Last season, Syndergaard’s delivery times ranked 248th out of 278 pitchers with at least 100 recorded times by Baseball Info Solutions. His average delivery time (from the start of his windup until the ball hit the catcher’s glove) was 1.65 seconds, 0.25 of a second slower than the league average. He was clocked as slow as 2.04. These slow times resulted in Syndergaard’s giving up the most stolen bases of any pitcher in baseball.

Pitchers who gave up the most steals in 2016 Noah Syndergaard 48 Jimmy Nelson 30 Jon Lester 28 Ubaldo Jimenez 26 Jake Arrieta 23 Cole Hamels 23

Not only did he give up the most stolen bases, but base stealers were also successful 84.2 percent of the time compared with the major league average of 71.7 percent.

Why Base Stealers Have the Edge on Syndergaard

Good base stealers can get to second base in about 3.4 seconds; some get there even faster. Syndergaard’s catcher, usually Rene Rivera, can catch the ball, transfer it to his throwing hand and get it to second base in an average of 1.91 seconds. (The league average for catchers is 1.98.) That leaves Syndergaard only 1.5 seconds to go through his wind-up and throw the pitch to Rivera. That’s the problem: Syndergaard’s delivery is rarely that fast.

Syndergaard’s 2016 delivery times (seconds) 1.32 Fastest 1.40 Major League average 1.65 Average 2.04 Slowest

With Syndergaard’s average delivery time at 1.65 seconds, he and Rivera have to hope for a slow base stealer or one who gets a slow jump from first base.

1.91 seconds 3.56 seconds Rivera’s average time to second base Total time from Syndergaard to Rivera to second 1.65 seconds Syndergaard’s average pitch-delivery time 3.40 seconds A good base stealer’s time to second 1.91 seconds 3.56 seconds Total time from Syndergaard to Rivera to second Rivera’s average time to second base 1.65 seconds Syndergaard’s average pitch-delivery time 3.40 seconds A good base stealer’s time to second 1.91 seconds 3.56 seconds Total time from Syndergaard to Rivera to second Rivera’s average time to second base 1.65 seconds 3.40 seconds A good base stealer’s time to second Syndergaard’s average pitch-delivery time 1.91 seconds 3.56 seconds Rivera’s average time to second base Total time from Syndergaard to Rivera to second 1.65 seconds Syndergaard’s average pitch-delivery time 3.40 seconds A good base stealer’s time to second

How Base Stealers Get the Jump on Pitchers

A right-handed pitcher’s delivery to home begins when his left heel comes off the ground. That is what many base stealers look for as their cue to steal. But if the right heel comes up first, the base runner dashes back to first base because the pitcher is about to attempt a pickoff throw.

Left heel: Go Once a right-hander lifts his left heel, he must continue his delivery to home or be called for a balk. So if the runner sees that heel come up first, he is off and running.