wOBA By Batting Order: 2011 All-Star Break Update
Whence we last examined yonder batting orders, we came away with several expected observations (Jose Bautista plays baseball like a video game, the Oakland Athletics do not care much for scoring runs, Rick Ankiel and Ian Desmond are not feared hitters, and so forth) as well as a number of curious findings (the Cubs lead-off combo was tops in the majors, the 7th hitters on AL teams were worse than the 9th hitters, NL managers effectively managed the bottoms of their lineups, and such).
Well, it is time again to delve back into that hopeless exercise and complain about the mismanagement or poor fortunes of our favorite teams. Before we continue, though, let us review a few things:
1) The optimal batting order: A subject widely debated, but to little gain. The worst batting order may ultimately only cost a team a game or two — but, still, we cannot help but prod, poke, and critique it. Tom Tango’s The Book fairly definitively defines the best batting order as: #1, #4, #2, #5, #3, #6, #7, #8, #9 in terms of importance of avoiding outs.
Read this on the matter: Optimizing Your Lineup By The Book, by Sky Kalkman
2) The optimal measuring tool: In my last article, a few people had trouble understanding my utilization of wOBA (weighted on base average). This too comes from Tango and is a most intuitive and useful tool. Think of it as smart batting average: Where batting average says homers and singles are worth the same, wOBA says, “Nay!” and then counts each non-out according to the runs it produces.
League average wOBA tends to hoover around .320 to .330. A .360 wOBA is good; a .400 wOBA is great; and a .290 wOBA is Yuniesky Betancourt.
Okay, so using wOBA, let’s examine the leagues as a whole again:
Average wOBA Per Slot
In my last post, I applauded NL managers for arranging the bottom of their lineup efficiently. That remains true; however, they still persist in giving sub-par hitters prime plate appearances in the #2 hole. This is a sport-wide affair, too.
The common perception is that the second hitter needs to be a no-power, sac machine like Alexi Casilla, but this belief originated in the Dead Ball Era, whence run scoring was as common as integration.
Overall, though, we are seeing the right-skewed bell curve common in traditional baseball theory, with the best hitters clustered in the 3, 4, and 5 spots and “little things” hitters in the 1 and 2 slots.
Now for the NL:
The first statistic I noticed the NL was the drastic and expected regression of the Cubs lead-off hitters. Kosuke Fukudome has continued to receive the largest share of PAs and has pulled his typical hot start trick. His wOBA by month tells the story.
Another observation worth observing is Aubrey Huff and his quite down year (.284 wOBA). It is reminiscent of his forgettable 2009 campaign — and could be an unfavorable portent for the 34-year-old slugger.
Meanwhile in San Diego, nine pitchers have elected to bat in lieu of position players.
[NOTE: The following passage and the later one concerning Alexei Ramirez are both off target and testaments to my need for corrective eye bespectaclement. It is the Marlins and Yankees that lead their respective sections, not the Phillies and White Sox.]
Here’s an example of how trying to produce the best ever batting order is like trying to catch fire in a bottle: Raul Ibanez is having a down year, and Carlos Ruiz is Carlos Ruiz, a catcher. Despite these two obstacles, the Phillies have mustered the most productive 6th spot in the NL. Go figure.
Enough of hitting pitchers! Let’s get freaky with tradition and go AL up in this beast:
Developing Story: Russell Martin needs a parachute:
He and Brett Gardner once combined for the second best wOBA in the MLB, but now that Russell Martin is playing like his 2009-2010 self, the Yankees’ #8 slot is no longer even second best in the AL. (Perhaps: Props to Girardi for not leaving him at #6 and #7 too long?)
Jose Bautista has actually gotten a little “cold” over the last month and a half, hitting a “mere” .400 wOBA in that span. By contrast, I am 0 for 8 with 8 Ks and 6 BBs in my semi-pro league. Could I be the next Bautista? Probably.
Eleven blocks south of my house, Alexei Ramirez his giving the White Sox the best #2 production of the league, causing droves of saberists to swoon. Ramirez’ impressive showing in a prime slot almost undoes the damage propagated day-to-day by lead-off hitter Juan Pierre (.289 wOBA, 13 SB, 10 CS). Almost.
Since my previous examination of these splits, the Boston Red Sox have produced perhaps the most gaudy of statistics. Since June 1st, the top of their lineup has hit:
#1: .397
#2: .443
#3: .440
#4: .426
#5: .404
Be still, my Tangoish heart.
***
As before, here are some of the details from my data set:
Updated Through 7/12/11 (the 2011 All-Star Break)
| Arizona Diamondbacks |
||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 430 | 17 | 17 | 9 | .276 | .343 |
| 2nd | 417 | 12 | 12 | 5 | .238 | .281 |
| 3rd | 406 | 15 | 13 | 6 | .338 | .386 |
| 4th | 395 | 9 | 7 | 4 | .333 | .354 |
| 5th | 385 | 13 | 7 | 2 | .275 | .309 |
| 6th | 378 | 11 | 4 | 2 | .257 | .299 |
| 7th | 370 | 10 | 4 | 0 | .298 | .338 |
| 8th | 363 | 9 | 5 | 1 | .325 | .322 |
| 9th | 355 | 6 | 0 | 1 | .282 | .245 |
| Atlanta Braves | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 423 | 8 | 12 | 9 | .284 | .310 |
| 2nd | 410 | 11 | 2 | 4 | .278 | .308 |
| 3rd | 406 | 12 | 3 | 2 | .279 | .320 |
| 4th | 397 | 17 | 2 | 1 | .344 | .376 |
| 5th | 386 | 13 | 1 | 5 | .243 | .295 |
| 6th | 375 | 15 | 3 | 1 | .277 | .319 |
| 7th | 367 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .247 | .278 |
| 8th | 354 | 7 | 1 | 2 | .291 | .316 |
| 9th | 348 | 5 | 1 | 2 | .230 | .196 |
| Baltimore Orioles | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 413 | 12 | 7 | 2 | .270 | .306 |
| 2nd | 404 | 9 | 8 | 1 | .320 | .339 |
| 3rd | 393 | 10 | 3 | 1 | .280 | .291 |
| 4th | 382 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .288 | .303 |
| 5th | 373 | 11 | 3 | 2 | .258 | .292 |
| 6th | 366 | 14 | 6 | 1 | .324 | .355 |
| 7th | 355 | 15 | 0 | 3 | .262 | .320 |
| 8th | 344 | 12 | 6 | 1 | .245 | .320 |
| 9th | 338 | 6 | 2 | 1 | .359 | .334 |
| Boston Red Sox | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 430 | 11 | 26 | 10 | .334 | .372 |
| 2nd | 427 | 9 | 18 | 3 | .307 | .364 |
| 3rd | 418 | 16 | 0 | 0 | .387 | .403 |
| 4th | 406 | 18 | 1 | 0 | .319 | .411 |
| 5th | 396 | 17 | 3 | 2 | .310 | .405 |
| 6th | 382 | 9 | 1 | 1 | .284 | .316 |
| 7th | 374 | 11 | 3 | 2 | .302 | .328 |
| 8th | 362 | 5 | 4 | 1 | .271 | .269 |
| 9th | 354 | 11 | 2 | 2 | .275 | .327 |
| Chicago Cubs | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 425 | 5 | 9 | 2 | .358 | .368 |
| 2nd | 416 | 3 | 8 | 2 | .342 | .335 |
| 3rd | 411 | 7 | 3 | 1 | .294 | .313 |
| 4th | 400 | 14 | 0 | 1 | .294 | .347 |
| 5th | 388 | 16 | 1 | 2 | .302 | .349 |
| 6th | 377 | 14 | 2 | 0 | .337 | .375 |
| 7th | 364 | 10 | 8 | 2 | .289 | .287 |
| 8th | 354 | 7 | 0 | 2 | .322 | .319 |
| 9th | 346 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .210 | .168 |
| Chicago White Sox | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 430 | 1 | 16 | 10 | .291 | .298 |
| 2nd | 421 | 6 | 3 | 2 | .302 | .317 |
| 3rd | 412 | 15 | 3 | 4 | .256 | .339 |
| 4th | 403 | 23 | 1 | 1 | .301 | .381 |
| 5th | 395 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .255 | .279 |
| 6th | 382 | 9 | 4 | 1 | .229 | .283 |
| 7th | 366 | 10 | 5 | 4 | .277 | .308 |
| 8th | 356 | 13 | 0 | 4 | .310 | .354 |
| 9th | 346 | 4 | 5 | 6 | .268 | .273 |
| Cincinnati Reds | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 449 | 15 | 22 | 5 | .337 | .324 |
| 2nd | 437 | 9 | 7 | 3 | .272 | .305 |
| 3rd | 419 | 13 | 6 | 4 | .374 | .411 |
| 4th | 410 | 8 | 4 | 6 | .269 | .310 |
| 5th | 400 | 24 | 4 | 3 | .271 | .365 |
| 6th | 394 | 10 | 4 | 2 | .309 | .338 |
| 7th | 384 | 11 | 2 | 5 | .299 | .328 |
| 8th | 373 | 5 | 4 | 2 | .302 | .321 |
| 9th | 362 | 5 | 2 | 1 | .276 | .236 |
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 414 | 11 | 8 | 3 | .307 | .320 |
| 2nd | 407 | 12 | 11 | 0 | .323 | .351 |
| 3rd | 390 | 9 | 11 | 4 | .306 | .317 |
| 4th | 380 | 13 | 2 | 1 | .250 | .329 |
| 5th | 370 | 10 | 5 | 3 | .327 | .335 |
| 6th | 364 | 7 | 3 | 3 | .270 | .275 |
| 7th | 354 | 5 | 5 | 2 | .301 | .306 |
| 8th | 346 | 8 | 2 | 1 | .261 | .292 |
| 9th | 336 | 5 | 3 | 1 | .299 | .297 |
| Colorado Rockies | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 426 | 6 | 11 | 8 | .341 | .321 |
| 2nd | 418 | 6 | 8 | 4 | .322 | .325 |
| 3rd | 413 | 13 | 7 | 3 | .323 | .349 |
| 4th | 400 | 18 | 7 | 3 | .249 | .350 |
| 5th | 388 | 17 | 2 | 2 | .290 | .369 |
| 6th | 377 | 14 | 4 | 0 | .281 | .320 |
| 7th | 361 | 7 | 11 | 2 | .297 | .335 |
| 8th | 353 | 8 | 2 | 2 | .251 | .297 |
| 9th | 345 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .218 | .186 |
| Detroit Tigers | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 431 | 5 | 14 | 4 | .320 | .303 |
| 2nd | 419 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .295 | .311 |
| 3rd | 411 | 13 | 0 | 2 | .306 | .339 |
| 4th | 396 | 19 | 1 | 1 | .319 | .404 |
| 5th | 386 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .314 | .330 |
| 6th | 377 | 16 | 8 | 1 | .326 | .372 |
| 7th | 371 | 7 | 1 | 3 | .307 | .313 |
| 8th | 357 | 12 | 3 | 0 | .288 | .311 |
| 9th | 348 | 4 | 2 | 1 | .281 | .257 |
| Florida Marlins | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 427 | 5 | 20 | 7 | .302 | .318 |
| 2nd | 416 | 2 | 6 | 4 | .246 | .270 |
| 3rd | 402 | 7 | 9 | 5 | .285 | .304 |
| 4th | 395 | 15 | 4 | 1 | .339 | .388 |
| 5th | 385 | 14 | 1 | 1 | .286 | .330 |
| 6th | 372 | 17 | 5 | 1 | .342 | .381 |
| 7th | 367 | 8 | 1 | 3 | .261 | .286 |
| 8th | 355 | 7 | 1 | 1 | .280 | .298 |
| 9th | 344 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .259 | .191 |
| Houston Astros | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 429 | 1 | 35 | 5 | .351 | .321 |
| 2nd | 414 | 4 | 12 | 1 | .287 | .303 |
| 3rd | 408 | 11 | 5 | 1 | .388 | .386 |
| 4th | 396 | 8 | 5 | 2 | .280 | .329 |
| 5th | 384 | 5 | 2 | 1 | .323 | .303 |
| 6th | 379 | 5 | 0 | 3 | .308 | .286 |
| 7th | 367 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .335 | .333 |
| 8th | 359 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .263 | .275 |
| 9th | 345 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .270 | .227 |
| Kansas City Royals | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 435 | 9 | 18 | 4 | .272 | .317 |
| 2nd | 427 | 12 | 12 | 3 | .309 | .345 |
| 3rd | 416 | 9 | 6 | 1 | .348 | .359 |
| 4th | 404 | 6 | 9 | 3 | .300 | .318 |
| 5th | 393 | 15 | 7 | 3 | .297 | .360 |
| 6th | 384 | 5 | 8 | 3 | .325 | .313 |
| 7th | 372 | 5 | 8 | 2 | .261 | .267 |
| 8th | 360 | 3 | 8 | 4 | .290 | .320 |
| 9th | 353 | 2 | 16 | 6 | .306 | .295 |
| Los Angeles Angels | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 431 | 6 | 17 | 6 | .311 | .319 |
| 2nd | 418 | 12 | 12 | 4 | .302 | .331 |
| 3rd | 405 | 3 | 11 | 5 | .341 | .344 |
| 4th | 398 | 19 | 4 | 3 | .269 | .340 |
| 5th | 387 | 2 | 5 | 2 | .280 | .284 |
| 6th | 376 | 8 | 9 | 1 | .299 | .312 |
| 7th | 369 | 15 | 5 | 2 | .305 | .339 |
| 8th | 359 | 7 | 5 | 3 | .305 | .301 |
| 9th | 347 | 4 | 7 | 2 | .284 | .257 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 422 | 1 | 19 | 5 | .309 | .300 |
| 2nd | 412 | 5 | 6 | 2 | .333 | .324 |
| 3rd | 400 | 9 | 2 | 1 | .352 | .353 |
| 4th | 395 | 22 | 27 | 3 | .343 | .403 |
| 5th | 389 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .298 | .295 |
| 6th | 377 | 4 | 6 | 2 | .277 | .261 |
| 7th | 369 | 9 | 1 | 0 | .237 | .280 |
| 8th | 359 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .274 | .262 |
| 9th | 345 | 4 | 5 | 3 | .233 | .229 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 427 | 17 | 7 | 2 | .318 | .366 |
| 2nd | 414 | 12 | 12 | 7 | .309 | .320 |
| 3rd | 402 | 17 | 20 | 5 | .345 | .415 |
| 4th | 393 | 22 | 0 | 0 | .297 | .407 |
| 5th | 387 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .250 | .255 |
| 6th | 375 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .275 | .286 |
| 7th | 366 | 9 | 7 | 2 | .261 | .281 |
| 8th | 356 | 11 | 4 | 1 | .300 | .322 |
| 9th | 344 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .244 | .220 |
| Minnesota Twins | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 406 | 2 | 12 | 6 | .321 | .336 |
| 2nd | 396 | 5 | 12 | 1 | .247 | .274 |
| 3rd | 388 | 10 | 5 | 0 | .300 | .324 |
| 4th | 375 | 9 | 2 | 1 | .302 | .330 |
| 5th | 366 | 9 | 4 | 2 | .293 | .321 |
| 6th | 362 | 11 | 3 | 4 | .310 | .333 |
| 7th | 355 | 5 | 5 | 3 | .278 | .274 |
| 8th | 342 | 1 | 3 | 1 | .231 | .219 |
| 9th | 328 | 2 | 4 | 3 | .292 | .289 |
| New York Mets | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 438 | 4 | 34 | 7 | .356 | .377 |
| 2nd | 425 | 4 | 13 | 2 | .268 | .290 |
| 3rd | 409 | 14 | 12 | 0 | .311 | .369 |
| 4th | 398 | 7 | 7 | 3 | .310 | .326 |
| 5th | 391 | 7 | 10 | 1 | .309 | .334 |
| 6th | 383 | 10 | 6 | 3 | .326 | .353 |
| 7th | 375 | 4 | 1 | 5 | .346 | .350 |
| 8th | 367 | 4 | 5 | 2 | .287 | .290 |
| 9th | 357 | 4 | 1 | 1 | .221 | .184 |
| New York Yankees | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 418 | 4 | 17 | 4 | .299 | .325 |
| 2nd | 405 | 23 | 16 | 8 | .284 | .377 |
| 3rd | 396 | 25 | 2 | 1 | .235 | .377 |
| 4th | 388 | 14 | 5 | 1 | .328 | .366 |
| 5th | 379 | 16 | 6 | 1 | .298 | .366 |
| 6th | 372 | 9 | 3 | 4 | .240 | .297 |
| 7th | 360 | 12 | 6 | 4 | .258 | .330 |
| 8th | 349 | 12 | 13 | 5 | .325 | .389 |
| 9th | 335 | 8 | 13 | 4 | .249 | .271 |
| Oakland Athletics | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 420 | 2 | 25 | 9 | .270 | .280 |
| 2nd | 405 | 6 | 4 | 3 | .273 | .298 |
| 3rd | 398 | 5 | 8 | 4 | .279 | .313 |
| 4th | 390 | 11 | 6 | 0 | .278 | .296 |
| 5th | 379 | 4 | 4 | 2 | .273 | .292 |
| 6th | 373 | 6 | 5 | 1 | .255 | .291 |
| 7th | 364 | 6 | 4 | 3 | .222 | .260 |
| 8th | 350 | 6 | 1 | 0 | .290 | .307 |
| 9th | 345 | 4 | 7 | 7 | .288 | .293 |
| Philadelphia Phillies |
||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 430 | 11 | 20 | 2 | .279 | .332 |
| 2nd | 419 | 7 | 12 | 1 | .310 | .350 |
| 3rd | 412 | 6 | 12 | 1 | .276 | .313 |
| 4th | 403 | 19 | 1 | 0 | .299 | .347 |
| 5th | 394 | 9 | 7 | 4 | .240 | .306 |
| 6th | 380 | 11 | 3 | 1 | .274 | .332 |
| 7th | 368 | 8 | 2 | 1 | .278 | .299 |
| 8th | 356 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .273 | .280 |
| 9th | 348 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .290 | .218 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 413 | 9 | 21 | 9 | .338 | .362 |
| 2nd | 399 | 4 | 17 | 3 | .302 | .295 |
| 3rd | 389 | 8 | 8 | 6 | .327 | .363 |
| 4th | 385 | 11 | 4 | 1 | .257 | .321 |
| 5th | 379 | 5 | 4 | 2 | .264 | .276 |
| 6th | 369 | 13 | 3 | 2 | .324 | .356 |
| 7th | 353 | 5 | 2 | 2 | .295 | .287 |
| 8th | 344 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .291 | .268 |
| 9th | 333 | 1 | 3 | 1 | .277 | .191 |
| San Diego Padres | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 422 | 6 | 17 | 11 | .298 | .305 |
| 2nd | 415 | 2 | 25 | 5 | .279 | .279 |
| 3rd | 404 | 1 | 9 | 2 | .326 | .293 |
| 4th | 394 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .272 | .280 |
| 5th | 385 | 10 | 4 | 1 | .276 | .297 |
| 6th | 372 | 9 | 11 | 1 | .346 | .339 |
| 7th | 362 | 3 | 11 | 1 | .281 | .281 |
| 8th | 350 | 5 | 5 | 1 | .269 | .267 |
| 9th | 340 | 4 | 5 | 2 | .235 | .200 |
| San Francisco Giants | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 426 | 3 | 12 | 7 | .320 | .307 |
| 2nd | 417 | 3 | 4 | 3 | .303 | .301 |
| 3rd | 412 | 8 | 5 | 2 | .276 | .295 |
| 4th | 398 | 8 | 7 | 1 | .295 | .310 |
| 5th | 388 | 13 | 3 | 2 | .297 | .341 |
| 6th | 375 | 11 | 8 | 2 | .295 | .341 |
| 7th | 363 | 5 | 5 | 10 | .268 | .295 |
| 8th | 360 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .271 | .294 |
| 9th | 346 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .236 | .206 |
| Seattle Mariners | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 406 | 1 | 23 | 4 | .296 | .296 |
| 2nd | 399 | 1 | 13 | 6 | .237 | .253 |
| 3rd | 392 | 12 | 5 | 1 | .263 | .316 |
| 4th | 386 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .248 | .259 |
| 5th | 372 | 10 | 3 | 4 | .260 | .307 |
| 6th | 366 | 12 | 3 | 3 | .256 | .290 |
| 7th | 354 | 7 | 6 | 6 | .295 | .273 |
| 8th | 341 | 2 | 8 | 2 | .211 | .220 |
| 9th | 329 | 6 | 7 | 1 | .322 | .312 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 432 | 1 | 7 | 5 | .303 | .304 |
| 2nd | 422 | 7 | 6 | 3 | .349 | .340 |
| 3rd | 412 | 22 | 5 | 0 | .253 | .374 |
| 4th | 404 | 23 | 1 | 3 | .323 | .411 |
| 5th | 396 | 15 | 4 | 1 | .321 | .372 |
| 6th | 387 | 12 | 4 | 6 | .300 | .326 |
| 7th | 381 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .306 | .323 |
| 8th | 364 | 2 | 5 | 2 | .308 | .288 |
| 9th | 350 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .243 | .222 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 415 | 7 | 15 | 12 | .288 | .321 |
| 2nd | 402 | 7 | 10 | 2 | .312 | .341 |
| 3rd | 389 | 12 | 7 | 1 | .297 | .333 |
| 4th | 382 | 13 | 7 | 3 | .241 | .304 |
| 5th | 373 | 18 | 8 | 3 | .332 | .386 |
| 6th | 363 | 10 | 15 | 6 | .308 | .329 |
| 7th | 354 | 4 | 6 | 2 | .260 | .285 |
| 8th | 340 | 11 | 1 | 6 | .250 | .279 |
| 9th | 332 | 5 | 7 | 0 | .254 | .256 |
| Texas Rangers | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 435 | 14 | 23 | 3 | .271 | .374 |
| 2nd | 426 | 3 | 25 | 4 | .315 | .321 |
| 3rd | 413 | 14 | 8 | 1 | .336 | .366 |
| 4th | 399 | 16 | 1 | 2 | .272 | .352 |
| 5th | 391 | 11 | 2 | 1 | .298 | .332 |
| 6th | 379 | 24 | 5 | 7 | .253 | .358 |
| 7th | 370 | 15 | 4 | 2 | .286 | .333 |
| 8th | 361 | 10 | 2 | 1 | .315 | .345 |
| 9th | 350 | 5 | 18 | 2 | .287 | .310 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 433 | 9 | 10 | 4 | .291 | .336 |
| 2nd | 424 | 11 | 12 | 6 | .326 | .325 |
| 3rd | 412 | 31 | 5 | 3 | .310 | .453 |
| 4th | 407 | 16 | 6 | 1 | .295 | .335 |
| 5th | 395 | 9 | 10 | 2 | .274 | .302 |
| 6th | 389 | 10 | 4 | 0 | .229 | .273 |
| 7th | 375 | 7 | 6 | 4 | .304 | .321 |
| 8th | 359 | 8 | 14 | 3 | .283 | .295 |
| 9th | 352 | 6 | 8 | 7 | .273 | .287 |
| Washington Nationals | ||||||
| Order | PA | HR | SB | CS | BABIP | wOBA |
| 1st | 427 | 7 | 20 | 2 | .244 | .275 |
| 2nd | 418 | 5 | 19 | 2 | .290 | .290 |
| 3rd | 409 | 10 | 10 | 2 | .291 | .333 |
| 4th | 398 | 13 | 5 | 0 | .271 | .310 |
| 5th | 385 | 16 | 6 | 6 | .300 | .342 |
| 6th | 373 | 15 | 6 | 3 | .312 | .327 |
| 7th | 359 | 9 | 5 | 3 | .299 | .331 |
| 8th | 350 | 4 | 3 | 2 | .252 | .256 |
| 9th | 338 | 4 | 4 | 2 | .267 | .239 |
The top 6th spot in the nl is the marlins not the phillies think you got the colors confused
Ha! Sure enough! Good catch!
Isn’t that actually Granderson who leads the #2 hitters in wOBA?
Two boners in one post! Whelp, time to take that color blindness test.
While Granderson does have the highest in the #2 slot, I bet the Sox’s wOBA there would be a lot higher if Alexei had played all the past games in the 2 spot.
lol, boners
Your Semi-Pro line – .000/.429/.000
But, you are the king of three true outcomes (or, two, I guess) with 100% of your plate appearances ending in one.
My guess is that he’s never swung the bat.
I’ve never made contact, but my Swing % is something like 8%.
PS – what does “semi-pro” mean? I think the word you looking for is amateur. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s not amateur in that a number of players are one their way to play in college or were previously drafted/scouted by the MLB. I imagine I would have a hit in an amateur league.
It’s more of a summer league.
So you can’t get a hit off of high school kids.
Nope. Not yet. :)
Woodrum, could you please write an article on the effect of SABR knowledge on amateur summer league softball/baseball? Maybe do a survey of some of the fangraphs writers and assess their approaches to plate discipline and other SABR-friendly concepts. I, for one, have taken to the Brett Gardner approach in my amateur games, but I still get batted 9th at times. :(
Hmm. Must’ve misread the book, but im farily certain Tango said #2/4 is where the most balanced and important hitters go, with #2 getting the edge b/c of the larger nbr of plate appearances. Again, could be wrong b/c its been a few years since I’ve read it and talked batting order, but can anyone confirm?
Without cracking the book to check, I thought it was 1/2/4, 3/5. 6,7,8,9, with no specification of order within the groups, except to say that ISO should be in the 4 slot and OBP in the 1.
Yeah, that’s accurate. In terms of avoiding out (read: good OBP) it goes 1, 4, 2, etc. 2/4 are the most important overall.
Actually, 1,2,4 are equal in quality. More walks 1, 2, then 4. More extra base hits 4, 2, then 1.
More single-digit HR totals in the clean-up spot than I would’ve guessed. Though only the Mariners (of course) project to finish the season with fewer than 10 from the #4 hitter.
“Mariners (of course) project to finish the season with fewer than 10 from the #4 hitter.”
L
O
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Good on the Twins, having the confidence to put forward an NL-like 8- and 9-spot!
226 of Vernon Wells’ 257 ABs this year have come as the #4 or #5 hitter in the Angels’ lineup.
1st – Jose Reyes
2nd – Curtis Granderson
3rd – Jose Bautista
4th – Matt Holliday/Kevin Youkilis
5th – David Ortiz
6th – Mike Stanton/Jhonny Peralta
7th – Josh Thole
8th – Gordon Beckham
9th – Marco Scutaro/Robert Andino
Did some quick looks at the highest wOBA and this is what I came up with.
A little off topic, but:
How pointless was it to put the DH rule in an NL park last night during the ASG??
It’s not like pitchers have ever really hit in the ASG before. The reserve position players pinch-hit for the pitcher and then a new one comes in. Why the DH rule?
Pointless! At least when you choose the pinch hitter for the pitcher with NL rules, you can put in the best hitter for the offense and against the current opposing pitcher considering the situation at hand.
Having a DH left the teams with a designated person in the lineup when they could have chosen from ANY of the reserves with NL rules. It didn’t even make any difference in the score of the game (5-1, still a low score). Stupidity! Where does Selig come up with these dumb ideas??
NL park should have NL rules.
I don’t think the DH created any more AL fans (Yankees were already the most popular AL team even before the rules changed in 1973) and the NL teams didn’t lose any fans due to it either. Increased popularity has come with championships (Look at the Giants, Phillies and Red Sox in the past few years) not from having or not having the DH rule.
I’m not sure what the problem is, there’s nothing you can do in an NL game that you can’t do in an AL game. You can sub for the DH like anyone else, and you can move your DH into the field and stop using one whenever you want.
In reality, it looks like most MLB managers go with conventional wisdom for lineup construction and not the run simulators. The major concern seems to be breaking up spots in the lineup by handedness, to combat specialty relievers like LOOGY’s. I wonder if a team would ever be willing to put a recognized slugging machine like Jose Bautista batting first, even though his OBP indicates he should be there.
Jays did this to start last year. Bautista batted leadoff in April. But it’s not just his OBP you talking about. His power is wasted at the leadoff spot since he will come to bat even more often with nobody on base. At least that’s what conventional wisdom would say if your worst OBP guys are batting 8 and 9.
Holy shit, Oakland.
I know, right?
very very well written. actually laughed out loud at the betancourt/integration jokes. many props
Thanks! I aim to please!
woodrum rebounds from that retarded ‘women’ article with an-all time classic here. this article is pure fangraphs, fangraphs at its finest. excellent read.
I do not think the word “whence” means what you think it means.
Boy, I sure use it a lot too. Oh well, most modernites don’t know its real meaning anywho.
Great article!
Was a little surprised the Red Sox’ 3rd spot trails the 4th and 5th in terms of wOBA – still being hurt by Crawford’s April ‘tear’ i guess?
“Am I the next Bautista? Probably.”
Awesome.
May I join your summer team league?
Man, that Rangers lineup is balanced. Only team with all 9 above .300. They could put them out there in any order and still score a lot of runs.
Perhaps FG can add batting order in the splits to check this stuff out on our own?
And I think there is something wrong with sorting by team/position. For the Cubs, center field appears to take all of Reed Johnsons plate app’s into consideration, and right field ALSO takes all of Reed’s plate app’s into consideration, as does left field. Can’t it be so that only his CF PA’s go into the Cubs CF stats?
As a big fan of Bruce Bochy, I have to congratulate him on putting his best batters at #5 and #6, and his tied for sixth best at #3. What a genius!
How do you go about putting together data like this? Aggregated by batting order position (or by fielding position)