Oakland Athletics’ Billy Burns Is Much Better When the First Pitch Is a Strike

Oakland Athletics’ Outfielder Billy Burns Is Cashing In On the First Pitch

Is there any reason for opposing pitchers to still throw first-pitch strikes to Billy Burns? The A’s speedster is batting .484 with a 1.208 OPS on first pitches, with 95 of his plate appearances ending after just one pitch.

At some point, Burns decided to take advantage of the fact that pitchers throw a lot of first pitch strikes, ignoring the adage that patience is a virtue. It’s worked for Burns, who has hit three home runs and knocked in 15 RBIs on those one-pitch at-bats. He also has an astonishing 46 hits, including seven doubles and three triples, and he’s swiped seven bags after reaching base on the first pitch.

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Burns has been more than good this season, batting .298/.338/.392 since his early-season call up from Triple-A. He’s also managed to steal 25 bases and amass 33 infield hits, showing off his speed.

All of this has happened from the leadoff spot, where the 25-year-old hasn’t faltered all season. Most players go through prolonged slumps, especially in such a high-pressure spot, but Burns hasn’t had any particularly rough patches to speak about.

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That could change, if pitchers ever figure out the not-so-well-kept secret of his success.

Burns is actually batting just .202/.304/.227 after he finds himself in a 1-0 count. And it’s not as though it’s a particularly small sample size – Burns has made it to a 1-0 count 138 times this season. If the pitcher would simply through the ball outside of the strike zone on the first pitch, they would find themselves with a much higher rate of success against the A’s leadoff hitter.

So why don’t they do it? Perhaps it’s just difficult for pitchers to get in the mindset of intentionally putting themselves behind in the count, especially on the first pitch of the game. From a fan standpoint, nothing signals the start of the game like the first strike. It induces cheers and applause, while a first-pitch ball gets little or no reaction. Pitchers are lauded for their ability to throw a high percentage of first-pitch strikes, and announcers comment on how important it is to work ahead in the count.

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Burns requires them to throw all of that conditioning and logic out the window. He takes advantage of the fact that pitchers want those 0-1 counts – especially against a speedy, scrappy hitter like Burns. Once he’s on base, he will be a distraction. They would rather chance throwing a strike than risk falling behind and giving up a walk.

Until pitchers begin to make some adjustments to his style, Burns is a great asset to the A’s.

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