only two choices.

[alexlegge]

 

I'll take a staff that gets outs without putting the ball in play over the staff that throws fewer pitches if those were my only two choices.

 

Agreed. But I also suspect that any benefits from 'fewer pitches' haven't meant as much for the Twins in 2011-2014 because their defense was so atrocious. Not that it's sparkling this year, but it seems to be stepping up just enough to do wonders with their pitching approach...

[spinowner]

 

I'll take a staff that gets outs without putting the ball in play over the staff that throws fewer pitches if those were my only two choices.

I disagree when it comes to starters and long relievers. I'd rather have my them throw fewer pitches, enabling them to pitch more innings. For short relievers I do agree beacuse pitch count is generally not a big factor.

[nicksaviking]

 

I disagree when it comes to starters and long relievers. I'd rather have my them throw fewer pitches, enabling them to pitch more innings. For short relievers I do agree beacuse pitch count is generally not a big factor.

 

I'd much rather have quality innings than a quantity of innings.  When we're talking about 12-13 man pitching staffs, the guys in the pen should never be too tired.  

 

Put the ball in the catcher's mitt.  Keep the ball out of play and you take chance out of the equation.  I don't know why, as a fan of a Minnesota team, anyone is OK with letting chance/fate/luck/The Gods have a role in 85% of the at bats.

[Oxtung]

I agree with nicksaviking. I'll take the pitcher that throws 150 innings with a 3.50 ERA over a pitcher with a 4 ERA but gives you 200 innings. In order for the runs to equal out your relievers would have to have an ERA of 5.40 in those 50 innings. As nick said given today's bullpen realities and the ability to shuttle with AAA the pen should be able to absorb those innings.