STARTERS: Deconstructing command

We know that a starting pitcher's command (in terms of K-BB%) is closely tied to a pitcher's surface stats, such as ERA and WHIP. That proved true again in 2022:

Over time, we have broken down the components of command into more granular pieces to help us identify pitchers whose command has a good shot at improving.

• Ten years ago, we introduced swinging strike rate (SwK%) as an indicator that predicts a pitcher's strikeout rate.
• One year later, we identified first-pitch strike rate (FpK%) as an indicator that predicts a pitcher's walk rate.
• And one year after that, a pitcher's ball percentage was shown to be an even stronger predictor of their walk rate.

Let's take a fresh look at the indicators that drive a pitcher's command by...

More From Starting Pitchers