Wednesday, June 15, 2011
11 random observations about 2011
Posted by Brad JohnsonWhat follows are some team statistics from this season. Hat tip to Fangraphs for the tables.
The Astros' starting pitchers really hate ground balls. They have rolled over just 37.6 percent of batted balls, the lowest rate in the league.
Conversely, Astros relievers want nothing to do with fly balls. They've allowed the fewest in baseball among relief staffs at just 27.6 percent of balls in play. To get to that league lowest rate, Astros relievers have burned the fourth most worms (50.3 percent) while allowing the most line drives (22.1 percent).
The Giants have been the most clutch hitting team according to Fangraphs' "clutch" stat. The Yankees have been the most unclutch.
Last season, the Diamondbacks led baseball in swinging strike percentage, whiffing on 10.6 percent of pitches. Over the offseason, management dedicated itself to cutting down on strikeouts (and by extension, the swinging strike rate), namely by trading away chief offender Mark Reynolds. The focus paid off: The club is whiffing at only 10.2 percent of pitches this year. This is once again worst (or tops!) in baseball.
The Diamondbacks haven't struck out the most. That honor belongs to the Padres. The Diamondbacks have only the third highest strike out rate.
According to Fangraphs' Speed Score statistic, the Mets are the fastest team in baseball (5.5). The Braves are the slowest (2.8)
Phillies starting pitchers have the highest strikeouts per nine innings (8.24) in baseball. They also have the lowest walks per nine innings (1.88). Small wonder that the unit is almost three and a half wins better than the next best starting rotation (per Fangraphs WAR)
The Cubs feature the only bullpen that throws fastballs fewer than 50 percent of the time.
The Nationals have allowed only 44 stolen bases, the fewest in the majors. They have also caught 19 runners. The Padres reside on the other end of the spectrum—134 stolen bases allowed against only 23 caught stealing. The Red Sox get honorable mention for allowing 130 steals while catching the same number as the Nationals—19.
The Rays have uncorked the most wild pitches in baseball—10. James Shields is responsible for seven of them. The Cardinals and Angels tie with Shields for the second most wild pitches with seven.
The White Sox have stolen 30 bases but have been caught a league-worst 29 times. Yuck. At least they try. The Braves have stolen only 19 bases while being caught 18 times.
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Dbacks only 3rd in Ks? No more Mark Reynolds!
Cubs bullpen doesn’t throw fastballs? It’s cause Marmol and Marshall have good offspeed stuff. Did you count Kerry’s cutter as a fastball?
Seems weird that Shields, a control pitcher, has so many wild pitches. I blame the catcher!
The stolen base calamity of the Sox stems from Pierre and Rios.
The Yankees aren’t clutch because Arod is “toxic!”