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Meaningful stats

slottyslotty500+ posts
Does anybody here know what the generally-accepted benchmarks are for the following pitching stats (that is, what is a "good" number?):

-strike %
-first pitch strike %
-first pitch strike leading to an out %
-first pitch strike leading to a hit %
-first pitch strike leading to a BB %

I realize that this is pretty esoteric stuff, but my son's travel team uses an iPad app (check it out: www.GameChanger.io) that spits out these numbers, along with more commonly used stats like K:BB ratio, WHIP, batting average against, etc.

Thanks!
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justbaseballjustbaseball10,000+ posts
Interesting questions.

I will share a story that I thought was helpful. As a senior in college, my son got a new pitching coach (former MLB pitcher). He changed the philosophy from 'first pitch strike' to 'a strike in the first two pitches.'

For whatever reason, my son felt he benefited from that and the 'new' philosophy makes a lot of sense to me.
slottyslotty500+ posts
My thought is that first time through the order--and afterward with the bottom third of the order-- that first pitch strikes lead to better outcomes. After that first time through and the top two-thirds of the order has seen the fastball, its movement, etc., then a strike within first two pitches absolutely makes sense.
3rdgenerationnation3rdgenerationnation100+ posts
Sorry I don't have access to the research right now but I've seen studies that in MLB the third pitch is the biggest determiner of an at bats' outcome. Ignoring the difference between a three pitch punch-out and being down 3-0, the difference between 2-1 and 1-2 is huge. This seems to support Justbaseball's 'a strike in the first two pitches' theory. You can't get to 1-2 unless you throw a strike in the first two pitches.
Last edited by 3rdgenerationnation

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