This interactive scatter plot evaluates the 2024 St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff by comparing strikeouts per nine innings (SO9) on the horizontal axis and walks per nine innings (BB9) on the vertical axis. The chart is divided into four quadrants, each representing a different combination of pitching traits. Pitchers located in the bottom right quadrant are the most effective, pairing high strikeout rates with low walk rates, traits typically associated with dominant, high-command arms. The top right quadrant includes pitchers who generate strikeouts but also issue more walks, often reflecting electric but inconsistent profiles. The bottom left quadrant contains pitchers with lower strikeout totals but good control, indicating contact-reliant styles. Meanwhile, the top left quadrant highlights pitchers who struggle in both areas, suggesting room for improvement in both command and effectiveness.
To deepen the analysis, the visualization incorporates multiple dimensions beyond the standard BB9 and SO9 metrics. Circle size is proportional to innings pitched (IP), contextualizing results by workload and reliability. Larger bubbles often suggest a more central role on the staff. Color is determined by ERA+, a league-adjusted run prevention metric, allowing for immediate visual distinction between high-efficiency (green) and low-efficiency (red) arms. This enables quick identification of under- or overperformers relative to the league average (ERA+ = 100).
Advanced filters offer the user control over positional roles (starter, reliever, closer), age brackets, and inning thresholds. Of particular note is the ERA+ slider, which lets users narrow the focus to only those pitchers who exceed or underperform expectations. This level of interactivity supports scenario-specific questions, such as isolating young high-strikeout relievers or veteran starters with command issues. The filters allows the dashboard to become a powerful tool for player evaluation, roster decisions, or performance forecasting.
