Article from the Rattle: Pitching without Velocity

[Ronin]

The D-back’s velocity peaked during Dave Stewart’s time with the team, but it wasn’t good velocity. Among the ten hardest throwers on the team in 2016, only three had an ERA under 5.00 and only one (Jake Barrett) had an ERA under 4.00. Once Mike Hazen took over, these high-velocity but ineffective pitchers began to make there way off the roster. The decline in fastball velocity is not solely due to subtraction, however. Hazen simply hasn’t prioritized velocity when acquiring pitchers. For example, each season he has brought in a new closer to manage some of the highest-leverage spots in the game; they average merely 93.3 mph, two full ticks off what the average closer throws in the modern game. While the league is becoming more velocity-fueled than ever, the D-backs are hoping to win in other ways.

http://www.therattle.net/2019/05/01/pitching-without-velocity/

 

[Brian]

"Velocity is a luxury, location is a necessity" - Randy Johnson

 

[overseascardfan]

There’s got to be a correlation between increased velocity and injuries. It seems power pitchers would be more prone to injuries but then again mechanics and pitching motion probably play bigger roles.