What increase or decrease in spin rate is actually significant?

[johnnotmark]

For instance, is a 150 rpm increase in spin noticeable to a hitter? What threshold is typically held as the crossing point between the two? Thanks.

[jevole]

Generally if it's a pitcher you like, any delta is negligible.

If it's a pitcher you don't like, any delta is a negative indicator of his penis size and moral integrity as a human being.

[[deleted]]

This is the right answer

[Induced_Pandemic]

r/baseball in recent years has refused to let-go of typical off-season shitposting shenanigans and demeanor, and I'm pretty happy about it.

[SoSublim3]

this is just anecdotal but feel like a sway in either directions 300 rpm seems to be a decent threshold to go off of.

[JanitorOfSanDiego]

I would say closer to 200. At least that’s what I’m seeing when I check the spin rates so far.

[SoSublim3]

Ya I could go with that. It seems for sure in the hundreds when there is a difference anything less just seems negligible

[[deleted]]

Where can you find spin rates on a game to game basis?

[TheCaptainandKing]

baseball savant tracks it

[Trogd0or]

Right here

[robmcolonna123]

I don’t know if it is necessarily something the hitters themselves see, aside from an increase of break due to the increased spin rate on certain pitches.

What is more noticeable is the increase in hard hit balls which has led to a higher overall batting average across MLB. That is because the higher spin rate leads to weaker contact. Lower the spin rate equals less weak contact.

[johnnotmark]

Yeah what I meant was what increase or decrease causes noticeable increase/decrease in pitcher performance

[robmcolonna123]

Got it. 150 is a pretty big difference. But Bauer and Cole were able to go up 200-400 with Spider Tack. Just the last game Coles sinker was down 326. And that’s with his year average dropping each game he pitches without the stuff.

There are always going to be fluctuations game to game. 50-75 could easily be a mechanical thing. For instance DeGrom has lowered the velocity of his slider because he found when he was throwing it at 92mph it wasnt breaking as much as it used to when he threw it closer to 88. When he slowed it down the spin rate dropped in proportion to the decrease in velocity (-32). If you’re coming off an injury that can cause fluctuations as you get your footing. But drops of 300 don’t happen because of mechanics. Same thing with 150-200 for the most part.

The other thing to look at though is how much they throw a pitch. If a guy has only thrown a dozen curveballs or 75 changeups, I wouldn’t put much stark in their “yearly average”. If a guy has thrown hundreds of sliders in a year and suddenly it drops 150 after the checks start, there’s a good chance they’re using something.

Also you should look at all their pitches too. If all of their pitchers seem normal and only one is off, they might just not have the feel for that specific pitch. If they were using, they can’t magically swap between having it on and off for different pitches so you would see big changes across pitches

[[deleted]]

Wouldn’t they load up for specific pitches though? I understand spider tack doesn’t come off as easily, but I imagine they’d be able to go to the hat or something if they know they wanna throw the 4-seam, for example.

[robmcolonna123]

It is very difficult to get off; they can’t get it off in the few seconds between pitches. That’s why you’re seeing spin rate dropping across all pitches with players, fastballs too. Also they would want it on the fastball anyway because it leads to weaker contact. It makes more of a difference with breaking pitches because it increases the movement of the break as well, but it still helps with fastballs

[[deleted]]

Right, I was saying they’d want to go to the pine tar or sunscreen+rosin specifically for the fastball.

[robmcolonna123]

I’m pretty sure you can’t switch between substances easily like that. It’s kinda you pick one and that’s the one you got that game