MLB: How 4 Pitches Can Change The Game

Walk- An advance to first base by a batter who recieve 4 balls. It doesn't seem like that big a deal, but it is. You may think that a walk with with the bases loaded is worse than a walk in the bottom of the first to the lead off batter. Truth is, it isn't. A walk in the first is just as bad a a walk with the bases loaded.  

Everytime a pitcher walks a batter it ruins his teams chance of winning that game by 10 percent! One walk lowers a teams chance of winning that game from 99 percent to 90. 2 walks lowers it to 80 percent. 3 walks to 70. 4 walks to 60 and 5 or more walks to 50 percent or worse. 

People wonder how Daisuke Matsuzaka has won 15 games this year. Daisuke averages 5.3 walks per nine innings. He is ranked 90th in the league for that category. Behind him Barry Zito. Matsuzaka is 15-2 with a 2.98 era this year. Barry Zito is 8-15 with a 5.31 era. It is amazing how Daisuke Matsuzaka has been so successful this year with wins and era despite all of the walks.

The league leader in BB/9 innings is Mike Mussina. Mussina is having one of his greatest years. Behind him is Cliff Lee, who was the starting pitcher for the AL all star team. Then in 4th in Roy Halladay is one of this century's greatest pitchers. Halladay has been tops in the league for this stat the past several years. The reason why Halladay is so successful is because he throws strikes. He throws first pitch strikes. When a pitcher gets ahead in the count and stays ahead he dictates the AB. In Zito's situation he falls behind and lets the hitter get a pitch that he wants to hit.

Although Dice-K is 15-2 this year, don't be suprised if he falls off very soon. Walks hurt and they will come back to haunt you. The most successful pitchers in baseball throw strikes and pitch to contact. Cliff Lee is the perfect example. Cliff Lee is 23rd in the MLB for strikeouts, but he is tops in the league for fewest walks allowed. He is ranked 10th in the league in innings pitched. Not walking hitters and working ahead in the count means you don't work as hard and you can throw more innings giving you and your team to pick a "W."