Megdal: The state of pitchers hitting
From SABR member Howard Megdal at The Hardball Times on April 17, 2019:
A broad smile spread across Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin’s face as he considered the question: if he got 600 at-bats a season, the same as the position players, what kind of production could he provide the Philadelphia lineup?
“I’ll give you a dream answer,” Eflin said, standing in front of his locker after a recent home game. “And that’s be .280 with 30 [home runs]. And 120 [RBIs]. How about that?”
Eflin, to be clear, wasn’t merely talking about a fantasy in which the Phillies began to deploy him in the field every day. The scenario involved a sea change in how pitchers across baseball, from the amateur ranks clear through the minor leagues and into both the American and National Leagues, are developed as hitters.
Read the full article here: https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-state-of-pitchers-hitting/
Originally published: April 17, 2019. Last Updated: April 17, 2019.