Exploring the Arsenal will run prior to each game, providing you with a brief scouting report on the starting pitcher expected to oppose the Pirates. The chart below shows the horizontal and vertical movement of every pitch thrown by that particular pitcher in 2012. This chart is from the catcher’s point of view. Click here for a general guide to pitch types and classifications. Graphs are courtesy of Brooks Baseball and The Hardball Times , unless otherwise specified. Statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs .
Thursday, 1:10 PM – R.A. Dickey
| 2012 | |
|---|---|
| IP | 220.0 |
| K/PA | 24.0% |
| BB/PA | 6.0% |
| HR/9 | 0.86 |
| GB% | 46.3% |
| Whiff% | 24.4% |
| ERA | 2.66 |
| FIP | 3.28 |
The knuckleball obviously makes Dickey a unique pitcher. He throws at least two different versions of the pitch, a fast knuckler and a slow knuckler. The velocity of the slower version generally sits in the 60-68 MPH range, while the faster pitch ranges from about 72 to 82 MPH. It is possible he is actually throwing three different knucklers, but that is difficult to say for sure. As you can see from the chart above, the knuckleball breaks almost completely randomly. Despite the unpredictable movement, Dickey has managed to post very good walk rates. His fastball velocity is higher than that of a typical knuckleball pitcher, as the two-seamer sits around 81-85 MPH. Dickey is going for his 20th win of the season today.
