ESPN: Analysis of Joe Nathan with Heat Maps

The Texas Rangers must have liked what they saw from Joe Nathan's last three months with the Minnesota Twins in 2011. The key to Nathan's improved performance after coming off the disabled list in late June (he missed a month with a muscle strain) was a much more effective slider. 

Source: ESPN (Katie Sharp & Michael Bonzagni)

ESPN: Bullpens in focus, ready for World Series

ESPN provides fans with access to interactive heat maps in their latest MLB World Series article.

This year, the team with the league’s best rotation -- the Philadelphia Phillies -- was knocked out in the first round. The two teams that eventually advanced to the Fall Classic have done so largely on the strength of shutdown bullpens. 

Source: ESPN (Mark Simon)

ESPN: Mariano Rivera makes baseball history

Mariano Rivera became the all-time saves leader on Monday with his 602nd save, in a victory over the Minnesota Twins. Rivera tied Trevor Hoffman on Saturday with his 601st save, and broke the tie with a strikeout of Chris Parmelee to cap a perfect ninth inning. 

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first time that Parmelee faced Rivera in his career. Left-handed hitters are now 68-429 (.159 batting average) career in their first career plate appearance versus Rivera. 

Source: ESPN.com (Stats & Info Blog)

ESPN: A Close Look at Jerome Williams

September 13, 2011

The sample is small, but the numbers are amazing. 

In the three starts that Jerome Williams has made since his return to the big leagues, he’s gotten hitters to miss on 30 percent of their swings. 

That’s impressive. 

It’s better than the rates that Tim Lineceum (26.8), Clayton Kershaw (25.0), and Jered Weaver (23.2) have posted, though of course that’s over a full season. The only starter to maintain that rate over the full 2011 season has been Athletics righty Rich Harden, who gets misses on 31 percent of his swings. 

Source: ESPN (Mark Simon)

ESPN: Welcome to The Information Age

ESPN takes a close look at how technology is changing the game... of course this evolution goes well beyond baseball...

Players have loads of information at their fingertips these days, like these heat maps from TruMedia.If you think that's how baseball games are decided nowadays, it's very possible you're still listening to music on a "record player." And running all over town trying to buy "film" for your camera. And looking up numbers in a "phone book."

Friends, we just don't live on that planet anymore. And neither does the beautiful sport of baseball -- no matter how unchanged it may look from afar on your old black-and-white TV "set."

Source: ESPN (Jayson Stark)