Is the cutter a breaking ball? Topic

Pretty cut and dry question.   No explanation required.


Votes: 18
(Last vote received: 7/5/2013 3:46 PM)
6/28/2013 9:10 AM
24 inches is wider than home plate. You don't even see many sliders with that much break. Most cutters start in the zone and cut in on the hands or tail off towards the end of the bat.
6/28/2013 9:33 AM
6/28/2013 9:40 AM
You tell me how many inches those broke.
6/28/2013 9:41 AM
All I see is a little white square
6/28/2013 9:48 AM
But, even so, if you've ever seen Rivera pitch, professional hitters get sawed off 12 inches above the hands.   Assuming a 34 inch bat, they're missing the "sweet spot" by about 18 inches. 
6/28/2013 9:51 AM
That ball to Rasmus breaks 6-12 inches. It starts on the inner black. There is no way that's 18-24 inches. Nice try though.
6/28/2013 9:53 AM
All you have to do is look at how far the catchers glove moves. Set up on the inner edge and moves 6-8 inches inside to receive the pitch
6/28/2013 9:54 AM
Where are you saying they started?  The one to the lefty wound up about 6 inches off the plate, which means to break 18 inches, it would have started on the outer half, which I don't see.  The one to the righty might have gotten a foot off the plate, but again, that would mean it had to start almost in the middle to break 18 inches.  Typically you throw the cutter on the inner half/corner and want it to break in off the plate after the batter has already started to swing.

A quick search of some write-ups suggests his average cutter breaks about 5 inches.

6/28/2013 9:55 AM
I'll disagree.   I'd say it started on the inner third.   I don't think a hitter swings at a Rivera cutter that starts on the black.   You know, if they've ever seen him pitch.
6/28/2013 9:55 AM
Look at the title of the gif. Mo's "two seam". And what's a two seam, kids? "A FASTBALL!!" That's right!
6/28/2013 9:57 AM
http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxg.aspx?playerid=844&position=P&season=2013&date=0&dh=0

There's his pitch FX numbers for this season.  Looks like he maxes out at about 6 inches moving right, and 9-10 moving left.
6/28/2013 10:03 AM
OK, both hitters are at least a plate length away from the plate.   The one to the righty looks like it would have almost hit his rear hip if he hadn't swung.   Are you suggesting he swung at a pitch that wasn't even on the plate?  
6/28/2013 10:13 AM
Are you suggesting fangraphs, the site you just used, is wrong in their measurements. You're simply going by what your eyes tell you (or shockingly refusing to admit you're wrong). Actual measurements show his pitches don't even break a foot, much less 2. Again, watch the catcher's glove. It moves 6-8 inches on the Rasmus pitch
6/28/2013 10:17 AM
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Is the cutter a breaking ball? Topic

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