I stumbled across a message board post today, that suggested that Rangers' pitchers gave up more hits on 0-2 counts than any other team...
With a little time on my hands on a Saturday morning, I figured I'd look it up. My guess was, it was just an illusion, that the Rangers' pitchers really weren't that bad on 0-2 counts.
So here are opponent's batting stats on an 0-2 count, by team, from lowest to highest:
ChiSox: .121/.129/.159 -- 287 OPS
NY Mets: .129/.139/.197 -- 336 OPS
Milwaukee: .126/.137/.218 -- 355 OPS
Oakland: .146/.152/.206 -- 357 OPS
Pittsburgh: .149/.160/.199 -- 359 OPS
Florida: .141/.149/.218 -- 367 OPS
Baltimore: .155/.161/.209 -- 370 OPS
Cleveland: .157/.163/.208 -- 371 OPS
San Fran: .154/.167/.206 -- 373 OPS
NY Yankees: .155/.162/.211 -- 373 OPS
St. Louis: .149/.152/.230 -- 383 OPS
Houston: .142/.154/.232 -- 386 OPS
San Diego: .152/.156/.233 -- 389 OPS
Chicago Cubs: .154/.161/.232 -- 393 OPS
Philadelphia: .150/.160/.239 -- 399 OPS
Anaheim: .169/.176/.226 -- 401 OPS
Tampa Bay: .170/.182/.221 -- 402 OPS
Toronto: .167/.188/.220 -- 407 OPS
Arizona: .155/.162/.251 -- 414 OPS
Seattle: .179/.193/.221 -- 414 OPS
Minnesota: .170/.177/.241 -- 418 OPS
Washington: .176/.190/.238 -- 428 OPS
Colorado: .181/.197/.235 -- 432 OPS
Detroit: .181/.185/.261 -- 446 OPS
Los Angeles: .188/.196/.266 -- 462 OPS
Cincinnati: .191/.195/.276 -- 472 OPS
Atlanta: .213/.214/.262 -- 477 OPS
Kansas City: .196/.209/.278 -- 487 OPS
Boston: .185/.201/.292 -- 493 OPS
Texas: .226/.235/.326 -- 561 OPS
Wow. I have to admit, I'm very surprised. I thought that the theory was just the result of seeing the Rangers give up 2 strike hits, and erroneously assuming that they were doing it more than other teams.
But the facts say that the Rangers are the worst team in the league at pitching at 0-2. The facts say that the Rangers, even taking into account park effects, are by far the worst in the league at pitching to hitter's with two strikes.
Why? I don't know. Maybe it is just because the pitchers are bad. Maybe it is poor pitch calling. Maybe Orel hasn't done a good job with them in game planning.
I don't know what it is.
But the fact remains, the Rangers are abysmal in allowing production at an 0-2 count.