GB/FB Rate: Pitchers

Is there a relationship between groundball efficiency and low era's? Let's take a look at the top 10 GB pitchers. All of them are sinkerball pitchers. The sinkerball is known for inducing groundball outs and most notably the double play ball. How do the 10 best sinkerballers fare in the ERA category?

Brandon Webb 3.65 ratio of GB to FB. 3.70 ERA.

Derrick Lowe 3.59 GB ratio. 3.64 ERA.

Sergio Mitre 3.13 GB ratio. 1.88 ERA.

Fausto Carmona GB ratio of 2.89. Identical ERA of 2.89.

Aaron Cook GB ratio of 2.58. ERA of 4.10.

Tim Hudson GB ratio of 2.41. ERA of 2.79.

Chien Min Wang GB ratio of 2.39. ERA of 4.11.

Roy Halladay GB ratio of 2.35. ERA of 4.37.

Shawn Hill GB ratio of 2.35. ERA of 2.70.

Brad Penny GB ratio of 2.10. ERA of 2.36.

Pretty amazing stuff, huh? Looks like the sinkerballers are where its at. Only one problem: You won't find any of these guys on the strikeout list.


Only Halladay, Wang, and Cook weren't under 4.00. Most of the others were well under 3, or in the 3's. However, note that Halladay's ERC is 3.01. So his ERA should be a lot lower. Wang's ERC is 3.39, so he too should be due for a lower ERA. Aaron Cook doesn't bode so well for a decrease in ERA. Last year he had the same problem. I attribute that to spotty defense on Coors. Barmes/Matsui/Tulowitski aren't exactly Omar Vizquel and Orlando Hudson.

In sum, count on the sinkerballers to provide lower ERA's.