3 Fun Stats About Pitching

As the associate head coach of Oklahoma, Missy Lombardi was trying to figure out what made Michigan so dominant in 2015. She would be battling the powerhouse in the WCWS soon. There were three factors that helped them dominate, Lombardi discovered. With the help of her sports psychologist, she invented a way to chart each point.

I included the chart below so you can use it for your team. It’s a fun and illuminating way to track your pitchers progress. Even young players on the bench can complete it for their teammates. Here is what she found were the most important stats for her pitchers.

1) First Pitch Strikes

Lombardi found that a first-pitch strike decreased her opponents on-base percentage, batting average, and slugging percentage three things by about 20% all around.

2) Momentum

Momentum is what happens after a first pitch strike. If a pitcher achieves a second strike, her chances of a strikeout increase. She only charts this if the pitcher throws a first-pitch strike. 

3) Conversions

Conversions are the most important indicator of what will happen with the batter. They happen every third pitch. That's when the count is either 0-2, 2-0, or 1-1. After this pivotal moment, she found that if a pitcher throws a strike and goes 1-2, the hitters batting average plummets to under .200. Yet, if the pitcher throws a ball and goes 2-1, the opposition's BA skyrockets to high 300's. 

How did she track these during a game? She used grid paper and designated a horizonal area for each batter, as well as one line for each at bat. For each strike, she drew a diagonal line up, and each ball she dew a diagonal line down. The more her pitcher could stay “above the line” the better the pitcher was.

If a batter swings at the ball, the dot is circled. While this chart does not show it, you can keep track of pitch type and plays by marking them above the dots. At the end of the game she had the players tally up their stats, then compare it to the previous game(s). I’d incorporate this as early as possible in a player’s career. I have asked that pitchers at the high school level about stats and many don’t know what an official “hit” constitutes. For me, numbers were motivating and I made my goals based off of them.

Consider asking parents concerned about their daugther’s playing time take all the pitching stats. Facts don’t lie, so it could help them motivate their daughter to practice more, or reveal to you as a coach who is actually the best pitcher. If you are able to make taking stats fun and interesting players and parents will love to utilize them.