Moon, no one responded to the article on Matt Barnes. It had some interesting 'suggestions'.
Basically if you are a hitter and you take the first ball strike, you're dead in water. On the other hand, if you swing at 90% of first pitch strike, hitters definitely have the advantage. Apparently mlb hitters are swinging at first pitch strike more than ever (thinking 48%), but that's not enough to swing the advantage to the hitters.
Knowing that a pitcher is a first strike thrower, would you tell the team at go ahead and swing at the first pitch?