Sep 20, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Matt Garza (22) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
3.) Matt Garza (Milwaukee Brewers)
Rank among qualified starters- 7
Percentage of fastballs thrown in 2014- 67.6%
Average fastball velocity in 2014- 92.5 mph
Matt Garza‘s extreme fastball usage last year was not unheard of from the 31-year-old, as there was a time when he was a youngster and pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays where he would chuck north of 70% fastballs. In fact, from the three-year period from 2008-2010 Garza pitched fastballs more than 70% of the time in each season.
But, alas, once he started pitching for the Chicago Cubs that fastball love dissipated and he did not throw 65% plus fastballs from 2011 to 2013. Then he became a Brewer and the high fastball throwing Matt Garza we knew and loved returned. Brooks Baseball’s Pitch f/x data shows he threw his four-seam fastball (49.88%) more frequently than in any year prior. He also used the sinker, another classified fastball, a good deal, throwing it 17.51% of the time.