Anthony Swarzak

[Feeky Magee]

Reliever who got a minor-league deal/spring training invite from the Sox.

 

2015 MLB with the Twins: 8.78 K/9, 2.70 BB/9, 3.38 ERA, 3.32 SIERA

2016 AAA with the Yankees: 8.29 K/9, 1.54 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.96 FIP

2016 MLB with the Yankees: 9.00 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, 5.52 ERA, 3.21 SIERA

2017 Spring Training with the Sox: 11.6 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.58 FIP

 

Interesting pick-up.

[GreenSox]

Reliever who got a minor-league deal/spring training invite from the Sox.

 

2015 MLB with the Twins: 8.78 K/9, 2.70 BB/9, 3.38 ERA, 3.32 SIERA

2016 AAA with the Yankees: 8.29 K/9, 1.54 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.96 FIP

2016 MLB with the Yankees: 9.00 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, 5.52 ERA, 3.21 SIERA

2017 Spring Training with the Sox: 11.6 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.58 FIP

 

Interesting pick-up.

Those stats are a lot better than some of the other high K guys they have picked up like Kahnle (who they actually traded for).

The K BB numbers seem better than the ERA. I wonder what the problem is - homer prone?

[Dick Allen]

Those stats are a lot better than some of the other high K guys they have picked up like Kahnle (who they actually traded for).

The K BB numbers seem better than the ERA. I wonder what the problem is - homer prone?

Tommy Kahnle is better than this dope.

 

And the stats couldn't be more cherry picked.

Edited March 25, 2017 by Dick Allen

[Bob Sacamano]

Reliever who got a minor-league deal/spring training invite from the Sox.

 

2015 MLB with the Twins: 8.78 K/9, 2.70 BB/9, 3.38 ERA, 3.32 SIERA

2016 AAA with the Yankees: 8.29 K/9, 1.54 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.96 FIP

2016 MLB with the Yankees: 9.00 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, 5.52 ERA, 3.21 SIERA

2017 Spring Training with the Sox: 11.6 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 3.86 ERA, 2.58 FIP

 

Interesting pick-up.

 

Was there a point to posting this now? Did he make the team or something and I just missed it?

[GreenSox]

Tommy Kahnle is better than this dope.

 

And the stats couldn't be more cherry picked.

He's not (unless and until Kahnle does something about that 5.5BB/9).

I agree they were.

Edited March 25, 2017 by GreenSox

[Feeky Magee]

Those stats are a lot better than some of the other high K guys they have picked up like Kahnle (who they actually traded for).

The K BB numbers seem better than the ERA. I wonder what the problem is - homer prone?

His ERA spike last year seems to be mostly due to a fairly ridiculous 27.8% homer per fly ball rate (career 9.7%).

 

Tommy Kahnle is better than this dope.

 

And the stats couldn't be more cherry picked.

They're cherry-picked to the extent that they're the first stats I look for in a reliever, in addition to GB% (which he's average at). Tommy Kahnle can't throw strikes, which is probably the reason why Kahnle got optioned to AAA while Swarzak is still with the team.

[Dick Allen]

His ERA spike last year seems to be mostly due to a fairly ridiculous 27.8% homer per fly ball rate (career 9.7%).

 

 

They're cherry-picked to the extent that they're the first stats I look for in a reliever, in addition to GB% (which he's average at). Tommy Kahnle can't throw strikes, which is probably the reason why Kahnle got optioned to AAA while Swarzak is still with the team.

You blew off his minor league numbers in 2015, focused on 13 innings in the major leagues. Used FIP for minor league numbers last year, but used SiERRA for his major league number, I am guessing because his FIP was over 6.00.. And are using spring training stats in games that don't count against AA players this year, and pretty much blew off the rest of the 31 year olds career.

 

 

They are as cherry picked as can be.

 

The reason this guy hasn't been optioned is because he already is a minor leaguer.

 

His last 44 1/3 MLB innings he has 44 strikeouts. Other than that, he's pretty much been meat.

Edited March 25, 2017 by Dick Allen

[Al Lopez's Ghost]

If The choice is between Anthony Swarzak or Tommy Kahnle, you really can't go right.

[Feeky Magee]

You blew off his minor league numbers in 2015, focused on 13 innings in the major leagues. Used FIP for minor league numbers last year, but used SiERRA for his major league number, I am guessing because his FIP was over 6.00.. And are using spring training stats in games that don't count against AA players this year, and pretty much blew off the rest of the 31 year olds career.

 

 

They are as cherry picked as can be.

 

The reason this guy hasn't been optioned is because he already is a minor leaguer.

 

His last 44 1/3 MLB innings he has 44 strikeouts. Other than that, he's pretty much been meat.

Try again, Dick. I didn't blow off his 2015 minor numbers, he only had 5 innings pitched (5 strikeouts, a walk and 2 runs, if you're interested). I'll always use SIERA if it's available, I used FIP because SIERA or xFIP isn't available for the minor leagues. I don't particularly like FIP when you have such a clear outlier of a HR/FB.

 

I obviously didn't go back over the rest of his career because if the rest of his career had been like that, he wouldn't have been available to the Sox. Maybe he changed something.

 

And FYI he's still with the Sox because the Sox like him.

 

Scott Merkin‏Verified account

@scottmerkin

@JamesFox917 @SSS_joshnelson Don't rule out Swarzak [making the 25-man]. Team likes him

[southsider2k5]

If The choice is between Anthony Swarzak or Tommy Kahnle, you really can't go right.

 

This. Fighting over middle relief on a bad team? Ugh.

[Dick Allen]

Try again, Dick. I didn't blow off his 2015 minor numbers, he only had 5 innings pitched (5 strikeouts, a walk and 2 runs, if you're interested). I'll always use SIERA if it's available, I used FIP because SIERA or xFIP isn't available for the minor leagues. I don't particularly like FIP when you have such a clear outlier of a HR/FB.

 

I obviously didn't go back over the rest of his career because if the rest of his career had been like that, he wouldn't have been available to the Sox. Maybe he changed something.

 

And FYI he's still with the Sox because the Sox like him.

No mention of his Korean League stint in 2015. He is on a minor league contract. If 5 is too few innings what is the cutoff? 13 innings and 9 innings in games that don't count made your list.

 

You won't be bumping this thread several months from now.

 

The guy sucks.

Edited March 25, 2017 by Dick Allen

[Quin]

If The choice is between Anthony Swarzak or Tommy Kahnle, you really can't go right.

 

But if we add in Luebke, we can go left.

[Feeky Magee]

No mention of his Korean League stint in 2015. He is on a minor league contract.

 

The guy sucks.

I was just pulling off Fangraphs, which didn't include that. I assumed he was injured.

 

He probably won't amount to much, but he's at least intriguing. I got heat as well for saying Putnam could be something when the Sox picked him off the scrapheap, looking at his K:BB from similar samples, despite a pretty gaudy ERA. Swarzak isn't as intriguing, given his long history of bleh, but as I said maybe he changed something. It's at least worth a topic with one of the beat writers saying he has a shot of making the team.

[Dick Allen]

I was just pulling off Fangraphs, which didn't include that. I assumed he was injured.

 

He probably won't amount to much, but he's at least intriguing. I got heat as well for saying Putnam could be something when the Sox picked him off the scrapheap, looking at his K:BB from similar samples, despite a pretty gaudy ERA. Swarzak isn't as intriguing, given his long history of bleh, but as I said maybe he changed something. It's at least worth a topic with one of the beat writers saying he has a shot of making the team.

I doubt he makes the team for the 40 man roster's sake alone.

[Feeky Magee]

I doubt he makes the team for the 40 man roster's sake alone.

Good chance he doesn't, but we'll have people up and down from Charlotte all year long.

[Y2Jimmy0]

The last bullpen spot could come down to Swarzak and Luebke. I figured Luebke because he's LHH and could possibly moved later in season if he's solid. Doesn't really matter though.

[Feeky Magee]

I obviously didn't go back over the rest of his career because if the rest of his career had been like that, he wouldn't have been available to the Sox. Maybe he changed something.

Seems that he's simply added velocity.

 

The right-handed-throwing non-roster invite has a solid chance to break camp with the White Sox. He can work in long relief or even as a spot-starter, if needed, in Carlos Rodon's absence.

 

Swarzak's velocity has been spiking over the last few years, reaching 97 mph in Surprise last week, which is as hard as the 31-year-old has ever thrown the ball.

"That's a testament to the training staff here and the strength and conditioning coaches here," Swarzak said. "I really like the program they have. It's pretty strength-based, which seems to be working well for me.

 

"Early on in my career, you get so conscious of injuries from other people, veterans talking to a young guy, 'Just be careful man, you only have so many bullets.' Subconsciously you kind of save some for whenever you might need it down the line. And I think these last few years I'm getting to that age where nothing is guaranteed for me, so I'm kind of letting it all out there, and I think I found another gear somewhere."

 

http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/221...ty-this-spring/

[bmags]

Yep. His huge jump in velo is something to watch. Could be a big trade piece if it translates to outs.

[southsider2k5]

Yep. His huge jump in velo is something to watch. Could be a big trade piece if it translates to outs.

 

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

[bmags]

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

 

It happened to Dennis Quaid.

[Quin]

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

 

Yoga.

[Sleepy Harold]

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

[LittleHurt05]

Yoga.

 

Pilates to be exact...

[GreenSox]

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

Unusual, but the Sox are due for some luck like that.

[Feeky Magee]

A 31 year old with a velocity jump? Sounds suspicious to me.

Article says he's added it over the past few years, coinciding with his rise in strikeouts:

 

Swarzak's velocity has been spiking over the last few years