Astros Relievers -- The first pitch

[ValpoCory]

Something I noticed when clicking links ...

In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch ball, he has 11 Ks and 8 walks.

In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch strike, he has 13 Ks and 0 walks.
In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch ball, he has 6 Ks and 5 walks.

In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch ball, he has 3 Ks and 6 walks.

Overall, first pitch strike leads to 41 Ks and 2 walks.   first pitch ball leads to 20 Ks and 19 walks.

I expected a large difference, but maybe not that large a difference.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

[pravata]

Something I noticed when clicking links ...

In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch ball, he has 11 Ks and 8 walks.

In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch strike, he has 13 Ks and 0 walks.
In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch ball, he has 6 Ks and 5 walks.

In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch ball, he has 3 Ks and 6 walks.

Overall, first pitch strike leads to 41 Ks and 2 walks.   first pitch ball leads to 20 Ks and 19 walks.

I expected a large difference, but maybe not that large a difference.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Last night JD noted that the Astros pitchers are 2nd(?) in MLB in first pitch strikes.  Brown added, "best pitch in baseball is a first pitch strike".  JD disagreed, he says the best pitch is the 3rd strike.

[Mr. Happy]

Something I noticed when clicking links ...

In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Brad Lidge throws a first pitch ball, he has 11 Ks and 8 walks.

In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch strike, he has 13 Ks and 0 walks.
In situations where Dan Wheeler throws a first pitch ball, he has 6 Ks and 5 walks.

In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch strike, he has 14 Ks and 1 walk.
In situations where Chad Qualls throws a first pitch ball, he has 3 Ks and 6 walks.

Overall, first pitch strike leads to 41 Ks and 2 walks.   first pitch ball leads to 20 Ks and 19 walks.

I expected a large difference, but maybe not that large a difference.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

What's the BAA where the first pitch is a strike? As a pitcher-minded person, I love first pitch strikes, but location of that first strike is even more critical in my view. Throwing a pitch down the middle on the first pitch will bring the first ball swingers out.

[Taras Bulba]

Lowry seemed to be real effective on first pitch strikes last night.  Of course, that did not prevent Morgan from taking the first pitch (cheap shot, but there you have it).  Anyway, he threw a real nice game.

[JimR]

What's the BAA where the first pitch is a strike? As a pitcher-minded person, I love first pitch strikes, but location of that first strike is even more critical in my view. Throwing a pitch down the middle on the first pitch will bring the first ball swingers out.

if the point is throwing strike one, you cannot be too fine. fuck first strike swingers.

[WulawHorn]

if the point is throwing strike one, you cannot be too fine. fuck first strike swingers.

Piggybacking on this point to another thread where someone asked why Bidge still sees fastballs- this is the reason, imo.  Hitting leadoff he really gets a chance to hit FB first AB, and it seems, to me anyway, that an inordinate amount of his hits come in the first inning, specifically on the first pitch. He loves first pitch swinging and usually gets that FB the pitcher is trying to establish in the strikezone

[VirtualBob]

Piggybacking on this point to another thread where someone asked why Bidge still sees fastballs-

Are you sure you don't mean the Lidge cured thread?  With all the bacon, napalm and sodium nitrates? 

Do we really need multiple threads??

[WulawHorn]

Are you sure you don't mean the Lidge cured thread?  With all the bacon, napalm and sodium nitrates? 

Do we really need multiple threads??

Surprisingly enough- it was on the This woman has her priorities right thread- thought it applied to this thread as well so I posted it here.  Not on the Biggio thread. Damn, this place gets hard to keep up with at times.

[ValpoCory]

Sure enough, Brad Lidge has first pitch balls to the first four batters he faced ... 0 Ks, 2 hits, 1 run (albeit a fluke rbi).  Then he has a first pitch strike to Fred Lewis and gets the K.