Pitching to the Situation.

[rwperu34]

From Buster Olney's blog via Roto Autority through MLBtraderumors.com .



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Olney: Can you compare your game preparations for AL lineups, compared with when you face NL lineups?

Bannister: When I am preparing for a lineup before a game, I start by building a plan based on the on-base percentage and slugging percentage of each spot in the lineup and their individual history against me. I then take it deeper by looking at how many pitches each hitter sees in an average at-bat and where I might be able to get some quick outs.

My personal challenge each game is to throw seven innings in under 100 pitches before I am taken out. Good teams will not only beat you by getting more hits, but by running up your pitch count. I also note which hitters are prone to strikeouts if I have runner(s) in scoring position, and which runners have a high stolen base percentage if it is a tie or one-run game.

In the AL, the 7, 8, 9 spots are generally the lower OPS hitters, although some managers will put a high OBP hitter with speed in the 9-hole. The hitters here are generally either young, over-aggressive, or low OBP/high SLG types, and it is crucial that you keep your pitch-count down and prevent them from setting the table for the high OPS hitters at the top of the lineup.

In the NL, the most important thing is avoiding putting the 8 or the 7 and 8 hole hitter on base with no outs, because the pitcher will always sacrifice the runners over. If there are already two outs, you will usually pitch the 8 hole hitter with a lot of 2-strike type pitches in hopes he chases, because odds are that the pitcher will be an easier out.



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