Whether intentional or not, there is an obvious trend growing within the Pirates system when it comes to their pitchers.
We are seeing more go to a breaking ball heavy approach, and pitchers rely less on getting swing and misses with the fastball.
Roansy Contreras has some of the highest slider usage in the league among starters, Quinn Priester has seen success using his breaking pitches, and even Luis Ortiz has struggled to get swing and misses with the fastball.
One pitcher that doesn’t have an issue with racking up the strikeouts with the fastball/sinker has been Luis Peralta, pitching in Single-A Bradenton for the second straight season.
The lefty put up some eye popping strike out numbers (34.2 K%), but struggled with his control (15.5 BB%). Starting again in Bradenton in 2023, the strikeouts are still there, and he’s improved the walks, if only marginally.
Here's a look at 8 of the 9 strikeouts Luis Peralta had on Wednesday. There was a mess up recording and I missed one. Control wasn't great, but Peralta has shown some great stuff early this season #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/k8cQu4oGjO
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) April 28, 2022
While a few pitchers on his team – namely JP Massey and Thomas Harrington – are getting their strikeouts with breaking pitches, Peralta’s primary swing and miss pitch has been his sinker.
His curveball actually has a 100% whiff rate, but he’s only thrown the pitch 23 times – with only four swings on it so far.
Overall he has a 32% whiff rate with both his fastballs, with the sinker doing the majority of the damage. Peralta has thrown the sinker 66% of the time, and it’s 31.1% whiff rate would rank in the top five among major league pitchers right now.
Still with a lot of work to do to make it out of Single-A, Peralta has shown progress in the biggest category holding him back without sacrificing his biggest asset. If he can continue to improve on the control, his sinker is enough of a swing and miss pitch to get him out of Bradenton and into an opportunity with High-A Greensboro.
Prospect Notes
— Javier Rivas picked up three RBI in the first game of Bradenton’s double header Friday, all at different points in the game and all while not picking up a hit at all. With two sacrifice flies and a bases loaded walk, it was certainly an unconventional way to drive in runs, but effective none the less.
The biggest key with that is he made contact, at least with two of the three. Strikeouts have been a major issue for him. There are a lot of tools there, but he’s going to need to make consistent contact to make it out of Single-A.
— Bradenton’s rotation is a little out of whack this week, with everyone basically moving up a day. This could be a good sign for Thomas Harrington, getting some work with one days less rest, as that’s how it would be if he were to head up to Greensboro at some point.
After Thursday’s game, he’s continuing to show his time in Bradenton could be close to an end.
— There will probably be a time to hit the mini panic button on Endy Rodriguez, but this isn’t it. His OPS dipped under .700 after going 0-for-5 on Friday. His approach has been strong, and even his exit velocity numbers have been improving as of late.
It seems to be a waiting game, but we are also entering June.
Daily Video Rundown
A look at the Abrahan Gutierrez RBI double from back in the first inning #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/kNKc06mA9o
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) May 26, 2023
Abrahan Gutierrez returned to the Greensboro lineup on Friday, picked up three hits, two of which were doubles. He is probably the guy that benefits the most from a Henry Davis promotion.
Days since last Shack Attack: 0⃣ pic.twitter.com/0VQMkkgJca
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) May 27, 2023
Aaron Shackelford hits another one over the fence staying hot.
Hot day at the plate for @mattfraizer3 as he plates two with a double! pic.twitter.com/1srHXSjfKE
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 26, 2023
After hitting a home run in the first inning, Matt Fraizer drives in two more on this double, finishing the day with three RBI.
Anthony began writing over 10 years ago, starting a personal blog to cover the 2011 MLB draft, where the Pirates selected first overall. After bouncing around many websites covering hockey, he refocused his attention to baseball, his first love when it comes to sports. He eventually found himself here at Pirates Prospects in late 2021, where he covers the team’s four full season minor league affiliates.
Langford a triple shy of a cycle so far today.
Indy facing gavin williams tonight, going to be a tough night
QP did not fare well
Didn’t have control tonight I’m guessing.
How was that a strike?
KY is with me. Why does Ke’ always get the shaft on strike calls? Weird. I understand he’s not the best hitter, but that would great on me.
Grate
On days like this, when the offense totally fails to show up, does it even matter?
That was a LOL comment by Block!! We haven’t had a game in May where we needed a closer, a lead to protect! Funny.
Why bring Bednar in when behind by 5 runs?
Give him a chance to actually pitch lol
Yes, if you wait til it is only a save situation to pitch him, then he will be rusty and have blown saves as a result. Every reliever needs to work to stay sharp.
Wow, VV was removed due to elbow discomfort. Great call to bring him back. Effing brilliant.
Well, if Vince said he was good to go and he looked like he was when he was going through the steps while on the IL, why would they not bring him back?
Why is it that it seems every Buc pitcher but Keller could use a 1 inning starter before they come in.
Jack’s arm just not strong enough, actually a below avg arm. It was on target one-hopper……but milliseconds matter.
Moreta outings are where inherited runners go to die.
I know Bae has holes in his game. Who doesn’t on our line-up? I still like Bae in the bigs. He was 9 for his last 19 going into today. Even today, he gets hit by a pitch, steals second and on third with the overthrow.
He’s definitely cool to have when we are winning.
Eovaldi and Castillo both $17M pitchers this year. Bob can never do that. I’m wondering if he even do the 9M 1/1 pick in July! This is why we need to draft TOR potential when it rarely presents itself like Skenes.
It would have been more timely to say that yesterday when we hit our 7th homer. Today we have 2 hits, 0 walks, 12 strike outs, 0 runs through 7 innings. We could also use a hitter. 🙂
It illustrates how we lose to aces in past 4 days, we need one of our own.
I think drafting a healthy Skenes makes a lot of sense. In today’s games the way pitchers gets hurt and never come back to form, the odds say a hitter has a better chance of staying healthy. The top pitcher taken in 2020 and 2022 are both out for the year. The way the game of baseball shreds pitchers arms in recent years is not a good thing. That is my fear.
Who?
Who has gotten hurt *and never returned to form*?
The overwhelming reality is that situation has become excessively rare and yet we treat pitcher injuries like death.
It’s bizarre.
Gerit Cole and Steven Strasburg have been the best number one picks , but Strasburg has been hurt for about the last 3 or 4 years. I thought Kumar Rocker was a slam dunk a few years ago. He is once again hurt. Casey Mize the top pitcher in 2018 is injured raising some doubt. Max Meyer out with TJ surgery who was the top pitcher in 2020. Jacob deGrom is a classic example of a hard thrower that is injured again and can’t pitch the innings anymore. Rays pitchers often have one to three solid years, then regress. Guys like David Price, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow etc. Even this year two of their top pitchers to start the year Rassmussen and Springs are out for the year already. Who knows what they will be when they return.
I really wasn’t trying to start an argument. Just saying the chance for injuries is astronomically higher with hard throwing pitchers.
No argument, and I appreciate the response, I just believe it’s wildly overstated.
Sorry. I looked back and worded it poorly. I’m with you that often when a guy comes back from the TJ surgery, he comes back even stronger. I do find the number of arm injuries in baseball concerning. I think it comes from teams having success by pitcher’s throwing max velocity.
Don’t like draft strategy being driven by Nickels’ cheapness. It’s perfectly possible to add established pitching, if you have a major league owner.
Skenes is available. Take him 6 years of control. The ownership is not a factor with this pick.
And 6 years of control for him could be 4 in the Bigs.
I don’t like pitchers that high in the draft. Neither, apparently, does this FO. Not saying you ever have a categorical rule not to do it, but, no, you don’t take the cheapskate into account. He has to be the best pick, period.
And this team’s single biggest problem isn’t the lack of an ace. In fact, they have one. It’s the lack of a big-time run producer. They’re bumbling along with a cleanup hitter slugging .360. Nutbo isn’t going to sign a middle of the order hitter, either. Not a real one, that is.
Nickles just needs to offer up some ownership to Ohtani and 30 million a year. Two birds one stone. Jersey sales and the entire nation of Japan would be bucco’s planning their next trip to Pittsburgh. In the short and long run Nickles increases his net worth and the city prosper. 😆 🤣
I really wish this could happen but no chance in hell.
1 ace ain’t going to cut it. Need several TOR pitchers. Batters hit better when they know the pitcher gives them a better chance at the win. Improve your offense by drafting the TOR pitcher.
What you’re effectively saying is that Skenes by himself isn’t that big a difference maker. That’s especially true when you take into account the very substantial Kumar-Rocker risk involved. If they draft Skenes and he works out, which is a long ways from certain, they still have to find other guys. It isn’t a cure-all. No matter what they do with this pick, they STILL have to learn how to develop (or otherwise acquire, Nutting or no Nutting) outstanding SPs. Just like they still have to learn how to develop hitters. So you’re back at the same question: Which pick gives you the best chance of getting the kind of outstanding player this team needs all over the field?
Evidence is very clear Oscar Marin can get the best out of the arm’s he’s given. What’s equally clear is Andy Haines can’t do the same for hitters.
Regardless if they pick Crews, Skenes, or Langford, Pirates need a new hitting coach.
Make a backdoor deal with the dodgers, let them choose the pick. Get Busch and 2 minor league pitchers and a lottery ticket. I’m sure the league would be cool with it.
If the players awesome, backout.
I kid, I kid
Unless…
He has the talent, no development is required. He would be instrumental to getting us to 88 wins. A couple other 3s and 4s to complement he and Keller and we would be a winner even with 15th or 20th offense.
Skenes looks awesome but he is far from a finished product. Granted he might make it to the majors at the end of 24 but probably mid 25 and still learning the ropes. If all goes well.
See Spencer Strider. Drafted 2020, two relief appearances Oct. 2021. Makes O.D. roster 2022 and is 2nd in ROY. Skenes is in same class as Strider imo.
I get what you’re saying but the pirates don’t operate like the braves. I even said he might make it to the majors at the end of 24 but the pirates aren’t going to start his clock even if he’s ready unless something changes.
You mean, like Rocker.
On this subject, I’m watching some Jared Jones. Just threw a SL for strike, hit the inside corner with 97, then froze the hitter with a SL at the knees.
If Paul Skenes were remotely comparable to Kumar Rocker we would not be having this conversation.
We WERE having this conversation earlier that year. Skenes just has better timing.
The biggest difference between them is Skenes already has better command. It’s actually got his pitch count up, he tries to paint the black early in counts just missing. Before you know it, it’s a full count or 2, 2 and couple of foul balls later he has thrown 6 or 7 sometimes more pitches. It probably would have lower his K numbers but he should attack the zone longer in counts instead of painting the edges.
I’d be happy if they take him, I do want a hitter more but I think he is the best pitcher since Cole or Stras.
I’m with ya on this 1 Wilbur. Not that I don’t like Skenes but I want a presence in the lineup daily. Whether that be Crews or Langford I don’t care. Jones seems so underrated to me, keeps getting better and better
Call me crazy but I’ve been watching some of Nolan Schanuel’s at bats. He doesn’t have all the tools like the others but he looks like the best hitter with power. More specifically he hits sliders and breaking pitches better and was able to catch up to heat when he played Miami and Florida.
I’M NOT SAYING DRAFT HIM 1.1
Jones is who I think is the closest hope to a second #1 .
Jones with control/command might be as good as skenes has the chance to be
Jared Jones would not be remotely close to the conversation for top pick in the draft right now had he gone to school COME ON GUYS.
My previous post might have came off as condescending but it was supposed to be ironical, both being 2 way players coming out of high school.(Jones Texas, Skenes Air Force)
The big separation between them is command. From what I’ve watched of Skenes it has caused an increase in pitch count, he works the paint so much (and well) that he gets into deeper counts by just missing. His change-up is the only pitch he doesn’t control consistently. He dominated Auburn with it several times when it was on, and only threw it 3 or 4 times when he didn’t have it against Arkansas.
I would prefer a hitter with the top pick but would be happy with Skenes, I think he is the best player in the draft but a bit more risk than the hitters. I’m crazy but I think the best hitter with power in the draft might be Nolan Schanuel, but his other tools lack the other guys so much that he isn’t a top tier guy. I would bet he goes in the top 15 and my dream of getting him at 42 is about as likely as hitting the powerball.
Not completely disagreeing, but if you switch the competition they are facing, you think it would be drastically be different results?
I get that scouts give them different FV, but I’ve always ask myself this question and I don’t know how to answer it.
amen to that brother.
Skenes is statistically so far ahead right now that I don’t think they’d be particularly close, but I also absolutely know the point you’re getting at and find myself there often as well.
Yeah, I meant will he debut in AA for example, how many future big big leaguers is he currently facing v Jones is currently facing….as you wrote, you get the point.
Probably not, he’d of been a 2 way player and wouldn’t have been focused on pitching only. He also would have been over used, not nearly as fresh of an arm as he has. Plus the coeds
And about the same age and Jones is probably a year and a half away.
I’m actually glad LSU was elim from SEC tournament. Keep some innings off of him. Get him ready for Omaha.
Gotta take some risks in this game and Skenes is worth the risk.
We have to add TOR to piggyback with Keller. That’s how you make playoffs and actually win a series.
Bae gets the error but it wasn’t a terrible throw.
Bae and shack swap
I’d do that with Palacios.
Palacios and cal?
Or CSN, he’s starting to get the ball in the air.
I’d cycle through Cal, CSN and Shack, try to find somebody who can get on a good run. Ditch Palacios and Owings. Try to see whether any of these guys are keepers, which Palacios and Owings clearly aren’t.
Big Z out here to put the game out of reach, if it isnt already
Way to shove hernandez, huge showing for this guy
Unless I’m forgetting somebody, R5 guy may be the Pirates’ best R5 pick since . . . you know . . . .
Evan Meek
I think R5 guy can beat that. Needs a couple more yrs, though.
Same with Ortiz. Good picks, though. Meek got done in by injury.
Junior Ortiz
Roberto?
Never be another pick like that.
Bonilla?
They LOST him to the White Sox in R5 and traded Jose De Leon to get him back.
Nice work Hernandez!
You know we’re in trouble when Castillo feels comfortable enough to fist bump the 1B Umpire after a putout at first.
Huge K there, VV battled
Maybe for next start. Too little too late today.
Yep, but keeping those runners on 2nd and 3rd is big. A few quality at bats got Castillo’s pitch count up.
Yeah, they have some good relievers to protect the lead. We saw the mop up guys last night.
VV isn’t long for this game. He’s laboring hard for a guy coming off the IL.
Was hoping for a competitive game this afternoon, but this one may be over. Valesquez clearly not ready and Luis Castillo owns us.
What’s going through Shelton’s head.
“If Hedges were catching none of this would be happening “
“I shouldn’t have let Ben Dfa Underwood”
I almost wrote something similar
I remeber Larry Walker sitting against Randy Johnson in his pursuit for a batting title. My guess is Hedges asked Shelton to sit him against Luis Castillo for the same reason.
He’s in pursuit of the baseball version of a Razzie.
Right and then his asking himself if he could get seven innings out of Vince today,
TOOTBLAN warning!
Glad it was theirs
Should have issued a RISP failure warning. 0-4 already.
Quit trying to pull the ball Jack, last night you went with it and had success.
Pretty apparent VV needed another rehab start.
Seriously!
OT and maybe old news, but Swaggerty is listed as non-covid illness.
More OT, Glasnow making his first start vs Dodgers. 5 K’s in first 2 IP. Willy Adames is in concussion protocol after struck in head by foul ball in the dugout.
I don’t like Reynolds taking a pitch 3-0, especially with runner in scoring position.
Marcano still hot.
Marcano 🔥
Unfortunately, Joe has turned back into a pumpkin and Santana is a 37-year-old bench bat masquerading as a cleanup hitter.
The platooning could work, if Reynolds could play an average CF, Suwinski/Cutch in LF, Joe/Smith or Mitchell in RF.
Shelton has overused him against RHP’s, hope it doesn’t carry over to LHP’s.
The platoon splits on this team are unreal . . . and a big hindrance.
I would like Shelton to give Marcano another chance against a starting LHPer.
If the alternative is Owings, Marcano should be starting against Koufax.
I think there’s a point where frantic platooning with young players is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Bae even has a pretty big reverse split
If Shelton is going to use Castro as a late game defensive player, we might as well leave him in Seattle and take back pick 30 in the draft and a couple of lottery tickets.
In a minor move, Fabricio Macias was released.
More moves:
Altoona:
RHPs Tahnaj Thomas and Justin Meis, both struggling, to development purgatory.
LHP Omar Cruz and RHP Bear Bellomy emerge from purgatory, where they’ve both been all year.
Bradenton:
RHP Wilber Dotel activated from 7-day IL.
LHP Yoldin De La Paz to purgatory.
Hope they’re calling someone up to Altoona, going to be hard getting playing time with Lolo and Connor tearing it up.
Yeah, my thought was somebody should be getting promoted.
Might lead to a few moves, wishful thinking probably.
Booooooo
Dislike
Does anyone have an update on Carter Bins
He’s on the 60-day IL. In his first rehab game, he re-injured whatever it was that he’d injured in the first place. I’d guess it was a hammy or oblique, but it never got reported. I was at the game and he clearly knew exactly what’d happened. Immediately walked off to the dugout cursing.
Don’t think we’ll see much more of him this year.
thanks Wilbur
That stinks, he looked like he was starting to figure things out with the bat in spring training.
this opener idea for Oviedo is intriguing
Yohan goes two and then Oviedo five to seven with Holderman and Bednar in toe
Is Endy in over his head this year? I keep waiting for him to breakout but game after game shows little to no improvement. Basically looking at most, if not all Pirate hitting prospects, outside of DAvis, there is not much going on so far this year. Lets hope the DSL and FCL have some hitters in their respective lineups.
So Ortiz stays with the MLB club, huh?
They are not trading either Hill or Vasquez at this time or should they. Competing to win this year and we have seen how starting pitching depth can be depleted with injuries.
Would rather see their spots go to Quinn and Ortiz
And if those dudes get hurt than give innings to Brido and Flowers
I think they’re going to put Ro in the pen for a spell.
I think Hill and VV are on the verge of being traded
I’d like to see them target a competitive draft pick or 2 this year as a trade. It’s a deep draft in the first 200 or so picks, with no clear tiers after the first 25 to 35 picks.
I can see Hill being traded, I think they want to see if VV can keep up his current performances. They might want to keep him.
trade VV to Toronto for Manoah and then we will earn another V with WV
I wish, but it would take more.
these things have to build upon each other for us to win the big one
plus nutting will be onboard for the local publicity
Should have trade Brubaker for Kirilloff early in the winter.
I’d love them to get all of the local lads they can.
Edit: Just looked up Austin Hendrick’s stats in A+ ball. He can stay in Cincy. Sal Frelick though can come whenever he wants.
Have a feeling Underwood will clear waivers and end up in Indy. Meh on losing him or keeping him as depth at this point. Kind of hope this opens the door for Bolton to return soon.
Next DFA Z-man and replace with Perdomo.
Is this too crazy of an idea for 2 or 3 years from now? Set our major league pitching staff with 8 or 9 conventional starting pitchers, while some of them wind up being 3 or 4 inning relievers. Have the last 3 or 4 spots be your Bednar, Holderman, Moreta type relievers.
Not only do the Pirates have quality SP at the MLB level, they are starting to stack them in the Minors, too. Great problem to have!
The Pirates can hit at times, but it has been the Pitching that has kept this team above .500. Right now using fWAR the Pirates have 4 SP’s in the Top 60 in MLB. Keller is up in the Top 15, and Oviedo, Hill, and Contreras are in the 50’s. VV has an fWAR as high or higher than Oviedo, Hill, or Contreras, but is not qualified because he is short on innings pitched. And, the Bullpen is loaded also.
The lineup took a huge beating with the loss of Oneil Cruz, but the guys we have “apprenticing” such as Suwinski, Castro, Marcano, and Bae are actually doing better than expected, and the play of Davis, Peguero, Rodriguez, and Nunez are reason why we should not just throw prospect pitching out there to find an MLB hitter.
The Pirates took a chance in trades where we got Suwinski, Marcano, Rodriguez, Peguero, and Nunez. At the times of the trades they were not seen as locks to be MLB hitters. We have time to wait and see how they continue developing. Before last night I think I saw something where the Pirates were 5-16 after their almost unbelievable start. Although I hope they continue to play .500 or better, I cannot help but see this as another year of rebuilding. Keep building the foundation and then when we know what we have in place, then try to make the play for a game changer. That’s what other teams were looking for in Musgrove, Quintana, Taillon, and Frazier – sometimes shit happens instead!
I compared it, preseason, to 2011
Just need a couple to keep improving, if we could have two frontline starters with several 3’s and some backend depth, that’s a championship rotation.
Maybe trade a couple for some guys who can, you know, HIT?? 😎😎
Yep, but if things break unrealistically to the pirates side, we trade the backend guys who are other teams number 3’s. More bang for the buck with a dominant rotation. 😆
Termarr Johnson update:
2B Termarr Johnson
Game stats (two games): 3 for 6, two runs
Season stats: .273/.411/.351, three doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, one steal, 24 games
:You missed another error he made. I thought he could field but so far he has not been good.
Even better considering how bad he was early on. Love the OBP
I wonder if he’ll get a shot at 1b. Santana appears on his last legs offensively.
Hard to picture a 5’8 first baseman….maybe he has an insane wing span
That was supposed to post under the comment about Shackleford, lol.
I figured he would be a second baseman or an outfielder from the start. Don’t teams feel pretty safe drafting shortstops because they are such good athletes, they can learn a new position if needed.
Nine errors.
8 of those at 2B, how?
How was he a SS?
Actually looked better there when I saw him.
Doesn’t surprise, throw him back over there
whatever it takes to re-establish confidence
I know, I played into college,then over 30 rec league which you take more abuse because there your friends
I can tell you this if he’s getting a good night sleep, he doesn’t care
When its going good you want the ball before anyome else
When its not so good, after a couple of boots it gets lonely real fast out there
I’m preaching to the choir
Todays GG infield
Hayes and Marcano on left side
Bae and Joe manning the righ
One is an OF and the other they want to make a CF
even though he has stated i will play anywhere they ask but my comfort position has been turning DP with Cruz
They did form a nice tandem early on in both uppers
At the end of the day I’m sure you have asked yourself this question no one seems to know
How can it be that Hayes, BRey and Suwinski
are the only (actives) plus Hayes and Triolo (taxi)
THE ONLY 5 SCHOOLED IN THROWING A BASEBALL, seriously how can that be, thats all they have had to do their whole life
Thank you Mr Negative. I suppose next you’ll bring up his high strikeout percentage? 😂😂😂😂
44% for Termarr. My Mr. Negative comment goes to my man Endy. 0 for 15 in his last 3 games with 6 strike outs. Batting under .200 for May.
I was just messing with Wilbur, but thx. Still a long ways to go for Termarr.
Endy’s year, so far, is totally different from last year. Is he pulling a Matt Fraizer?
Endy’s walk strikeouts are fine, getting better exit velocities lately, might be some bad luck on babip. He has k’d more in the last few games though. He needs to put together a few good games soon or it will start to get worrisome.
I am wondering if he came back from his injuy too fast.
Your the only person that stated what i have watched all week
I have MILB package so I’ve seen all of Endy’s PA minus some highlights in GB
this is the first time ive ever said this because quite honestly its never happened
Endy is currently a mess and lost at the dish, he has zero confidence, hes not reding pitches,swinging out of the zone
When my wife says Endy doesnt’t look right, Endy doesn’t look right
Even when he’s close to barreling up
the ball is not coming off the bat with any authority
Also fyi,
He has been smashing the ball, line drives, everywhere but the grass
Watch tonight for yourself,
they made the game of the week free to stream
Priester vs Williams
(Cleveland’s #1 pitching)
I’m not worried the least bit talent wise
Maybe, he started slow last year as well but was good by this time of the year.
Endy’s 2022 batting average by month: April .240, May .296, June .272, July .373, August .438, September .365.
He really crushed from July on, maybe (joking with a small amount of possible) they need to challenge him. He got better last year as competition improved. He was still in high A at this time but as the competition increased so did his production.
I find it difficult to get excited about a pitcher that can’t throw strikes with his fastball. How then will he ever be able to control breaking balls? Control comes before command, which is required in the majors. Peralta, who is repeating low-A, is a long way from being a legitimate prospect regardless of being a left-handed need or his ‘stuff.’ It seems many Pirate pitchers reach the majors with minimum command. It was Mitch’s problem for several years. The goal should be command.
I agree with what you’re saying, the encouraging part is that pitchers in the system seem to be advancing in the control area with a couple getting better on command. Peralta has a long way to go but at least there’s some signs of improvement.
Maybe, at the very least, we can turn him into a LH RP?
Glad to see Gutierrez back and hitting.
Given the SSS of this season, the difference in Peralta’s walk rate this year is 2 walks (he’s had 8 BBs; 10 would give him the same rate as last year). A rough inning and he’ll be back to where he was last year. OTOH, without one really bad outing (5 BBs in 1.2 IP against the Yankees on May 6), his walk rate would be much better. It bears watching but it’s too soon to say that he’s actually improved.
Control/Command will make or break a pitcher. We have a few, Massey, Bubba, et al, who could be monsters if they can corral their stuff. Keep this Pirate fingers crossed.
You need control to beat MiLB players. You need command to beat MLB players.
So you need to control your command?? 😅😅😅
Hope the control comes because he has some nasty movement on his pitches.
This is where I am with Peralta. Certainly concern about command but call it sinker/fastball or whatever….the movement is very difficult to hit. The ball seems to dart away when on the arm side and cut/sail in when on the glove side. A hitter’s nightmare but also difficult to command. Still some serious raw potential.
Yep, and it’s late movement, worst kind for a hitter.