MLBTR has been available for 15 times, and in that time the statistics we use to evaluate participates have continually derived. Today we’re going to discuss the pitching stats we’ll be using moving forward.

I’ve been study moving away from K/ 9 and BB/ 9 to K% and BB% for a while now, a substitution you might have noticed in my Top 50 Free Agents post. As many have noted in recent years, it just spawns more feel to look at strikeouts as a percentage of smashes faced rather than use innings as the denominator.

The problem with strikeouts per nine innings( K/ 9) is its interaction with the pitcher’s hits and steps allowed. Imagine a reliever who extends three innings, giving up six hits and six walks while also striking out three smashes. Because of all the hittings and walkings, he faces 15 smashes in total. His K/ 9 is 9.0. Every hit and march lengthened the inning and demonstrated him a fresh opportunity for a strikeout. His K% is 20%( three strikeouts out of 15 batters ), which is subpar.

Imagine a different reliever who proceeds three innings, strikes out three, and retires the other six batters. His K/ 9 is 9.0. His K% is 33. 3( three strikeouts per nine smashes ), which is good.

K/ 9, BB/ 9, and K/ BB sufficed us well for a long time. They are by no means severe, and the majority of members of us know the benchmarks better. But when something better comes along that isn’t difficult to understand and compiles more intuitive feel to use, then it’s time to rip off the Band-Aid and be able to use it. That’s why we’ll be able to use K %, BB %, and K-BB% at MLBTR moving forward. To get a feel for the benchmarks, check out this handy chart, reprinted with allow from our friends at Baseball HQ.

In 2020, the top-2 0 starting pitchers had a K% of at least 25, a BB% below about 7, and a K-BB% above about 18. Check out the starting pitcher leaderboard here. The top relievers strike out about 35% of smashes faced, march fewer than 5 %, and have a K-BB% of at least 27. Play around with the reliever leaderboard here.

Notes on other pitching stats you’ll accompany at MLBTR 😛 TAGEND

SIERA( Skill-Interactive ERA ), developed by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, is my preference over FIP or xFIP. From what I’ve speak, SIERA is the best at foreseeing future achievement. Check out the 2020 SIERA leaderboard now. SwStr%( Swinging Strike Rate) is the ratio of wavers and misses per degrees thrown. It can be used to help back up strikeout charge. Check out the leaderboard here. BABIP( Batting Average On Balls In Play) We’ll be able to use Statcast metrics at times, which are explained at the bottom of this page. I’m not a huge fan of WAR, especially in smaller samples, but it’s useful at times, widely recognized, and can be hard to ignore. It’s something I hope to unpack and reconsider when time stands. Don’t worry. We’re not going to vacate ERA.

Pitching stats you probably won’t see at MLBTR 😛 TAGEND

K/ 9, BB/ 9, and K/ BB for the aforementioned reasonableness. A pitcher’s win-loss record, with the possible exception of a wage arbitration discussion. WHIP, unless we’re writing about fantasy baseball.

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