There are few developments this early in a baseball season we should be granting anything more than a grain of salt. Lineup construction, how often a player or team runs, and pitch velocity are all on that short list. My favorite item that actually does already matter is pitch usage, specifically the unveiling of a new offering, or significantly increased usage of an old one. Any pitcher who is using a new pitch or leaning more heavily on one he already threw is telling us about a direction he wants to pursue this season, and it doesn’t take more than a start or two for those indications to become clear.
The Five Best New or Improved Pitches—Yes, Pitches—of 2019
