Exploring the Arsenal will run prior to each game, providing you with a brief scouting report on the starting pitcher expected to oppose the Pirates. The chart below shows the horizontal and vertical movement of every pitch thrown by that particular pitcher in 2012. This chart is from the catcher’s point of view. Click here for a general guide to pitch types and classifications. Graphs are courtesy of Brooks Baseball and The Hardball Times , unless otherwise specified. Statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs .
Wednesday, 7:05 PM – Clayton Kershaw
| 2012 | |
|---|---|
| IP | 162.2 |
| K/PA | 24.2% |
| BB/PA | 6.5% |
| HR/9 | 0.66 |
| GB% | 45.9% |
| Whiff% | 23.1% |
| ERA | 2.88 |
| FIP | 2.94 |
Kershaw throws with a deceptive, jerky delivery. His four-seam fastball sits around 93-94 MPH and touches 96, with some rising, cutting action. He generally works up in the zone with the pitch, producing an above average number of swings-and-misses. His slider is his big strikeout pitch, with a 2012 whiff rate slightly over 40%. The pitch generally sits around 84-86 MPH, with good late break. Kershaw’s 73-75 MPH curveball has also missed bats at a 40% clip in 2012. Although he still goes to it less frequently than the slider, he has doubled his usage of the curve from 2011 to 2012. Kershaw mixes in an occasional 83-85 MPH changeup against right-handed batters to keep them honest. It does not appear that he has ever thrown a changeup against a left-handed hitter in his career.
