A 3-2 count is not "even" but neither is the batter "ahead". It's simply a full count.

I have fought against the saying, "a walk's as good as a hit". I have never seen a walk drive a player home from 2nd base.

Votto will fight you.

If his fighting style is anything like his plate approach, he'll just watch you throw a bunch of punches and hope you tire yourself out.

If his fighting style is anything like his plate approach, he'll just watch you throw a bunch of punches and hope you tire yourself out.

The edge is given to batters because they can continue the plate appearance by fouling off a pitch, or "win" it by not swinging at a bad pitch. Whereas a pitcher has no such options, and is more limited to the strike zone than on a wide open count. That is the explanation of why a batter is still "ahead" in a "full count".

Can the ump really see the catchers glove? Seems like most of them are just peeking over a shoulder.

That's certainly a way to spin it. One also might say the pitcher has the advantage on any 2 strike count, particularly in this era when outside of a few batters there really is no "two strike approach" to hitting. You seem to be saying that batters can just foul off pitches at will

No, I'm not. Don't twist this into some bullshit strawman of yours. I'm saying hitters have the advantage because they can continue the PA by virtue of fouling off a pitch, increasing their chances to get a hit (research shows this), while the pitcher has absolutely nothing he can do to extend the PA.

The best pitch to hit is usually the first pitch. When the batter goes to the plate looking to take the first pitch he is killing what is often his best opportunity.

True, the more pitches a batter sees in an at-bat, the more likely he is to get a hit

Why would the pitcher want to extend the plate appearance and not just get the out?

I believe he's saying the batter is "winning" the battle on a particular 3-2 pitch when he fouls it off. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that.

I dunno, I don't get the context of "I'm saying hitters have the advantage because they can continue the PA by virtue of fouling off a pitch, increasing their chances to get a hit (research shows this), while the pitcher has absolutely nothing he can do to extend the PA."

I dunno, I don't get the context of "I'm saying hitters have the advantage because they can continue the PA by virtue of fouling off a pitch, increasing their chances to get a hit (research shows this), while the pitcher has absolutely nothing he can do to extend the PA."

The pitcher can't make up for a bad pitch or bad location, so he is forced more into the zone than on a wide open count or even a count where he is ahead.

I guess you're right. Maybe it's like holding a note in jazz where you start loud and then go soft and crescendo, but with statistical likelihood.

Digression: does anyone else who's ever taken a single music class in their lives see the phrase "reach a crescendo" and start tearing hair out? The crescendo isn't what you arrive at, it's the arrival itself.