Offspeed Contact with Cruz

In 2009, Nelson Cruz made contact on offspeed pitches only 53.7 percent.  Last season, he improved that number to 69.3 percent.  The increased contact resulted in an OPS increase of .079.

Nelson Cruz vs. Offspeed Pitches (click to enlarge)

Cruz's K-rate dropped 10.5 percent on soft pitches as a result of the increase in contact.  But as the increase in OPS indicates, the additional balls in plays were doing damage to opposing pitchers.  His OBP increased an additional .050 points as well.

The Away Pitcher

Since joining the Twins Carl Pavano uses his off-speed pitches on the outside of the plate to get hitters out.  He moves the fastball in and out, as demonstrated here against left-handed batters:

Carl Pavano, fastball location, with the Twins, 2009-2010.He does a good job of avoiding the middle of the plate, but the pitch is hittable.  Lefties post a .384 wOBA against the pitch.  Pavano only throws it about 40% of the time, however, with his off-speed stuff staying mostly outside:

Carl Pavano, off-speed pitches, with the Twins, 2009-2010.Lefties have only managed a .267 wOBA against these pitches.  One reason for that is Carl splits these off-speed offerings between his change-up and slider, which show different movements:

Carl Pavano, change-up movement, with the Twins, 2009-2010.Carl Pavano, slider movement, with the Twins, 2009-2010.While both pitches dip down about the same, the slider moves in a little more, giving Carl the ability to start it off outside the strike zone and then break in.

The only difference against righties is that Carl tends not to work them inside with the fastball as much.  Otherwise, the location of the pitches is the mirror image as against lefties.

Up, Up and Away

Matt Kemp spreads out his home runs across the outfield.  He hit 74 dingers since the start of the 2008 season (including the post season), 28 pulled, 24 to center and 22 to the opposite field.  The reason for so many home runs not pulled is that Matt likes the ball away for home runs:

Mat Kemp home runs 2008-2010.On top of that, he also likes to hit pitches that stay up in the strike zone and tail away from him.

Matt Kemp, movement on home run pitches, 2008-2010.That nice bright red cluster represent pitches Matt could tomahawk the other way.

Interestingly, one might think Matt Kemp would do well against Matt Cain.  Matt the pitcher works Matt the hitter away, with pitches that stay up and move away.  During the three years in question, however, Kemp failed to hit a home run against Cain, going 8 for 29 with two doubles and a triple.