Travis Sawchik @Travis_Sawchik Twitter profile

Pinned Tweet

Travis Sawchik

24 days

The MLB velocity range is shrinking. Dove into velocity range, looking all pitchers' minimum, max, and median fastball velos since 2007. Pitchers are indeed max-efforting more and more (and that probably has something - or a lot - to do with injury).

9

59

256

Last Seen Profiles

@__eeeeeoe

@blackplgueENDER

@jungkook976096

@jorgezepedap

@melidardila

@crispycamel

@1snafee1

@koylufirildak

@MsLvcky

@Bencuixe

@isyrafmadjid

@Rami548373

@JustALonelyGeek

@SkeweredS

@Ririnbandung

@claugalaVII

@FGPerfectShots

@kaptaan_ik_01

@SidmouthTownAFC

@TightTemp

@hashimwoto

@EspanaSalud_ve

@ILLYKI1

@Pressedalter

@_aso_bi

@gary_eth

@MartinGTobias

@justere28

@thornprotector

@verythickvajjjj

@jcarnes11alive

@TC_Jax_Football

@ColourVisionRec

@Reshma_Reshuuu

@warriors

@limonadadfresa

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

12 days

The A's are 2.5 games out of first place with the game's best closer and an owner trying to run them out of town. We've seen this movie before.

178

3K

31K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Manfred: ‘Last five years have been very difficult for the league from a revenue perspective.’ MLB has totaled about $43 billion in that period.

367

3K

24K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 months

Spencer Strider with a masterclass on accepting defeat, responsibility (it's been lacking from certain players, execs this postseason): "The people trying to use the playoff format to make an excuse for the results they don't like are not confronting the real issue. You're in…

272

970

13K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 months

The Dodgers won 142 games in the regular season, but the five-day break before facing the Reds in the NLDS was just too much rust to shake.

42

530

10K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

The Mets spent more in free agency in one night ($315m) than the Pirates have spent since 2010 ($207m)

179

1K

8K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Albert Pujols is 21 home runs away from 700. There are 15 new DH spots. He's been a below-average hitter for five straight seasons and is 42. Who is biting here?

542

190

6K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 months

Fanatics' dept. head of jersey materials

8

246

5K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Apple should just buy all 30 MLB franchises. Apple has $200 billion in cash. Ultimate bundle.

59

216

4K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

Laz Diaz’s reaction to Joey Gallo hitting a foul ball out of LoanDepot Park 😂

16

172

3K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

The MLB proposal tonight is for 12 playoff teams

48

150

2K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

One agent: "I haven't heard about any players voting 'No.'"

72

305

2K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 month

There is no Tommy John surge this spring -- it's just always this bad since ~2014. Today marks the 100th day of the year, a period during when most elbow injuries occur. We looked at the first 100 days of each year re: TJS procedures for MLB and all pro pitchers since Tommy John…

83

383

2K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 month

End MLB interleague play and realign geographically

175

96

2K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

My first HoF ballot, @NotMrTibbs

370

49

2K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

Me from the future: Cole and Glasnow are pitching in the playoffs today Pirates in 2014: Yes!!! Me from the future: But they're not on the same team ... Pirates 2014: Well, that's OK, we probably traded one for a star Me from the future: It's an ALDS game ...

26

207

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

A story and a thread on a major failing of the modern stadium construction boom: It's pushed MLB fans further away from the game. We see less, and hear less. It's changed fan behavior. Explored through the lens of moving from old Comiskey Park to new🧵:

The Comiskey effect: Can MLB revive what it lost in the retro building

CHICAGO - During the last season of Comiskey Park's existence, its replacement was rising adjacent to it.As Comiskey's final months ticked away in 1990, the new stadium's giant concrete grandstands...

www.thescore.com

113

255

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Jerry Maguire II: Tom Cruise attempts to get a 32-year-old, one-WAR outfielder signed before spring training ends

19

193

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

This included the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but every other year within the last five MLB was at $9.5 billion or more in revenues. Team values are increasing. Only the Braves' books are public and they netted $103, in cash flow in 2021

19

52

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

MLB’s ‘defensive’ lockout has resulted in one official offer to players in 70 days

28

132

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

When you're traded to the Astros, this is what your first meeting with the club is like (via a nonfiction book titled The MVP Machine):

34

259

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

The following are the only five MLB teams’ broadcasts that will be available on Amazon Prime: Tigers, Royals, Marlins, Rays, and Brewers.

77

176

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

Fact-checking comments from Jim Crane ... The Astros were an outlier in improving from 2016 to 2017 (many of the same players), particularly at home. From November:

35

320

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

That's $103 million*

21

24

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Since 2002: S&P 500 return: +308% MLB team values: +564% (per Statista)

20

179

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

Some personal news: I am a free agent. I am among those being laid off as ABC News reduces staff. I look forward to whatever is next in journalism, or baseball, or elsewhere. My direct messages and email are open.

105

72

1K

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 months

I think rust is real to some degree, but this is a better message. Leadership.

43

8

967

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Cool, cool

44

291

914

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 months

Orioles' Mike Elias on Ohtani maybe being at the Blue Jays' facility the other day: "Have you seen Dunedin facility? I'd be showing that off, too."

10

89

939

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Free agency requirements haven't changed since 1976. Arbitration eligibility hasn't changed much since '91. Player career length has changed *a lot.* Service time declined 23% from 2003 to '19. Manfred wrote that MLB players have the best deal. They don't.

Manfred's letter should be call for players to dig in

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred wasted no time painting the players' association as the greedier side in collective bargaining negotiations - and the one responsible for the lockout...

www.thescore.com

27

283

912

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

‘Joe Torre is right there. Ask him. He’s got his head down trying not to look up’

18

173

898

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 months

Free agency scoreboard: Dodgers $1.053 billion Rest of MLB $873 million

40

148

883

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

15 days

Elite logo

0

14

788

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

@enosarris A bad team … but a bad team that gains a 700-homer countdown tracker!

8

0

721

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

The shorter "arm circle" or "elbow spiral" is gaining in popularity (Jameson Taillon and Aaron Civale are among the new adopters) and when you look at the success guys like Giolito, Bauer, Bieber & Plesac have had with the shorter arm action it makes a lot of sense. Mini-thread:

18

121

723

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

A source with experience in MLB labor talks: "They need to tie [MLB] revenue growth to CBT growth. Are we really going to do this every five years?" Arguably the biggest stumbling block, but there are many.

38

55

702

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

If Mt. Davis was never built would the perception of Oakland's stadium situation be different?

126

48

704

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

6 months

The Cubs could just make a two screenshot presentation to Ohtani and it would compelling

15

57

663

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 months

Perhaps it's no surprise that Strider is one of the more self-made players in MLB. Accountability leads to improvement, performance:

How Spencer Strider developed a cheat-code pitch to become an unlikely

NORTH PORT, Fla. - The pitch is essentially a laser beam. Spencer Strider's top-of-the-scale fastball, an 80-grade offering on baseball's 20-to-80 scouting scale, is one of the best pitches in the...

www.thescore.com

6

12

656

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

Time of games today: NYY-PHI 2h34m PHI-DET 2h15m BOS-ATL 2h39m TB-MIN 2h31m BAL-MIN 2h54m TOP-PIT 2h47m WSH-STL 2h26m NYM-HOU 2h33m 👀

39

48

624

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Source: players' understanding is a 162-game season is still possible. Today's agreement on draft/QO key to that.

12

79

609

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

11 months

The Reds are now the fastest team in MLB by median sprint speed. They’ve made significant gains in defensive efficiency since the the middle of May. They’ve doubled the value of their farm system since ‘20. The smoke machine is firing in the clubhouse. 🚀

They're building a new Big Red Machine in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI - Sounds could be heard from behind the double doors to the Reds home clubhouse as reporters waited for postgame access on June 7. Though muffled, you could hear hollering, laughing, and...

www.thescore.com

6

74

602

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

As the Royals are sold for $1 billion, just remember your favorite team can not afford your favorite player who is nearing free agency

17

162

522

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

Imagine the Blue Jays facing pitchers with clean hands for rest of season

10

43

519

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 months

The Dodgers are deferring $857 million in player salary to 2033-2044, when it won't count against the luxury tax (assuming it exists). Their owners will have had 10+ years to compound their wealth, and grow ballclub revenues against artificially lower star salaries in the…

108

94

517

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 years

MLB now using an explosive ball. Poor Brandon Morrow had no idea

23

172

497

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

Pfizer CEO: 50 million doses available this year, 1.3 billion doses in 2021 (two doses required per person) via @CNBC

28

113

505

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

Some Bobby Abreu facts: *Players to have scored 1,400 or more runs, stolen at least 400 bases, hit 288+ HR and reached base at .395 clip or better: Abreu, Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson. *From 1998 to 2010, no MLB right fielder produced more WAR than Abreu. Only Larry Walker…

19

207

497

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

12 days

Paul Skenes, Kyle Manzardo, and Junior Caminero (among others) are all in the minor leagues when they shouldn't be. There's still far from enough incentive for teams to actually field their best 26. It's also difficult for prospects to improve against MLB competition without…

53

490

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

There are no 1 pm est MLB games today or tomorrow. In the stay-at-home world, surprising to me that the sport is not taking advantage of this time ... while there is a still a season

33

60

473

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 years

Some professional news: I will be joining @Fangraphs next month as a staff writer. Really, really excited to be joining the FG team

79

36

465

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

To give you an idea of how far ahead the Astros are in the player-development-information game, they had 75 Edgertronic cameras installed throughout their system last season when many clubs were experimenting with their first high-speed camera spring

15

96

451

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 month

The Rays might have done it again José Caballero. When the Rays call you about a trade, politely find a way to get off the phone.

15

21

454

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 month

MLB pitchers to have Tommy John surgery in the first 100 days of the year since 2010, according to the @MLBPlayerAnalys database: 2010 -4 2011 - 2 2012 - 6 2013 - 4 2014 - 11 2015 - 9 2016 - 4 2017 - 5 2018 - 5 2019 - 5 2020 - 6 2021 - 11 2022 - 3 2023 - 2 2024 - 9

30

84

455

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

Spencer Strider essentially reverse engineered the Jacob deGrom fastball. The pitch is essentially a laser beam. It's all you really need as arm to dominate, but building it is quite another thing:

How Spencer Strider developed a cheat-code pitch to become an unlikely

NORTH PORT, Fla. - The pitch is essentially a laser beam. Spencer Strider's top-of-the-scale fastball, an 80-grade offering on baseball's 20-to-80 scouting scale, is one of the best pitches in the...

www.thescore.com

16

67

447

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Over the last few years, we've heard a lot of media members -- and even folks in baseball -- mock "launch angle" and "spin rate." Well, Ted Williams had a launch angle. Bob Feller had a spin rate. We can just measure those traits now. Baseball is physics. Let's all join 2019.

24

73

439

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

MLB salary floor, anyone?

18

425

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

6 years

Neil Walker at $4 million guaranteed is a shocking contract and steal for the Yankees. At least 236 MLB players will be paid more in 2018. He's had seven straight 2+WAR seasons

25

99

417

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

@MAstronomers The race to Neptune

5

409

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Chris Archer for Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz. Like for Rays. Retweet for Pirates.

19

7

409

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Maybe MLB shouldn’t have waited 42 days to start talking

11

33

404

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 years

Indians (+190) have overtaken Dodgers (+187) in MLB run differential ....and Cleveland has 14 straight wins (ties franchise record)

4

214

392

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

Some personal news: I'm thrilled to announce I am joining @theScore as a senior MLB writer. I'm excited about the fit and feel fortunate to have the opportunity. Storytelling/analysis/opinion for an already popular and growing media company. I can't wait to get started.

55

7

400

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

The Astros have broken baseball

Lance Brozdowski

@LanceBroz

5 years

Yordan Alvarez's swing is GORGEOUS. First homer already in the books. 10/10 would recommend. #Astros 🔥💪📈

6

74

399

1

55

384

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

Hearing a lot of folks fatigued from MLB labor strife between billionaires and millionaires. One problem with that: the majority of active players are not millionaires

How Much Money Do MLB Players Really Make?

The 1994-95 MLB strike was seen by fans across the country as a fight of “billionaires versus millionaires,” and we just might be in for a repeat: That phrase i…

fivethirtyeight.com

33

177

373

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

8 years

Gerrit Cole on the Cubs: "I don't really think they're the best team in baseball."

89

265

366

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Manfred on if owning a team is lucrative: "Historically, (the return) is below what you'd expect to get in the stock market."

136

65

372

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 months

Bob Nutting is a big obstacle to overcome. The Pirates’ FO and staff did it from 2013-15 in part by plucking low-hanging, data-based fruit like pitch framing value and mass defensive shifting. But the club whiffed on maximizing the next wave of data and best, new practices…

20

58

378

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

I understand why it's hard for many in the public to sympathize with millionaire players, especially with all the pandemic-related job loss. But the thing is most players aren't millionaires and don't retire as such. They make it to the top of their field but time there is short.

16

72

372

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

The pace-of-play problem baseball didn't know it had: There are now more foul balls than batted balls put in play. Foul balls are up by 12% and foul territory is down by 20.5%

58

145

366

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Yes

FiveThirtyEight

@FiveThirtyEight

5 years

Are people who prefer their steaks well done wrong?

77

10

80

8

37

357

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Owners proposed reduced MLB pension funding (no cost of living increases), I'm told. That's one way to end a meeting quickly.

14

67

355

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 years

The Atlanta Braves took in a club-record $438 million in baseball revenue in 2019, an 8% increase yoy. ($340 million in operating expenses). They're owned by a publicly-traded company so we get a glimpse into how an MLB club is actually performing.

Atlanta Braves revenue hits record $476M in 2019

Here's the Braves' latest financial results reported by parent company Liberty Media.

www.bizjournals.com

16

95

351

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

According to ESPN park factors, Camden Yards has gone from the easiest park to homer at in 2021 to the most difficult in '22. The deader ball and deeper LF/wall is converting a number of extra base hits to outs. Santander just had a grand slam turned into a F7

14

77

346

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 months

Clubs that have won 54%+ of games over the previous 10 seasons: Dodgers Yankees Cardinals Guardians Astros That's it. That's the list.

18

53

345

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

@TDFriarFan It actually makes some sense if they want to sell some tickets and Coors Light in the right-field deck

2

1

333

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

10 years

Russell Martin:"The fair thing would be for our team to hold down Maldonado so Travis (Snider) can go back and sucker punch him in the face"

13

611

330

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

Update thru play Saturday: 67.2% of MLB pitchers have had a spin reduction (adjusted for velocity) since June 3, and 36% a reduction by more than half a rpm/mph unit. The threat of sticky stuff policing alone seems to be creating deterrence

10

87

321

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

3 years

'The Robot', @PhilDussault27 🤖, is on the cusp of completing arguably the greatest fantasy baseball campaign of all time. He created 'the system.' It works:

Best fantasy baseball season ever: How Phil Dussault did it

The rise of a preternatural fantasy baseball manager began by accident.It was November 2016 and Phil Dussault needed a new car for his customized hockey jersey business. He worked from home in...

www.thescore.com

35

32

321

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

The "F--- Yeah" button: How Guardians catcher Austin Hedges hacked PitchCom to pump up his pitchers and pick up their pace

How Guardians catcher Hedges hacked PitchCom to pump up his pitchers

CLEVELAND - Shane Bieber paused for a moment in the first inning of an early-season start against the Chicago White Sox.He was hearing voices - a specific, human voice.Until taking the mound, Bieber...

www.thescore.com

2

55

310

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

6 months

Still wild the Padres were in the midst of a 20-year, $1.2 billion local TV deal that is no more. It's possible, I'm told, all of the MLB clubs tied to Diamond/Bally have their rights revert back like with the NBA clubs at season's end. This uncertainty figures to be influencing…

26

55

306

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

6 years

I’m thrilled to join the FiveThirtyEight team

Nate Silver

@NateSilver538

6 years

Super excited to announce that @Travis_Sawchik will soon be joining FiveThirtyEight as our national baseball correspondent! Travis has done a tremendous job of blending statistical analysis with traditional reporting at Fangraphs and will vastly improve our ⚾ coverage.

38

29

620

29

10

305

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

6 years

New Marlins ownership bought a house they couldn't afford. Most rooms now have no furniture. Just a bean-bag chair and futon in living room.

21

88

277

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

La rage de Puig

4

38

283

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Eric Hosmer has accumulated -0.1 fWAR and $40m as a Padre. Only six years left on the contract.

11

51

274

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

Reminder: A small % of players are paid at the minimum salary level in the NFL, NBA, and NHL. But the *majority* of MLB players are compensated at the minimum level in baseball. The MLB min salary is also *less* than the aforementioned levels of other major leagues.

16

53

281

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

To the ‘I want more baseball’ crowd. It’s the same amount of baseball - played in less time. This is how it was played from 1871-1980 when it was, for a time, the most popular spectator sport.

20

32

280

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

My HoF ballot. cc: @NotMrTibbs @ShutTheDore

59

12

285

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

With the White Sox reportedly looking at a new stadium site per the @Suntimes , they have a chance to create a new model for a ballpark. The retro era failed fans in one major way (compared to classic/jewel-box era). The first team to create a new model, to bring fans closer to…

22

41

282

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

Why is Matthew Liberatore not in the StL rotation?

39

13

281

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

11 months

Every MLB owner who has relocated team, in history, has blamed the fans (you know, the customers. Strange business this is). But it's never the fans, it's the product ... and eight other items in this week's notebook:

Don't blame fans for the Las Vegas move, plus 8 more MLB items

Leading off ...The blame is always placed on the fans when MLB owners decide to move their teams.There have been 11 instances of an MLB franchise's relocation dating back to the 19th century, and the...

www.thescore.com

15

65

279

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

4 months

I voted for Billy Wagner but I struggled with his candidacy: *No HoF pitcher who predominately played in the AL or NL, finished his career with less than 1,000 innings pitched. Wagner would be a first at 903 innings. He's pushing the limits on lack of volume. *I agree with…

46

14

279

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

19 days

Isaac Paredes would have pulled like a 1,000 home runs at the Polo Grounds

5

11

277

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

5 years

Largest free agent deals in Pittsburgh Pirates history: Francisco Liriano (3y/$39 million), Ivan Nova (3y/$26 million), Russell Martin (2y/$17 million).

31

118

258

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

9 months

The Angels trading their No. 2 and No. 3 prospects a month ago for players just surrendered on waivers ... seems like a thing that shouldn't happen.

32

37

264

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

7 years

Zach Britton still waiting in bullpen for phone call

6

111

246

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

2 years

MLB attendance declines following work stoppages that cost games: 1972 (-3.7%) 1981 (-6.8%) 1995 (-20%!) Per-game attendance didn't recover the pre-strike average until 2006. ...

15

87

258

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

1 year

Changing my World Series pick to the Rays

7

14

259

Travis Sawchik

@Travis_Sawchik

8 months

Vlad Jr. has a fastball problem. His launch angle on four-seamers in the heart of the plate he's hit to pull side this year? -7 degrees. His overall rate of pulled air balls is down. His FG run value on fastballs has gone from +40 in 2021 to +2 this year. Now his contact ability…

51

32

258