Ryan Franklin was a starting pitcher for just three full seasons in the major leagues. In 2002, he worked in a swing role for the Seattle Mariners. In 2003, he surprised many by posting a 3.57 ERA during a season in which he struck out just 99 hitters and walked 61 more over 212 innings pitched while allowing 34 home runs. His FIP that season was a staggering 5.24, and that 1.67 run difference is the largest difference for any starting pitcher with at least 150 innings of work since the 2000 season.
Franklin’s improbable season is just one of 32 instances of a starting pitcher’s ERA coming in at least a full run under his FIP over the past 13 seasons. The talent on that list of pitchers covers the entire spectrum of notable to awful; both Johnny Cueto and Joe Mays are on this list.
The rest of this article is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.
Not a subscriber?
Click here for more information
on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or use the buttons to the right to subscribe and get access to the best baseball content on the web.
He's basically been his least effective with the bases empty while being able to "turn it on" as the bases add runners. I have no idea if that's sustainable, but my guess is that you see a similar story from 2011, as well.
Just an observation, but part of the explanation for his success with runners on could be mechanical.
I feel that Hellickson has a better delivery from the stretch because he brings more momentum with runners on base, which acts to lengthen his release point - which means later relative pitch-break, giving batters less time to identify the incoming pitch.
Helix is slow to the plate from the windup [I gave him a 40 grade], but he often gets going with runners on [closer to a 50]. He uses a couple of strategies from the stretch, from a slide step to his standard leg lift, and though he does not get closer to the plate on the slide step (leg comes down too early), he does get noticeably closer to the plate when he uses a regular leg lift from the stretch due to the greater momentum. From what I have seen, he mostly relies on his regular leg lift from the stretch but mixes in the slide step to keep base-runners honest - so most of his pitches with runners on base have a deeper release point than his pitches from the windup.
Why Helix doesn't use his stretch-momentum from the windup is somewhat perplexing, but he probably feels like he can repeat his timing more consistently with the slower motion.
I have always thought that it is unrealistic to assume that a pitcher would show the same ability throwing from both his wind up and his stretch. The mechanics of each are significantly different.
It is like expecting a switch-hitter to have equal success from both sides of the plate.
While there very well may be some correlation, it is also highly likely that there will be noticeable differences.
Indeed - and the results of which vary greatly. Greinke's numbers are particularly intriguing because earlier in his career, it wasn't a problem but over the last few seasons, the gap between his BABIPs continues to grow. Maybe that's why he's talking about inducing more flyballs these days :)
The Keeper Reaper: Out... (12/14)
13 comments have been left for this article. 
Daily Hit List: Monday, May 20
Surprise Me!
He has an amazing and very lucky defiance of the laws of averages and I would definitely not draft him.