FIP game strong
When browsing pitching data across the Web, FIP is the category I view most often. To help simplify things, FIP stands for Fielding Independent Pitching, which is based on outcomes that do not involve defense. There’s a long formula, but put simply, it’s a better judgment of a pitching standpoint as compared to ERA.
Anyways, the three clubs with the lowest FIP in the league are the Cubs, Mets and…the Philadelphia Phillies.
You heard that correctly. Sitting at a 3.10 FIP, the number is nearly a point below their team ERA of 4.05. Philly can thank Vincent Velasquez for that.
In two starts, the former Astro is 2-0 with 0.40 FIP. In other words, Velasquez has not allowed a run in 15 innings thus far. His success can be credited to his fastball, a foursean he has thrown 65 percent of the time in 2016, leading to batters whiffing on it 20 percent of the time.
In his masterful three-hit shutout against the Padres, Velasquez struck on 13 of 16 batters on his fastball, pinpointing it up in the zone to force hitters to chase.
In the San Diego series, 25-year-old Jared Eickhoff had a career day, striking out nine over seven innings with four hits allowed. He’s got a killer curveball with hard bite, dropping roughly 9.5 inches per pitch, plus the righty has walked just two batters.
Aaron Nola, the team’s “ace” entering the season, has gone 0-2 in his first two outings, but his, along with Jeremy Hellickson’s, numbers aren’t as poor as they appear. Nola’s 5.68 ERA looks atrocious, but his FIP is sitting comfortably at 3.24. Meanwhile, Hellickson has been a serviceable starter, which is all the Phillies are asking for in the rebuilding year.
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