What exactly is the impact of pitch calling? What does it effect? and, is it important? (would you sacrafice a strong bat for a good pitch caller/fielder as you would @ ss?)

I've had a bunch of people tell me that the game isn't simulated pitch by pitch which makes me very suspicious of the "pitch calling" rating.

its not simulated pitch by pitch.  Pitch Calling is a modifier on the overall outcome of the at bat. It is very important.  I personally do not start a catcher with under a 50 pitch calling.  I use to start one with a 38 and mid season moved him to DH and inserted a 72 pitch calling and saw a drastic improvement in my team ERA. 

After a little trial and error, I think of pitch calling as another pitch for my pitcher. So if my catcher's PC is 93, that's the equivalent of adding a 93 pitch to what my pitcher already has. If my catcher's PC is 44 (hey, he's got a good bat...), that's the equivalent of adding a 44 pitch.

Posted by saintonan on 8/2/2010 10:49:00 AM (view original):
After a little trial and error, I think of pitch calling as another pitch for my pitcher. So if my catcher's PC is 93, that's the equivalent of adding a 93 pitch to what my pitcher already has. If my catcher's PC is 44 (hey, he's got a good bat...), that's the equivalent of adding a 44 pitch.

According to CS, Pitch Calling acts as a modifier to existing pitch ratings, so this probably isn't the best way to think of it. A reliever with 90/90 pitch ratings isn't going to act as a 90/90/93 guy working with your great defensive catcher - more like a 95/95. And he might get dragged down to 84/84 with your 44 PC guy, not 90/90/44.

All those numbers are hypothetical, of course. But you get the idea.

What's the difference between a 95/95 reliever and a 90/90/93? Both should be outstanding, given reasonable splits/control.

Both would be pretty amazing but the 90/90/93 would be better.  Think about it, as a hitter would you hit against a guy with two really good pitches or three?  The third pitch makes the pitcher that much better because the hitter doesnt just have two pitches to account for he has three.

OAV.

I had a SS catch one game due to a trade going through before I could set the new lineup, he called a 3 hitter with a pitch calling of 1,

http://whatif.cincinnati.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/Boxscore.aspx?gid=30064305&pbp=0

Posted by mitchrapp on 8/3/2010 4:33:00 AM (view original):
OAV.

Everything affects OAV. It's a non-answer.

Posted by saintonan on 8/2/2010 9:06:00 PM (view original):
What's the difference between a 95/95 reliever and a 90/90/93? Both should be outstanding, given reasonable splits/control.

Of course. A guy like that is probably elite anyway. It's when you have an 80/65 reliever setting him up that the distinction really starts to matter - now you're maybe looking at a 84/68 guy with that 93 PC catcher, and not an 80/65/93 guy.

It sounds like you're mainly disagreeing with the magnitude of influence, and I don't really have enough data to contest the point. If the rule of thumb is true that I've seen tossed around in previous threads where 10 points of PC results in a variance of 0.1 staff ERA, then the influence would be more than you're saying, but it still may not add up to an entire new pitch.

Posted by paul0613 on 8/3/2010 10:01:00 AM (view original):
I had a SS catch one game due to a trade going through before I could set the new lineup, he called a 3 hitter with a pitch calling of 1,

http://whatif.cincinnati.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/Boxscore.aspx?gid=30064305&pbp=0

and I am sure a 99 pitch caller has called a game where the pitcher has gotten light up for 8 runs in the first inning.  Anything can happen in 1 game, but I wouldnt expect that result over a season of games

Posted by saintonan on 8/3/2010 1:31:00 PM (view original):
It sounds like you're mainly disagreeing with the magnitude of influence, and I don't really have enough data to contest the point. If the rule of thumb is true that I've seen tossed around in previous threads where 10 points of PC results in a variance of 0.1 staff ERA, then the influence would be more than you're saying, but it still may not add up to an entire new pitch.

I think the main point is that as a variable in the equation, it's limited by the skills of the pitcher. An elite pitcher isn't going to get much benefit out of a catcher with great PC, but that fringy 5th starter could see a big benefit.

I'd expect someone like Chris Hansen to get more use from PC than someone like Armando Aramboles, although they're both excellent pitchers.

that thinking is flawed.  PC does not affect how often a pitcher throws a bad pitch.  It i a modifier on the overall outcome, that is it.