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The Dodgers pitching staff, to put it mildly, has struggled this season. They are 24th out of 30 teams in runs allowed per game this season, and their 80 ERA+ is 28th (only the participants in the 1986 World Series have been worse this season).
Last April, I took a look at how the staff was doing in throwing first pitch strikes (it was not doing well). Let's see how the Dodgers are doing so far in 2011. We all know the importance of first pitch strikes, but just to drive the point home here is a look at the National League numbers this season:
| Split | BA/OBP/SLG |
| After 0-1 | .232/.271/.345 |
| After 1-0 | .264/.385/.424 |
Even factoring in balls in play on the first pitch, the numbers are still overwhelmingly in favor of throwing a first pitch strike:
| NL Split | BA/OBP/SLG |
| 1st pitch strike |
.251/.283/.373 |
| 1st pitch ball |
.264/.385/.424 |
For the Dodgers, the split has been even more extreme this season:
| Dodgers Split | BA/OBP/SLG |
| 1st pitch strike |
.246/.277/.394 |
| 1st pitch ball |
.327/.430/.567 |
Yikes. The Dodgers are getting pummeled when delivering a ball on the first pitch. That would make it important for the Dodgers to make sure they throw first pitch strikes, right? Well, the Dodgers have been second worst in the NL this season in throwing first pitch strikes:
| 2011 National League First Pitch Thrown | ||||
| Team | Strikes | Balls | Balls in Play | Strike % |
| Phillies | 313 | 222 | 74 | 63.5% |
| Reds | 321 | 260 | 83 | 60.8% |
| Astros | 321 | 261 | 82 | 60.7% |
| Cardinals | 307 | 247 | 72 | 60.5% |
| Cubs | 297 | 246 | 80 | 60.5% |
| Rockies | 324 | 268 | 72 | 59.6% |
| Padres | 288 | 245 | 74 | 59.6% |
| Diamondbacks | 273 | 244 | 84 | 59.4% |
| NL Average | 304 | 259 | 74 | 59.3% |
| Nationals | 283 | 241 | 65 | 59.1% |
| Marlins | 265 | 232 | 70 | 59.1% |
| Giants | 307 | 264 | 68 | 58.7% |
| Brewers | 306 | 264 | 68 | 58.6% |
| Braves | 310 | 271 | 65 | 58.0% |
| Mets | 328 | 290 | 72 | 58.0% |
| Dodgers | 323 | 293 | 80 | 57.9% |
| Pirates | 295 | 297 | 71 | 55.2% |
The Dodgers are second-to-last, but they are reasonably close to average (within one standard deviation of the 59.3% NL average; actually, the only teams outside one standard deviation both reside in Pennsylvania).
Here are the Dodgers' individual numbers on the first pitch:
| 2011 Dodgers First Pitch Thrown | ||||
| Pitcher | Strikes | Balls | Balls in Play | Strike % |
| Lilly | 51 | 30 | 16 | 69.1% |
| Garland | 10 | 7 | 3 | 65.0% |
| Ely | 15 | 9 | 1 | 64.0% |
| Billingsley | 48 | 37 | 10 | 61.1% |
| Kuroda | 48 | 49 | 14 | 55.9% |
| Kershaw | 45 | 45 | 11 | 55.4% |
| Starters | 217 | 177 | 55 | 60.6% |
| Hawksworth | 20 | 13 | 8 | 68.3% |
| Guerrier | 16 | 11 | 4 | 64.5% |
| MacDougal | 9 | 13 | 6 | 53.6% |
| Jansen | 24 | 21 | 0 | 53.3% |
| Broxton | 14 | 18 | 2 | 47.1% |
| Troncoso | 6 | 9 | 2 | 47.1% |
| Cormier | 15 | 21 | 2 | 44.7% |
| Kuo | 2 | 10 | 1 | 23.1% |
| Relievers | 106 | 116 | 25 | 53.0% |
| Totals | 323 | 293 | 80 | 57.9% |
The bullpen has really stood out in their lack of first pitch strikes. Hong-Chih Kuo is the worst on the team, delivering a first-pitch strike to just three of 13 batters. Kuo threw a first-pitch strike to 63.8% of his batters faced last season. No wonder he was placed on the DL.
The Dodger bullpen is last in the NL in ERA (6.17), WHIP (1.704), home runs allowed (10), opponents' batting average (.298), on-base percentage (.378), and slugging percentage (.505); they are second-to-last in strikeouts per nine innings (6.50). The Dodger bullpen has even given up the most stolen bases in the league, too, as opposing runners have stolen nine bases in 10 attempts.
It's been brutal out there on the mound this season.