Ziggy Pitch Trajectory Breakdown

by johnjahafanclub on Aug 4, 2008 8:53 AM PDT Comment 20 comments

Interesting Breakdown of Ziggy's mechanics over at Hardball Times...

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/brad-ziegler-al-rookie-of-the-year/

"The vertical difference between the straight-line trajectory and the actual trajectory is 11.5 inches, almost an entire foot! A batter used to adjusting his swing down by four or five inches for a Blanton fastball will swing right over the top of a Ziegler fastball."

Obviously opposing batters know by now that Ziggy throws a lot lower than normal pitchers. I assume that they are trying to adjust their swings downward. Even with them getting second and third looks at him it will probably still be hard to fully adjust because of all the built up muscle memory etc. It will be interesting to see how things go these next two months.

On a sidenote, question: will Ziggy break Hersheiser's record this season or next season? Follow-up question: will ESPN give him 15 seconds of coverage or 20 seconds of coverage after he breaks said record?

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Seriously, whoever wrote that article is awesome.

And probably very tall.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Aug 4, 2008 8:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

nice piece

article’s awesome….height of the author, that’s another issue… : )

by rh40 on Aug 4, 2008 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but I bet he's all full of himself

about his height.

By process of elimination (the only process I endorse), I guess that makes you a piece of lamb. @('.')@

by Leopold Bloom on Aug 4, 2008 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

stands shoulder to shoulder with his wife ...

as long as he’s standing on top of his inflated head …

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Aug 4, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which raises the question,

could an overhand pitch from Sal have the same trajectory as a sidearm pitch from Ziggy?

Seriously, though, very nice article.

I’d be curious to see some graphs like the second one for some other “unhittable” pitches (Webb’s or Halladay’s overhand sinker, Rivera’s cutter) as well. It’s interesting that the act of hitting a baseball is so hard-wired that even the best hitters in the world can’t trick themselves into adjusting their swings by a few inches against a known sinkerballer.

"May a nit suck Cajun geese?" wonders Red. No, we see gnu Jack Cust in a yam.

by andeux on Aug 4, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, the difference in trajectories is over .25 SALs…

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Aug 4, 2008 9:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm sensing a new form of measurement has been born.

by OldhamA on Aug 4, 2008 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those youtube videos remind me of ASCII art, or computer games from the early 80s. Next time, please turn the baseball into an asteroid.

Good read, in all seriousness.

by sec119 on Aug 4, 2008 9:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i just saw that article

glad you posted it. totally awesome.

by oakinboston on Aug 4, 2008 9:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If Ziggy's first name was Joba...

The title of the article would already be confirmed by the New York Press; however, the West Coast Bias and Homer-ism of the Oakland Athletics entire Western US media outlet is currently overrating Ziegler.

Problems for Ziggy getting the AL CY crown.

1. He is not marketable
2. He doesn’t look like Roger Clemens clone
3. He won’t have a reigional sports network change its name to his. YES = JOBA?
4. He only gets batters out, he doesn’t fist pump and yell when he gets meaningless 2nd outs in the 8th Inning of blowout games.
5. He was a bit-author for a blog… def. not marketable.

oh, and he doesn’t make things interesting by letting any runs in… needs more volatility. Boring.

The Stockton Ports pitching staff is better than the Orioles.

by gdub171 on Aug 4, 2008 9:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

6. He doesn't have a 130 OPS+ for the first place Tampa Bay Rays

by mikev on Aug 4, 2008 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Evan Longoria...

Deserves it, but you can’t bet against the North East and ESPN’s Golden Boy. Although if he hits like he did the 1st 1/2… he’ll get enough HR’s to KO Joba.

The Stockton Ports pitching staff is better than the Orioles.

by gdub171 on Aug 4, 2008 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ziegler’s fastball [...] reaches a peak somewhere around 33 feet from the batter’s box, and only then begins to drop.

Are you sure you didn’t actually use the Hit f/x of Jason Kendall’s batted-ball trajectories?

Greed and fear cause over-reactions in both directions. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 4, 2008 10:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

lol

viewing kendall’s trajectory from the 3rd base side would look like a straight line at 0 feet hieght for 90 feet distance until being easily fielded by opposing third basemen for inning-ending double plays

Cust is the new Jaha.

by johnjahafanclub on Aug 4, 2008 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please to not jinx the Ziggy

With the “sidenote question”

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Aug 4, 2008 10:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

who honestly believes in

jinxes anymore!

... oh yeah we’re A’s fans…

Cust is the new Jaha.

by johnjahafanclub on Aug 4, 2008 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yay ziggy

I liked this piece alot and I must say he seems like a really really nice guy. At the game Saturday he took aloooot of time out to sign autographs, needless to say I was beyond excited getting it! Crosby,Ellis, and Barton also took alot of time out to sign and take pictures with fans.

by ilovegregsmith on Aug 4, 2008 11:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If you haven't already seen that article ...

you probably also haven’t seen this article ...

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Aug 4, 2008 12:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Devo: I heard that whoever wrote that article was also exceedingly handsome.

andeux: an overhand pitch by sal might not make it 35 feet.

Cool idea to look at other “unhittable” pitches. Might look into it.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Aug 4, 2008 12:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Aug 5, 2008 3:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs