Comments on: When Will They Learn? http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272 This and that about baseball stats. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:09:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: vonhayes http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-603 vonhayes Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:54:29 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-603 Don't forget Andre Dawson's 49 HR with like 33 BB! Don't forget Andre Dawson's 49 HR with like 33 BB!

]]> By: Andy http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-599 Andy Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:45:08 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-599 That's a pretty neat list. What I notice is that many of those seasons are the first "big" home run seasons for those guys--Anderson, Vaugh, and Fielder stick out like sore thumbs. That's a pretty neat list. What I notice is that many of those seasons are the first "big" home run seasons for those guys--Anderson, Vaugh, and Fielder stick out like sore thumbs.

]]> By: cchien http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-596 cchien Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:24:12 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-596 Now pitchers don't walk A-Rod, but just give him HBPs....:P http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/97QW A-Rod got 19 HBPs this year so far. This is the second in MLB, and the first in AL. Maybe I am wrong... but from my impression, some HBPs he got is somehow intentional. Now pitchers don't walk A-Rod, but just give him HBPs....:P

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/97QW

A-Rod got 19 HBPs this year so far. This is the second in MLB, and the first in AL.
Maybe I am wrong... but from my impression, some HBPs he got is somehow intentional.

]]> By: Steve Lombardi http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-595 Steve Lombardi Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:15:48 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-595 Hideki Matsui 305 Jorge Posada 192 Jason Giambi 130 The players above are the guys who bat 5th most for the Yankees this season - the numbers are the PA where they have batted 5th. Posada has been hot all year. But, Matsui and Giambi are streaky. When they're ice cold, I would take my chances with them, and A-Rod on first, rather than pitch to Alex. But, yes, when they're hot, it's better to make Alex swing. Hideki Matsui 305
Jorge Posada 192
Jason Giambi 130

The players above are the guys who bat 5th most for the Yankees this season - the numbers are the PA where they have batted 5th.

Posada has been hot all year. But, Matsui and Giambi are streaky. When they're ice cold, I would take my chances with them, and A-Rod on first, rather than pitch to Alex. But, yes, when they're hot, it's better to make Alex swing.

]]> By: vonhayes http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-594 vonhayes Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:01:25 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-594 Without a base open, it's tough to justify putting a baserunner on when facing the Yankees. With that lineup, rather than prolong an inning and increase the probablity of scoring runs, it's best to try and have him make out or not hit a homerun (90% of all outcomes). Is this sound? Or am I missing something? Without a base open, it's tough to justify putting a baserunner on when facing the Yankees. With that lineup, rather than prolong an inning and increase the probablity of scoring runs, it's best to try and have him make out or not hit a homerun (90% of all outcomes).

Is this sound? Or am I missing something?

]]> By: David in Toledo http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/272/comment-page-1#comment-593 David in Toledo Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:43:09 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/272#comment-593 Except when Alex is on a home-run streak and there's a base open, it's probably best to pitch to him, since there is a 69% chance he will make one out (or more) when he swings. The category Sammy Sosa and A-Rod share is as much a consequence of their attitudes at the plate as it is a result of how they are pitched. They're not as selective as they should be. Despite his year off and his limited playing time, Sammy is #2 alltime in strikeouts. A-Rod has already struck out 1500 times. While he seems to be learning how to avoid extreme K numbers (this year), at his current career pace, he might catch both Barry Bonds in home runs and Reggie Jackson in strikeouts. Notice that in career OPS+, A-Rod comes nowhere near Albert Pujols, a more disciplined hitter. Of course, Albert is on pace to set a career record for grounding into double plays. Except when Alex is on a home-run streak and there's a base open, it's probably best to pitch to him, since there is a 69% chance he will make one out (or more) when he swings.

The category Sammy Sosa and A-Rod share is as much a consequence of their attitudes at the plate as it is a result of how they are pitched. They're not as selective as they should be. Despite his year off and his limited playing time, Sammy is #2 alltime in strikeouts. A-Rod has already struck out 1500 times. While he seems to be learning how to avoid extreme K numbers (this year), at his current career pace, he might catch both Barry Bonds in home runs and Reggie Jackson in strikeouts.

Notice that in career OPS+, A-Rod comes nowhere near Albert Pujols, a more disciplined hitter. Of course, Albert is on pace to set a career record for grounding into double plays.

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