As striker said, do you think Ian could perhaps add a splitter or forkball?
Ian Anderson's stuff
- Thread starter Enscheff
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As striker said, do you think Ian could perhaps add a splitter or forkball?
As I wrote in the post you quoted, a split works just like a CH, so I don't think it would help. Everything he throws moves only up and down, so his pitch selection is very limited.
striker42
Well-known member
The curve really is the ideal pitch for him to pair with his fastball and change. If he had a good curve he'd have ace ceiling. It would work perfectly with his arm slot and his fastball/change combo. The problem is that it's a below average pitch. It's useful as a get it over breaking ball or just to showcase to a hitter to try to get them thinking about it but not much else.
If the curve had a better spin rate I'd have more hope for it. But I think it's destined to remain a below average pitch.
I totally agree that nothing relying on horizontal movement is an option for Anderson. That delivery is very effective for the fastball/change combo but severely limits horizontal movement. It's a shame because a slider would be another pitch that would work well with his fastball.
A splitter is really the only thing other than a curve I can think of that might work in his arsenal. You're right that his changeup negates a lot of the offspeed use of the splitter. But I don't think it would be useless. A downer splitter he can bury in the dirt to try to put a hitter away would help him out.
Ultimately you're probably right that we just need to accept that his fastball/change combo makes him an effective middle of the rotation pitcher we should ride as long as it makes sense. He's probably never going to add another effective pitch or turn that curveball into a weapon. He is what he is and that's useful.
no he didn’t. he never had major control issues, and he didn’t dramatically improve his control. i cannot believe, but also CAN believe, you’re still stuck on this.
he had a BB/9 over 4 once over a meaningful span of innings, and that was his first full minors season at 19.
he’s always been right around the strike zone as an MLBer. he nibbles too much at times. but that’s exactly the way he was in the minors too - which is why “major control issues” was never said in a single scouting report from people who actually watched him pitch.
i’d love to see evidence that he dramatically improved his control tho.
striker42
Well-known member
I'm not going to argue with you. It's immaterial now. Anderson came up big for us in the world series so I'm glad we drafted him.
This is complete pseudo-science nonsense.
Look at a guy like Gausman.
The pitch data on spin/movement are different for the two pitches. An objects path once subject to strictly gravity is different based on its initial velocity.
Statcast has a discernable difference between the two.
They are most definitely two unique pitches and could be an option for Anderson down the road.
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striker42
Well-known member
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/player-scroll?player_id=592332#pitchTypes
The Baseball Savant data on Gausman does show some differences.
Gausman's splitter spins at a rate of 1,648 RPM while his change spins at 1,887 RPM. Both are fairly close to the same speed.
As for movement, Gausman's split moves 13 inches towards a right handed batter and drops 37 inches. The change moves 12 inches towards a right handed batter and drops 28 inches.
So the splitter for Gausman spins a little slower and drops about 30% more than the change.
I can see a splitter having some utility for Anderson burying it in the dirt and getting guys to chase. But the fact that it would likely be similar velocity with similar direction of movement to his change limits the utility. A hammer curve would turn Anderson into an ace. A plus splitter wouldn't have near that impact. I do think there's some utility there.
Yeah - I'm not suggesting its a gamechanger. Only that it is a unique pitch that could keep hitters off the changeup better.
The curve is the preferred pitch but I just don't see how he is going to improve that. He just doesn't seem to have the ability to 'snap' a pitch with plus spin.
The splitter doesn't need to be 'snapped' like a curve so it may be a much more comfortable pitch (and effective) for Anderson.
Also - Gausmans splitter is thrown at the same velocity as his changeup and significantly slower than his FB. A guy like Tanaka through his splitter at a 5MPH delta from his 4 seamer. Gausman is at 11MPH delta.
If Anderson was able to develop an average splitter at around 85-88MPH I think it could be useful.
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Southcack77
Well-known member
You're not goin to argue about it because you were always way off base with that criticism.
It's great that you have changed your view towards Anderson to just that he's a mid-rotation piece that might not be effective past his 30s.
Less great that you want to pretend that's what you've always said and deserve kudos for it. A little weird honestly. It's not like I spend a lot of time arguing with people that do not like minor league players for whatever reason.
You were just so bizarrely fixated on making what was pretty clearly a good prospect (according to everyone) with good minor league performance into a AAAA scrub.
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Sheffield10
Arizona Fall Leaguer
Lololol a splitter is the same as a change lolololol thank god for athletes
Metaphysicist
Not Actually Brian Hunter
Welcome to the draft. I reckon Ian Anderson is much closer to Mike Mussina than the average first rounder gets to their comp. Certainly a lot closer than Cody Johnson got to Ryan Howard or whoever folks were dreaming he'd be.
AJ Burnett.
striker42
Well-known member
I shuddered reading the name Cody Johnson. What an incredible miss he was.