Power pitcher

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In baseball, a power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power.[1] An average pitcher strikes out about 5 batters per nine innings while a prototypical power pitcher will strike out one or more every inning.[1] The prototypical power pitcher is National Baseball Hall of Fame member, Nolan Ryan,[2] who struck out a Major League Baseball record 5,714 batters in 5,386 innings. Ryan recorded seven no-hitters, appeared in eight Major League Baseball All-Star Games but also holds the record for most walks issued (2795).[3] Other prominent power pitchers include Hall of Famer Bob Feller who led his league in strikeouts and walks several times.[4]

The traditional school of thought on power pitching was "throw till you blow"[5] but multimillion-dollar contracts have changed mentalities.[5] The number of pitches thrown is now counted by a team's staff, with particular attention paid to young power arms.[5] The care which some of the old time power pitchers took with their arms allowed for long careers and further opportunity after they stopped playing.[6]

In 2003, the Houston Chronicle listed in-order 1. Nolan Ryan (5,714 strikeouts), 2. Roger Clemens (3,909 strikeouts), 3. Bob Gibson (3,117 strikeouts), 4. Randy Johnson (3,746 strikeouts), and 5. Walter Johnson (3,508 strikeouts) as their pick of the all-time power pitchers.[7] The paper later that year noted that power pitchers again were on the rise in majors.[8]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b SCOUTING REPORT. Sportsmogul.com. Sports Mogul Inc. (2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  2. ^ King, Jason. (July 25, 1999) Kansas City Star Never-changing Nolan Ryan, one of game's greatest power pitchers, true to Texas roots. Section: Sports; Page K11.
  3. ^ NOLAN RYAN. Nationwide Speakers Bureau, Inc. (2004). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  4. ^ Olds, Rob. Bob Feller. historicbaseball.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  5. ^ a b c Shaw, Bud. (March 21, 1999) Cleveland Plain Dealer. Developing a power pitcher can be a delicate proces. Pitch counts are one way to reduce stress on young arms. Section:Sports; Page 3C.
  6. ^ Brown, Tim. (March 7, 2005) Los Angeles Times Life needn't end at 40 for power pitchers , and Clemens, Johnson and others are proving it. Section: Sports; Fitness and Starts; Page 1.
  7. ^ Houston Chronicle. (March 30, 2003) Baseball 2003 / All-time power pitchers. Section: Special; page 11.
  8. ^ Hohlfeld, Neil. (July 22, 2003) Houston Chronicle A call to strong arms / Power pitchers again on the rise in majors. Section: Sports; Page 1.
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