More Pre vs. Post Disabled List Evalutions Of Scott Kazmir

by Tommy Rancel on Aug 25, 2009 7:00 AM EDT

It's no secret that after his biomechanical evaluation and consultation with Rick Peterson that we've seen a much improved Scott Kazmir. Yesterday, R.J. looked at Scott Kazmir's pre/post disabled list swinging strike percentage, strikeout percentage and walk rate. A few questions were raised in R.J.'s thread about pitch selection and pitch effectiveness.

First, a look at results by month...

	GS	IP	ERA	FIP
April	5	26.2	5.4	4.78
May	4	19	10.9	6.72
June	1	5	3.6	4.29
July	5	30.1	4.45	4.54
August	4	24	6	4.25

Keep in mind each month in itself is a small sample size, and June is an extremely small sample size as Kaz made just one start. However, it is important to note that the start was post DL, and we can start to see some improvement as soon as he came back. You'll also notice Kaz is averaging about 6 innings a start since returning which is nearly an inning better than before.

Pitch Selection	FB%	SL%	CH%
April	61.9	20.8	17.3
May	67.4	25.7	6.9
June	57.6	19.6	22.8
July	58.3	24.2	17.4
August	67.2	18.1	14.7

There's no real noticeable pattern in pitch selection. Again, remember that June was just one start so the change up number is inflated. The one thing that Kazmir seems to be doing since his return is rolling with the best pitch at that time.

Pitch Value	FB	SL	CH
April	-2.2	-0.2	0.6
May	-7.8	-4.8	1.1
June	-1.1	1.5	0.3
July	-0.8	2.6	-1.4
August	2.4	-1.9	-1.2

In July his best pitch was his slider and we saw a good numbers of them in that month. In August his slider has not been as good as we've seen less of them. Good news is his fastball has been the best it has been all season and he's throwing it most of the time. Obviously something was very wrong with Kazmir in May. He had a 10.9 ERA/6.72 FIP and his fastball and slider both sucked; bad. His change up was his best pitch, however, he threw it the least amount of times.

We're always hearing Kazmir talk about "feel" and it seems that now-a-days he's just going with what feels good at that time. Going into the home stretch of the season, how Scott Kazmir pitches with be one of the more interesting and important storylines regardless of place in the standings.

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Comments

Back to school kiddies!!! Hehehehe

by Doug09 on Aug 25, 2009 7:09 AM EDT reply actions

Only if Rick Peterson is the teacher

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Aug 25, 2009 7:59 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

RP for 2010?

Anyone?

by Doug09 on Aug 25, 2009 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions

If he's interested...sure.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Aug 25, 2009 8:21 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

@ 10M?

Trade Garza, bring up Davis to start the year, Sonny in the pen.

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 25, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions

With Kaz the talent has always been there

this is why i’ve posted many times ‘Do not trade Kaz’

by sternfan1 on Aug 25, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions

The talent has to start showing up more consistently to warrant the price tag

Hopefully the work he did with Peterson can do that on a more consistent basis.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Aug 25, 2009 9:17 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

he should work more with Peterson in the offseason and see if he can't really iron out his problems

HIs stuff is a lot better, but he’s still not the Kazmir of old. His slider isn’t biting as much and is not as effective of a pitch as it used to be.

by behn on Aug 25, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions

You're right--the slider is his out pitch

by sternfan1 on Aug 25, 2009 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

I think he realized the old one was going to shred his arm if he kept it up so he has adjusted the slider

This comes back to the Contreras v. Prior question that RJ posed about a month ago. Would you rather Scotty K had 4 Prior type seasons and then was done or would you rather have 6 Contreras like seasons?

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 25, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

In Scotty's case, I'll take Contreras.

In Price’s case, I’d take Prior.

by Suttree on Aug 25, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Opposite for me

We have expensive options for Kaz at the end of his deal. If he’s gonna start sucking, I’d rather he be better sooner and flame out quicker.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Aug 25, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, I just doubt Kaz is ever going to return to that level.

by Suttree on Aug 25, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Because of contracts?

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 25, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, and that's what I see the kind of pitcher Kaz has become.

He doesn’t have that fifth gear – be it the fastball or hard breaking slider – to put guys away in a punch, but he does have enough quality pitches to generate weak fly outs and grounders to eat some innings, like he did last game.

by Suttree on Aug 25, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

5th Gear???

…you have been listening to John Kruk too much

Look at the 2000 AL ROY voting and try not to laugh.

by RaysnNoles on Aug 25, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh shit, does John Kruk own the trademark for 5th gear?!

by Suttree on Aug 25, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

People forget he's still our 2nd youngest SP

This team has to pick out what they consider their core players and keep them through their high productive years

by sternfan1 on Aug 25, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Could you send me some seeds to your money tree please?

Maybe send some to Stu aswell?

by Doug09 on Aug 25, 2009 9:33 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Hmm

Looks like a crappy May to me. Maybe I’m blind, but I don’t really see the improvement, just an outlier early in the year. Sure, his fastball is better now, but there have been offsetting changes with his other pitches.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Aug 25, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions

Velocity is also better.

R.J’s post showed the control/command is better. We’re still not back to the 2006/2007 version, but its headed in the right direction

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Aug 25, 2009 9:27 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Agreed.

It isn’t like he’s been great shakes since he’s been back. He just hasn’t been awful. Seems like he just regressed from being terrible to OK.

by rglass44 on Aug 25, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

He actually follows through with his left arm now, where as earlier in the year it'd go flailing off to the side and he'd pull all his pitches away from right handed batters.

It still happens occasionally, but his mechanics have been much more consistent.

by Suttree on Aug 25, 2009 9:29 AM EDT reply actions

KEEP YOUR FRONT SIDE CLOSED

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 25, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

INJURY RISK!!!11!!

Look ats the pic above. He makes the deadly inverted 4 w/ his leg and arms at the end of his pitch

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Aug 25, 2009 9:32 AM EDT reply actions

No wonder Scotty never does the Advantica Eye Care how-to videos.

Lead singer, songwriter, and caterer for the band Suicide Phoenix. We play sitar-based anthems on real estate law. Available for weddings, birthdays (13+, please), and LAN parties.

by PlayOnWords on Aug 25, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions