Thinking About Mike Mussina

by jscape2000 on Apr 8, 2008 10:52 AM EDT in New York Yankees Analysis

Using Gameday's pitch tracker (the setup for which you can read about here), I went back over Mike Mussina's first start to see if we can see a difference in his pitches.

Now, the biggest knock I have on Gameday is its pitch recognition. These must be preset names given to standard ranges of speed and break. I don't care how many times Gameday calls that 85 MPH pitch with the 7" break a changeup- I know that's Mike Mussina's fastball (still, that's a lot of break on a fastball; then again, moving that slowly, gravity has plenty of time to work its magic).

Mussina was ahead of the batter 0-1 11 times, 0-2 3 times, and 1-2 6 times last night. Compared to his first start when he reached those same plateaus 14, 9, and 2 times (respectively) I can't say it was a matter of getting ahead in the counts.

So what was different?
The boys over at RAB say that Moose threw fewer fastballs- 60 percent in his first outing, down to 38% last night.

What leapt out at me was that Mussina had an additional pitch working. A 70MPH pitch with a 10" break; a splitter or a tighter curve? Check out this clip, he throws it 1st, 4th, and 6th in this sequence (sorry, it's a long clip for a few pitches).

It's not a swing and miss pitch (Gomez deposited one just like into the stands), but the difference in speed and break must have helped to keep the hitters off-balance.
Either that, or it was just dumb luck.

What do you think?

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Interesting

It's interesting to see how Moose has varied his repritoire in order to adapt to his declining skills. That's what's so misguided about Serby's comment in the Post, today, that Moose has "returned to form". If last night was indicative of Moose's formula for consistent success going forward, it's an entirely new form, a morph in form, rather than a return to the old one. Only time will tell whether this was just a crafty veteran fooling a bunch of young kids or whether he can do this against the good veteran offenses in the league.

by Four Train on Apr 8, 2008 11:30 AM EDT reply actions

I have to agree

What worries me is that he'll split the season 50-50, depending on whether he has a 4th pitch working for him each night.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Apr 8, 2008 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

If he splits the season between

going a game where he allows one run and a game where he allows four I think that would be pretty good for a 4th or 5th starter. I hope we see him be successful because we are counting on him for a lot.

I thought mussina always threw two curves? I am supportive of him doing whatever he needs to to be successful.

Crowds are won and lost and won again, but our hearts beat for the diehards.

by Edwantsacracker on Apr 8, 2008 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I just hope...

he learns from this and remembers his success last night in the future. Sometimes it seems like he forgets he can't amp up his fastball anymore and tries to pitch like he used to. If he can have success with a complete change in approach, it should go a long way in encouraging him to continue with that way of pitching.

by bfriley76 on Apr 8, 2008 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

The difference: Tampa

Not to take anything away from Moose, but he was facing a collection of talented by young and impatient hitters. In my estimation, that was the biggest difference.

Young, aggressive swingers are especially prone to off-speed pitches. As Jscape astutely pointed out, all of Mussina's pitches are now off-speed. Granted he did a good job keeping the ball off the plate just enough to fool the hitters into getting themselves out.

Secondary to Tampa, is the Yankees bats. When the team isn't hitting and we are in the 4-5th innings, I think Moose has a tendency to get "too fine". He loses some aggresssiveness and as a result makes location mistakes. For a guy throwing 95mph, location isn't as important. But a guy who throws 86mph location is everything. The bats came alive last night and I think it allowed the always cerebral Moose to relax and attack without fear of missing.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Apr 8, 2008 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

Again

as stated above, the score was 2-0 and 2-1 while Moose was in there. The Yankees didn't put more runs on the board until Bruney's half-inning. Moose had no opportunities to "relax". I'm not gonna get carried away about one start, but throwing more dirt on the grave most people have dug for him doesn't make sense either after last night. Jeez, Ronster, even aroth gave him an A+.

Big positive for me: he had Pena out on a grounder to 2nd with 2 outs in the 6th, but Cano screwed up the throw and Ensberg botched the scoop. WIth the cameras on him Moose let out a "God dammit!" and started pacing around the mound. As we've all seen stuff like that usually gets to him, but he settled down and got Upton out.

Tampa might be young, but they have better hitters than Toronto does.

"Just when they think they got all the answers, I change the questions."
-- Roddy Piper

by matthaggs on Apr 8, 2008 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

True

And it shouldn't be overlooked that Moose was hammered by TB last season. He made the adjustments last night and they couldn't.

Good for him. I sure as hell don't expect a lot of starts like last night, but he does deserve credit where credit is due.

Lots of Yankee fans are quick to pile on him for terrible outings and that's fine. But he should be praised when he does well too.

Like it or not, the Yanks need him this season.

by anaconda on Apr 8, 2008 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

We certainly do ...

But for Mike to be successful, he needs to pitch this way not just in the stadium, and not just against impatient hitters. Next up Boston. I'll become more of a believer if his line in beantown is somewhat akin to his effort last night.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Apr 8, 2008 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions