Friday, July 24, 2009
What did Mark Buehrle throw?
Posted by Mike FastDuring the season, Mark Buehrle used his change-up about 15-20% of the time. In yesterday's perfect game, it was his go-to pitch, particularly against right-handed batters, who saw 40 change-ups out of 90 pitches. He notched 15 outs with the change, seven with the four-seam fastball, and five with the cut fastball.
In the last three innings, he went even more heavily to the change-up, throwing 24 changes compared to 18 pitches of all other types combined. This while he was ramping his fastball speed from the mid-eighties to the upper eighties, touching 90 mph with his final pitch.
After the jump is a chart showing the speed of all his pitches, with the pitch type and result of the at bat indicated.
By the way, not that it matters too much, but the home plate umpire Eric Cooper is the second-best umpire in the majors this year at calling balls and strikes, after Tim McClelland.
Mike Fast is a Royals fan who enjoys investigating baseball questions using data of many sorts. He is a member of Complete Game Consulting. He welcomes comments via e-mail.
Mike, you beat me to the post.
I just finished watching Buehrle’s perfect game. My unofficial pitch count on the day was….
44 Fastballs (82-89 MPH)
44 Change-ups (76-82 MPH)
16 Curveballs (69-74 MPH)
12 Cutters (78-86 MPH)
Buehrle’s reliance on the change-up almost doomed him. After going to it in almost every tough spot, hitters were sitting on it. It was a change-up that Gabe Kapler crushed to centerfield, and it was a change-up that Pat Burrell ripped foul down the leftfield line.