Circled below are the four pitches Kevin Gregg threw to David Ortiz last night. Gregg’s other pitches in the inning are also shown. Recall from our discussion of Mitch Atkins that POSITIVE numbers on the x-axis indicate pitches INSIDE to left-handers and NEGATIVE numbers indicate pitches AWAY from lefties. Pitch #3 of the Ortiz at-bat is pretty inside. However, all the other pitches seem innocuous considering Gregg’s pitch location to batters not named Ortiz.
Wrong.
All four of those pitches were further inside than all but one of the other batters’ pitches.
If anything, your diagram is damning evidence of Gregg’s intentions.
@shmessy – Thanks for the feedback. I assume you mean the sentence, “all the other pitches [outside of pitch #3 to Ortiz] seem innocuous considering Gregg’s pitch location to batter’s not named Ortiz” is an incorrect interpretation of the data. The data is just data, it can’t be right or wrong.
To start the inning Gregg faced Pedroia (right handed) meaning the pitch labeled #6 on the left hand side of the graph was just as inside as pitch #1 he threw to Ortiz and much more inside than pitch #2 and #4 he threw Ortiz.
Furthermore, if you look at large sample of all Gregg’s pitches this year to left handed hitter’s you’ll see that he has a thrown about 1/10 of his pitches in between 1.0ft and 2.0ft. That sample seems to be significant enough to me to not get worked up about pitches 1, 2 and 4. As I said pitch 3 is out or the very inside given the data we have on Gregg vs. lefties.
@shmessy – Great insight.
The data is just data, it can’t be right or wrong.
Love it.
I wasn’t questioning your data. Just your interpretation of it.
Once again: All four of those pitches were further inside than all but one of the other batters’ pitches.
As a native Annapolitan who coaches football up north says “It is what it is”.
Perplexing statement because it is false. Pitch 1 to Ortiz is farther off the plate (about 15 inches off the inside edge) than any other pitch except for the ridiculously inside 3rd pitch.
@Zach Wilt –
Quoth the genius who didn’t know that Boston was a hockey town!!!
http://baltimoresportsreport.com/im-sick-of-boston-championships-16296.html/comment-page-1#comments
The flood of comments after that entry is epic.
Dear Lord, you’re the Sarah Palin of bloggers!!! 😀 😀 😀