Bastardo's Closer-Worthy Stuff

With Ryan Madson hitting the DL due to a bruised right hand and Brad Lidge still working his way back from an elbow injury, closing duties for the Phillies may be given to Antonio Bastardo. The 25-year-old lefty has earned the role, compiling a 33-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 28 innings with a sub-one ERA.

Formerly a starter in the minor leagues, Bastardo comes at hitters with three pitches: a low-90s fastball that touches 95 and a mid-80s slider and changeup. That power repertoire has led hitters to miss nearly 34 percent of the time that they have swung at Bastardo's stuff, the second-highest rate among relievers (Atlanta's Jonny Venters is first).

A key to Bastardo's success is his ability to get batters to expand their zones. He has a 36 percent chase rate in 2011, trailing just Venters once again among all relievers. Bastardo climbs the  ladder with his fastball...            

Hitters' chase rate on Bastardo's fastballs thrown out of the strike zone 

League average chase rate on outside fastballs

..and goes low out of the zone with his wipeout slider...

Hitters' chase rate on Bastardo's sliders thrown out of the strike zoneLeague average chase rate on outside slidersBastardo's is mainly a fastball/slider reliever, but his changeup has a near-37 percent chase rate, too.

One of the reasons that Phillies manager Charlie Manuel might turn to Bastardo in the ninth is that the little lefty can handle batters of both hands. During his big league career, Bastardo has a .206/.302/.343 line against lefties and a .219/.308/.344 slash versus right-handers.  

His control could give Manuel occasional heartburn, but Bastardo is well-equipped for a high-leverage role in the Phillies' pen. If you're a fantasy baseball junkie, grab him while you still can: Bastardo is available in almost 70 percent of ESPN leagues.

Cliff Lee Quiets Red Sox

Cliff Lee tossed his third complete game shutout in a row last night, dominating Boston's patient, powerful offense while striking out five, walking two and allowing just two hits. Lee hasn't surrendered a run in his last 32 innings pitched, the longest stretch of his career, and he has allowed just one runner to cross home plate in 42 total June frames.

"I'm making pitches, staying out of the zone, using my breaking ball and getting lucky," Lee told reporters after his start.

The lefty is definitely making pitches, his breaking ball has been nasty, and he has received some fortunate bounces this month (.191 batting average on balls in play) after being snakebitten in April (.313) and May (.356). But, as his start against Boston shows, Lee isn't staying out of the zone so much as he's hitting the corners and avoiding throwing meatballs down the middle of the plate.

Against Boston, Lee threw 68 of his 112 pitches within the strike zone, or 61 percent. Even by Lee's standards -- he has thrown a major league-leading 56.7 percent percent of his offerings within the zone this season -- that's a lot of pitches over the plate. But what makes Lee's performance remarkable isn't the quantity of strikes, but the quality. Check out his fastball location versus the Red Sox:

Cliff Lee's fastball location versus Boston on June 28, 2011

Most of Lee's fastballs hugged the corners, and Red Sox batters went a collective 2-for-15 against the pitch.

Lee mentioned his curve in particular, and there again, he stayed within the zone while keeping the ball away from the center of the plate:

 Cliff Lee's curveball location versus Boston on June 28, 2011

You'll often hear managers and announcers talk about the difference between control, or puting the ball within the zone, and command, which means locating the pitch to a particular spot within the zone. Lee is an example of a pitcher who has both in spades.

Transforming Morton

The following video made the rounds in the baseball blogosphere on Friday.  It compares the way Charlie Morton of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies throw the two-seam fastball.

Morton worked on copying Halladay's delivery during the off-season.  His pitching stats certainly have improved.

The two seam fastball is supposed to sink.  In 2010, it didn't sink all the time:

Charlie Morton, fastball movement, 2010.In 2011, Morton puts more of the density below the X-axis:

Charlie Morton, fastball movement, 2011.That more closely matches what Roy Halladay throws:

Roy Halladay, fastball movement, 2010-2011.There is one big difference that remains between the two, however.  Roy works both sides of the plate with his fastball, Morton works middle-in to righties, middle-out to lefites.  He doesn't throw to the catcher's right hand:

Charlie Morton, fastball pitch frequency, 2011.Morton gets the same movement as Halladay, but can throw it to multiple locations yet.  That may be the lesson for next winter.