Statistics show the deck is stacked against major league hitters when they have two strikes, as they have a .186 two-strike average in 2009.

Facing Giants ace Tim Lincecum with two strikes almost guarantees a one-way ticket to the bench. Hitters are batting just .106 (33-for-312) against him, and that’s the lowest two-strike mark allowed by a starter who has faced at least 100 batters with two strikes.

Lowest Opponent Batting Average by Starters with Two Strikes, 2009
(min 100 batters faced with two strikes)

Pitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . .AB. . . . . .OBA
Tim Linecum, SF. . . . . . . 312. . . . . .106
Edinson Volquez, Cin. . . . .92. . . . . .109
Yovani Gallardo, Mil. . . . .274. . . . . .113
John Maine, NYM. . . . . . 117. . . . . .120
Chris Carpenter, StL. . . . 179. . . . . .123

Lincecum’s success in two-strike scenarios is remarkable, as only Detroit’s Justin Verlander has faced more hitters with two strikes in 2009. The Tigers ace has recorded two strikes 379 times, compared to 330 for Lincecum. In those situations, Verlander has limited hitters to a .169 average (60-for-354).

After Verlander and Lincecum, next in garnering the most two-strike situations are Atlanta’s Javier Vazquez and Johan Santana of the Mets, both with 328 batters faced. Vazquez has held those hitters to a .157 mark (49-for-312), while Santana has a .164 opponent batting average (50-for-305).

Among relievers who have recorded two strikes against hitters at least 50 times in 2009, a rookie has the lowest OBA.

Lowest Opponent Batting Average by Relievers with Two Strikes, 2009
(min 50 batters faced with two strikes)

Pitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . .AB. . . . . . . OBA
Jason Bulger, LAA . . . . . . 79. . . . . . . .076
Trever Miller, StL . . . . . . 50. . . . . . . .080
Evan Meek, Pit. . . . . . . . .82. . . . . . . .085
Luke Gregerson, SD . . . . .91. . . . . . . .099
Rafael Soriano, Atl. . . . . 111. . . . . . . .099

Retiring hitters after getting ahead in the count is a ticket to success as a reliever, and the Angels’ 30-year-old rookie, Jason Bulger, has done that in his first lengthy stint in the majors. Another rookie, San Diego’s Luke Gregerson, has been downright dominant after struggling in April. He’s also been remarkably successful in two-strike situations.

Not all major leaguers struggle with two strikes. There are three .300 hitters among players with at least 50 two-strike plate appearances. The highest average belongs to Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki, who is a .309 hitter on two-strike counts. He’s 58-for-188 with nine doubles and 13 RBIs.

Two-strike success has played a key role in the strong start of White Sox rookie Gordon Beckham. He’s 25-for-82 (.305) with 10 doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs. The third .300 hitter in two-strike situations is Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury. He’s hitting .303 (57-for-188) with seven doubles, two triples and nine RBIs.

It’s Beckham who has the most RBIs of the trio, despite having fewer than half as many two-strike at-bats as Ichiro and Ellsbury.

The odds are stacked against a hitter even further when he’s 0-2. The major league average on an 0-2 count is .155 in 2009. If an 0-2 count is likely to make a hitter more defensive, that doesn’t seem to be the case for Toronto’s Marco Scutaro. The veteran shortstop is 11-for-24 with four doubles on 0-2 pitches. Among players who have completed at least 25 at-bats on 0-2 offerings in 2009, Scutaro’s .458 average is easily the highest in the majors.

Ichiro, whose 15 hits on 0-2 counts are the most in the majors, and Ellsbury have been successful on 0-2, as well.

Highest Batting Average on 0-2 Count, 2009
(min 25 PA on 0-2)

Hitter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AB. . . . . . . AVG
Marco Scutaro, Tor. . . . . .24. . . . . . . .458
Ichiro Suzuki, Sea. . . . . . . 42. . . . . . . .357
Bobby Abreu, LAA . . . . . . .33. . . . . . . .333
Jack Wilson, Pit-Sea . . . . . 33. . . . . . . .333
Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos. . . . . 35. . . . . . . .314
Yunel Escobar, Atl. . . . . . .35. . . . . . . .314