| Sign Up | Google+

Those other two.

Stay connected for news and updates

The new Bill James Handbook 2013 includes a section listing the pitch repertoires for every single pitcher in the majors last season. Including Jeff Mathis, who mostly threw mid-80s fastballs.

For each pitcher, you get his average fastball velocity, and then a column with percentages for each of these six pitches: fastball, cutter, curveball, slider, change-up, and splitter.

Notice anything missing? Yeah. That's why there's also one last column: Other.

But among the hundreds of pitchers, only two have something in the Other column. You probably know that one of them is R.A. Dickey (Knuckleball 85%). But do you know the other? I didn't. Want to take a guess? I'll wait.

It's Chicago White Sox left-hander Hector Santiago, who throws a lot of fastballs and throws them hard (93.2). But according to Baseball Info Solutions, Santiago also threw 8 percent cutters, 8 percent sliders, 13 percent change-ups ... and 6 percent screwballs, making him the only pitcher in the majors who registers as throwing any screwballs at all.

And in case you're wondering, this wasn't a data-input error or something; last spring, Santiago discussed the evolution and utility of his screwball at some length. It's funny: We spend so much time worrying about the demise of the knuckleball, but the screwball seems to be just as endangered.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Recent Posts

There are 5 Comments. Load Now. Loading

Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.

C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read

R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next

Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read

Comment Settings

Live comment alert: Hide it!

Comments for this post are closed.

tracking_pixel_5351_tracker