Will Carroll on Matsuzaka
Matsuzaka Watch has done a terrific interview with Will Carroll on Daisuke Matsuzaka (you were expecting someone else?). They cover a ton of ground here, but one of the more interesting tidbits has to do with the use of pitch counts as a measure of workload and predictor of future injury.
Pitch counts have gotten a lot of play in recent years, and I think it’s good that there’s an awareness of the need to protect arms. However, my gut has always told me that the dynamics of a pitcher’s usage are much more complex than anything a single number can provide. This passage from Carroll is refreshing:
I still think I’d rather err on the side of caution, but the fact is that some of these kids can, and one of the things that bugs me about pitch counts and the standardization of them, is that we have guys out there who can probably safely throw 140-150 pitches an outing. We have no idea who they are because we have no development system to get them up to that number… So, I think we’re probably leaving pitches on the table with some people, but the worst part is we don’t know.
You need to read the entire article to get the context, but it’s nice to hear a more moderate view on pitch counts and a recognition from the analyst community that a lot of factors are at work. Come to think of it, you need to read the entire article anyway. There is some great stuff here.
[Tip o’ the Knuckle Curve cap to Baseball Musings.]
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POSTED IN: Global Baseball, Personalities
1 opinion for Will Carroll on Matsuzaka
mikeplugh
Feb 6, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Thanks very much for your piece here Geoff. It was a pleasure to speak with Will and hear his take on all things Matsuzaka, as well as pitching in general. There’s so much room for discussion and research and it’s great to be a part of the conversation.
Keep up the great work at Knuckle Curve. I love this place!!!
Mike.
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