"It's understanding that spin in the zone generally produces better outcomes," Bailey said over the winter. "It's understanding for the history of baseball that fastballs are hit the hardest and generate the most slug over a long period of time."
Fast forward to August, and it's fair to question the staying power of that approach. The Red Sox have thrown nearly 1,500 more sweepers than anyone else, with their 19.9 percent usage the highest of the Statcast era.
Since the All-Star break, this has not been a recipe for success. The Red Sox have allowed the most homers (52) and highest OPS (.873) of any staff in baseball.
So what gives? Break down those 52 homers, and a clear pattern emerges. Red Sox pitchers have surrendered 11 on cutters, 11 on sweepers, and seven on changeups.
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