15 Pitches

Since nothing is going to go on with the Amazin's till Friday, I thought I would post this about evaluating  pitching.  Baseball statisticians will tell you that a quality start means going at least 6 innings giving up 3 runs or fewer.  However, 3 runs in 6 innings is a 4.50 ERA and I don't think that's very good.  Granted, if you leave the game after 6 and you've only given up 3 runs, the odds are that your team is still in a position to win.

I use my own metric to determine how a pitcher is doing.  As the headline suggests, it has to do with 15 pitches.  If you are averaging 15 pitches or less an inning, you are probably pitching well.  Unless you've got a WHIP (Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched) below 0.5, and you don't, the odds are you are averaging 4 batters or more in an inning which gives you fewer that 4 pitches per batter.  Since it takes 4 pitches to walk someone, you are, by definition, throwing strikes.

15 pitches times 7 innings is 105 pitches.  This means you are going an inning deeper than a "quality start."  I once heard it said, and I think it was the late Frank Cashen, that if your middle relievers are struggling, the problem is your starting pitching.  Well, if you go 7, your middle relievers get to relax.  Like golf, go long enough from the tee, and all you need is your wedge (set-up man) and your putter (closer).