Big game pitchers

Spharv2 · 07-08-2011, 02:29 PM

I signed a FA pitcher in the offseason after my highly rated, but underachieving team collapsed late again and missed the playoffs. Along with much better hitting, he got me back to the World Series. He went 22-4 in his first season with a 3.33 ERA and 200/83 K/BB ratio, then won the pitching triple crown his second year, going 22-10 with a 2.92 ERA and a 230/83 K/BB ratio.

But that's nothing compared to what he's done in the playoffs for me so far. Here was his first playoff game in his 12 seasons:

And in his second game:

So 15 innings without allowing an earned run. Then in the clinching game 7:

He ended up giving up one earned run in the 9th inning, so a total of 24 innings of World Series pitching before he game up an earned run.

The pattern continued in his second trip, as he was again the first game starter in the series. Complete game 3 hits, one run, then clinched it in game 5 in a tight 1-0 game by throwing 8 shutout innings with 4 hits allowed. Not saying I wouldn't have won the 2023 and 2024 championships without him, but 5-0 with two earned runs given up in 42 innings sure doesn't hurt.

Supernovae · 07-08-2011, 11:53 PM

Wow - that's incredible! What does his pitching ratings look like?

Spharv2 · 07-10-2011, 12:28 AM

I play with the 10 point scale, so I've got 7 Stuff, 9 Movement, 7 Control, 10 Endurance. He has 4 pitches, FB at 8, Cutter at 7, Changeup at 6, and a Forkball at 7. Ratings are good, but not even the best on my team, he just pitches better than anyone else on the team...especially in big games.

Just switched to 100 point scale...respectively, S=61, M=86, CO=68...So he's on the lower end of most of those ratings.

Only problem is he's 35 now and I don't see him going too much longer. Luckily I have plenty of SP depth, but I don't know if I'll find another guy I'm as confident in for the playoffs.

Nighthawk42 · 07-10-2011, 10:17 AM

It looks like he's taking advantage of his high movement rating, and I wouldn't be surprised (based on those box scores) if his groundball % is at least 65%. If he's a lefty that's helping too.

Spharv2 · 07-10-2011, 11:02 AM

Righty, and yeah, the groundball % is about 69%. It's a bit surprising it worked for him since the year he had the no-hitter, I had a rash of injuries right at the end of the season, so I went in with infield defensive ratings of (From first to third) 10, 2, 3, and 1. Figured my defense would kill me. You can see the two unearned in game two, I had six errors in that game.

07-08-2011, 02:29 PM	#1
Spharv2 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 108	Big game pitchers I signed a FA pitcher in the offseason after my highly rated, but underachieving team collapsed late again and missed the playoffs. Along with much better hitting, he got me back to the World Series. He went 22-4 in his first season with a 3.33 ERA and 200/83 K/BB ratio, then won the pitching triple crown his second year, going 22-10 with a 2.92 ERA and a 230/83 K/BB ratio. But that's nothing compared to what he's done in the playoffs for me so far. Here was his first playoff game in his 12 seasons: And in his second game: So 15 innings without allowing an earned run. Then in the clinching game 7: He ended up giving up one earned run in the 9th inning, so a total of 24 innings of World Series pitching before he game up an earned run. The pattern continued in his second trip, as he was again the first game starter in the series. Complete game 3 hits, one run, then clinched it in game 5 in a tight 1-0 game by throwing 8 shutout innings with 4 hits allowed. Not saying I wouldn't have won the 2023 and 2024 championships without him, but 5-0 with two earned runs given up in 42 innings sure doesn't hurt. Last edited by Spharv2; 07-08-2011 at 02:30 PM.

07-08-2011, 11:53 PM	#2
Supernovae Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 160	Wow - that's incredible! What does his pitching ratings look like?

07-10-2011, 12:28 AM	#3
Spharv2 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 108	I play with the 10 point scale, so I've got 7 Stuff, 9 Movement, 7 Control, 10 Endurance. He has 4 pitches, FB at 8, Cutter at 7, Changeup at 6, and a Forkball at 7. Ratings are good, but not even the best on my team, he just pitches better than anyone else on the team...especially in big games. Just switched to 100 point scale...respectively, S=61, M=86, CO=68...So he's on the lower end of most of those ratings. Only problem is he's 35 now and I don't see him going too much longer. Luckily I have plenty of SP depth, but I don't know if I'll find another guy I'm as confident in for the playoffs.

07-10-2011, 10:17 AM	#4
Nighthawk42 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 37	It looks like he's taking advantage of his high movement rating, and I wouldn't be surprised (based on those box scores) if his groundball % is at least 65%. If he's a lefty that's helping too.

07-10-2011, 11:02 AM	#5
Spharv2 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 108	Righty, and yeah, the groundball % is about 69%. It's a bit surprising it worked for him since the year he had the no-hitter, I had a rash of injuries right at the end of the season, so I went in with infield defensive ratings of (From first to third) 10, 2, 3, and 1. Figured my defense would kill me. You can see the two unearned in game two, I had six errors in that game.