From Little League through the major leagues, hitters are taught that striking out looking is one of the worst things they can do. But what if that conventional baseball wisdom is wrong?

Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges changed his approach at the plate by becoming more willing to accept called third strikes rather than making weak, defensive swings. The results raise an intriguing question: Can being less afraid of striking out actually make someone a better hitter?

In Episode 727 of Almost Cooperstown, Mark and Gordon Kolier examine the relationship between called third strikes, plate discipline, walks, and on-base percentage. Their research suggests that hitters who take a higher percentage of their strikeouts looking tend to reach base more often. But is that because they're better at recognizing pitches, or is something else at work?

The conversation includes Steven Kwan, Seiya Suzuki, Elly De La Cruz, and other major leaguers, along with a memorable example of a hitter frozen by a great pitch: Carlos Beltrán facing Adam Wainwright in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.

Also in this episode:

• Can the Brewers, Guardians, or Rays stop the Dodgers from winning a third consecutive World Series?
• What MLB's reported 154-game schedule proposal could mean for baseball's future.
• Why postseason bullpen games have become increasingly common.
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto's place among successful postseason pitchers.
• The surprisingly short list of catchers who have won batting titles.

Sometimes the smartest swing is the one you don't take. But how do hitters know when to hold back?

Almost Cooperstown is a weekly baseball podcast featuring thoughtful conversations about the Baseball Hall of Fame, baseball history, current MLB topics, player comparisons, statistics and the stories that connect today's game with its rich history.

Thanks again to Mercury Maid for the Intro & Outro music.

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