Go Upstairs vs. Goldschmidt at Your Own Peril

Last night, Miami pitcher Kevin Slowey discovered that throwing Paul Goldschmidt a high pitch is a good way to test whether the retractable roof at Marlins Park can withstand a meteor strike. Goldschmidt ripped a hanging curveball deep into the Little Havana stands, and then later fended off 12 pitches from Slowey before pummeling an elevated fastball over the fence. The D-Backs' first baseman, who ranks behind only Justin Upton in home runs (12) and Chris Davis in slugging percentage (.656), has emerged as an elite slugger by mauling pitchers who dare to climb the ladder against him.

Goldschmidt's slugging percentage vs. high pitches, 2013

Goldschmidt has blasted eight home runs on high pitches this season, tops in the majors by a wide margin. His closest competitors are Nelson Cruz, Mark Reynolds and Chris Carter, with five. He also boasts the highest slugging percentage versus high stuff among MLB hitters, besting the likes of Davis, Cruz and Ryan Braun:

Highest slugging percentage vs. high pitches, 2013

Goldschmidt was a prodigious high-pitch slugger in both 2011 (.595) and 2012 (.604), but he has taken it to another level this year by improving his pitch recognition. When opponents throw him high stuff, he's swinging at more strikes and chasing fewer pitches off the plate:

Goldschmidt's swing rates vs. high pitches, 2011-13

 

Arizona recently signed Goldschmidt to a five-year, $32 million contract extension with a $14.5 million club option for the 2019 season. That could end up being one of the most team-friendly deals in the majors, considering that Goldy's career OPS+ so far through age 25 (135) is similar to first base luminaries like Eddie Murray (136 OPS+), John Olerud (137 OPS+), Joey Votto (139 OPS+), Orlando Cepeda (139 OPS+), Jeff Bagwell, and Prince Fielder (140 OPS+). Goldschmidt's track record isn't as long as those guys (he's just closing in on 1,000 career plate appearances, while most of the players mentioned above had 2,000-3,000 trips to the dish at the same point; Votto had the fewest, at 1,222). But still, talk about stellar company.

Atlanta's New Outfield: Young, Fast and Powerful

New Brave Justin Upton joins brother B.J. and Jason Heyward in an outfield that could make power/speed history.The Atlanta Braves ended baseball's longest-running soap opera, "As The Upton Turns," by acquiring Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a seven-player deal. Justin now joins brother B.J., who inked a five-year, $75 million contract earlier this winter, and Jason Heyward in Atlanta's new-look outfield. The Brothers Upton and Heyward all have youth on their side, and they can crack a game wide open with power or speed. How rare is it for a club to have three power-speed threats covering the outfield, let alone three young ones? Turns out, it's unprecedented.

All three of Atlanta's fly-catchers have turned in 20 home run, 20 stolen base seasons in the major leagues. B.J. hit the 20/20 mark in 2007 (24 HR, 22 SB), 2011 (23 HR, 36 SB) and 2012 (28 HR, 31 SB). Justin did it in 2009 (26 HR, 20 SB) and 2011 (31 HR, 21 SB), and Heyward cleared the bar this past year (27 HR, 21 SB in 2012). With the Uptons and Heyward in the prime years of their careers, manager Fredi Gonzalez might just get three 20/20 seasons from his outfielders in 2013:

    2013 Bill James Projections

While Heyward has more than 1,700 plate appearances in the majors and he can grow a beard between innings, he'll be just 23 years old next season. Justin is entering his age-25 campaign, and B.J. is the old man at all of 28. All young dudes, all 20/20 threats in 2013 and for years to come. So, when was the last time that a team boasted three 20/20 outfielders?

The answer, according to Baseball-Reference's Play Index Tool, is "never." In all the years since we began this stick-and-ball business, no team has ever had its left, center and right fielders all go 20/20 in the same season. The Uptons and Heyward could very well make history next season. And the season after that. And the season after that. If Justin re-signs with the Braves following the 2015 season, B.J. keeps his wheels and Heyward stays healthy, they could be at this for a half-decade.

It's incredibly cool -- and rare -- for two brothers to man the same outfield. But if B.J., Justin and Heyward all hit 20 bombs and steal 20 bases next year, the story of the Uptons' shared bloodlines will be downright blasé by comparison.

Courtesy of Baseball-Reference, here's a list of teammates who have gone 20/20 in the same season while in their twenties. Only nine pairs have pulled off the trick, with Justin Upton and Chris Young being the most recent in 2011:

              20/20 seasons by teammates under 30 years old

Extreme Makeover: Arizona Diamondbacks Edition

When the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday traded Chris Johnson and Justin Upton to the Atlanta Braves for Brandon Drury (minors), Nick Ahmed (minors), Zeke Spruill (minors), Randall Delgado and Martin Prado, they have seemingly now completed their offseason makeover, however the meta-question is "Why?"

Arizona's Call to Action

The place to look would be the D-backs performance during the 2012 season which saw the team score the fewest runs in late and close game situations. Arizona's 76 runs were even less than Astros 84 and significantly less than the Reds 139 runs scored.

This is by no means a minor or esoteric stat. Late and close games represent plate appearances in the 7th inning or later with the batting team tied, ahead by one, or the tying run at least on deck. The fact that Arizona's .199 BA in those settings was the only average under .200 in the NL was a true call to action for GM Kevin Towers.  

Granted the numbers are bad, but you can't help but think that this trade weakens Arizona, but perhaps with manager Kirk Gibson saying he will rotate playing time in the outfield between Jason Kubel, Adam Eaton, Gerardo Parra and Cody Ross and with the other changes and additions to this team...well, we just have to see.

NL Late & Close 2012 | Infographics