Hoskins homerless last 10 days.

[northeastphillyguy]

Opposing pitchers have learned to pitch him low and outside. Hoskins has hit most of his homeruns to left and center thus far. He is a pull hitter. Maybe he should move a little closer to the plate!

 

[jvett77]

In watching Hoskins' ABs, he has not been swinging at choice pitches in the strike zone. Then he's pressured into swinging at bad pitches - just like Franco. He has six games to correct it.

 

[northeastphillyguy]

In watching Hoskins' ABs, he has not been swinging at choice pitches in the strike zone. Then he's pressured into swinging at bad pitches - just like Franco. He has six games to correct it.

You are right. Hoskins seems to always take a strike before swinging. Often it is a pitch in his power zone.

 

[Retroram52]

How high of a percentage for a hit is the FIRST pitch? Well here is a hint.

Watch pretty much any baseball broadcast, and at some point you’ll hear the announcers talk about the importance of first-pitch strikes.

And they’re right to emphasize the first pitch of an at-bat, of course. In 2014, major-league hitters are batting just .221 with a .592 OPS after the count starts 0-1, as opposed to .268 with a .796 OPS after their at-bat starts with a 1-0 count. That’s a big difference (also worth noting MLB hitters are batting .336 with an .870 OPS when putting the first pitch in play).


But that’s not the only important pitch, obviously.

I wanted to know what the players thought was the most important count, so while spending the month of August covering MLB from St. Louis, I asked a handful of players what they thought was the most important count.

Before we get to their responses (which are NL-centric because of my location), though, let’s look at how major-league hitters fare after each count. By the numbers …

After 0-1 count: .221 average, .592 OPS

After 0-2 count: .166 average, .438 OPS

After 1-0 count: .268 average, .796 OPS

After 2-0 count: .281 average, .955 OPS

After 3-0 count: .282 average, 1.209 OPS (a .736 on-base percentage!)

After 1-1 count: .234 average, .656 OPS

After 2-1 count: .252 average, .781 OPS

After 3-1 count: .274 average, 1.029 OPS

After 1-2 count: .178 average, .489 OPS (a .226 on-base percentage!)

After 2-2 count: .193 average, .584 OPS

On a 3-2 count: .216 average, .792 OPS

The Phillies of old used to stand there and watch umpteen fastballs blow by them with the first pitch. Maybe Hos should explore the availability of potential base hits with the first pitch. Often it is a fastball right down the middle of the plate.