Martin Perez and a Cutter’s Birth

I believe Martin Perez's cutter is here to stay, and that it will in fact get better as the season wears on. I remember Santana's repertoire, but Martin's cutter reminds me more of Liriano's wipe-out slider, the one that would sometimes hit a right handed batter in the rear foot. Perez's cutter slices and dives a lot like Liriano's slider, but Perez throws it at 89 to 91mph, where Liriano's slider was usually arriving at 89. Perez also scatters his cutter around the zone, where Lirano's slider was strictly lower right corner, or just below and inside. 

Perez's repertoire could get even better. We can see that his fastball command has vastly improved, even as he added more heat. But wait, there's more! Perez has yet to explore his use of the change up, which his better command may enhance. I saw him throw one outside to a rightie a game or so ago...it faded away and sank, almost like Johan's change. If Perez adds that weapon, he might have three plus pitches in his mix. At that point, he could become a Cy Young candidate. 

And another case of beer for Wes Johnson.

WJ for president! I mean really my neck it's stiffening up. I didn't realise how much I relied on the previous regime to keep it loose. Might have to take up yoga.

I'm guessing that 0.1% slider was a misclassified cutter/s, if that's the kind of movement he's getting on that sucker.

There's no question that he's showing a much more effective pitch mix. I'm sure there will be some regression as teams get more tape on it, but he's got the velocity (increased velocity) on the 4-seamer to be effective there too, he seems to be locating his change well, and they're not teeing off on the sinker, so even with better analysis it doesn't change the fact that he's got 4 pitches to work with on a hitter.

I was lukewarm at best on signing perez. felt pretty "meh" at the time, one of those "I know this guy, I'm sure I can get more out of him" moves that always drove me crazy when the Wolves did it, but proof is in the pudding.

And it's hilarious that his agent is claiming credit for telling him to start throwing a cutter, wtf is that BS?

my favorite storyline of perez's cutter is that his agent is claiming adding the pitch was wholly his idea and not the Twins. here he is jumping into aaron gleeman's thread regarding the pitch's inception:

 

perez agent.PNG

 

it takes a village to raise a new pitch. there's probably credit to go around. odorizzi helped him tweak the grip. the twins staff -- wes and jeremy hefner -- undoubtedly provided the data and video to help perfect it. and perez committed to it. 

 

in late march it was apparent that this pitch was going to be special. i really liked watching how hanley ramirez responded to it back in the dugout after chasing one up in the zone. glen perkins jumped in and noted that ramirez is telling the bench that the pitch just spun and the swing, which was well under it, looked as if he was expecting a slider drop. 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/1125820818821406722

 

what it accomplishes is now perez has a pitch that stays in the zone (unlike his slider) so now hitters have to be prepared to defend both sides of the plate whereas before righties could cheat away and spit on things breaking in. 

 

one thing that will be interesting to see is when/if perez starts seeing hitters multiple times in the season if they will start to adjust to that pitch (expecting it to maintain up instead of biting like a slider). 

I was going to say that his cutter looks a lot like a slider. Same football grip and release. 

The big question, for me, is will teams adjust to his new pitch and his performances will drop off some.  I expect there will be some adjustment and drop off, but hope it will not be as big of a drop off.  Regardless ride his hot start as far as you can.  I believe his velocity is also up, based on change in his stride from Wes Johnson.  I could be wrong on that, but I thought I heard Perez was one pitcher he changed up the stride to get more velocity.