Splits Stuff

[DOUGHBOYS]

Just a few things uncovered that some may not be aware of.....

Wilin Rosario had the unusual split of hitting more home runs on the road (11) than at friendly Coors Field (10). Unfortunately for Rosario and his owners, other Rockies have not learned how to hit on the road.
Rosario scoring on his 11 away home runs accounted for more than half his runs scored (21) on the road.
He scored 42 times at Coors.

Paul Goldschmidt is a great cripple shooter.
In no strikes counts, which would be first pitch, 1-0, 2-0, and 3-0 counts, Goldschmidt hit .422 in 119 such at bats.
His owners are grateful he did not 'work' walks.

Some players really should be platoon players, no matter how much, we as owners, want to see them in the lineup every day.
Gerardo Parra had 177 at bats vs. left handers. He had four rbi. No homers. No stolen bases.

Looking for consistency?
Freddie Freeman never had a month hitting below .290
He also had four homers in May, June, July, and August.

An improved strike out rate makes for a better hitter?
Not really. Especially for fantasy.
Mike Moustakas struck out 41 less times than 2012. Although his rate improved, his batting average fell nine points, his home runs went from 20 to 12. A homer every 40 at bats or once every two weeks.
In the meantime, another third baseman struck out 186 times. But, hit a homer every 15 at bats.
Pedro Alvarez and Mike Moustakas would also end up with same batting average, .233

Starlin Castro made 532 outs in 2013. More than anybody.
His season can be best described in the number of at bats he had......666

There was a time last year when Manny Machado was mentioned in the same breath as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.
Trout has gone on to probable Superstar status and will be taken first or second in every draft this year.
Harper, a first round selection.
Machado tore up his knee and may not be ready for 2014.
Worse, his batting average over the last three months of 2013 was .239, six points higher than Mike Moustakas.

One left handed batter scored off Rex Brothers last year.

Joey Votto had 50 rbi with runners in scoring position last year.
Votto walked 51 times in those situations.

BJ Upton had 200 at bats in which a pitcher got a first strike on him.
He would strike out in 101 times of those 200 at bats.
Sounds horrible, right?
But even after pitchers gave Upton a sporting chance and started his count with a ball, Upton still struck out in 50 of those 138 at bats.
This one will be the one leaving mouths open....Upton had an action on 35 0-2 counts, he struck out 27 times or 77%.

In September of 2012, BJ Upton hit 12 home runs. He hit nine in 2013.

Should Swisher take a page from Victorino?
Right handed, Swisher hits a homer every 19 at bats with a .295 batting average.
Left handed, Swisher hits a homer every 30 at bats with a .220 batting average.

10 players stole more bases than Michael Bourn even attempted to steal last year.

Jarrod Dyson ran for Billy Butler multiple times last year.
He walked 21 times. He singled 40 times. He had 15 extra base hits. He stole 34 bases.
Jarrod Dyson only scored 30 runs.

Elvis Andrus had 620 at bats last year.
25 extra base hits.
Yes. One extra base hit a week.

Chris Davis had 96 extra base hits.
And just 71 singles.
Davis had 26 less hits than Miguel Cabrera....and 18 less walks than Cabrera.
Yet, Davis scored 103 runs.... just like Miguel Cabrera.

[751542]

good stuff doughy!

[bjoak]

Footnotes: BJ Upton had a truly impressive pop-up percent of 19.3%. That is almost 2% higher than any qualifying hitter. By contrast his pop-up percentages over the previous five years were 10.1%, 9.2%, 8.6%, 8%, and 5%. Those are in reverse order so much like his strikeout trend the future looks frightening in terms of positive regression.

Agree, less strikeouts are only good if everything else remains the same. According to Euclid (my system), Moustakas gained 12 points of average with the improved K rate but lost 8 on power so there is not a lot of difference there. He was a particularly slow runner this year so that cut into his average as well.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Footnotes: BJ Upton had a truly impressive pop-up percent of 19.3%. That is almost 2% higher than any qualifying hitter. By contrast his pop-up percentages over the previous five years were 10.1%, 9.2%, 8.6%, 8%, and 5%. Those are in reverse order so much like his strikeout trend the future looks frightening in terms of positive regression.

Agree, less strikeouts are only good if everything else remains the same. According to Euclid (my system), Moustakas gained 12 points of average with the improved K rate but lost 8 on power so there is not a lot of difference there. He was a particularly slow runner this year so that cut into his average as well.

Not being sarcastic at all, how is one a 'particularly slow runner' for a year?
Time down the first base line?
Lack of infield hits?
Comparatively slower than the year previous?

[bjoak]

Dan,

I'll PM you, but suffice it to say he had foot, quadriceps, and calf issues this year according to Baseball Prospectus' injury log.