Sabrs Batted 9th...You Just Know They Did

[DOUGHBOYS]

WARNING! THIS POST IS ANOTHER RANT ABOUT BASE ON BALLS!
You have been warned.....

A radio expert told me that Joc Pederson is in the running for 'Rookie of the Year'.
I don't care who wins what when it comes to these awards. What pissed me off was his reasoning for Pederson being a nominee.
"He's walked 77 times, fourth in Major League Baseball. And, he has hit 23 homers."
THAT'S IT?
That is why he should be a possible rookie of the year?
Look, I am not going to beat the drum for Kris Bryant, or Grichuk, or Soler, or Syndergaard because I really don't care who wins this award.

Sabrs have pounded in some folks minds that a walk is as good as a hit. It worked. This radio fella thinks that Pederson is wonderful because he walks so much. I have Pederson on my Main Event team. I am close to calling him a bust.
He has gotten Luis Valbuena numbers.
Chris Carter numbers from last year.
Joc Pederson is a sluggo.
An Adam Dunn- lite
Dunn used to get walks too. It never helped his batting average. He didn't score more runs than others because of walks.
He just walked. And in most cases, pitchers were happy to have him walk.
Same with Pederson.
As a leadoff hitter, Pederson received walks from right handers who would rather face Howie Kendrick.
As an eighth hitter, he has easy walks, and believe me, Don Mattingly is doing the kid no favors by hitting him eighth.

Pederson has 77 walks, 84 hits, 42 extra base hits, and 23 homers.
He has scored only 57 runs.
Those walks do not translate to runs!
THIS, this is where sabrs miss their mark.
There should be another stat called 'productive walks'.
This would answer whether a walk was truly as good as hit (exactly half of Pederson's hits are extra base hits) or whether the walk was a 'pitchers weapon' in avoiding Pederson to get out of innings without his extra base hit.

Adeiny Hechavaria has walked just 20 times. Mostly hit down in the order. Has little power. And plays on a team that scores much less than the Dodgers.
Hechavaria has scored 53 runs.
And you know what else?
Hechavaria, that little shortstop with no power has 47 rbi....Same as Pederson.
Pederson seems programmed to take a walk like Joey Votto or Carlos Santana or other rbi producers.
Instead of driving in runs.
So what happens.
Pederson becomes the hare in fooling fantasy owners that he could be a run producer.
While the tortoise, Hechavaria, slowly amasses the same rbi production in swinging the bat in most opportunities.

Pederson, like most k/bb influenced hitters, is a marvelous first ball hitter. He hits .378 with six of his homers coming on the first pitch.
Pederson has hit 20 of his 23 homers during the first three pitches of his at bats.
When the count is 2-2, 3-1, or 3-2, counts that are hitters counts, Pederson has hit just three homers.
For Pederson, those counts are 'walkers counts' not hitters counts.
While most hitters take delight in 3-1 pitches, Pederson has put only seven 3-1 pitches in play.

We live in a time where the walk is revered. Some radio guy says that Joc Pederson is great because he is fourth in baseball in taking a walk.
He's not.
He simply, is not.

Bring on the 'Productive Walk' stat! This would be a walk that caused a run to be scored.
Now that walks have become a radio personalities premier premise for Joc Pederson being included for ROY, I want to know how many of those walks were 'pitchers walks' and how many were 'productive walks'.
And if this stat exists somewhere, would somebody be so kind as to point me in that direction?

(muttering to myself)
One for seven on a 3-1 pitch?
Seriously?
Willie McCovey would be turning over in his grave if he were dead.
Right now, he is just shaking his head like me.
No he isn't.
He doesn't give a rats ass.
Man, he owned Don Drysdale though.
Even Joey Votto has put the ball in play 16 times on 3-1 counts, although only 4-16 with one homer.
What's wrong with these walkers!
Cripple pitch and they look to walk?
Stupid walkers.
Nelson Cruz is 8-11 on 3-1 pitches.
Three homers too.
Chris Davis 5-13, three homers.
Grip it and rip it.
Be productive.
Walks.
Looking for a walk on a 3-1 pitch is like looking for a Kia at a Porsche dealership.
Let the fast guys walk.
They do something with a walk...sometimes.
Ever hear a ball park after a fellow has walked?
Like a murmer. A slow tide coming in. Hardly a sound.
Guy gets a basehit and we hear that crowd roar.
Extra base hit and they go crazy.
.217 with 140 strike outs.
And all they talk about is 77 walks.
A walk is as good as a hit....
That probably started when the ninth kid in a Little League lineup came up and it was the nicest way that a coach could implore him to take a walk...
I'll bet sabrs WERE that ninth kid in the lineup...
Still thinking they were instrumental...
Growing up, knowing their team would have suffered had he swung the bat....
Stupid Sabrs....
Stupid walks...