Has Blake Wood Turned The Corner?

by jsolo on May 4, 2011 11:01 AM EDT

In just under 11 IP, Blake Wood looks like a totally different pitcher than last year. Yes, it's early... and 11 innings are a very small sample. However, Wood's numbers are dramatically better so far in 2011. What's he doing differently? Is it sustainable?

You might remember that last year, Wood was pretty awful. He threw hard enough, but didn't strike anyone out. And since he wasn't exactly a ground ball machine, he was basically ineffective as as reliever.

But now it's 2011...

Here are the stat differences:

The numbers below are K/9, BB/9, HR/9

2010 (roughly 50 IP): 5.62/3.99/1.09

2011 (roughly 11 IP): 7.59/1.69/0.84

Okay, more strikeouts and less walks - that's clearly a good thing. But there's another big difference as well... ground ball rate. In 2010, it was 51.2%. So far in 2011 - 58.8%.

Wood is billed as more of a ground ball pitcher than a strikeout guy (which is strange since he can throw 99 supposedly). And while he's definitely increased his ground ball rate to a reasonable level, he's also increased the strikeouts. Both increases will lead to greater success.

And so far, they have. His 2010 ERA and FIP: 5.07 and 4.79. In 2011: 3.38 and 3.06.

That's great and all - but is it sustainable?

I think it could be. Here's why:

In 2010, according to Fangraphs, Wood threw 76% fastballs (average speed of around 95) and 17% sliders (average speed of 87).

Meanwhile, in 2011, he's thrown only 64% fastballs (average speed of 94) but 28% sliders (average speed of 87).

So it's not velocity, it's pitch selection. He's obviously throwing a lot more sliders, and it's making a huge difference. It also makes sense. More strikeouts and more ground balls would logically result from an increase in sliders.

Now, if the slider remains an effective pitch, Wood may be able to sustain some level of success. Someone who is familiar with Pitch F/X data could probably tell if his slider is improved this year. But perhaps it's the same pitch and he's just more comfortable throwing it. Regardless, so far, it's working.

Tweet Comment 16 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Now get him out there Ned

and pitch his arm off!

by stlJeff on May 4, 2011 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

I think he was used to striking everyone out with his fastball and how has to mix it up.

Most of his pitches look the same as last year with a couple minute look. His slider does seem to have a couple more inches of movement.

- .-. ..- … – / – …. . / .—. .-. - .. . … …

by Jeff Zimmerman on May 4, 2011 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

Interesting

I wonder if the small change in his slider has been enough to make it a more effective secondary pitch.

by jsolo on May 4, 2011 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Isn't the fastball getting more vertical movement too?

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on May 4, 2011 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

It may be, but the 2010 scatter plot was a mess I looked at. I probably should have looked at an average value

I did see a couple of his fastballs have been labeled at sinkers.

- .-. ..- … – / – …. . / .—. .-. - .. . … …

by Jeff Zimmerman on May 4, 2011 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Wood also seems to have a better Mound Presence, as well.

A little Wood near the Mound can only lead to good things, usually.

"Shot by my own men."

by StonewallPDS on May 4, 2011 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

are you looking for Alaska-Phil or something?

"To quote the sensei/sorority house janitor from Nude Ninjas... 'Nothing is as it seems.'" - Some guy named "Stiadaik" from AVclub.com

by Crooow on May 4, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Just Subjectively Speaking

It seems Wood is keeping his pitches down more, which is almost always good. Breaking balls in the top half of the zone are a recipe for disaster. Doesn’t he throw a change, too?.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on May 4, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes he does

He throws the change about 8% of the time, but it’s roughly the same percentage and same velocity as last year. So, I just assumed it wasn’t really factoring into his increased success this year.

by jsolo on May 4, 2011 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Strikeouts

I added them up in my head quickly so I might be slightly off but he started picking up the strikeouts late in July 2010. I think he had 21 strikeouts in the final 22.1 innings pitched in 2010. I don’t know how many came in September against inferior hitters but that’s still a much better rate than he was getting at the beginning of 2010.

by soxfaninkc on May 4, 2011 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

He started even better last year (minus the increased Ks):

first 11.2 IP in 2010 – 1.54 ERA w/opponents’ line of .194/.225/.333. I know, small sample size, but the wheels came off. His 2010 ended up 5.07 ERA w/opponents’ line of .286/.353/.444. The increased K’s are impressive thus far.

by kansasjohn on May 4, 2011 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Is a slider

really a ground ball pitch? Or is he just keeping the ball down in the zone better?

2011 Royals Review NCAA Bracket Challenge Winner, by process of attrition

by sfeldkamp on May 4, 2011 5:54 PM EDT reply actions

Kind of depends on the slider

If the slider has more of a horizontal break, then it probably isn’t much of a groundball pitch. But if the slider has more vertical break, then it can be a groundball pitch. I think Wood’s slider is more vertical. Coleman’s slider, by contrast, is more of the horizontal kind.

You may know me as NYRoyal.

by Scott McKinney on May 4, 2011 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Looking at Woods pitch fx data and plots

his slider looks almost like a cutter — very little horizontal movement and not really a ton of vertical movement either. If well placed, that could generate more grounders. And without a huge horizontal break, he might be able to use the slider effectively against left-handed hitters (something is helping him this year, as his FIP/xFIP against lefties last year was infinity).

by Gopherballs on May 4, 2011 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I Think That's

An arm slot issue. I threw a slider from 3/4 and over the top; over the top is practically a “drop ball”, while the 3/4 slot slider breaks away from a like handed batter much more.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on May 4, 2011 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it depends on how much sink a pitcher can generate on their fastball

A successful ground ball pitcher, like Brandon Webb pre-injury, didn’t throw sliders. His sinker did the trick.

Scott beat me to the punch on the other part of what I was going to say… certain types of sliders which break downward definitely have the potential to induce grounders. I assumed Wood’s was of that type – and I’m glad to see Scott confirmed it because I hadn’t looked it up yet.

by jsolo on May 4, 2011 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions