Quote:
Originally Posted by AfWapo
But something else these two seem to have in common is a very good K/BB rate. This is something which Carpenter has excelled at since coming to St. Louis -- and Maddux has ALWAYS been good at it.
Perhaps this illustrates what you mean when you speak of other skills which outweigh the ability to get outs from balls hit in play. ??
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Exactly. Something like K/BB rate really does mean a lot toward how well pitcher's succeed, whereas HBIP is a minor issue. However, there's a dangerous subset of control pitchers who have good K/BB rates but high HR totals so a SO/BB isn't perfect either, but it's on the way there. Maddux at his peak of course combined an outstanding K/BB rate with low home run totals, a combination that's a recipe for multiple Cy Young Awards.