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The Mariners' stats page now has a direct (top) button for StatCast leaderboard. Mariners.org > Stats > and StatCast in on the far right. A few linkables:
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Nelson Cruz has the M's hardest hit ball of the year, 116 MPH on June 10th, which was an out. Which puts into perspective Giancarlo Stanton's 124 MPH shot (!!) on June 9th ... which was a double play. Stanton has hit 6 of the 7 hardest balls this year, all between 119 and 124 MPH. A pitcher gets hit by one of those, he can forget it.
Now I can relate to the old-timey stories from the third basemen who claimed they backed up 10 yards when Frank Howard came up to the plate.
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The "fastest pitches" leaderboard is amusing.
K-Pax of course ranks high on the "average perceived velocity" board, at 97.0 MPH on 900 "events." Cool that this board has average extension in front of the rubber - 6.2 feet for Paxton. This leaves his actual speed at 97.1 and his perceived speed at 97.0, so he's not losing anything with a short stride or anything like that.
Fangraphs also gives 97.1 as Paxton's average fastball, which, Yordano Ventura is the only other AL starter even at 95.0, Ventura being at 95.7. Paxton has by far the most smoking fastball in the AL. Only three other starters get out of the 93's, those being Gausman, Archer and Sanchez who star by averaging 94. And Paxton's throwing 97-98 with ease in the late innings!
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You will enjoy this StatCast on Ben Gamel's dive into the right field corner.
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See you at the ballpark,
Dr D
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