Kathy Willens / AP

CC Sabathia is thriving in this postseason thanks to fewer innings pitched down the stretch.

Q: On the radar gun, where is the speed measured? At the release from the pitcher’s hand, or as the ball crosses home plate?
— Roy Lofton, Dutch Harbor, Alaska

A: The guns that have been used for years work exactly the same as those speed detectors you see on the freeways. They register a reading shortly after the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.

We all know that pitches — particularly breaking balls — slow down a bit as they get to home plate. And the latest technology that we’re seeing on the Fox broadcasts during the postseason is able to detect that decrease in speed — usually about 5-7 mph. You gotta love technology.

I like the use of speed guns as much as the next guy; they are a great measure of relative speeds all pitchers can reach. But I do believe way too much emphasis is placed on the readings — often by the pitchers themselves. It’s a macho thing, and don’t discount how it factors into pitchers’ approaches to hitters.

Here’s an example that I’m sure happens often around the game. In a September game at Coors Field, Tim Lincecum’s early-inning gun readings were 4-5 mph below his norm — enough to make you wonder about an injury or late-season fatigue kicking in.

But in the Giants’ dugout and broadcast booth, the thinking was that the Rockies deliberately geared down the gun, in an attempt to get into Lincecum’s head. He pitched well, deep into the game anyway.

Q: I wonder if the Angels would have won 97 games if there wasn’t an unbalanced schedule. The Angels have always been tough on the Yankees, but if they both played the same schedule, would the Angels’ record be the same?
— Robert Hoffman, Oakhurst, N.J.

A: There’s little debate that the AL East is the toughest division in baseball, Robert, and I guess that’s where you’re going with this question.

I have to agree; the Angels may not have won 97 games if they had to play the same schedule as the Yankees did. But here are a couple of factors that shed a favorable light on the schedule they did play:

1) Both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners were dramatically improved and finished above .500 this season, giving the Angels a much-tougher division schedule than usual. In fact, the Angels were only 30-27 in division games, as opposed to 26-17 against the AL East.

2) The Angels also played two series against the Dodgers in interleague play (as opposed to the Yankees playing the Mets twice). And the Angels also played an interleague series against the Rockies, another NL playoff qualifier.

So it’s not as if Mike Scioscia’s team had a cakewalk to the playoffs.

Q: What are the chances that John Smoltz will stay with the Cardinals? I thought he was terrific with St. Louis, and would be a great No. 3 starter behind Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright if Joel Pineiro leaves through free agency.
— Stephen Shoemaker, Tulsa

A: How the Cardinals’ winter unfolds begins with the twin fates of manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan. Things seem to be heading toward both returning with new contracts, but until that happens, the futures of Smoltz, Pineiro, Matt Holliday and everybody else are on hold.

La Russa and Duncan think highly of Pineiro and would like to re-sign him, but the right-hander may have pitched himself out of the Cardinals’ price range, as he could land a big, long-term deal elsewhere after his excellent 2009 regular season.

That would set up a return to St. Louis for Smoltz, who already has said he wants to pitch again in 2010, and add to what already is a Hall of Fame-caliber career. I think Smoltz is a nice fit near the back of the Cardinals rotation.

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