Quick Thoughts on Aardsma’s Good Times

While David Aardsma was dominating during his first 20.2 IP last year to the tune of a .183/.272/.239/.511 against, he threw 346 pitches, with 172 (49.7%) tracked by MLB Pitch F/X data.

I decided just to look at those pitches and see what he was doing before it all came crumbling to pieces.

The graphs above show the first interesting thing I noticed, he was mostly pitching away from batters. While it was successful during this period, most White Sox fans got fed up with his nibbling as his performance worsened. It will be interesting to see if the Red Sox try to get him to work both sides of the plate, and if he struggles, if he can ward off confidence issues he has had in the past.

I have read about him throwing, at one time or another, a fastball, changeup, slider, splitter and knuckle curve.

While doing some googling, I learned that last spring the White Sox told Aardsma to scrap his k-curve and focus on the slider. I also came across a quote of him saying that he throws his split against lefties as his 3rd pitch, while against righties he mixes in a changeup. And, through my own research, I learned his fastballs do not sink, as some have suggested (and his gopheritis refutes).

According to the data, versus righties, I have him at: 6% changeup, 22% slider, 29% fastball, 43% 95+ mph gas

According to the data, versus lefties, I have him at: 8% split, 13% slider, 36% fastball, 43% 95+ mph gas

Needless to say, Aardsma is going to be an interesting cases to follow in spring training. We shall see just how much polish John Farrell can put on this out-of-whack million dollar arm.

Aardsma Acquired for Mota and Socolovich

Interesting move made by Theo Epstein today in acquiring David Aardsma from the White Sox. Aardsma has a big arm and can overpower hitters with his 94-99 MPH fastball; however he has been erratic with his control and secondary pitches and has yet to put it all together for any extended period of time. His best secondary pitch has been his slider, which would be good if he could control it. As of now he sounds like an older version Craig Hansen, which is damning praise for both, I suppose. Aardsma is on the 40-man roster and should be a fairly good lock to break camp with the big club. What he does under John Farrell’s tutelage is anyone’s guess.

The two players sent back to the White Sox were Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich.

Mota, 22, was once a young toolsy outfielder from the Dominican who projected to be a plus defender and a low OBP, decent SLG player. The Red Sox moved him to the mound before last year and he didn’t embarrass himself in short season Lowell while working almost exclusively with his fastball.

Socolovich, 21, caught a lot of people’s eye in 2004 when he pitched well in the Venezuelan Summer League as a 17 year old. After missing all of 2005 because of Tommy John surgery, he has pitch an unspectacular 115.2 innings between short season and low-A ball the last three seasons.

Waiting on Pitchers and Catchers

I think I am going to give blogging a try this season. My regular website, redsoxstats.com, is not really conducive to blogging and I would like to keep it numbers oriented. This outlet will allow me to type out the million random thoughts I have during the season and never shared before now. I am sure there will be plenty to discuss, be it stats, sabermetrics, trades, the minor leagues, or any of a million other things.

Pitchers and catchers report on February 14th.