Remember Russ Ortiz? He wasn't Coop's kind of pitcher. Always getting behind hitters, walking guys, you know the drill. So who on the pitching staff has the best percentage of first-pitch strikes? Note, FPS = first-pitch strikes; FPB = first-pitch balls; FPS% = percentage of first-pitch strikes (which is how this table is organized). First-pitch outs are not taken into consideration.
Pitcher | FPS | FPB | FPS% |
Roy | 291 | 195 | 59.9% |
Sampson | 115 | 85 | 57.5% |
Wandy | 304 | 229 | 57.0% |
Norris | 33 | 25 | 56.8% |
Moehler | 239 | 187 | 56.1% |
LaHawk | 90 | 74 | 54.9% |
Hampton | 222 | 194 | 54.4% |
Arias | 86 | 72 | 54.4% |
Fulchino | 102 | 94 | 52.0% |
Byrdak | 81 | 77 | 51.3% |
Paulino | 126 | 120 | 51.2% |
Valverde | 61 | 59 | 50.8% |
Ortiz | 179 | 176 | 50.4% |
Wright | 59 | 67 | 46.8% |