Scouting Zach Britton's Big League Debut

[Jordan Tuwiner]

http://orioles-nation.com/2011/04/04/scouting-zach-brittons-big-league-debut/

Don is one of our top forum posters and a former minor league baseball player. We offered him the opportunity to put his past experience and expertise into a detailed scouting report. He has asked to remain anonymous in his posts.

Zach Britton is the owner of a solid four pitch arsenal, even though the speed and exact drop differ with his sinker that it really should be a dual version two-seamer. For my purpose, and to limit confusion, I broke it down into two different characteristics.

Don provides us with a thorough breakdown of Zach Britton's major league debut.

[McBeard McGillicuddy]

Just a question but aren't a two-seamer and a sinker relatively interchangeable terms insofar as all sinkers are simply two-seam fastballs with downward action?

Also, your description of Britton's two-seamer sounds more like a cutter if a LHP is getting down-and-away action (meaning into the feet of a RHB)

[Don]

They basically are one in the same. I thougth I stated this in the forward, but I could be incorrect. I went back to the tapes this morning and one thing that really brought to my attention is the mimicing movements between the sink and change up. I tend to think he three 4 straight change ups over sinkers. What was funny is that I checked Jordan's block quote and he threw a clear amount of change ups. I think this makes my comment of adding a circle change 100% correct.

He throws a two seamer that can split both ways. He can whip in on a right hander and it is east/west like a cutter. He also will place presure on the middle finger to exaggerate his nature left dip. What you have to realize is that most left handers have a natural movement in on right handers. Straight changes, when working, will dip in on a right handed batter.

Zach throws two different variations. One sits in the low 90's and more quick snap than drop off. His one that sits in the upper 80's has a bit more drop. He threw it with some success, but there were some dirtballs.

Well back off my zoom...there was a clown running on the field and I thought I would check this out for questions. I will talk more shop once the game is over and I head home.

[Shorebirdfan]

Don,

I must say I am jealous of your knowledge and ability to break down things to this degree. As a fan wih no special skills and only a love of the game, it gives me chills to read a breakdown with this amount of detail. It only makes me appreciate more what must go on in a war room on draft day to decide who a club wants and who to pass on and why. I am so glad I frequent this site to try and improve my understanding and look for things I learn this season.

Thanks for writing this

[BuckMagic]

Don,

I must say I am jealous of your knowledge and ability to break down things to this degree. As a fan wih no special skills and only a love of the game, it gives me chills to read a breakdown with this amount of detail. It only makes me appreciate more what must go on in a war room on draft day to decide who a club wants and who to pass on and why. I am so glad I frequent this site to try and improve my understanding and look for things I learn this season.

Thanks for writing this

I will second this. It is a true pleasure reading your posts Don and I cannot explain how much knowledge I have gained both from this article and the rest of your posts on the forums!

[Don]

Thanks Guys....I am a very humble person and gladly enjoy spreading knowledge from my standpoint. I could be hit or miss because there are many ways to skin a cat, but that is what opinions are for as well.

Yesterday, one of the guys who works for me kept drilling me with questions about "why did he thorw this" and "why did he throw that"... I honestly enjoy talking shop and it never bothers me one bit.

[Don]

While he is still doing a great job with speeds and setting up hitters to induce a crazy ground ball rate, he still needs to approach hitters without seeing a difference. He will attack right handed bats, but he tends to pitch away from contact until he is forced into a hitters count against left handed batters. If he does not change, teams will start to pick up on it around the league.