The 0-2 nightmare

A hitter's worst nightmare is getting behind 0–2 in the count. In 2008, batters hit just .179 after getting behind 0–2, a full 85 points below the league average (.264). Additionally, hitters who fell behind 0–2 saw their on–base percentage drop 120 points (from .330 to .210) and their slugging percentage drop .148 (from .416 to .268). In other words, two quick strikes can render decent hitters nearly helpless.

The average major leaguer starts off an at–bat with an 0–2 count about 17% of the time. Free–swinging White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez has managed to get behind 0–2 twice as often as the average hitter (15 times in 43 plate appearances). He's gone 0–2 35% of the time so far this year, the most in baseball. No wonder he's hitting a buck twenty–five.

Rays left fielder Carl Crawford has managed to fall behind most often this year, 19 times already, including five times in a single game against the Red Sox. Amazingly, Crawford went 3–for–5 in that game.