I Found Something Drew Stubbs is Good At!!
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:20 am
We can learn a lot from singular stats. We just can't depend on a singular stat when estimating the worth of a player. I try, during the studying season, to go through a bunch of singular stats. I'm in that process now.
I don't much care for Numerish stats. A lot of folks put a lot of stock in contact rate and whether a hitter can take a walk.
During the season, we don't care if our player went 0-4 with four strike outs or four ground outs. We're just pissed he went 0-4. And, we don't wanna see a walk by our hitter with runners in scoring position.
Don't read anything into this post today. I don't prefer any of these hitters over another. What I'm trying to do is read into a singular stat. If you get something out of it, all the better. For me, it's a process of maybe adjusting some players a little higher or lower on the rankings ladder.
My stat for today is infield hits. Seldom is there a mention of this stat. Unless we are watching a game and somebody like Ichiro or Bourn comes up who are known for their infield hits.
Off hand, do you know who led the Majors in infield hits?
Yeah, neither did I.
It was Norichika Aoki. He had 34 infield hits and eight more bunt hits as well. Meaning that 42 of his 150 hits never left the infield. Fast, left handed fellas usually have this advantage.
I have to ask myself, was Aoki lucky?
Kneejerk says yes.
I couldn't expect that again if drafting him. I won't 'won't draft him' because of it. But I will keep it in mind when it comes time to consider him.
The opposite goes for Michael Bourn. Here is one of the fastest guys in baseball from the left handed side. A guy that is usually near the top in this category and he only had 13 infield hits. Where my kneejerk says Aoki was lucky, the opposite holds true for Bourn.
As with most stats, there are some things that just don't fit.
Michael Young had 22 infield hits last year. This was no surprise to me. I saw a lot of Rangers games. Young had a lot of bad luck last year. It seemed like he hit an 'At 'em ball once a game. Frustrating for him. So when he did hit a ground ball, he busted it down the first base line.
This is another thing I like about the infield hits stat. It shows some 'hustle players'. Derek Jeter had 30 infield hits. Jeter busts his ass every at bat down the first base line. That mere fact alone probably raises his average 10 points a year.
While I can explain Michael Young getting 22 infield hits, I can't explain Edwin Encarnacion. I admit, I didn't get to watch him play much.
Encarnacion had 20 infield hits. Besides Young, he is the only right handed hitter without much speed who had at least 20 infield hits. I have no idea how he got those infield hits. If one of you folks know, let us know. Until then, I won't expect as high of average for Encarnacion next year. Besides Aoki, nobody had a higher percentage of infield hits than Encarnacion.
For Mike Trout detractors, almost 12 per cent of his hits came via an infield hit. Unfortunately for those detractors, Trout is lightning on the field and will probably maintain that percentage.
I would have guessed that Joe Mauer would lead catchers in infield hits. He is left handed and isn't subject to a shift on defense. Plus, for a catcher he still runs well. But, infield hits were a big part in Buster Posey leading the National League in hitting. He had 17.
One more last item. I don't think much of Drew Stubbs. If I were a GM, I would Roy Halladay him and send him down to the low minors to possibly re-invent himself. As is, he's lost. He is always a fantasy consideration though. After all, he does everything Mike Trout does. Except hit.
Almost 25 per cent of Stubbs hits never leave the infield. Without those hits, the Mendoza line would be a dream for Stubbs.
Part of the reason I think of Stubbs as an anagram. B-Busts
I don't much care for Numerish stats. A lot of folks put a lot of stock in contact rate and whether a hitter can take a walk.
During the season, we don't care if our player went 0-4 with four strike outs or four ground outs. We're just pissed he went 0-4. And, we don't wanna see a walk by our hitter with runners in scoring position.
Don't read anything into this post today. I don't prefer any of these hitters over another. What I'm trying to do is read into a singular stat. If you get something out of it, all the better. For me, it's a process of maybe adjusting some players a little higher or lower on the rankings ladder.
My stat for today is infield hits. Seldom is there a mention of this stat. Unless we are watching a game and somebody like Ichiro or Bourn comes up who are known for their infield hits.
Off hand, do you know who led the Majors in infield hits?
Yeah, neither did I.
It was Norichika Aoki. He had 34 infield hits and eight more bunt hits as well. Meaning that 42 of his 150 hits never left the infield. Fast, left handed fellas usually have this advantage.
I have to ask myself, was Aoki lucky?
Kneejerk says yes.
I couldn't expect that again if drafting him. I won't 'won't draft him' because of it. But I will keep it in mind when it comes time to consider him.
The opposite goes for Michael Bourn. Here is one of the fastest guys in baseball from the left handed side. A guy that is usually near the top in this category and he only had 13 infield hits. Where my kneejerk says Aoki was lucky, the opposite holds true for Bourn.
As with most stats, there are some things that just don't fit.
Michael Young had 22 infield hits last year. This was no surprise to me. I saw a lot of Rangers games. Young had a lot of bad luck last year. It seemed like he hit an 'At 'em ball once a game. Frustrating for him. So when he did hit a ground ball, he busted it down the first base line.
This is another thing I like about the infield hits stat. It shows some 'hustle players'. Derek Jeter had 30 infield hits. Jeter busts his ass every at bat down the first base line. That mere fact alone probably raises his average 10 points a year.
While I can explain Michael Young getting 22 infield hits, I can't explain Edwin Encarnacion. I admit, I didn't get to watch him play much.
Encarnacion had 20 infield hits. Besides Young, he is the only right handed hitter without much speed who had at least 20 infield hits. I have no idea how he got those infield hits. If one of you folks know, let us know. Until then, I won't expect as high of average for Encarnacion next year. Besides Aoki, nobody had a higher percentage of infield hits than Encarnacion.
For Mike Trout detractors, almost 12 per cent of his hits came via an infield hit. Unfortunately for those detractors, Trout is lightning on the field and will probably maintain that percentage.
I would have guessed that Joe Mauer would lead catchers in infield hits. He is left handed and isn't subject to a shift on defense. Plus, for a catcher he still runs well. But, infield hits were a big part in Buster Posey leading the National League in hitting. He had 17.
One more last item. I don't think much of Drew Stubbs. If I were a GM, I would Roy Halladay him and send him down to the low minors to possibly re-invent himself. As is, he's lost. He is always a fantasy consideration though. After all, he does everything Mike Trout does. Except hit.
Almost 25 per cent of Stubbs hits never leave the infield. Without those hits, the Mendoza line would be a dream for Stubbs.
Part of the reason I think of Stubbs as an anagram. B-Busts