The Importance of Strike One (Part 1 and 2)

[WiffleWOOD]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-importance-of-strike-one-part-one/

"One day last year, around playoff time as I recall, he mentioned to me that less than 8 percent of first-pitch strikes turn into base hits.

Say what now?

It's true, actually. The figure for 2003, as I calculated from some wonderful data provided by Tom Tippett at the Diamond Mind Weblog, is 7.3%. Those figures do not include pitchers hitting; presumably if you throw in the pitchers as well it would be a couple tenths of a percent worse for the hitters.

That's just shocking. 92.7% of the time, if you throw a strike to the opposing hitter, you get either a 0-1 count or an out."

[Pomp]

Wow, that is incredible. I wish the Yanks had people who study this stuff. It would be awesome if our next pitching coach would use this type of data.

[Rich]

Along the same lines, ESPN used to show stats during games delineating a batters AVG with various counts. I have always wondered why they stopped doing it.

[Irony Of It All]

Originally posted by Rich
Along the same lines, ESPN used to show stats during games delineating a batters AVG with various counts. I have always wondered why they stopped doing it.

How long ago was this?

I completely agree Pomp. I would give up just about anything to get Rick Peterson from the Mets. :drool:

[Rich]

Originally posted by Irony Of It All


How long ago was this?


IIRC, eight to ten years ago.

[WiffleWOOD]

Part 2:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-importance-of-strike-one-part-two/