Mike Petriello posed an interesting question on Twitter on Tuesday. Basically, why the hell is Jose Ramirez morphed from an otherworldly MVP candidate to a Punch-and-Judy hitter? And the answer – surprisingly – is a rather simple one, sort of: he’s struggling mightily against fastballs. More specifically: he’s struggling against four seam fastballs, which – admittedly – seems strange enough. They’re generally thought of as the “straightest” pitches in baseball, using the grip that we’re all taught to dig for as we make any throw on the field. But here’s where it continues to get weird: Jose Ramirez, the man who topped eight wins above replacement last season despite a late collapse, has been one of the worst hitters in baseball against four seamers from right-handed pitchers.
Jose Ramirez: A Simple Answer Behind His Struggles
