Time to shut down Gallardo

[FVBrewerFan]

Yo's QS% is only 50%. There are 26 pitchers in the NL alone over 60%, 10 of them over 75%!

 

You don't think a very poor defense behind a pitcher can lead to more baserunners, pitches, and shorter outings?

Sure, but I don't believe that's what happened to Yo this year. It's not because of defense. He simply had too many starts where he got hit hard, and/or walked too many batters. As others have said, he doesn't trust his curve anymore, and that is a devastating weapon for him when he's "on." Plus there have been too many times when he can't locate his fastball. I would need to be convinced that poor defense is the main reaon or even a reason at all for his struggles.

 

 

[Baldkin]

Fielding Independent Pitching, a measure of all those things for which a

pitcher is specifically responsible. The formula is

(HR*13+(BB+HBM-IBB)*3-K*2)/IP, plus a league-specific factor (usually

around 3.2) to round out the number to an equivalent ERA number. FIP

helps you understand how well a pitcher pitched, regardless of how well

his fielders fielded.

Yovani is 4th in the NL and 7th in MLB in FIP.

xFIP: Expected Fielding Independent Pitching. This is an experimental stat that adjusts FIP

and "normalizes" the home run component. Research has shown that home

runs allowed are pretty much a function of flyballs allowed and home

park, so xFIP is based on the average number of home runs allowed per

outfield fly. Theoretically, this should be a better predicter of a

pitcher's future ERA.

Yovani is 3rd in the NL 8th in all of MLB in xFIP.

What else can we do to prove to you that the defense behind him is a huge part of his ERA being closer to 4 than it is to 3 now?

[TooLiveBrew]

One example from last night's game was Braun misplaying Janish's double in the LF corner that allowed Hanigan, the catcher, to score from first. Sure, that was already a poor start from Gallardo, but something like that doesn't show up in the box score aside from being another ER that Yo shouldn't have been tagged with on that particular play. That ball wasn't hit very hard, and any competent LF would have been able to keep Hanigan from scoring.

 

That's just one instance, but on a team full of questionable defenders, the plays they're unable to make add up. I agree Yovani's main problem this season has seemed to be his BB totals, and subsequent higher pitch counts, but to say you're not sure whether or not the poor defense is even a part of his problems is surprising to me.

[Ennder]

ERA isn't a measurement of how good a pitcher is pitching, it is as simple as that. You need 500 IP before ERA becomes meaningful, talking about it over 150 IP just isn't going to do anyone any good.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

The irony is that neither Gomez or Escobar have been very good defensively and in fact were significantly worse than those they replaced despite being called defensive specialists.

I know Escobar started the year rather shaky, but since the SF series, he's been ridiculously good.