Nick Tropeano Impesses in Pirates Debut
Last night was not a good night if you were a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, and that's not even considering the no-hitter. As a team, the Pirates struck out 13 times last night and produced just one base runner in the 4-0 loss. Don't get me wrong it was an outstanding performance by Chicago White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, and he deserves all the credit, but the offense just didn't have it after putting up a combined 24 runs against the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend. However, one thing that might have got lost in the shuffle was the performance of one man who was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees earlier this season.
After Steven Brault was tagged for four earned runs on five hits in three innings of work, Manager Derek Shelton called on reliever Nick Tropeano. His job at the time was to keep the Pirates in the ball game, and he ended up doing just that. He did it with a steady dive of breaking pitches using his slider, splitter, and sinker almost exclusively. He only threw five fastballs all night, and all the movement kept opposing hitters off balance. He worked almost exclusively low in the zone and went inside to left-handed batters and outside to right-handed batters. It equated to four scoreless innings where he allowed three hits and struck out four batters. Let's dive into his outing a little deeper and see what made him so successful in his Pirates debut.
Control Was On Point
The big thing that stands out to me looking at Tropeano's stat line last night is the big zero that adorns the walk column. For a guy who throws so many breaking and off-speed pitches, you would think that at least one or two would get away from him. However, that was not the case for Tropeano as he effectively changed speeds and locations to induce soft contact. Of the 15 batters he faces last night, he allowed sharp contact just five times, with two of those coming in his final inning of work. He worked the zone effectively, with 31 of his 40 pitches being called strikes, and used his slider to set up his splitter, or vice versa, all night long.
The two pitches look eerily similar featuring almost the same downward movement when they leave Tropeano's hand. They both have terrific drop to them, with the splitter dropping 42.4 inches and the slider dropping 46.9 inches, but it is the movement that fools hitters. They break in the opposite direction with the splitter breaking 8.2 to the right and the slider breaking 2.9 inches to the left. When hitters see that initial drop they are geared up for one pitch or the other, and last night they guessed wrong almost every time. The velocity of the two pitches also causes some confusion as the difference in speed is about five miles per hour. The splitter averages about 81 miles per hour, and then he drops it down to 78 miles per hour for his slider.
When he does mix in the fastball, it comes in at about 91 miles per hour and is straight for the most part. He likes to work it down and in to both righties and lefties and uses it more for deception than anything else. It is a pretty straight pitch and the opposing hitters are expecting it to move. When it doesn't, they are usually left swinging under the pitch. It is actually his most effective pitch with the opposition hitting .292 against it. Because it doesn't move much, it actually benefits Tropeano because of the movement of all his other pitches and generates that soft contact. His mix of pitches could make him very effective in the Pirates pitching philosophy and he certainly impressed in his debut.
Where Does Tropeano Stand in the Future
In terms of where he goes from here, Tropeano could be used in a number of different ways. He showed last night that he has the stamina to log a lot of innings and could be used as either a starter or long reliever, he has handled both roles in his short Major League career. In his parts of six Major League seasons, Tropeano has appeared in 43 games and made 39 starts over that span. Even though it is the thing he has done the least of during his career, his ERA is actually considerably better as a reliever. In his relief appearances last year, he had an ERA of 8.21 as compared to 12.60 as a starter.
With the Pirates dwindling starting pitching numbers, Tropeano may be asked to step in for a spot start or two throughout the year, but for the most part, he will probably stay as a long-reliever. Those are more valuable than one may think, and when you have a good one it can be big. If a starter doesn't go deep into the game, which the Pirates have had trouble with this season, a guy like Tropeano can step in and bridge the gap between the starter and the bullpen. His breaking stuff plays well out of the pen and he has the advantage of getting guys to swing out in front with his slower speed.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (7-18) wrap up their short two-game series with the Chicago White Sox (18-12) this afternoon at 2:10 pm. Trevor Williams (1-4, 3.70) takes the hill for the Bucs while Dallas Keuchel (4-2, 2.65) goes for the White Sox. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet or listen on 93.7 The Fan as the Pirates look to get back on track.
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