Buster Olney: The Payoff to just take Pitches is not There Any Longer

[weams]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/insider/post?id=9955

For years, a common collective approach for hitters has been to take pitches early in games, even if it meant giving up a strike or two, in order to drive up the pitch counts of opposing starters and get into the opponents' middle relief, long perceived as the soft underbelly of staffs.

"Getting down in the count nowadays just isn't a good plan,"

[weams]

Patience is NOT a Virtue? The Ambush! Adam Jones!

[weams]

The longstanding strategy of getting into the bullpens doesn't seem to apply any more. So if you're wondering why two of the best hitters in the game are hacking at pitches earlier in the count than they used to, and why batters might be more aggressive than they've been in recent years, this could be why.

We were cool, before it was cool.

[Can_of_corn]

We were cool, before it was cool.

Nice to see someone working with Buster finally figured it out.

These guys would be better off just stealing stuff from us.

[weams]

Nice to see someone working with Buster finally figured it out.

These guys would be better off just stealing stuff from us.

I'm cutting edge.

[weams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> were aggressive before it was "Cool" to be aggressive. Terry Crowley, Son of Earl Weaver.</p>— Orioles Hangout (@OriolesHangout) <a href="

">April 19, 2015</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Can_of_corn]

I'm not an insider, did he hit upon most of our talking points?

He have anything new to add?

[weams]

I'm not an insider, did he hit upon most of our talking points?

He have anything new to add?

Swing Earlier in the count to ambush fastballs.

Make Pitcher guess whether swinging or not.

Don't look for a walk just because you are leading off.

The game's two best hitters now hack early. (Trout and Carpenter)

Average number of pitches per plate appearance in Major League Baseball has started to tilt toward a decline.

Relievers perceived to be better than in the past, teams successfully deploying defensive shifts, with offensive numbers in decline, more hitters focused on getting a good pitch to hit, even if it's early in at-bats.

[weams]

Adam Jones is the FACE of the MLB.

[VeveJones007]

Good stuff there. A lesser factor is the fact that you can't trust the guys behind the plate. Part of the increase in strikeouts is umpires having difficulties with all these hard throwers and breaking pitches that are better than ever. Why not take control of the situation and be more aggressive?

[Can_of_corn]

Good stuff there. A lesser factor is the fact that you can't trust the guys behind the plate. Part of the increase in strikeouts is umpires having difficulties with all these hard throwers and breaking pitches that are better than ever. Why not take control of the situation and be more aggressive?

I can't agree. They are being checked for accuracy every game behind the plate. What is happening is that the called strike zone is expanding but that is more likely to be because of the regularity of the feedback and not because velocity or movement is deceiving them.

Now would I be surprised if, in the near future, the current scrutiny of pitch framing leads to an improvement in framing amongst the next generation of Catchers?

I expect it will, and that would further expand the stride zone.