Author Topic: Jake Irvin 2024 - Sweatin' out his starts (Read 1597 times)

JCA-CrystalCity · « **on:** March 19, 2024, 12:06:08 pm »

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/19/jake-irvin-pitcher-sweat-nationals/

Quote

For Irving, the low point last season came in St. Louis.

“In between every inning, I was trying to switch jerseys,” Irvin said. “I had to switch pants. I was going through it big time. And then when I was out on the mound, I had a couple innings where there were high-pitch innings and I just remember sweat dripping from my hand as I’m holding the ball. I’m like, ‘man, I’m throwing a sweaty ball.’ ”

Martinez, who said right-hander Stephen Strasburg dealt with the same problem and frequently swapped out his jerseys, talked with Irvin last year about applying rosin properly during the game so he could get a better grip on the ball. Irvin, who also worked with Washington’s training staff, uses a prescription strength antiperspirant that he started putting on his arms to close up his pores and prevent sweat from getting to his fingers. From there, he made sure to properly hydrate on gamedays.

...

A year of experience should help Irvin get adjusted to the summer months and build on what was a strong second half — he had a 3.76 ERA in his first ten starts after the all-star break before two lackluster starts to end his season.

Article discusses faults in 2023 - HR rate of 1.5 per start, (nearly 2 per 9), 4 BBs /9, and his difficulties with lefties (they hit .274, .366 wOBA - .496 SLG vs. .352 vs righties). Adding a cutter to help with lefties.

It will be interesting to see if he can handle lefties this year and drop the BB rate. Otherwise, he looks like a bullpen arm.

Senatorswin · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2024, 12:16:38 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on March 19, 2024, 12:06:08 pm

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/19/jake-irvin-pitcher-sweat-nationals/

Article discusses faults in 2023 - HR rate of 1.5 per start, (nearly 2 per 9), 4 BBs /9, and his difficulties with lefties (they hit .274, .366 wOBA - .496 SLG vs. .352 vs righties). Adding a cutter to help with lefties.

It will be interesting to see if he can handle lefties this year and drop the BB rate. Otherwise, he looks like a bullpen arm.

It was obvious last year Jake needed a third pitch. He had a really nice curve and a passable fastball but nothing other than that. I think a good third pitch will help him a lot.

Senatorswin · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2024, 12:18:11 pm »

Jake is Steve Stone.

imref · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2024, 12:25:45 pm »

Quote

For Irving, the low point last season came in St. Louis.

Sigh...

Slateman · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2024, 12:36:46 pm »

Why are all our pitchers just sweaty dudes

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2024, 02:48:40 pm »

Quote from: Slateman on March 19, 2024, 12:36:46 pm

Why are all our pitchers just sweaty dudes

JZ didn't sweat and he was from the land of the ice and snow.

Quote from: Senatorswin on March 19, 2024, 12:16:38 pm

It was obvious last year Jake needed a third pitch. He had a really nice curve and a passable fastball but nothing other than that. I think a good third pitch will help him a lot.

FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball.

Senatorswin · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2024, 03:43:41 pm »

"FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball."

According to Baseball Savant in 2023 Irvin threw:

Fastball - 65%
Curve - 30%
Changeup - 5%

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2024, 04:09:49 pm »

Quote from: Senatorswin on March 19, 2024, 03:43:41 pm

"FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball."

According to Baseball Savant in 2023 Irvin threw:

Fastball - 65%
Curve - 30%
Changeup - 5%

That seems right. The curve has some sweeper motion, so maybe that's where the slider label came from. I'd be curious about whether he's given up on developing the change and just concentrating on the cutter.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2024, 10:08:08 am »

Golden's game recap from the LAD shutout focuses on the development and use of Irvin's fastball. Starts by discussing his last AB against Will Smith.

Quote

It was the sixth pitch of the at-bat. The Washington Nationals right-hander had thrown five four-seamers in a row. For his sixth pitch, he didn’t deviate from the plan: He fired a fastball by Smith, notching his sixth strikeout in the Nationals’ 2-0 victory, which sealed a series win against one of the best teams in the majors.
...
Irvin didn’t miss many bats as a rookie last season — his whiff percentage was 17.8, which he has raised to 21.6 this year. (The major league average is 24.8 percent.) He was at 28.2 percent Wednesday, and with his fastball, he got nine whiffs on 24 swings (37.5 percent).

“He was using his fastball both in and out, attacking the zone,” Manager Dave Martinez said. “When he needed to throw a breaking ball, he did, but his fastball was electric.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/04/17/jake-irvin-nationals-dodgers-road-trip/

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2024, 01:16:26 pm »

bump.

3 out the last 4 Nats wins were Irvin starts.

Huge clutch performance today after the bullpen has been extremely beat up.

Slateman · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2024, 01:22:37 pm »

Reminds me of Jordan Zimmermann

Senatorswin · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2024, 10:26:20 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on July 04, 2024, 01:16:26 pm

bump.

3 out the last 4 Nats wins were Irvin starts.

Huge clutch performance today after the bullpen has been extremely beat up.

Yep, it was crucial for him to go deep in the game today. To go 8 was more than could of been expected.

aspenbubba · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2024, 09:02:31 am »

Quote from: Senatorswin on July 04, 2024, 10:26:20 pm

Yep, it was crucial for him to go deep in the game today. To go 8 was more than could of been expected.

As someone in the daygame thread mentioned he is our ACE.

welch · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2024, 09:31:23 am »

Quote from: Slateman on July 04, 2024, 01:22:37 pm

Reminds me of Jordan Zimmermann

Yes.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #14 on:** July 08, 2024, 09:25:27 am »

Ranked as one of the all star snubs by ESPN.

Slateman · « **Reply #15 on:** July 08, 2024, 10:10:09 am »

freaking joke

Senatorswin · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2024, 11:29:03 am »

He deserves the all-star game but better he get a break in the action and come back ready in the second half.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2024, 12:40:59 pm »

He gets Sunday. Be interesting if they just keep the rotation in order or if they reset 2d half

imref · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2024, 12:45:07 pm »

Zuck on why Irvin didn't get selected. tl;dr is that there were only two available slots after all the voting and awarding one slot to each team. Those two slots went to Logan Webb and Paul Skenes. Irvin has better stats than Webb, but Webb has thrown more innings. Skenes is controversial given how few starts that he's made, but he's going to bring eyes to the game.

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/how-irvin-finnegan-got-squeezed-out-of-all-star-selection

He notes that in 2010 Strasburg had comparable stats to Skenes but didn't make the team.

Irvin should have gotten the nod over Webb IMHO.

imref · « **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2024, 11:30:13 am »

Got some votes for Cy Young - https://www.mlb.com/news/chris-sale-tarik-skubal-lead-fourth-2024-cy-young-award-poll

RobDibblesGhost · « **Reply #20 on:** July 09, 2024, 07:47:17 pm »

This certainly is not one of his better starts. Mets getting their revenge against him.

Slateman · « **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2024, 07:49:35 pm »

Quote from: RobDibblesGhost on July 09, 2024, 07:47:17 pm

This certainly is not one of his better starts. Mets getting their revenge against him.

Doesnt help that you throw four pitches over the plate but only two get called strikes.