Biographical
Michael Wacha PRays |
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2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 27)
| IP | ERA | WHIP | SO | W | L | SV | WARP |
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- 3.62015
- 1.52016
- 3.22017
- 1.32018
- 0.92019
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WARP Summary
MLB Statistics
Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | SLN | MLB | 15 | 9 | 64.7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 19 | 65 | 5 | 102 | 7.2 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 9.0 | 0% | .275 | 1.10 | 2.89 | 2.78 | 86 | 2.83 | 67.7 | 1.6 |
| 2014 | SLN | MLB | 19 | 19 | 107.0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 95 | 33 | 94 | 6 | 102 | 8.0 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 7.9 | 0% | .288 | 1.20 | 3.14 | 3.20 | 98 | 3.70 | 90.7 | 1.5 |
| 2015 | SLN | MLB | 30 | 30 | 181.3 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 162 | 58 | 153 | 19 | 94 | 8.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 7.6 | 0% | .272 | 1.21 | 3.89 | 3.38 | 97 | 3.43 | 80.1 | 3.6 |
| 2016 | SLN | MLB | 27 | 24 | 138.0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 159 | 45 | 114 | 15 | 91 | 10.4 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 7.4 | 48% | .334 | 1.48 | 3.94 | 5.09 | 96 | 4.38 | 97.0 | 1.5 |
| 2017 | SLN | MLB | 30 | 30 | 165.7 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 170 | 55 | 158 | 17 | 94 | 9.2 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 8.6 | 50% | .327 | 1.36 | 3.65 | 4.13 | 90 | 3.83 | 81.6 | 3.2 |
| 2018 | SLN | MLB | 15 | 15 | 84.3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 36 | 71 | 9 | 91 | 7.3 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 7.6 | 47% | .249 | 1.23 | 4.17 | 3.20 | 102 | 3.99 | 89.0 | 1.3 |
| 2019 | SLN | MLB | 29 | 24 | 126.7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 143 | 55 | 104 | 26 | 94 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 50% | .313 | 1.56 | 5.56 | 4.76 | 111 | 6.25 | 128.1 | -0.7 |
| Career | MLB | 165 | 151 | 867.7 | 59 | 39 | 0 | 849 | 301 | 759 | 97 | 95 | 8.8 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 7.9 | 48% | .306 | 1.33 | 3.96 | 3.91 | 98 | 4.11 | 91.3 | 12.0 | |
Statistics for All Levels
'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | LG | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- |
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| 2012 | PMB | A+ | FSL | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 18.0 | 0% | .111 | 0.25 | -0.24 | 0.00 | 27 | 1.32 | 27.5 | |
| 2012 | SFD | AA | TEX | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 19.1 | 0% | .300 | 0.75 | 0.15 | 1.13 | 26 | 1.95 | 40.6 | |
| 2012 | CRD | Rk | GCL | 3 | 2 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 102 | 7.2 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 12.6 | 0% | .273 | 0.80 | 3.23 | 1.80 | 74 | 2.43 | 50.6 |
| 2013 | SLN | MLB | NL | 15 | 9 | 64.7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 19 | 65 | 5 | 102 | 7.2 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 9.0 | 0% | .275 | 1.10 | 2.89 | 2.78 | 86 | 2.83 | 67.7 |
| 2013 | MEM | AAA | PCL | 15 | 15 | 85.0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 65 | 19 | 73 | 9 | 89 | 6.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 7.7 | 0% | .241 | 0.99 | 3.89 | 2.65 | 93 | 2.54 | 55.1 |
| 2014 | SLN | MLB | NL | 19 | 19 | 107.0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 95 | 33 | 94 | 6 | 102 | 8.0 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 7.9 | 0% | .288 | 1.20 | 3.14 | 3.20 | 98 | 3.70 | 90.7 |
| 2014 | SFD | AA | TEX | 1 | 1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 94 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 0% | .167 | 1.00 | 3.62 | 0.00 | 105 | 4.04 | 85.5 |
| 2015 | SLN | MLB | NL | 30 | 30 | 181.3 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 162 | 58 | 153 | 19 | 94 | 8.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 7.6 | 0% | .272 | 1.21 | 3.89 | 3.38 | 97 | 3.43 | 80.1 |
| 2016 | SLN | MLB | NL | 27 | 24 | 138.0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 159 | 45 | 114 | 15 | 91 | 10.4 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 7.4 | 48% | .334 | 1.48 | 3.94 | 5.09 | 96 | 4.38 | 97.0 |
| 2017 | SLN | MLB | NL | 30 | 30 | 165.7 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 170 | 55 | 158 | 17 | 94 | 9.2 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 8.6 | 50% | .327 | 1.36 | 3.65 | 4.13 | 90 | 3.83 | 81.6 |
| 2018 | SLN | MLB | NL | 15 | 15 | 84.3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 36 | 71 | 9 | 91 | 7.3 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 7.6 | 47% | .249 | 1.23 | 4.17 | 3.20 | 102 | 3.99 | 89.0 |
| 2018 | PMB | A+ | FSL | 2 | 2 | 4.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 92 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 10.4 | 45% | .182 | 0.92 | 2.55 | 6.23 | 85 | 2.77 | 58.5 |
| 2018 | SFD | AA | TEX | 1 | 1 | 2.3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 102 | 23.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 11.6 | 0% | .500 | 3.00 | 7.73 | 11.57 | 110 | 7.72 | 163.3 |
| 2019 | SLN | MLB | NL | 29 | 24 | 126.7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 143 | 55 | 104 | 26 | 94 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 50% | .313 | 1.56 | 5.56 | 4.76 | 111 | 6.25 | 128.1 |
Plate Discipline
| YEAR | Pits | Zone% | Swing% | Contact% | Z-Swing% | O-Swing% | Z-Contact% | O-Contact% | SwStr% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1033 | 0.5024 | 0.4734 | 0.7403 | 0.6397 | 0.3054 | 0.8133 | 0.5860 | 0.2597 |
| 2014 | 1688 | 0.5290 | 0.4834 | 0.7598 | 0.6685 | 0.2755 | 0.7940 | 0.6667 | 0.2402 |
| 2015 | 2912 | 0.5100 | 0.5000 | 0.7830 | 0.6835 | 0.3090 | 0.8453 | 0.6395 | 0.2170 |
| 2016 | 2301 | 0.4794 | 0.4698 | 0.8094 | 0.6709 | 0.2846 | 0.8649 | 0.6891 | 0.1906 |
| 2017 | 2688 | 0.4963 | 0.4699 | 0.7680 | 0.6664 | 0.2762 | 0.8200 | 0.6444 | 0.2320 |
| 2018 | 1417 | 0.4608 | 0.4495 | 0.7677 | 0.6646 | 0.2657 | 0.8456 | 0.6010 | 0.2323 |
| 2019 | 2190 | 0.4694 | 0.4717 | 0.7861 | 0.6819 | 0.2857 | 0.8445 | 0.6627 | 0.2139 |
| Career | 14229 | 0.4930 | 0.4761 | 0.7775 | 0.6711 | 0.2867 | 0.8352 | 0.6475 | 0.2225 |
Injury History — No longer being updated | Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET |
| Date On | Date Off | Transaction | Days | Games | Side | Body Part | Injury | Severity | Surgery Date | Reaggravation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-18 | 2014-09-04 | 60-DL | 78 | 68 | Right | Shoulder | Stress Fracture | - | ||
| 2014-05-22 | 2014-05-26 | DTD | 4 | 4 | Right | Elbow | Contusion | - | - |
Compensation
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2019 Preseason Forecast | Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET |
| PCT | W | L | SV | G | GS | IP | H | BB | SO | HR | BABIP | WHIP | ERA | DRA | VORP | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Mean | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | .000 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ? | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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BP Articles
Click here to see articles tagged with Michael WachaBP Chats
| Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-07 14:00:00 (link to chat) | I'm entering my fifth year of a dynasty league and, after making big strides last year (7th place!), have decided not to compete in 2020 with an eye to the future. Are there any free agents out there that could improve their 2021 value based on where they sign? I don't care about 2020 because I'm punting that season, so focus on guys that will sign for 2+ years, please. (Elton from Pacific Northwest) | This is tough because most free agents are, of course older. I'm going to ignore your last line and give you a couple of names who will likely settle for one-year deals but could improve their value based on performance and where they land.
Julio Teheran and Michael Wacha are both on the right side of 30 and coming off down seasons. They'll likely get one-year deals (Teheran could potentially get more) and rebuild their value to re-enter the market next offseason. I dunno how your dynasty league works, but if you could get either on the cheap and hang onto them for their next contract, they might be worth fliers for a rebuilding team. (Free Agent Chat w/Collin Whitchurch) |
| 2019-10-30 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Who do the Cubs add to the rotation this offseason? Ayyyyyy! (The Fonz from Milwaukee) | I don't know that it's going to be extensive and I don't think they'll play at the top of the market? How does Kyle Gibson and, uh, Michael Wacha sound to you? I do think Ryu would be a really interesting play with his ability to keep the ball in the park. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-08-30 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Thanks for the chat. I have some SP about to be activated as the Fantasy playoffs start so I may need to drop a SP or two in my 20 team H2H league with QS and K/9. Who would you drop from this list: Michael Wacha, Mike Montgomery, Adrian Houser, Steven Brault, Michael Pineda, Steven Matz? (Festivus from Phoenix) | You are welcome for the chat. Wacha and Monty are the names that stand out here. Montgomery has a sweet two-start schedule next week (DET, @MIA) so I'd probably cut Wacha first. He hasn't gone into the sixth inning in, like, forever (or, since June 28, to be exact). (Jon Hegglund) |
| 2018-12-06 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Chris Paddack just Michael Wacha 2.0 or will he be more than just a fastball-changeup-command guy? (Mr. Fister from Arlington) | Michael Wacha was an amazing talent before the injuries. If Chris Paddack ever has Michael Wacha's peak he'll have done real well for himself. (Jarrett Seidler) |
| 2016-06-09 19:00:00 (link to chat) | What is the highest outcome for Robert Tyler? What's his floor? (Bulldog Rockie from ColorAthens) | Highest outcome? Slider turns into a avg-abv avg pitch and becomes a 2/3 guy. In terms of size and stuff he is almost a carbon copy of Michael Wacha when he came out of the draft. Both were massive dudes with FB/CH combo and lacking a BB.
More than likely Tyler's floor is a late-inning reliever, and one that will be pretty damn good. -SG (Live Draft Chat) |
| 2016-06-09 19:00:00 (link to chat) | What is the highest outcome for Robert Tyler? What's his floor? (Bulldog Rockie from ColorAthens) | I'm admittedly higher on Robert Tyler than most. When he's throwing strikes--and he pounded the zone, at least early in the Spring--his plus fastball and hard splitter both can miss bats. A quick aside, in Tyler's favor: I often wonder why so many 60s are put on changeups from right-handed starters who throw in the low-90s. Unless it is really a nasty fader, or really a "bugs bunny", as the saying goes, even well-sold changeups don't miss a lot of bats without velocity at the MLB level. Luckily, Tyler throws plenty hard, and as such I think his polished split-like changeup gives him another 60 pitch.
The knock on Tyler is his ability to spin a breaking ball, and if that will even get to average. As an underclassman and on the Cape, it was a below-average pitch. Another question is how much his demonstrations of control this year were for real, and how those will hold up pitching every fifth day. So long as he can throw plenty of strikes with his FB and CH while getting ahead of hitters, I think that he still can profile as a big league starter. Michael Wacha is a guy I see him similarly to, in that they're both tall, angular college righties with velocity, and the knock on both was the curveball. Wacha made some strides with his breaker in pro ball, and while he's probably a better athlete (with a cleaner arm action) than Tyler, I still personally wouldn't rule out Tyler being able to make it work as a starter. The upside for me is a #3 or #4 guy who can strike hitters out. I suppose the floor is an inconsistent starter, though you have to think his fastball and changeup would play up as a two-pitch mix in a 'pen role so long as he's able to maintain his blow-by velocity. -Adam McInturff (Live Draft Chat) |
| 2015-07-01 13:00:00 (link to chat) | 8-team NL-only standard 5x5 keeper league with 8 keepers per team & $260 salary cap. I had an offer of his Jay Bruce ($28 next year) and Michael Wacha ($17 next year) for my Nolan Arenado ($15 next year). I'm on the fringe of contending, he's in last place. Fair deal? (Kingpin from Grinnell, IA) | I would really be loathe to give up Arenado, especially at that price and if you're only on the margins of contention presently. It's probably fair value, but it's a bunch of salary coming in and an elite player going out, so unless you feel like this deal's going to address enough of your team's deficiencies to put you squarely into the mix for a title this year I'd probably pass. (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2015-06-22 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Michael Wacha's shoulder broke last year after 100IP. He's around 80 already this year. Should he have an innings limit? What about Martinez? This should be a huge STL story down the stretch. (Steve from Peoria IL) | There's a fine line here between protecting a young pitcher and getting what you can out of him before he breaks because, lets face it, they're all breaking at some point. It's also easier to do when you're not competing. The more interesting story for me is how those two maintain their effectiveness down the stretch and not whether or not they continue throwing, because I fully expect them to keep pitching. (Jeff Moore) |
| 2015-04-07 14:00:00 (link to chat) | What NL pitchers do you feel are being underrated or have some untapped potential? Excluding the well-known elite arms. (bumphillips from rain puddle) | I'm real big on Andrew Cashner over the next few years. He has made some significant mechanical improvements to shore up the most glaring weaknesses in his game (B+ delivery now), and he has the stuff to scale the next level. I really like how Michael Wacha addressed his repertoire-related needs last season, adding not one but two breakers to his fastball-change arsenal, and he has quickly gone from over-rated (this time last year) to under-rated. I think that Gerrit Cole is also ready to make the leap, and though some folks have soured on him a bit for not making the elite jump last season, he also improved his delivery to reach the A- club at a very young age, and I am very optimistic about his future. (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2015-01-21 15:00:00 (link to chat) | Speaking of outside-the-box roles, would it be worth while for St. Louis to designate Marco Gonzales or one of their high-minors guys (Tim Cooney, etc.) as 1940s-style swingmen to get fantastic but fragile Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha a rest every three weeks or so? Or have pitching roles become too specialized for that? (Bill from New Mexico) | The specialization of pitching roles is part of the issue, and the other part is that there is no assured resting pattern that would definitely make a difference for Wainwright and Wacha. I love the idea of expanding roles and having pitchers dumped into buckets based on individual tolerance (ie 20 pitches, 40, 70, etc) rather than the pre-approved patterns of one hitter, one inning, or 100 pitches (depending on the role). (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2014-05-02 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Time to adjsut the ceiling on Michael Wacha? Can he be a right-handed Cole Hamels with the FB-CH combo? Plus the CB looks better this year. (The Dude from Office) | Wacha has been stellar this year, and though his FB-CH setup brings up the Hamels comp, they are very different mechanical specimens. I'm not the biggest fan of Wacha's late posture change, but the elevated arm angle does good things for his CH trajectory so it is hard to quibble with the results. Every other element of his delivery is above-average mechanically and the Cards are an excellent organization for pitcher development, so I trust their judgment on the best path for his progression. (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2014-04-24 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Got a good explanation for Michael Wacha's bizarre line last night (4 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 10 K)? He doesn't appear to have been just rearing back and seeing how hard he could throw the thing, any more than any pitcher ever is.
(Bill from New Mexico) | I was at softball so I didn't see it, but he seemed to have devastating stuff for the most part. He lost it a bit in the fourth, though. Sorry I don't have more since I didn't see it (Paul Sporer) |
| 2014-04-08 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Do young major-league pitchers consciously tweak their mechanics to imitate the aging stars on their teams? Specifically, do you see any evidence that Michael Wacha has fine-tuned his mechanics to be more like Adam Wainwright's? Whatever he's doing, it sure seems to be working... (Bill from New Mexico) | That's not really the motivation, but it's not necessarily a coincidence that young pitchers will look more like their team's veteran stars. In the case of the Cardinals, they have a strong developmental paradigm with respect to pitching mechanics, and they allow for players with different signatures but similar efficiency. Wacha is more similar to Wainwright than the other pitchers on staff in terms of arm angle and desired pitch trajectory, so it makes sense that he would follow a similar path of development (as opposed to someone like Miller or CarMart), and the Cards P-Dev staff is likely encouraging that path.
On the jukebox: Sepultura, "Roots Bloody Roots" (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2014-03-14 09:00:00 (link to chat) | I have a few pitchers on my roster in a Dynasty League who I have idetified as good "sells" - Francisco Liriano, Hisashi Iwakuma, and Michael Wacha. Do you agree and can you think of other specific pitchers you would be selling? Conversely, who are some pitchers you would be trying to buy? (Shawnykid23 from CT) | It all depends on the context of where you're at in your success cycle. Do you have a shot at winning this year? If you do, while Taijuan Walker is likely a better long term play than Liriano, you're better off with Liriano - at least for now. Some of this also depends on how easily you can fill in with replacements. I'd only be selling pitchers like Liriano if I were in a rebuilding mode...or if I could get a pitcher like Walker on the cheap.
I don't necessarily agree or disagree with this approach. I think I would need more information about your team/situation before I could comment on whether or not it's a good or bad idea to sell these guys. I'm not sure, though, why you'd sell Wacha. He might struggle this year (and people might be overpaying for him for 2014) but I like the long term outlook. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2014-01-27 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Does Kyle Zimmer have a what it takes to be this years Michael Wacha? (Biscuits from San Jose State) | Perhaps. I like Zimmer. I think the FB is more hittable than your average power arm, and I'm not sold on the CH yet. But his breaking ball can break a lot of hearts at the plate, so he should be able to miss a lot of bats. Unlike most power arms, he is going to need sharper command to survive because the pitch is true and hitters seems to pick it up early. (Jason Parks on the Top 101 Prospects) |
| 2014-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Despite the inherent costs of starting the arbitration clock earlier, shouldn't the immediate success of top NL fireballing pitching prospects last year like Gerrit Cole, Jose Fernandez, Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha and even lower ceiling guys like Tony Cingrani and Alex Wood made it more likely that Archie Bradley, Noah Syndergaard and maybe even guys like Matt Wisler and James Taillon come up to help their clubs as early as possible? (Scott from LA) | Maybe, but remember everyone's developmental cycles are different. Kevin Gausman seemed like a good bet to succeed right out of the gates, instead he allowed more hits than innings pitched. So it's really a case-by-case thing.
Plus, with the exception of Jose Fernandez, all those pitchers were on quality teams. If I'm the Mets I'm not eager to cost myself more money later on for two months of a guy who, let's face it, isn't the difference between the postseason and the golf course. (R.J. Anderson) |
| 2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat) | 16 team dynasty league. My current OF (3) is a combo of Leonys Martin, Wil Myers, BJ Upton, Nick Swisher, Mike Morse. Ive got an offer of George Springer for my Michael Wacha. Im up in the air on it as I think my rotation (Verlander, Teheran, Ian Kennedy, Chris Tillman, Jose Quintana and Ubaldo) can handle the loss but Im wondering how you see a deal like that shaking out long term? Springers hit tool worries me long term as I could see him being a .240 hitter which impacts his counting stats production as well. What do you see he and Wacha turning into? (dzemens from Adrian, MI) | I think I would make that deal in a dynasty. Springer's average might never be great, but his power/speed combo in fantasy is enticing and a Raul Mondesi type wouldn't surprise me. I like Wacha a lot, but I see him as more of a 2/3 type than an ace. Springer might not be a top real life hitter but he could be in fantasy because of the speed. I'd make the deal. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat) | In a 16 team h2h dynasty, my Michael Wacha for his George Springer? Ive got a solid rotation but my OF is counting on Swisher or BJ Upton as the third man right now so Im looking for help. What do you think of that dea? (dzemens from Adrian, MI) | I feel like I answered this one already, but I'd say yes to this deal. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-11-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | It seems some of the luster has worn off Kevin gausman. Do you think it's unfair due to some of the production of his NL peers?
Some scouts were calling him a borderline #1 and suddenly he's questioned. Are expectations getting out of hand for rookies? (Jeremy from OK ) | Of course it's unfair. I don't think he's a #1, but if the guy who owns him in your league thinks that his stock is down because he wasn't Michael Wacha, kindly extend him an offer. (Bret Sayre) |
| 2013-11-14 13:00:00 (link to chat) | You're GM for the Cardinals and you must trade an arm for a bat. Considering the long term aspect, which SP do you trade among Shelby, Wacha, or Martinez? (Peter from Lakeland) | That's a really tough question. If you asked this over the summer I would have said Michael Wacha without hesitation. Even if it was the performance of his life in the playoffs, I'm not sure you can trade him right now. He was incredible and he quelled a lot of concerns that existed about him coming out of the draft. Miller has #2 potential when he figures it all out, and even though I believe Martinez can stick in the rotation, the questions are legitimate enough that I think he's the guy you move. (Mark Anderson) |
| 2013-11-22 14:00:00 (link to chat) | An article in a recent Baseball America on Michael Wacha said that changeups are more effective against opposite-side hitters than same-siders. (It was talking about changeups in general, not just Wacha's.) In my 50 years following baseball, I've never heard this before. Is it true? If so, why?
(Rex Little from Big Bear, CA) | It is generally true that change-ups are more effective against opposite-side hitters, and the vast majority of pitchers will show a blatant trend in their approach in which they favor breaking balls against same-side hitters and change-ups with the platoon disadvantage. The reason is that batters tend to do much better on pitches that have movement that comes in on the hitter, but do poorly on those pitches that are fading away. The inner-half is a relative strength of most batters, and there are tons of guys who are relatively hopeless with off-speed/breaking stuff that is moving low-away (the Erubiel Durazo syndrome). This is why it is so critical for starters to have a third pitch in order to be effective against lineups that are stacked with hitters who have the platoon advantage.
On the jukebox: Led Zeppelin, "Night Flight" (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2013-10-28 18:00:00 (link to chat) | For 2014 only, if the price were the same, would you take Wacha or Shelby? (lester bangs from springfield) | Hi Lester:
At this moment, I'd take Michael Wacha. As I noted in the last question, I don't know if Shelby Miller is hurt or not. If Miller is healthy, this is a spring training call but I think I'd lean Miller. Wacha's lack of strong multiple secondary offerings is going to bit him over the course of a full season and while he should still be good he's not going to be this awesome. However, both Miller and Wacha should be very good options assuming they're both 100%. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-10-24 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Any players you see flying under the radar to make a big impact next season? (Greg from KCMO) | Under the radar? No. I mean, if they were on the radar I'd be tracking them, but under the radar is much harder. It's dark down there. Probably spiders too. I don't like spiders.
I think it's always tough to answer a question like this. Take Michael Wacha. Nobody, not the Cardinals, not Michael Wacha, not any prospect writer thought he'd turn into this. An ERA below a half a run in the post season? Hitting 98 with his fastball late in the game? Credit Wacha and credit the Cardinals but I don't think anyone saw this coming, at least not to this extent. And really, if we all could see everything coming, baseball wouldn't be much fun. (Matthew Kory) |
| 2013-10-15 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Should we expect more stud performances from Michael Wacha or is he outplaying himself? (Bubba from St. Louis) | I think he keeps it up (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-09-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How is Michael Wacha's nickname not Fozzie Bear? (Matt from Austin, TX) | Because obvious puns are the worst, worse even than if his nickname was M-Wac (Sam Miller) |
| 2013-09-11 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How would you slot all of the Cardinals young arms for next year? Who goes to the rotation besides Michael Wacha? Do Trevor Rosenthal and Carlos Martinez end up in the bullpen? Trade Joe Kelly? (Scott from LA) | The Cardinals have so many first-world problems. Wacha is the most obvious one for the rotation, I think. Then Martinez. It will all depend on who is healthy. The Cardinals haven't had a healthy rotation all season and they're still having trouble finding room for Wacha and Martinez. I do think both of them are starters, but there's really no doubt with Wacha. He's probably a no. 4 starter at present and should end up as a no. 3. (Jason Cole) |
| 2013-08-08 17:30:00 (link to chat) | Rank these SP please: keeper lge: Henry Owens, Archie Bradley, Michael Wacha and ranaudo? T. Walker is OVERRATED (Minor league guy from Lake villa IL) | In a keeper, I'd go Bradley, Owens, Wacha, Walker, and Ranuado. I think Walker might be "overrated", but he could still be a solid #3 with a ceiling as a #2. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-08-01 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Now that they didn't pick up a starter, who do you think steps up for the Cardinals down the stretch in the 4/5 slots between Jake Westbrook, Joe Kelly, Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez? (Scott from LA) | Martinez is a nice sleeper; he's back in Triple-A and started for the first time since being demoted a few days ago. I assume he's going to get stretched out, and I wonder if they didn't use him in the pen to curb his innings workload a bit. I'm guessing Westbrook hangs around no matter what. After that I don't have a favorite, but obviously St. Louis can't go wrong any way they go. (R.J. Anderson Trade Deadline Wrap Chat) |
| 2013-07-29 11:00:00 (link to chat) | I know comps aren't fair, but does Michael Wacha fall in-between similar FB/CH SPs like Cole Hamels and Jarrod Parker or is he more one than the other (top of rotation vs. mid-rotation arm) (The Dude from Office) | I think Wacha is going to be a very good number 3 starter. (Zach Mortimer) |
| 2013-05-29 18:30:00 (link to chat) | In a FAAB league, how aggressive should I be for Wacha? Ceiling higher or lower than Gausman? (Rick J from Boston) | Hey Rick:
In a mixed league, you probably don't want to be too aggressive with Michael Wacha. Pitchers pop up on the wire quite a bit as teams lose patience and give up on guys off to slow starts. If you're talking a $100 budget, I'd say $15-20, max. Kevin Gausman has a higher ceiling than Wacha. Wacha seems more like a potential #2-3 to me while Gausman is a potential ace. Something else I'd point out about Wacha is that his K rate at AAA is below six per nine innings. This won't have an impact on his future performance but for me is a red flag in terms of his odds for short-term success. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-05-29 18:30:00 (link to chat) | In an NL-only deep Ultra dynasty league, I was recently offered Cliff Lee for Michael Wacha, Luis Valbuena, Daniel Hudson, Jameson Taillon and Chris Heisey. I thought I was being asked tp give up too much, and asked for more in return. Lee's owner then turned around and traded Lee for Randall Delgado, Dave Sappelt, Tyler Cloyd, Francisco Peguero and Khris Davis. This deal struck me as either ludicrous or retaliatory: He gave up up top starter (Lee has had four excellent starts since then) for three fifth outfielders and two fifth starters. Am I wrong to think these two offers are not on the same planet? (gerrybraun from san diego) | Hi Gerry.
Without knowing the salaries/contracts of the players involved, I'd agree that the two offers don't compare. Taillon and Wacha are both potentially #2 starters for your future team and Hudson is a good bounce back candidate assuming health. Even if I'm being generous, I don't see how Delgado and Cloyd are going to be better than Taillon and Wacha, and the hitters really seem like bench guys who maybe start at some point if they get really, really lucky. My guess is that the deal was ludicrous rather than retaliatory, but you have every right to be annoyed at your league mate. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-05-16 13:00:00 (link to chat) | I'm seeing Michael Wacha pitch for the first time tonight. What, exactly, am I going to see? (Kurt O. from Tacoma, WA) | A guy with a good overall feel for pitching; can work the FB in the 91-95 range; can sit mid-90s in bursts; very good CH; better than you think CB; can change speeds; can work east/west/north/south with FB; good pace and good overall composure on the mound. Solid #3 starter in the making. It's going to happen. (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-05-16 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Michael Wacha walks through my dreams. Tell me that I'm not getting excited over a future #4/5 starter? (Onwalkabout from Around) | He will be a #3 (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-04-16 20:00:00 (link to chat) | What's your take on Michael Wacha? Mid-rotation (in real life) SP? (IrishPhog from StL) | Cosigned. Think he'll be in the Cards pen during the 2nd half and then groomed for the rotation eventually, a la Trevor Rosenthal. (Bret Sayre) |
| 2013-03-28 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What's Michael Wacha's ceiling, and how soon does he arrive in the bigs? (Bill from New Mexico) | Number 3 starter on a playoff team; could be ready this year (opportunity might be the impediment there). (Nick Faleris) |
| 2012-12-13 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Thoughts on Michael Wacha? Seems there are incredibly rave reviews out there, but due to the sample size, and style (bullpen vs starting) should the results be taken with a grain of salt? (Jake from Springfield) | You can discount the stats because of a small sample, but you can't discount the scouting. Wacha arrived at the pro level with even better stuff than he showed in college, with the CB really stepping up and looking like a very legit plus offering. The velocity reports are from short-bursts, so I doubt he becomes a steady 93-96 mph starter, but the pitch should be an easy plus offering, working in the low-90s with good movement and command. I really like Wacha. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-12-13 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Thanks for the chat, JP! I know you really like Michael Wacha, but is he close to the Miller/Rosie/Martinez triumvirate? Are there four musketeers, or only three? (Optimus Primo Levi from Alternative Reality TV) | Oh yes. He's in that group. He might not be shoulder to shoulder with Miller (yet), but he belongs in the discussion with the rest of those arms. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-09-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Michael Wacha had about as flawless a debut and finished with AA Springfield. At draft time, the consensus seemed to be that he was a high floor, mid-rotation possibility. Any chance his ceiling is higher than #3 (which would of course be great)? Who is the first to establish himself in the Card's rotation between Miller, Martinez, Rosenthal and Wacha? (Oliver from Boston, MA) | I think Wacha's ceiling is probably safer in the #3 range, with an outside shot he over-performs that. He was fantastic this season, but he was only working in 2 inning bursts, so it will be interesting to see how he looks when pace and sequence play a larger role. In bursts, he was 92-95 touching higher, with a plus 12-6 CB and a very promising CH.
Miller will establish first, and Wacha won't be far behind. Martinez is the wild card because I would give him the higher ceiling, but the bullpen whispers will never end. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How high does Michael Wacha slot into the Cardinals' long list of pitching prospects? Presumably after Miller, but do you expect more of him than of Carlos Martinez or Trevor Rosenthal? (Bill from New Mexico) | I'm still not sure where he fits into a rotation. I'll take Miller and Martinez over him, but probably Wacha over Rosenthal. (Bradley Ankrom) |
| 2012-04-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How would you rank these 3 in ceiling: Kyle Zimmer, Michael Wacha and Marcus Stroman? Thx (Steven from Madison) | I really like Zimmer, but I haven't seen enough to rank the players with any accuracy. It depends on how you value rotation horses vs potential late-inning arms. Did you prefer the electricity of a late-inning arm or the safety of a solid-average number 3 that chews innings? I tend to lean towards electricity. (Jason Parks) |
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PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile
A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC
Michael Wacha has thrown 22,274 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2013 and 2024, all of them occuring in Spring Training. In 2024, he has relied primarily on his Change (81mph) and Fourseam Fastball (93mph), also mixing in a Sinker (93mph), Curve (75mph), Cutter (88mph) and Slider (86mph).
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