09-22-2010, 12:51 PM
<!--quoteo(post=114777:date=Sep 22 2010, 11:40 AM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Sep 22 2010, 11:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->right, but his walk rate seems much worse this year, even after this late great stretch, than it has been in the past. For instance, if he has 2 more outings identical to last nights, he will have walked the exact same amount of guys he walked in 2008, but he will have done it in 60 fewer innings. That's a massive difference.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
His walk rate is definitely high, but early on in the season, he was giving up more hits than usual, not BB. That's why his WHIP jumped into the 1.5-2 range for much of the season. Only recently did he start allowing fewer hits (and walking batters at a higher clip simultaneously). Bottom line is, it hasn't been pretty, but Z has always been an effective pitcher. Some pitchers are like that (Marmol is another example) where their peripherals can tell many stories, but they still manage to get the job done. It's hard to explain, but numbers do lie at times.
His walk rate is definitely high, but early on in the season, he was giving up more hits than usual, not BB. That's why his WHIP jumped into the 1.5-2 range for much of the season. Only recently did he start allowing fewer hits (and walking batters at a higher clip simultaneously). Bottom line is, it hasn't been pretty, but Z has always been an effective pitcher. Some pitchers are like that (Marmol is another example) where their peripherals can tell many stories, but they still manage to get the job done. It's hard to explain, but numbers do lie at times.