Andre Pallante has a novel supply and an atypical motion profile. He’s additionally adept at killing worms. Since debuting with the St. Louis Cardinals final April, the 24-year-old right-hander has a a 64.6% ground-ball fee, which ranks second solely to Houston’s Framber Valdez amongst hurlers with at the very least 100 innings. This yr he’s at 69.4%, behind solely Baltimore’s Yennier Cano (minimal 15 innings). Making these numbers particularly notable is the truth that Pallante’s main fastball is a four-seamer. Extra on that in a second.
Drafted within the fourth spherical by the Cardinals out of UC Irvine 4 years in the past, Pallante was a starter all through the minors, however he’s primarily labored out of the bullpen since reaching St. Louis. All informed, he’s 8-5 with a 3.34 ERA and a 4.17 FIP over 61 appearances, all however 10 of them as a reliever. And once more, his supply is exclusive. Final summer season, our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen described it as “wanting nearly extra like a tennis serve than a pitcher’s mechanics.”
I requested Pallante for the story behind his pitching movement when the Cardinals visited Fenway Park final week.
“Truthfully, I really feel like there actually isn’t a narrative,” replied the righty, who’s 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 16 innings up to now this season. “It’s simply sort of all the time how I’ve pitched. For so long as I can keep in mind, it’s how I’ve thrown from the mound.”
There really is a narrative. Elaborating, the Mission Viejo native defined that he started long-tossing when he was round 12 years outdated, this on the behest of his father — “a fairly large in-taker of baseball pitching books” — with a aim of constructing arm energy. The tip consequence, as Pallante put it, is “pitching mechanics which can be sort of from long-toss mechanics, attempting to throw the ball up within the air as excessive and onerous as I can.”
Pallante throws onerous — at 95.8 MPH he ranks within the 83rd percentile for velocity — and he additionally has above-average spin, each together with his fastball and his two breaking balls. His father is aware of these numbers just like the again of his hand. Not solely does he watch video all of his son’s outings — usually greater than as soon as — he recurrently peruses the info on Baseball Savant and right here at FanGraphs.
Which brings us to Pallante’s fastballs, that are each bit as atypical as his supply. He throws predominantly four-seamers, and when he periodically mixes in a two-seamer… effectively, it acts extra like a four-seamer than his four-seamer.
“The numbers on it, metrically, are similar to a median IVB [induced vertical break] four-seam fastball,” defined Pallante. “I really get extra journey on it that I do with my four-seam, which has a really low quantity of IVB and is definitely sort of like a sinking cutter. It’s not what you’d anticipate. It’s sort of bizarre, however that’s who I’m.”
Ditto his tennis-serve/long-toss supply, of which he supplied the next perspective:
“Uniqueness is the way you excel on this recreation,” Pallante informed me.”MLB averages don’t stand out an excessive amount of, proper? It’s essential be distinctive in your individual manner.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Andy Van Slyke went 10 for 16 towards Ben Rivera.
John Vander Wal went 11 for 16 towards Elmer Dessens.
Mo Vaughn went 10 for 18 towards Tomo Ohka.
John Valentin went 11 for 18 towards Buddy Groom.
Danny Valencia went 15 for 25 towards David Value.
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Brandon Hughes was hitter at Michigan State College, however that expertise didn’t translate to professional ball. Drafted as an outfielder by the Chicago Cubs in 2017, the Sixteenth-rounder proceeded to place up a .625 OPS in a pair of A-ball seasons. When spring coaching got here to an in depth in 2019, he was offered with an ultimatum.
“They got here as much as me and stated, ‘You’ll be able to both pitch or get launched as a place participant,’ stated Hughes, who throws from the left facet. “I positively didn’t see it coming — being provided that alternative — however that’s the way it occurred.”
Hughes had pitched at MSU, however that was in his freshman yr, and he solely threw six-and-a-third innings. Then got here a torn labrum and shoulder surgical procedure, ostensibly ending his pitching profession. He’d been recruited out of Sterling Heights, Michigan’s Stevenson Excessive College as a two-way participant, and never solely did he possess plus velocity and a stable bat, he’d beforehand torn his labrum as a prep. It made sense that he would go ahead as a hitter.
That he finally did not show that he might punish skilled pitching ended up working to his benefit. Hughes went on to develop a slider that’s now his greatest pitch, and his fastball velocity is a stable 93.7 MPH. Thanks partly to a low-three-quarters arm slot, he’s been particularly efficient towards same-sided hitters.
Hughes debuted with the Cubs a yr in the past this week and went on to log a 3.12 ERA and a 4.64 FIP over 57 aid appearances, with two wins and eight saves. Up to now this season he’s 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA and a 3.82 FIP in 9 appearances.
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A quiz:
Kenny Lofton has six of the highest seven single-season stolen base totals in Cleveland Guardians franchise historical past. Who’s the opposite participant in that top-seven? (a touch: he performed within the Eighties.)
The reply will be discovered beneath.
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NEWS NOTES
Japanese Baseball Corridor of Famer Futoshi Nakanishi died earlier this week at age 90. A 3rd baseman for the Nishitetsu Lions from 1952-1969, he was the group’s player-manager for the latter portion of his profession.
There can be over two dozen analysis displays at this summer season’s 51st-annual SABR conference, which can be held in Chicago from July 5-9. The varied array will embrace: Daniel R. Levitt, “The Coming of the Farm System and the Manipulation of Participant Management Rights,” Gary Gillette, “Turkey Stearnes: One-Man Wrecking Crew in Thirties Negro Leagues,” David Firstman, “Dan Uggla: Historical past’s Most Unlikely Hitting Streak,” and Melissa (Missy) Booker, “Snoopy: Baseball’s Prime Canine.” The whole checklist can discovered right here.
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The reply to the quiz is Miguel Diloné, with 61 steals in 1980. In the event you guessed Brett Butler, he ranks eighth in franchise historical past with 52 steals in 1984.
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Yonder Alonso supplied an attention-grabbing perspective once I requested him how in a different way he views the sport now that he’s a broadcast analyst. 4 years faraway from his enjoying profession, the 36-year-old Cuban-born former first baseman now not seems like Superman.
“It’s very simple to guage a participant if you’re not enjoying anymore,” admitted Alonso, who’s with MLB Community. “However then it additionally actually brings you again to how troublesome the sport is. It’s very onerous, and there may be a lot stress. It’s humorous, once I performed baseball, I didn’t really feel stress. With the on a regular basis grind, you’re simply eager about the day, eager about competing. Being outdoors of it, I’m watching all my mates, all my former teammates, and I really feel stress for them. It’s sort of surreal. It’s, ‘Man, are they going to have the ability to deal with this sure day, this sure pitching?’ After I was enjoying, I felt like I might deal with something. It’s like I used to be Superman.”
Alonso performed for seven groups in a big-league profession that spanned the 2010-2019 seasons. His greatest yr was 2017 when he logged a 133 wRC+ and hit 28 residence runs whereas seeing motion with each the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Roki Sasaki will reportedly make his subsequent begin on Could twenty eighth. The 21-year-old Chiba Lotte Marines right-hander, who has a 0.84 ERA with 13 hits allowed and 50 strikeouts in 32 innings, hasn’t pitched since Could 5 because of a blister on his center finger.
Trevor Bauer is 1-2 with an 8.40 ERA in three begins for NPB’s Yokohama BayStars. The 32-year-old right-hander has allowed 26 hits in 15 innings, and can reportedly make his subsequent begin n the minors.
Foster Griffin is 4-1 with a 2.68 ERA and 47 strikeouts in as many innings for the Yomiuri Giants. The 27-year-old left-hander is in his first NPB season after beforehand pitching for the Kansas Metropolis Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Guillermo Heredia is slashing .345/.405/.486 with for residence runs for SSG Landers in his first KBO season. The 32-year-old native of Matanzas, Cuba gained a World Collection ring with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
Younger Jin Music is 3-0 with a 3.95 ERA in 27-and-a-third innings for SSG Landers. The 18-year-old right-hander has 22 strikeouts on the season.
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Lots of followers attend video games sporting jerseys and shirtseys with a participant’s identify emblazoned on the again. As a rule it’s the identify of a present participant, however former gamers are widespread as effectively. I typically make word of these names when strolling across the Fenway Park concourse — visiting groups with wealthy histories are my main curiosity — and I did so not too long ago when St. Louis visited Boston for a three-game sequence. Together with present Cardinals, I noticed Berkman, Brock, Gibson, Hernandez, Holliday, LaRussa, Molina, Musial, Ozuna, Pujols, Rolen, and Smith. Fairly the spectacular checklist. Cardinals followers have been effectively represented at Fenway, so I’m certain there have been different former-player names on the again of shirts as effectively.
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FARM NOTES
Colt Keith hit for the cycle whereas going 6-for-6 with two residence runs for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves on Tuesday. No. 1 on our Detroit Tigers Prime Prospects checklist, the 21-year-old third baseman is slashing .297/.366/.545 with eight residence runs in 164 plate appearances on the season.
Justice Bigbie is slashing .344/.418/.594 with 5 residence runs in 110 plate appearances for the Excessive-A West Michigan Whitecaps. The 24-year-old outfielder/first baseman was drafted within the nineteenth spherical out of Western Carolina College by the Tigers in 2021.
Henry Davis is slashing .311/.463/.660 with 10 residence runs in 136 plate appearances for the Double-A Altoona Curve. Drafted first total in 2021 out of the College of Louisville, the 23-year-old cacher is No. 3 on our Pittsburgh Pirates Prime Prospects checklist.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is slashing .365/.391/.748 with 10 residence runs in 110 plate appearances for the Triple-A Louisville Bats. Drafted within the fourth spherical out of Oklahoma State College by Minnesota in 2021, and subsequently swapped from the Twin Cities to the Queen Metropolis, the 23-year-old nook infielder is No. 11 on our Cincinnati Reds Prime Prospects checklist.
Amos Willingham is 2-0 with 5 saves and a 0.00 ERA in 13 appearances between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester. Drafted within the seventeenth spherical out of Georgia Tech in 2019 by the Washington Nationals, the 24-year-old right-hander has fanned 17 batters and allowed seven hits and 4 walks in 14 innings.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Has prolonged spring coaching outlived its usefulness to MLB golf equipment? J.J. Cooper delved into that query at Baseball America.
The Rating’s Travis Sawchik weighed in on a wide range of topic, together with how the Houston Astros have begun their preliminary descent from baseball’s high echelon.
Sports activities Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein talked to Daniel Bard about his latest bout of the yips.
Purple Row’s Joelle Milholm offered us with a plethora of attention-grabbing Colorado Rockies stats, together with the membership’s having MLB’s longest grand slam drought.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Triston Casas has had 31 plate appearances go to a full rely, and solely 4 of them have ended with a ball in play. The Purple Sox rookie has 13 strikeouts, 14 walks, and one hit on 3-2 counts.
Cavan Biggio has been profitable on 26 of 27 profession stolen base makes an attempt. Craig Biggio was profitable in 25 of his first 27 profession stolen base makes an attempt.
Greg Maddux confronted the Chicago Cubs 24 instances and went 12-3 with a 2.65 ERA. He confronted the Arizona Diamondbacks 20 instances and went 3-11 with a 5.37 ERA.
Sandy Koufax went 17-2 with a 1.44 ERA versus the New York Mets. He went 14-2 with a 1.90 ERA versus the Houston Colt .45s/Astros.
Walter Johnson hit 41 triples, essentially the most by a pitcher in MLB historical past. Gaylord Perry, Tommy John, Lefty Gomez, and Whitey Ford every had over 1,000 plate appearances and by no means hit a three-bagger.
Jim Thome stole residence on the entrance finish of a double steal on as we speak’s date in 1997 because the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas Metropolis Royals 1-0. The Corridor of Fame slugger was profitable on 19 of 39 profession stolen base makes an attempt.
On as we speak’s date in 2003, Geoff Jenkins homered thrice off Jake Peavy because the Milwaukee Brewers beat the San Diego Padres 10-0 at Miller Park. Wayne Franklin went the space for the win.
On as we speak’s date in 1977, Merv Rettenmund hit a 3 run homer off Jeff Terpko within the high of the twenty first inning to raise the Padres to an 11-8 win over the Montreal Expos at Stade Olympique. Rick Sawyer went eight scoreless in aid for the win.
Gamers born on as we speak’s date embrace Moe Thacker, a catcher who performed for the Chicago Cubs from 1958-1962, and for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963. His first two hits have been his solely profession residence runs, one coming in his debut, and the opposite two days later.
Additionally born on as we speak’s date was Elmer Sexauer, a pitcher who appeared in two video games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948. The proper-hander retired the one two batters he confronted in his first outing, and walked the one two he confronted in his final outing. His B-Ref bio clip consists of the next: “Ernie Harwell as soon as joked a couple of sportswriter attempting to achieve Elmer for an interview at a lodge and asking the phone operator “Do you’ve gotten a Sexauer at your lodge?”, and getting the reply, “Sexauer? Honey, we barely get espresso breaks right here!”
