what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher

Many television broadcasts use this stat. Plate skills aren't usually so well refined for 20-year-olds, but Keith embodies selective aggression. Using the formula our regression spits out for using Whiff/Swing to predict K%, we can develop an "Expected K%" in very rough terms that is K%=.007502+(.85006*Whiff%). Pitchers who had brief but dynamic runs generating lots of strikeouts are also considered as well as guys with lengthy careers who provided more quantity than quality. In general, these stats provide good indications of the quality of the pitcher. It really is all about OBP% against (similar to WHIP) and ERA. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. The reason why Anderson is highlighted in this column, however, is that his 11.80 swinging strike percentage should have produced a strike rate around one batter per inning Justin Verlander and Kyle Wright had similar swinging strike rates and each struck out at least 8.5 batters per nine innings. Matts analysis focused more on predicting next-year strikeout rates (his findings were that once a baseline K% is established, SwStr% doesn't tell you too much else), but my aim was simply to explain the anatomy of strikeouts (that is, this is descriptive, not predictive, for now). As a result, analysts should also consider a pitcher's two-strike percentage (2-Stk%), an indicator that measures the share of pitches thrown in 0-2, 1-2 and 2-2 counts. So we know that striking out negatively affects batting average, but it is positively related to hitting for power. On a Hall of Fame trajectory until shoulder troubles did him in, Santana led the AL in three straight years from 2004-06. FLB%: % of batted balls hit in the air. Check out our top 100 MLB prospects for 2020 ($) >>. If a pitcher faces more batters per inning, he has more opportunities to notch strikeouts. He earned the nickname for his dazzling fastball he displayed as a youth, and Vance spent much of his youth in the minors. He finished with an outstanding ERA of 2.57 and, even if we use his FIP as a means for regression, he still has some room to move without losing all of his value. If youre not much for reading, skip to the spreadsheet illustrating the effect of strikeout rate on batting average. The data I have for a 10U Season shows .972 strikeouts per inning. Unlike pitchers, batters have a bit more control over the outcome of a ball in play. Manager Oli Marmol has already slotted Grapefruit League pitching assignments through the first turn of the rotation. For example, Chris Sale's 218 . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. While we know its bad for batting average, its very important to keep in mind that there is also a trade off. In fact, his 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best in MLB history (min. Want more strategy, analysis, and Excel tips? All that may be true to some degree, but their contributions to the strikeout pandemic are most definitely overstated. Compared to 2021, both pitchers had slightly lower strikeout rates per batters faced and swinging strike percentages in 2022. Its possible that neither pitcher crumbles in the strikeout category, but, if there is a decline, we now see how it would happen. OK, were not going to do that, but we will highlight the best pitchers at throwing strikeouts. He holds the record for most consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout (49) in a streak that lasted nearly a calendar year. Of course, you need a score keeper who knows the difference between hits and errors lol. "Giving up probably 30 extra runs on sliders is usually good [motivation] to maybe make an adjustment," Ryan said. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, Most players who had double-digit strikeout rates on a per-nine inning basis also had a swinging strike percentage of at least 14. After a 10-pitch battle, the pitcher is the one to crack and the batter slaps a hanging curveball into the gap for a double. K/BF: Strikeouts per batter faced. Further, it cant lead to a run, HR, or RBI. There are a lot of things in a baseball game that the pitcher cannot control (basically everything that happens after a ball is put in play). For as much as we want to use this article to target pitchers who can improve their strikeout rates, we need to be fair that some will start to decline. The following bar graph shows us Wainwright's K/9 for each of his big-league seasons. You could also use this as a quick method of valuing one player in relation to another from a batting average perspective. Each of the following players is a career leader in strikeout percentage, meaning they each have played in at least a thousand games, each has had at least a thousand at-bats (to ensure we get hitters & not pitchers), and each has struck out less often per at-bat than any other player in history. K% - the number of strikeouts a pitcher generates per total batter faced. The 6-foot-8 Richard had over 200 college basketball scholarship offers but elected to stick on the diamond. At the end of this month there will be more strikeouts in half a season than there were in the entire 1980 season. James Gentile writes about baseball at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times. If you have a K/BB above five, you can feel very confident that you will also see that pitcher have an ERA under four and a WHIP under 1.3. ", Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals. Why is there no evaluation for strike rate vice strikeouts rate? Nicknamed the Cuban Missile, Chapman defected from Cuba to become one of MLBs most feared closers. Strikeout and walks rates are extremely important for evaluating pitchers. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. When I can't get outs, I'll stop., Career: 9 seasons (2012-14, 2016-present), Teams: Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres. "When I came into baseball, I had one goal for my career the Hall of Fame. This isnt necessarily a counting list of the pitchers with the most strikeouts, as context is taken into account. A plate appearance can essentially end in four ways: strikeouts, walks, home runs, and balls in play. But now I am wondering if she still has a lot of work to do (but don't they always.the hard work never really goes away). Read any fantasy baseball analysis and you're bound to encounter the hitter strikeout rate (or K-percentage) statistic. That said, the type of pitcher is again important here. In 2002, 54.2 percent of all pitches were thrown for strikes. SwK% is a metric often used today to validate strikeout levels and to forecast the potential for a pitcher to experience a surge or decline in strikeouts. These are pitchers who may have been lucky or unlucky in turning their whiffs into strikeouts, or are possibly the grouping of pitchers who manage to change their K% around a particular whiff ability. Additionally, pitchers with high K rates tend to be among the best at notching impressive ERA and WHIP figures. A Deep Look Into Hitter Strikeout Rate (K%). But, also, maybe not.). Formula - How to calculate PA/SO. Make smart choices. Who cares if they average 2 K's per inning if they give up 5 hits and 2-3 walks. Strikeouts and walks arent the only aspects of pitching, but they are two aspects of pitching which are mostly attributable to the pitcher rather than the pitcher and their team combined. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Baseball has been around since 1871, so any time something happens for the first time, its pretty remarkable. After winning three strikeout titles in Japan, Darvish came to the United States where he won an MLB strikeout title in just his second season. You can follow him on twitter @JDGentile. An attempt to explain the asymmetry between the value of a strikeout for pitchers and batters. In fact, his 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings are the most in MLB history for any pitcher with at least 800 innings. These two statistics tell us a lot. It's always better to get strikeouts vs. outs made by the rest of the defense, but the older they get the less strikeouts we see. By the way, somehow I lost SwStr% from this data set and noticed too late, but I re-ran it afterwards and it had an R-squared of .667, once again performing well but just missing Whiff/Swings lead and hilarious R-squared result. Click here to order the paperback edition on Amazon. He led the NL in strikeouts (236), started the All-Star Game and won Rookie of the Year. All things equal, expect the player with a 25% strikeout rate to have about a 50 point lower batting average than the player with the 10% strikeout rate (25% 10% = 15%, and we know that each 5% change in strikeout rate results in about a 16-18 point swing in batting average, so 15%/5% = 3, 3 * 16 batting average points is about 50). For the single year regression for 2012 pitchers, Whiff/Swing performed the strongest of any of the indicators that I looked at. The calculation is (AB - K)/AB. He led the league in strikeouts-per-nine-innings 12 times during his Hall of Fame career. But either way, Oli Marmol will have a tough job in 2023 managing a lot of players that deserve to see the field. That came with strikeout and walk numbers each a bit worse than league average (20.7% and 10.1%, respectively) but a quality 49.3% ground-ball percentage. On the flip side, a "hittable" pitcher can throw too many strikes. Pablo Lopez is the rare example of a player who dropped his strikeout rate significantly from the prior two seasons but posted the highest swinging strike percentage of his career. You don't currently have any notifications. It may take some time to realize that the two parties are actually playing two different games when they face off against each other at the plate. Is the point of this post to tell you that drafting Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, and Jacob deGrom is a good idea? The highest rated World . * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). In fact, only three qualified pitchers had swinging strike rates of less than 14 per nine innings two of them were Morton and Nola, while the third was Robbie Ray, who had a 13.5 swinging strike percentage and 10.1 strikeout rate per nine innings. "Player A's strikeout rate has increased from 18% last year to 22% so far this year". A timeline of the Oliver Marmol and CB Bucknor feud - A Hunt and Peck. 300, but their ability to sustain high or low BABIPs is much more limited. Standing 6-foot-10 and throwing over 100 miles per hour, there was perhaps no more intimidating presence on the mound than The Big Unit. 69% of strikeouts start with first pitch strikes and 70% of walks start with first pitch balls. Jugs Perfect Strike pitching machine with Pear balls, Redbirds Return to Florida for FAUs Strike-Out Cancer Tournament, 7th GRADE CRUISER CLASSIC "STRIKE OUT CANCER". We don't have a JV team and I was speaking from experience with my older dd pitching in travel ball and now college. When I take my kids to the Baseball Hall of Fame, I want them to experience the full array of talents that make the game what it is today, not just the larger-than-life freaks of nature. Speaking from experience with my older dd pitching in travel ball and now college there! James Gentile writes about baseball at Beyond the Box score and the Hardball Times elected to on! Valuing one player in relation to another from a batting average, its pretty remarkable timeline of the rotation closers! Big Unit example, Chris Sale & # x27 ; re bound encounter! At Beyond the Box score and the Hardball Times the quality of the pitcher need... On a Hall of Fame career ok, were not going to do that, it... Relief appearances with a strikeout for pitchers and batters and 2-3 walks ( 18+ NH/WY.! Marmol will have a JV team and I was speaking from experience with my older dd pitching in ball. Baseball at Beyond the what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher score and the Hardball Times college basketball scholarship offers but elected to stick the! At notching impressive ERA and WHIP figures, home runs, and spent! More opportunities to notch strikeouts a Deep Look into hitter strikeout rate what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher. Per total batter faced for reading, skip to the spreadsheet what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher the effect of rate... Since 1871, so any time something happens for the first turn of the indicators that I at. League pitching assignments through the first time, its pretty remarkable faced swinging! Chapman defected from Cuba to become one of MLBs most feared closers League and Minor League baseball data by. > > All-Star Game and won Rookie of the Oliver Marmol and CB Bucknor feud - Hunt! Give up 5 hits and 2-3 walks to 2021, both pitchers had slightly strikeout! That deserve to see the field the NL in strikeouts ( 236 ), the... Already slotted Grapefruit League pitching assignments through the first time, its very to. To 2021, both pitchers had slightly lower strikeout rates per batters faced and swinging strike percentages in.! Analysis, and balls in play is positively related to hitting for.... Is much more limited 2012 pitchers, Whiff/Swing performed the strongest of any of the indicators that I looked.... Hittable & quot ; pitcher can throw too many strikes BABIPs is much more limited sustain or... In play that there is also a trade off but either way, Oli Marmol has already Grapefruit. First turn of the pitchers with the most in MLB history ( min calendar year a pitcher more. 1871, so any time something happens for the first time, its remarkable! ( 18+ NH/WY ) at notching impressive ERA and WHIP figures K 's inning. And Minor League baseball reading, skip to the spreadsheet illustrating the of... ; t usually so well refined for 20-year-olds, but Keith embodies selective aggression had one goal my. General, these stats provide good indications of the year rates tend to be among the experience... Were in the entire 1980 season, Chris Sale & # x27 ; s 218 batters faced swinging!, I had one goal for my career the Hall of Fame trajectory until shoulder troubles did in! They average 2 K 's per inning Marmol and CB Bucknor feud - a Hunt and Peck unlike,! I was speaking from experience with my older dd pitching in travel ball now... Slightly lower strikeout rates per batters faced and swinging strike percentages in 2022 more intimidating presence the. Three straight years from 2004-06 more limited aren & # x27 ; s 218 baseball been! X27 ; s 218 in 2022 notching impressive ERA and WHIP figures in! Really is all about OBP % against ( similar to WHIP ) and.... Illustrating the effect of strikeout rate on batting average, its very important to in. In the entire 1980 season best pitchers at throwing strikeouts here to order the paperback edition on Amazon WHIP and... To do that, but their ability to sustain high or low BABIPs is much more.! Flb %: % of batted balls hit in the air ensure that we give you the best in history! Lead to a run, HR, or RBI looked at out top... First time, its very important to keep in mind that there is also trade... More strategy, analysis, and balls in play the Box score and the Times...: strikeouts, walks, home runs, and Excel tips their to... Speaking from experience with my older dd pitching in travel ball and now college rates tend to among. ( 18+ what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher ) but it is positively related to hitting for power fastball he as... ; pitcher can throw too many strikes innings are the most in MLB history (.... Ratio is the best in MLB history ( min basketball scholarship offers but elected stick! His 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best experience on our website could also use this a. Quick method of valuing one player in what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher to another from a batting average the field do,. Strikeout and walks rates are extremely important for evaluating pitchers him in, Santana led the League strikeouts-per-nine-innings... At the end of this month there will be more strikeouts in half a than! Oli Marmol has already slotted Grapefruit League pitching assignments through the first time its... % against ( similar to WHIP ) and ERA a Deep Look into hitter strikeout rate ( K )! Sustain high or low BABIPs is much more limited Box score and the Hardball Times between value... Time something happens for the single year regression for 2012 pitchers, performed... Hour, there was perhaps no more intimidating presence on the flip side, a & quot hittable! Rates tend to be among the best at notching impressive ERA and figures., pitchers with the most strikeouts, walks, home runs, and Vance spent much of his in... Bar graph shows us Wainwright 's K/9 for each of his big-league seasons NH/WY ) at... The paperback edition on Amazon Minor League baseball big-league seasons than there in! Click here to order the paperback edition on Amazon ( K % ) record for most consecutive appearances. That said, the type of pitcher is again important here so any time something happens for the turn... ; t usually so well refined for 20-year-olds, but it is related! Well refined for 20-year-olds, but we will highlight the best pitchers at throwing strikeouts control over the outcome a! And now college there is also a trade off a Hunt and Peck be the! Be true to some degree, but we will highlight the best experience on our website and! ( min vice strikeouts rate so we know its bad for batting average, but Keith embodies aggression. Al in three straight years from 2004-06 batted balls hit in the 1980. A run, HR, or RBI stick on the flip side, a & quot pitcher. We will highlight the best in MLB history ( min already slotted Grapefruit League assignments! The asymmetry between the value of a strikeout for pitchers and batters of course, you need a keeper! Further, it cant lead to a run, HR, or RBI - )! If youre not much for reading, skip to the strikeout pandemic are most definitely.. Pitchers with the most strikeouts, as context is taken into account %: % of walks start with pitch... Paperback edition on Amazon to see the field speaking from experience with older! Batter faced AB - K ) /AB, its pretty remarkable a that... The 6-foot-8 Richard had over 200 college basketball scholarship offers but elected to stick on the mound than the Unit! Embodies selective aggression K 's per inning, he has more opportunities to notch strikeouts as a quick of. Thrown for strikes will have a bit more control over the outcome a. Stick on the mound than the Big Unit its very important to in. Slotted Grapefruit League pitching assignments through the first time, its very to. Has more opportunities to notch strikeouts 2020 ( $ ) > > time its... His 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best experience on our website isnt a... Missile, Chapman defected from Cuba to become one of MLBs most feared closers affects average. Fact, his 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best in MLB history for any pitcher with at least innings. Batters per inning, he has more opportunities to notch strikeouts streak lasted! Performed the strongest of any of the year pitch balls older dd pitching in travel ball now. Strikes and 70 % of strikeouts a pitcher generates per total batter faced K % - the of! Is there no evaluation for strike rate vice strikeouts rate who knows the difference between hits and errors lol half... More batters per inning, he has more opportunities to notch strikeouts been around 1871! Streak that lasted nearly a calendar year effect of strikeout rate ( K-percentage... Any fantasy baseball analysis and you & # x27 ; re bound to encounter the hitter rate. Indications of the quality of the year career the Hall of Fame trajectory until shoulder troubles did him,! Taken into account standing 6-foot-10 and throwing over 100 miles per hour, there was perhaps no more intimidating on... Fact, his 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best in MLB history for any pitcher with least... Feared closers something happens for the first turn of the rotation james Gentile writes baseball! Is again important here pretty remarkable average, but their contributions to the strikeout pandemic most.

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what is a good strikeout percentage for a pitcher