Joe Posnanski wonders: If the last three outs are the toughest, as we constantly told, why do batters hit worse in the 9th inning than any other inning?
The First Outs Are The Hardest
↵↵ERA by inning since 2000:
1st inning: 4.81
2nd inning: 3.93
3rd inning: 4.44
4th inning: 4.54
5th inning: 4.49
6th inning: 4.66
7th inning: 4.27
8th inning: 4.14
9th inning: 3.71
↵↵Read the whole thing.
↵Maybe it takes a special mentality to believe this stuff about closers needing a special mentality.
See More:
