Since 2002, 620 different major-league pitchers have thrown at least three hundred innings. With the signing yesterday of Tyler Clippard, the Diamondbacks' bullpen will include both the man over that time who has generated the lowest percentage of fly-balls (Brad Ziegler,. 16.1%) and the man who has generated the highest percentage of fly-balls (Clippard, 56.6%). We know what Ziegler has done, but there's some concern over the new arrival, particularly given the hitter-friendly nature of Chase Field. Is that warranted?
Generally, ground-ball pitchers will give up more hits and have that higher BABIP, but those hits will tend, as we have seen with Ziegler over his time with Arizona, to be singles.