OREGON STATE'S REMARKABLE TABLE SETTERS
Mar 9, 2023 17:26:23 GMT -8
jefframp, beaverbeliever, and 6 more like this
Post by chinmusic on Mar 9, 2023 17:26:23 GMT -8
In the upper tiers of baseball competition played at the collegiate and professional levels, the influence of analytics is evident in batting orders everywhere. The “old school wisdom” and mythology surrounding the construction a batting order (a certain type of hitter for every spot in the order) have gone the way of the Buffalo. It’s been a painful process letting go of those long held beliefs but sorry Bub, factual data (every MLB game stat since 1971 crunched) just doesn’t support many of them.
Analytics, driven by all of the calculus and those exotic algorithms changed most of the batting order thinking of managers and coaches throughout the game. The data tells us to hit your second best hitter in the leadoff spot and your best hitter in the two hole. There is a great deal of randomness in batting orders and some Quants even suggest stacking your order sequentially in accordance with their hitting ability – best hitter leads off and weakest hitter hits last. Oakland A’s manager Billy Martin once ended an eight game losing streak by drawing names out of his hat to fill out his batting order. He repeated that every game and won 11 out of next 13 to break the slump.
So, if you are a “by the book” analytics coach, chances are your best hitters/OBP guys are hitting 1 and 2 in your batting order. Are the Beavs in line with that thinking?
I think they are.
Leadoff hitter Micah McDowell has played in 11 games and made 55 plate appearances, reaching base safely 30 times. He has stroked 16 singles, 3 doubles and a home run. He has drawn 8 walks, been hit with a pitch once and had one ROE. He has 9 RBI. Once on base, Micah has stolen 5 bases. His slash line through 12 games is .444/ .537/ .538 with 1,115 OPS.
Reaching base 30 times in 11 games with the elite speed Micah has, is turning up the heat on opposing pitchers and defenses. His disciplined strike zone (2.25:1 BB:K ratio), ability to get a bunt down, beat out a ground ball and take the extra base, compounds the problem in defending him. Micah has been the complete offensive package through the first 12 games of 2023.
Travis Bazzana, hitting number 2 in the order is off to a whiz-bang start this season. Playing in 12 games, Travis has made 58 plate appearances, reaching base 32 times. He has hit 9 singles, 7 doubles, 2 triples and a home run, good for 33 TB. He has drawn 8 BB , been HBP once, and ROE once while scoring 12 runs and recording 13 RBI. He has controlled the zone with a 1.5:1 BB:K ratio. Travis has pilfered 4 bases and in spite of a couple of hiccups,
has run the bases with speed and bravado. Bazz’s slash line through 12 games is .422/ .544/ .733 with 1.277 OPS.
Bazzana is an All American that you expect to perform to a high standard, but his all around effort offensively is really exciting. The OBP, flurry of XBH and speed on the base paths magnifies the pressure that McDowell is bringing ahead of him. The big Bombers – Turley, Forrester and the DH are coming to bat frequently with runners in scoring position. Bazzana’s ability to drive the ball in the gaps weaponizes the 2-hole since over 50% of his base hits are for extra bases.
The Beavers have had outstanding leadoff men recently – Steven Kwan and Wade Meckler but McDowell is carrying the torch and Bazzana is helping him keep the flame burning.
PAC play is here - time to rumble.
Go Beavs.
Analytics, driven by all of the calculus and those exotic algorithms changed most of the batting order thinking of managers and coaches throughout the game. The data tells us to hit your second best hitter in the leadoff spot and your best hitter in the two hole. There is a great deal of randomness in batting orders and some Quants even suggest stacking your order sequentially in accordance with their hitting ability – best hitter leads off and weakest hitter hits last. Oakland A’s manager Billy Martin once ended an eight game losing streak by drawing names out of his hat to fill out his batting order. He repeated that every game and won 11 out of next 13 to break the slump.
So, if you are a “by the book” analytics coach, chances are your best hitters/OBP guys are hitting 1 and 2 in your batting order. Are the Beavs in line with that thinking?
I think they are.
Leadoff hitter Micah McDowell has played in 11 games and made 55 plate appearances, reaching base safely 30 times. He has stroked 16 singles, 3 doubles and a home run. He has drawn 8 walks, been hit with a pitch once and had one ROE. He has 9 RBI. Once on base, Micah has stolen 5 bases. His slash line through 12 games is .444/ .537/ .538 with 1,115 OPS.
Reaching base 30 times in 11 games with the elite speed Micah has, is turning up the heat on opposing pitchers and defenses. His disciplined strike zone (2.25:1 BB:K ratio), ability to get a bunt down, beat out a ground ball and take the extra base, compounds the problem in defending him. Micah has been the complete offensive package through the first 12 games of 2023.
Travis Bazzana, hitting number 2 in the order is off to a whiz-bang start this season. Playing in 12 games, Travis has made 58 plate appearances, reaching base 32 times. He has hit 9 singles, 7 doubles, 2 triples and a home run, good for 33 TB. He has drawn 8 BB , been HBP once, and ROE once while scoring 12 runs and recording 13 RBI. He has controlled the zone with a 1.5:1 BB:K ratio. Travis has pilfered 4 bases and in spite of a couple of hiccups,
has run the bases with speed and bravado. Bazz’s slash line through 12 games is .422/ .544/ .733 with 1.277 OPS.Bazzana is an All American that you expect to perform to a high standard, but his all around effort offensively is really exciting. The OBP, flurry of XBH and speed on the base paths magnifies the pressure that McDowell is bringing ahead of him. The big Bombers – Turley, Forrester and the DH are coming to bat frequently with runners in scoring position. Bazzana’s ability to drive the ball in the gaps weaponizes the 2-hole since over 50% of his base hits are for extra bases.
The Beavers have had outstanding leadoff men recently – Steven Kwan and Wade Meckler but McDowell is carrying the torch and Bazzana is helping him keep the flame burning.
PAC play is here - time to rumble.
Go Beavs.
