DRaysBay: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
Around SBN: Maryland Fails First Test, Falls to Cincinnati

Wheeler & Balfour: The FIP Story


We've looked at frequencies and magnitudes of failures in various states of leverage for Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell, and Dan Wheeler. Now let's look at each pitcher's FIP for each leverage scenario:

Pitcher Lev FIP IP
Balfour High 0.74 14.2
Balfour VeHi 1.37 6
Howell High 2.29 34
Balfour Med 2.45 18.2
Howell Med 3.05 26.2
Howell Low 3.4 51.1
Wheeler VeHi 3.61 9.2
Balfour Low 3.76 41.1
Wheeler Low 3.87 22.1
Howell VeHi 6 5
Wheeler Hi 6.01 25.2
Wheeler Med 6.7 26

While Wheeler has the lowest fail rate for low leverage situations, his FIP does measure higher. His relative FIP is much better however.  Due to his penchant for HRs he will never be a qualifier for an extremely low FIP, but that does not account for frequency. Given his low failure frequency, the lesser magnitude of a home run in low leverage spots, and his relatively strong FIP, it is pretty clear where Wheeler's use is best suited. Likewise, there should be no further questions about Balfour, unless you want to discuss his health.

 

0 recs  |  Comment 12 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Around SB Nation

All Ex-Twins Team, 2009

Oct 2009 from Twinkie Town - 17 comments

Dear Seth McClung,

Sep 2009 from Brew Crew Ball - 17 comments

Wade Davis shines in debut

Sep 2009 from MLB Daily Dish - 2 comments

Comments

Display:

To the untrained eye (i.e. me)

it looks like Wheeler is best served coming in around the 6th inning with no one one base in a game we are way up or way down, and even then his FIP doesn’t compare favorably to the other two.

Are the numbers based on 2009, or career?

by Buc Wild on Jun 2, 2009 1:16 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The very high and high are confusing

I don’t know how you can get a definitive answer on their results from sample sizes of less then 10IP

Free Ray Durham!

by Sveet on Jun 2, 2009 1:51 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Should have said

I don’t know how you can draw a definitive conclusion from their results when samples sizes are so small.

Talking about the very high situations

I think thats clearer

Free Ray Durham!

by Sveet on Jun 2, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Founded in 2005. DRaysBay is home to "progressive statistical analysis and reasoned argument."
Start posting about the Rays »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanShots

Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

Recent FanShots

Tyler Bortnick Profile with interesting comments
Videos of the Rays Involved in the AFL
MiLB's Organizational Review: Tampa Bay Rays
Revenue Sharing Numbers
Desert Dogs to play in the AFL championship @ 2:30 EST.
Desmond Jennings Makes the Tops AA-All-Stars
ABC Coalition to Vote on Draft Report Today.
Fan page for Dick Bosman, Rays minor league pitching coordinator
Upton's Struggles vs Lefties
Evan Longoria wins the Silver Slugger Award

+ New FanShot All FanShots >


VPs of Baseball Operations

Nando_small R.J. Anderson

Raysring1_small Tommy Rancel

Zorilla_small FreeZorilla

Price_small Erik Hahmann

Ticket Account Executive

Rays_small Steve Slowinski