I used to dabble behind the plate when I played ball as a kid, and was never a big fan on calling a pitchout.
Oh sure I have seen would be base stealers gunned out on a pitch out, but I have seen guys like Crawford and Rickey beat pitch out throws for stolen bases.
It is easier to throw out a baserunner on a pitchout, an idiot can tell you that, but you have to guess successfully that the runner is going, if he is not, you are giving the batter an advantage in the count with a free ball with a runner on, which can come back to haunt the pitcher.
The gang at STATS and the sabre people don't have statistics on pitch out to stolen base ratios, but I bet you the pitch out is not as effective as one might think.
But I can't prove it.
Oh sure I have seen would be base stealers gunned out on a pitch out, but I have seen guys like Crawford and Rickey beat pitch out throws for stolen bases.
It is easier to throw out a baserunner on a pitchout, an idiot can tell you that, but you have to guess successfully that the runner is going, if he is not, you are giving the batter an advantage in the count with a free ball with a runner on, which can come back to haunt the pitcher.
The gang at STATS and the sabre people don't have statistics on pitch out to stolen base ratios, but I bet you the pitch out is not as effective as one might think.
But I can't prove it.
