Saturday, August 18, 2012

Interview with Jeff Samardzija

Recently UZR Illusion was given an exclusive interview with Cubs' right-hander Jeff Samardzija. The breakout Notre Dame alumnus happens to be my neighbor in the Wrigleyville area and on occasion we've crossed paths while walking our dogs. On this one particular morning I asked Jeff if he wouldn't mind answering a few questions for the blog, and he very kindly agreed and even welcomed me into his home.

UI2: So, Jeff, how is the season going so far?
JS: Good, we really have a great group of guys and a great coaching staff that's really made it easy for a lot of our younger guys to make the jump to the big league level. I think we all would have liked to win a few more games, but I don't think anyone here doubts the plan Dale [Sveum] and Theo [Epstein] and everybody has for the franchise going forward and we're all really excited about the future.

UI2: Wow, that was a really good answer.
JS: [laughs] Thanks.

UI2: Do you guys ever talk about how weird Dale's name is? Svay-um?
JS: [laughs] Let's just say, not to his face, haha.

UI2: So, do you ever do air guitar?
JS: [laughing] Uh, what?

UI2: Like, do you ever do your hands like there is a guitar there like this... [gestures playing guitar]
JS: I know what it is. I guess I just didn't understand what you--

UI2: Can I take a picture of you air guitaring?
JS: Um, I don't think so.

UI2: No prob, can I take a picture of myself doing an impression of you playing air guitar?
JS: Knock yourself out.

UI2: Jeff, would you say that we are 'best buds'?
JS: Um, probably not.

UI2: 'Close friends'?
JS: No.

UI2: But you've seen me before, right? That one time when you were like, 'what's up?' and I was like, 'hey'?
JS: This is the first time I've seen you in my life, dude. Is this going anywhere?

UI2: Sorry. I'll get back on track here. Um, earlier in the season I wrote an article about you where I noted that your drop in walk rate at the time was sort of an unprecedented accomplishment in the past 20 years. Only Randy Johnson in 1993 and Roy Halladay in 2003 have had control improvements that were as dramatic. Do you think this is an indication of how good you could be?
JS: Wow, I didn't know that. But, I mean, those guys are first-ballot Hall of Fame pitchers. I don't know if I'm ready to associate myself with that sort of talent right now, but thanks, I appreciate it!

UI2: Well, that was about your drop in walk rate at that time. It's since gotten a lot worse.
JS: Oh.

UI2: Can I pet your dog?
JS: I don't see why not.

UI2: Can I try some of that potato salad?
JS: I'd rather you didn't to be honest.

UI2: Do you ever watch Star Trek?
JS: Um, no. I'm pretty sure that show is just for nerds.

UI2: Well, I'm not so sure about that, Jeff. I mean some people think it's a pretty cool show. I've heard, I mean
JS: Oh, you've heard?

UI2: What is your favorite dinosaur? Mine is Sinornithosaurus.
JS: I don't know, man. Look, buddy, can we hurry this thing up?

UI2: Do you ever hang out with Geovanny Soto?
JS: Oh, Geo is great. He's a great catcher with a lot of natural baseball instincts and always had a knack for calling the right pitches and knowing how to handle a pitching staff. I still talk to him and Dempy [former Cub Ryan Dempster] even though they were both traded to Texas. Me and Geo had a lot of good times together-- both on the field and off the field.

UI2: When you say you had fun with Geo "off the field" what do you mean exactly?
JS: What are you getting at?

UI2: I mean, did you ever hang out with Geovanny Soto on weed?
JS: Ok, time to leave, dude.





Saturday, August 11, 2012

Use of Southpaws since 1960

Percent of Plate Appearances from right-handed pitchers vs left-handed pitchers since 1960:

Year RHP% LHP%
1960 73.81 26.19
1961 71.59 28.41
1962 72.42 27.58
1963 70.26 29.74
1964 69.39 30.61
1965 68.58 31.42
1966 68.76 31.24
1967 70.06 29.94
1968 71.27 28.73
1969 71.28 28.72
1970 69.57 30.43
1971 69.14 30.86
1972 69.4 30.6
1973 66.78 33.22
1974 67.45 32.55
1975 67.92 32.08
1976 69.66 30.34
1977 69.24 30.76
1978 66.71 33.29
1979 69.05 30.95
1980 68.92 31.08
1981 70.58 29.42
1982 69.92 30.08
1983 68.77 31.23
1984 69.09 30.91
1985 68.56 31.44
1986 68.67 31.33
1987 67.59 32.41
1988 69.51 30.49
1989 68.14 31.86
1990 66.13 33.87
1991 67.98 32.02
1992 69.29 30.71
1993 70.89 29.11
1994 72.1 27.9
1995 72.86 27.14
1996 74.18 25.82
1997 73.61 26.39
1998 73.58 26.42
1999 74.95 25.05
2000 75.44 24.56
2001 75.81 24.19
2002 74.78 25.22
2003 72.93 27.07
2004 72.98 27.02
2005 73.28 26.72
2006 72.92 27.08
2007 72.56 27.44
2008 71.74 28.26
2009 72.44 27.56
2010 71.88 28.12
2011 73.27 26.73


 Baseball saw its most southpaws in 1990 with 33.8% of all PA's and its least in 2001 with just 24.2%. Lefties have seen less playing time since the mid-nineties, but have been slowly on the rise over the past decade.