2k13: Your record-breaking Pittsburgh Pirates

[Don Quixote]

All this praise for the Pirates is making me think that karma is once again going to raise its ugly head, and my team will collapse in August and September yet again.

So please, save your praise until after win #82, OK?

[joncarlos]

As I mentioned in the other thread on Liriano, the reason I recommended Liriano in May, and landed him myself, is because I was so impressed with the results relative to expectation of the pitchers on the Pirates last year. You look at the results this year, not just with Liriano, who has always had tantalizing talent, but their amazing bullpen (before he went down, I have to think Grilli and Malancon were the best 8-9 duo in baseball), along with the continued impressiveness of Burnett, how Locke has exceeded expectations, and how they are handling Cole, and someone should be getting more recognition in that organization. Someone is doing something right there. Dave Duncan level impressive.

They said on the BP Podcast (Effectively Wild) that Searage has Liriano focused on just his fastball and slider. Which goes against conventional wisdom that you need 3 pitches to succeed as a starter. Well, if one of your pitches is Francisco Liriano's slider, then you don't.

Looking at Fangraphs, he has thrown 42% FB, 37.5% SL, 20.5% CH. So that doesn't seem to the the case, but it is his highest % of sliders and lowest % of fastballs since 2006.

But anyway, the reason I thought that was interesting is they've had a lot of success with Burnett, who has always been a 2 pitch guy.

[james33]

Looking at Fangraphs, he has thrown 42% FB, 37.5% SL, 20.5% CH. So that doesn't seem to the the case, but it is his highest % of sliders and lowest % of fastballs since 2006.

Lowest % of fastballs this year? That's surprising, as his walk rate is lower than what it was the last few years. 2013 BB/9 = 3.5; 2012 and 2011 BB/9 = 5.0. So he also must have gained some better control of some of his pitches this year.

[revo]

As I mentioned in the other thread on Liriano, the reason I recommended Liriano in May, and landed him myself, is because I was so impressed with the results relative to expectation of the pitchers on the Pirates last year. You look at the results this year, not just with Liriano, who has always had tantalizing talent, but their amazing bullpen (before he went down, I have to think Grilli and Malancon were the best 8-9 duo in baseball), along with the continued impressiveness of Burnett, how Locke has exceeded expectations, and how they are handling Cole, and someone should be getting more recognition in that organization. Someone is doing something right there. Dave Duncan level impressive.

Maybe it's that fake boot camp mentality that's finally bearing some fruit!

[frae]

Maybe it's that fake boot camp mentality that's finally bearing some fruit!

Hoka Hey!

[revo]

Francisco Liriano really has to be one of the best bottom-of-the-barrel free agent pickups in recent memory. NL Cy Young winner? He's gotta be a top MVP candidate at this point.

Liriano does it again! This is shaping up to be some race for the NL Cy Young award between him, Harvey, Kershaw and Wainwright.

[frae]

Liriano does it again! This is shaping up to be some race for the NL Cy Young award between him, Harvey, Kershaw and Wainwright.

I was there tonight, after getting out of trouble in the 1st it was pretty impressive. He didn't rack up a big strikeout number, but he was always in control. Liriano and AJ could make up quite the 1-2 punch in the playoffs.

It was also great to see another big crowd there even with the Cards gone. Raise it!

[overkill94]

Liriano does it again! This is shaping up to be some race for the NL Cy Young award between him, Harvey, Kershaw and Wainwright.

At this point it would be a traveshamockery if it wasn't Kershaw. His ERA is 0.34 lower than the next qualifier while also being 1st in WHIP, 2nd in K's (which will work itself out when Harvey's inning count catches up to him), and 9th in wins (if League wasn't the closer earlier in the year that number would be higher). Not sure how to get WAR info or whatever other advanced statistics would help prove the point, but I'm pretty sure they would all favor Kershaw as well.

[bryanbutler]

Not sure how to get WAR info or whatever other advanced statistics would help prove the point, but I'm pretty sure they would all favor Kershaw as well.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...-leaders.shtml for WAR. kershaw is at 6.0. wainwright is next at 5.1. liriano is 10th at 3.2.

[Sour Masher]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...-leaders.shtml for WAR. kershaw is at 6.0. wainwright is next at 5.1. liriano is 10th at 3.2.

Is there a tool to project WAR for a full season. I wonder what Liriano's would be if he hadn't missed the first couple of months.

[cavebird]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...-leaders.shtml for WAR. kershaw is at 6.0. wainwright is next at 5.1. liriano is 10th at 3.2.

FWIW, for fWAR, it is Harvey 5.2, Wainwright 5.1, Kershaw 4.5, and Lirano (20th) at 2.3. FWIW, Homer Baily is 4th, and Jhoulys Chacin (!!) 5th.

[overkill94]

Heck, Chacin is 4th in regular WAR. Going 10-5 with a 3.40 ERA while pitching half your games in Denver is quite a feat.

[cavebird]

Heck, Chacin is 4th in regular WAR. Going 10-5 with a 3.40 ERA while pitching half your games in Denver is quite a feat.

What's regular WAR? I thought fWAR (Fangraphs) was the more standard of the two.

[james33]

Is there a tool to project WAR for a full season. I wonder what Liriano's would be if he hadn't missed the first couple of months.

You could just divide WAR by Games Started to get WAR per start, then assume each will get same number of starts for rest of year.

[overkill94]

What's regular WAR? I thought fWAR (Fangraphs) was the more standard of the two.

I just followed the link to Baseball Prospectus and went by their Pitcher's WAR rankings.