Nomo

[Pogotheostrich]

When I was looking at Nomo for the mock draft I noticed something odd. Here is his last 3 years.

Year K ERA
2001 220 4.50
2002 193 3.39
2003 177 3.09

Anyone have any idea why this is? The rest of his numbers are pretty similar year to year.

[Lofunzo]

Off of the top of my head, it seems like he has lost some gas off the fastball so maybe he learned more of how to pitch and let the hitters get themselves out rather than just trying to strike them out. He seems to be more of a pitcher than a thrower now.

[mightyian5]

let the trend continue. a pitcher with a very good era seems harder to come by than one with a bunch of k's

[Madison]

I agree. Nomo is pitching now. He's not throwing anymore. Keep the ball around the plate and let the batters get themselves out. I'll go out on a limb and say that he ends up with more than 177 k's next year as long as he stays healthy.

[Transmogrifier]

I think the splitter is the key. It's his strikeout pitch, so perhaps he's throwing it less? That thing can kill the arm. But I'm just guessing here.

[Lofunzo]

To expand on my previous post, I watched a bunch of his games this year and I noticed something strange. His splitter is his out pitch but he throws it to get people to get themselves out and not strike out. Clemens would throw his as low as possible but Nomo's seems to be more of a changeup that stays up in the zone. He made me cringe many a night. Nothing like a belt-high splitter.

[Grenade Teeth]

Dodger Stadium anyone? Nomo's five full years at Chavez: 2.54, 3.19, 4.25, 3.39, 3.09. Nomo's 4 years away: 4.54, 4.74, 4.50.

Be it the pitchers park, or comfort in Dodger Blue, or the demographics of LA, whatever. He has done his best there.

Splits Home Away
IP ERA IP ERA
2002 111.1 3.48 107 2.69
2001 108.2 3.89 111.2 2.9

The splits say otherwise though, perhaps it's the Dodger pitching coaches. Or the NL. Could he have been tipping pitches for 3 years?

[mightyian5]

man it seemed like he fell off the face of the earth for a while. wasnt he on like the brewers and tigers for a while. then he resurfaced with the sox. it was just strange that when the LA fans drove him off, he just dissapeared.

[HOOTIE]

When I was looking at Nomo for the mock draft I noticed something odd. Here is his last 3 years.

Year K ERA
2001 220 4.50
2002 193 3.39
2003 177 3.09

Anyone have any idea why this is? The rest of his numbers are pretty similar year to year.

Don't have the 03 numbers yet. But lets look at 01 and 02. 30% is average hit rate, and 75%, average strand rate.

01 4.50 era 30% hit rate 70% strand rate
Expected era 3.96

02 3.39 era 28% hit rate 78% strand rate
expected era 3.83

As you can see, his expected era is pretty close, although his actual era was quite different from 4.50 to 3.39

In 01, the bullpen killed his era, with a lousy 70% strand rate. He was unlucky in 01.
In 02, his 28% hit rate, favors helping era, while a 78% strand rate, was quite nice. What this suggests, was he was lucky in his hit rate, and the pen stranding runners, helping his era.
On a side note. In a non Dodger uniform, hes never posted a era better then 4.25. I have a feeling, his hit rate, and strand rate were sweet, to post a 3.09 era this year.