Buster Olney has had a couple of interesting peices recently on how a firm is using a new (?) system to track the spin rate and break on pitches and relating that to BAA. In general, a higher spin rate on curves equates to a lower batting average against.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=6085775

2010 MLB Curveball Spin Rate
A measure of the spin rate on curveballs over the last year.

Type/RPM-----------------------AVG OBP SLG
Low Spin (<2300 rpm)-------- .244 .260 .403
Average Spin (2300-2500)-- .185 .231 .340
Plus Spin (2500-2700)-------- .178 .203 .251
High Spin (> 2700 rpm)------- .166 .189 .212

He posted a sample of pitchers and thier respective spin rates from one park today and a name at the top of the list caught my attention.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=6092715

---------------------Release Speed (mph) Spin Rate (rpm) Average Tilt (Clock Face)
Justin Verlander------------ 80----------------- 3004--------------- 7:30
Gio Gonzalez ----------------78----------------- 2982--------------- 4:45
Chad Durbin------------------ 78----------------- 2930--------------- 7:15
Scott Downs----------------- 75----------------- 2773--------------- 4:15
Tommy Hunter--------------- 78------------------ 2720-------------- 8:00
MLB Average---------------- 76----------------- 2450---------------- N/A
Zack Greinke---------------- 72------------------ 2349---------------- 7:45
CC Sabathia----------------- 80------------------ 2303---------------- 3:45
C.J. Wilson------------------- 78----------------- 2272---------------- 4:00

I thought that was interesting and it gives me hope that Tommy has the stuff to put a good season together.

Very interesting...maybe this spin rate business is part of the reason why Tommy has been so lucky as some have claimed. Perhaps he has better stuff than meats the eye at least with the curve. I worry about his location with his fastball though, it really needs to be excellent considering his low mph. It seems like he leaves it up a lot, and doesn't get it down and on the corner too much.

I would be interested to see how Colby Lewis' curveball grades out on this list.

I saw this article the other day, and it made me think about Sandy Koufax.

As I have grown up and gained a greater appreciation for the game of baseball, Koufax has always been one of the guys I would have loved to see play in his prime. Mantle, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Satchel Paige. I wish there was better footage of guys like that.

What a meaningless stat> GEEEZ