Rick Porcello

[SirKodiak]

Rick Porcello had a 116 ERA+ last year, 170.2 IP in 31 starts (5.5 IP/GS)

35.5% quality start percentage (obviously due to his low IP/GS).

ERA: 3.96
FIP: 4.77
tRA: 4.95
xFIP: 4.32

1030 balls / 1696 strikes
2726 Total Pitches / 720 BF = 3.79 pitches/BF
88 pitches / GS

His clutch was 0.45

Why was he not allowed to pitch more innings? Age?

[200tang]

Why was he not allowed to pitch more innings? Age?

He only had one year in the minors to his credit and he only pitched 125 innings. Fifty innings is quite a jump, especially when the year before he wasn't allowed to use some pitches to keep his arm healthy.

[mtg712]

Rick Porcello had a 116 ERA+ last year, 170.2 IP in 31 starts (5.5 IP/GS)

35.5% quality start percentage (obviously due to his low IP/GS).

ERA: 3.96
FIP: 4.77
tRA: 4.95
xFIP: 4.32

1030 balls / 1696 strikes
2726 Total Pitches / 720 BF = 3.79 pitches/BF
88 pitches / GS

His clutch was 0.45

Why was he not allowed to pitch more innings? Age?

age and experience. they didnt want him to go the way of prior or wood so were slowly increasing his innings.

[gRYFYN1]

its hard to say with out having watched each game.

But there wasn't a point where they "shut him down". he made regular starts, 31 through the season. He only went more than 6 innings six times and topped 100 pitches four times, all after Aug 27th.

Either the team was careful and had him on limited pitches per start or he simply struggles to be effective after the 90 pitch mark.

Looking at his pitch counts, it looks as though the team was attempting to increase his pithes per game gradually, thin of these numbers


Apr: 4g, 84 ppg
May: 5g, 87 ppg
June: 6g, 90 ppg
July/Aug 8g, 92 ppg (discounting the aug 11th game he left after 15 pitches due to injury)
Sept/Oct 7g, 94 ppg

[haveacigar]

They were trying to limit his pitch count. Usually he was out between 85-95 no matter what.

[grasshopper]

Same as Yankees with the Joba rules. Pure inning/ pitches count for younger pitchers.

Thank God Nolan Ryan is back.

[200tang]

Thank God Nolan Ryan is back.

He hasn't done anything....nor does he have any direct control of their team...

but indeed, those young Texas pitchers sure are pushed hard.

Neftali Feliz being put in the bullpen
Derek Holland throwing 142 innings last year


If anything, you should be saying "Thank God Dusty Baker is still around".

[grasshopper]

Ryan has been the force behind the removal of pitch counts in Texas.

[gRYFYN1]

Same as Yankees with the Joba rules. Pure inning/ pitches count for younger pitchers.

Thank God Nolan Ryan is back.

Well, I don;t really see anything wrong with pitch/inning counts. The problem is that no one is ever willing to push them to find the upper limit.

You can look and see that they did increase Portcello's work later in the season. Hopefully they will continue that trend this year to find what his upper limit on effective pitching is, whether that be 90,100 or 120 pitches-

[200tang]

Ryan has been the force behind the removal of pitch counts in Texas.

Every team uses pitch counts....it would be idiotic not to. It's just tailoring the pitch counts for each specific pitcher.

[HoustonGM]

Every team uses pitch counts....it would be idiotic not to. It's just tailoring the pitch counts for each specific pitcher.

Nope. Your wrong. Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland threw complete games every time out last year.

[200tang]

Didn't Nolan Ryan also say they were gonna go with a 4 man rotation last year? Or was it this year?

Cause..last I checked CJ Wilson is the 5th starter for this year and they sure as hell didn't use a 4 man rotation last year.

But, NOLAN RYAN = COMPLETE CONTROL!