Plate Discipline https://plate-discipline.com Data-driven visual essays about baseball. Spin rates, swing decisions, and probability shifts, designed to be felt, not just read. en-us Wed, 06 May 2026 10:30:08 +0000 The Death of the Fastball https://plate-discipline.com/the-death-of-the-fastball https://plate-discipline.com/the-death-of-the-fastball Average fastball usage dropped from 65% in 2008 to 49% in 2025. Hitters got too good at timing velocity, so pitching evolved away from its own signature weapon. Wed, 06 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000 The Cutter Took Over Baseball https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball Cutter usage tripled from 4.2% to 12.8% of all pitches between 2018 and 2025. It is now the third most common pitch in baseball. Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 What 100 MPH Used to Mean https://plate-discipline.com/what-100-mph-used-to-mean https://plate-discipline.com/what-100-mph-used-to-mean How triple-digit fastballs evolved from 0.4% of pitches in 2010 to 3.8% in 2025, transforming what elite velocity means in baseball. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 The Dead Ball Is Back https://plate-discipline.com/the-dead-ball-is-back https://plate-discipline.com/the-dead-ball-is-back League-wide home run rates dropped 12% between 2023 and 2025. The ball changed. Again. Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 The Closer Is a Myth https://plate-discipline.com/the-closer-is-a-myth https://plate-discipline.com/the-closer-is-a-myth Save percentage tells you almost nothing about reliever quality. The best reliever on most teams doesn't pitch the 9th inning. The closer role costs teams wins. Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Pitch Clock and the Rhythm of the Game https://plate-discipline.com/pitch-clock-and-the-rhythm-of-the-game https://plate-discipline.com/pitch-clock-and-the-rhythm-of-the-game The clock cut 26 minutes off an average game. It also changed strikeout rates, walk rates, stolen base attempts, and how pitchers sequence their arsenals. Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 How Spring Training Stats Lie https://plate-discipline.com/how-spring-training-stats-lie https://plate-discipline.com/how-spring-training-stats-lie The correlation between a hitter's spring training batting average and his regular season batting average is 0.07. That is almost zero. Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000