Hello, Alex White

From Beyond the Boxscore, a pitch f/x based look at Alex White's first career major league start against Detroit this past Saturday.

about 1 year ago hans 17 comments 0 recs |

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Second comment is asking about “inverted W”. Facepalm.

by ahowie on May 2, 2011 11:45 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah I saw that… and yeah.

by hans on May 3, 2011 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Good article, though.

by ahowie on May 3, 2011 3:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I saw that too. . . just curious, what is wrong with bringing that up? I mean, serious question—I am familiar with the “inverted W” and its supposed effects. Has this been the subject of a thorough debunking of which I am unaware? I know that there are differing views on the subject, but it seems like there are still some pretty credible analysts who buy into the idea that inverted W pitchers suffer a higher rate of injury. Please, if I’m missing something, enlighten me.

If you don't respect Aaron Laffey, I will fight you.

by Cap'n Snegiryov on May 3, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

My take is that it’s a silly thing to say based on the randomly generated photo with the article. What matters, clearly, is a pitcher’s entire motion and, for a variety of reasons, a single still photograph is a poor datapoint for this context.

I’m also extremely unimpressed with the Project Proespect speculation on injury linked-the whole premise that the author can’t find a similar pitcher who has stayed healthy is hopelessly flawed. To make such an assertion, you’d need to be able to access a database of thousands of motions, either mentally or otherwise, and then ID key elements and make comparisons. Color me skeptical; it reads like confirmation bias run rampant.

by afh4 on May 3, 2011 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, isn’t an inverted ‘W’ and ‘M’?

Case closed….

by APV on May 3, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Exactly. I can’t take it seriously, because they don’t just call it an M.

by Jay on May 3, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

My take is that it’s a silly thing to say based on the randomly generated photo with the article. What matters, clearly, is a pitcher’s entire motion and, for a variety of reasons, a single still photograph is a poor datapoint for this context.

Agree with this 100%. Plus the angle of the picture is just crappy for trying to judge the relative position of White’s elbows/shoulders.

If you don't respect Aaron Laffey, I will fight you.

by Cap'n Snegiryov on May 3, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

It also completely ignores the differences in durability between different bodies. Some guys can have “perfect” mechanics and still break down because that’s just how they were built. On the other hand, the workhorse pitchers of bygone eras were subject to workloads that would make Dusty Baker cringe. While some of them blew up, others had long and successful careers. That can’t be attributed solely to anything that can be coached; some dudes are durable, and some aren’t.

The persuasion is not inherent in the lobster.

by Joel D on May 4, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought Keith Law explained this well in one of his podcasts. Although he thinks there are good/not good mechanics, he also thinks that your body grows around your mechanics and changing them significantly causes new unrecognized stresses on a body’s muscles, tendons, ligaments.
And you’re right, some guys even without changes are just more durable.
Current era pitchers need to be much more exacting than their predecessors, even the slightest loss of command/control/ velocity is pounced on.

by Bogalusa Bomber on May 4, 2011 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Knobler chimes in on the Tribe and White ….

As for White, the 2009 No. 1 draft pick who debuted Saturday against the Tigers, one scout called him “the real deal.” Told that the Indians actually think 2010 first-rounder Drew Pomeranz will be better than White, the scout said, “Well, then they’ll have two top-of-the-rotation guys.”

White only joined the rotation because both Mitch Talbot and Carrasco are hurt, but this scout predicted that there’s no way the Indians can send him back to the minor leagues now.

“They’ll just have to pay him,” he said. “They ought to sign him to a long-term deal right now.”

by talonk on May 3, 2011 8:20 AM EDT reply actions

They’ll just have to pay him

READ THIS DOLINIZCHEEP!

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 3, 2011 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

"They’ll just have to pay him," he said. "They ought to sign him to a long-term deal right now."

Sincerely,
Stephen Strasburg

by callmrplow on May 4, 2011 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

… and this is why so many scouts go on to be absolutely horrible GMs.

by Jay on May 4, 2011 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Although Strasburg is a great example here; You’ll never sign a guy with that kind of ceiling for a cheaper rate. In fact, if he struggles out of the gate in 2012, i’d jump on it then…He’s a once in a lifetime kind of pitcher, and if you want to keep him out of pinstripes it may take a ballsy maneuver.

Or you might get your wallet raped with a Pavano-esque guy.

"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"

by Gradysmanldy on May 9, 2011 6:03 PM EDT reply actions