The Contact Tales: 2008

Starting Pitchers (Min IP: 100)

The Best:
Rich Harden 69.6%
CC Sabathia 72%
Edinson Volquez 73.7%
Tim Lincecum 73.9%
Ryan Dempster 74.7%

Wonder why folks are so gung-ho on an oft-injured starter like Harden? Because of this, and because of what he did in 2009. The guy may not be able to stay healthy for full seasons at a time, but he can miss bats, and on the off-chance he does stick around for 30-35 starts, he figures to be a pretty nice asset.

The Worst:
Livan Hernandez 91.3%
Sidney Ponson/Kyle Kendrick 89.9%
Carlos Silva 89.2%
Aaron Cook 88.8%

It is with great regret that I remind everyone how Silva fell well shy of the 100 innings plateau in 2009. That means this is his final mention throughout the series. Go solemnly into the night, sweet prince.

Relief Pitchers (Min IP: 40)

The Best:
Brad Lidge 63.6%
Juan Cruz 66%
Ramon Ramirez 68.7%
Francisco Rodriguez 69.3%
Robinson Tejeda 69.5%

Give the Royals credit for something: over the last two years they’ve held three of the least hittable relievers in baseball during the 2008 season. Cruz hasn’t worked out, Ramirez was traded for Coco Crisp, but Tejeda stepped up. Now back to thrashing the Royals on every move, as is noted in the Creed of Sabermetrics.

The Worst:
Todd Jones 89.7%
Chad Bradford 88.6%
Eddie Guardado 87%
Jim Johnson 86.7%
Luis Ayala 86.5%

Bradford made a career out of generating weak contact, yet 88.6% was on the extreme side, even for him. His career contact rate remains 83.1% despite falling off a wagon in 2009 and having a few uncharacteristic seasons near the presumable end of his career. It’s too bad, that delivery is one that needs to be viewed for generations to come.