Introduction.
Pitch to contact is often used to describe pitchers who rank low on strikeouts per batter faced; instead they allow fewer hits per ball-in-play. The following chart looks at Diamondbacks starting pitchers and it confirms that Jordan Montgomery is a pitch-to-contact pitcher, with lower strikeouts per-batter-faced and lower hits per ball-in-play.
Pitchers who challenge hitters are held in high esteem.
Perhaps that means something different for different types of pitchers.
- Pitch-To-Contact Pitchers. The Diamondbacks are excellent defenders, ranking among the best teams. That contributes to keeping hits per ball-in-play low, making the most of their biggest strength. This type of pitcher challenges hitters by pitches in the zone which only rarely become hits.
- Strike-Out Pitchers. Often strike-out pitchers are most effective against power hitters. Perhaps there is a synergy of him neutralizing the power batters and fielders neutralizing the average hitters. This type of pitcher challenges the power batters by striking them out, and they let their fielders prevent the other batters from getting hits.
Walks do not challenge batters. With the caveat that some batters do not know when to avoid swinging, challenging hitters always includes not walking them. Make the batter get a hit!
Keeping in the high-execution zone with their pitches is one way pitchers challenge hitters. A related skill is noticing what pitch (and what location) the batter wants to swing at, and then execute with avoidance.
“I want us to challenge hitters. We have good pitchers who should be challenging hitters. It’s a tough rhythm to the game when you’re just bouncing in and out of the zone, the defense isn’t locked in, it’s just a tough situation for the entire team to walk through. So pitchers need to be better.” — Torey Lovullo, 1 May 2024.
How important is the first pitch?
Which Diamondbacks starting pitchers were better in their first pitch in each PA compared to all pitches in all PAs? Four pitchers allowed less hits per ball-in-play (Montgomery, Kelly, Gallen, and Cecconi). When OBP and SLG were also considered, Montgomery and Kelly stood out as having the better first pitches compared to all their pitches.
First Strikes. It is generally thought that pitchers get better results if after the first pitch of a PA, they have a 1 strike count instead of a 1 ball count. This season through 1 May, that wisdom is correct. For starting pitchers in the Majors, the difference in OBP is insignificant (.327 vs .333), but the difference in SLG is huge (.477 vs .581).
The following chart shows, for this season, the first pitch strike percentages of Diamondbacks’ pitchers. Pfaadt had the highest percentage of strikes on the first pitch. Something that reflects how well Jordan Montgomery pitches is that his strike percentage was above-average at the same time that his hits per ball-in-play was low for first-pitch balls-in-play. That’s an excellent combination!
The following three tables show Jordan Montgomery’s games against the Giants, Cardinals, and Dodgers. Each table has two sections: a first pitch section and a PA section. Two observations follow:
- Looking at first pitches of each PA, batters had 47% called strikes for pitches that were not called balls by the umpire (22/47). For a pitch-to-contact pitcher, it is encouraging that batters don’t consistently swing at strikes.
- For a pitch-to-contact pitcher, it is encouraging that he struck out 3 batters per game while walking only a half-batter per game (ignoring his 3 innings pitched to the Dodgers).
Swinging at First Pitch. Does it make a difference if the batter swings at the first pitch? Four pitchers had better OBP and SLG when their batters swung at the first pitch. That first group included Montgomery (pitch-to-contact), Gallen (high strikeouts), Kelly (Mr. Consistent), and Cecconi (new kid on the block). Three pitchers had a better OBP and SLG when batters did NOT swing at the first pitch. That second group included Pfaadt, Henry, and Nelson. Swinging at the firts pitch of a PA seemed to make a difference, but because of the wide range of pitcher types, I eschew postulating the reasons.
Summary.
Pitchers who challenge batters are held in esteem. Types of esteemed pitchers include pitch-to-contact, strikeout pitchers, and pitchers who are consistently in the high-execution zone.
First pitch strikes are important. This season in the Majors, it makes a huge difference in SLG (.477 vs .581). Pfaadt had the highest percentage of first strikes.
Jordan Montgomery is a pitch-to-contact pitcher with some encouraging characteristics.
- His strike percentage was above-average at the same time that his hits per ball-in-play was low for first-pitch balls-in-play.
- Batters don’t consistently swing at his strikes (47% called strikes for pitches in/near the zone).
- He struck out 3 batters per game while walking only a half-batter per game (ignoring his 3 innings pitched to the Dodgers).