Chris Stratton brings positive spin to Pirates bullpen
BRADENTON, Fla. — Chris Stratton has a comfortable feeling in his first spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“I feel like I’ve been a Pirate for three or four years,” the relief pitcher said. “I don’t why. I guess it’s just the group of guys that we have. It’s been a lot of fun in this camp. I really feel at home.”
Stratton hopes he has found some stability after a tumultuous beginning to last season.
Stratton went to spring training with the San Francisco Giants, the organization that drafted him in the first round in 2014 from Mississippi State and for which he made his major league debut two years later.
However, late in the spring training, the Giants designated him for assignment when it became clear he wasn’t going to make their Opening Day roster. Stratton then was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for left-handed reliever Williams Jerez.
Oddly enough, the Pirates claimed Jerez off waivers from the Giants in September. Both are trying to win bullpen jobs this spring.
In early May, the Angels also DFA’d Stratton. The Pirates acquired him in a cash transaction, and he spent the rest of the season pitching primarily in long relief.
“It was a little crazy for the family, that’s for sure,” said Stratton, who has a 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. “I was just trying to get adjusted to new people, just trying to figure out the pecking order of a new team, kind of where everybody sits with each other. It’s nice to come back this year and see familiar faces.”
The unassuming Stratton not only assimilated well in the clubhouse but had a solid season. He posted a 3.66 ERA in 28 games for a team that finished in last place in the National League Central and had the second-worst ERA in the league at 5.18.
Stratton and catcher Jacob Stallings became close friends, and their families vacationed at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., during the offseason.
Stratton also participated in the Pirates’ fantasy football league.
“It’s was fun and helped keep me stay connected with the guys,” Stratton said.
And how did his team fare?
“That’s a sore subject,” Stratton said with a smile.
If spin rate translated to football personnel decisions, Stratton probably would have won the league.
He had some of the best spin rates on his pitches of any major leaguer last season. Stratton’s curveball ranked seventh in spin rate — measured in revolutions per minutes (rpm) — and his slider was 15th. Scouts also raved about the movement on his fastball.
The advanced metrics led the Pirates to believe the 29-year-old Stratton could be a late bloomer. After all, he has the cache of being a first-rounder.
However, the results haven’t matched up with his draft status. In four major league seasons, Stratton is 16-17 record with a 4.88 ERA in 83 games, including 41 starts.
“What I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is putting more spin on my pitches is the route to success,” Stratton said.
Stratton does not profess to be an analytics guru. However, he knows the spin rate numbers and has found the advanced stats to not only be helpful but perhaps a career saver.
“You need to be aware of the (analytics) to know what you’re good at, but you also can’t worry about it too much because you’ve still got to execute pitches in the right spots,” Stratton said. “But it’s good to understand the numbers because they tell you where your stuff plays best, and that’s helped me improve as a pitcher.”
John Perrotto is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
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