So much MSM ink has been dedicated to covering the Yankees’ struggles with runners in scoring position, and we typically go to bed before West Coast games end (we all sleep in the same bed)…so here’s your post.
Let’s stick with basic OPS and where the Yankees rank in the AL…
RISP: .715, 8th out of 14 (league average .741)
RISP with 2 outs: .661, 10th out of 14 (league average .711)
Bases loaded: .524, 11th out of 14 (league average .730)
It’s been a struggle, obviously. But did you also know that the Yankees have an MLB-low .228 BABIP with RISP? And they’re last by a significant margin. The next one up on the list is San Francisco at .245. So how much of this is the Yankees actually sucking versus just some bad luck?
This leads to a series of other questions…
Does it really take a special skill, separate from a player’s normal abilities, to hit with runners in scoring position? Do hitters swing differently or change their thought-process when there’s a runner on second or third waiting to be knocked in?
Or if a player is a good hitter, will his prowess with RISP eventually catch up to his natural ability? Will the approach that a player takes into his non-RISP at-bats carry over into his RISP at-bats?
We ask you, the NoMaas reader…
64 Comments
Joe Maddon May 30, 2012 22:44
BABIP is going to suffer when it’s more often then not weak contact into the teeth of the defensive alignment.
Mark Teixeira May 30, 2012 23:13
heh heh, he’s talking about me….
Sgt. Hartman May 31, 2012 05:11
What’s that private Pyle?
Jelly Doughnut May 31, 2012 08:46
Look inside his footlocker!
Ben Ka bak's Dad May 31, 2012 14:01
Can we sue them?
Brian S. May 30, 2012 23:24
So due to positive regression we are going to kick ass the rest of the way right?
Brian S. May 31, 2012 14:02
2 plus 2 equals 4!
Snooki May 30, 2012 23:45
Did someone say luck?
rob balis May 31, 2012 00:26
brosius,tino,oneill..had something extra
yeah brosius had a shitty ops…but he had a lot of big hits
sabermetrics are great dont get me wrong
but sometimes getting 1 big hit in a ridiculously huge spot and not getting a hit in a spot the 9 other times is ok
luis sojo.,clap clap..clap clap clap
Brian Cashman May 31, 2012 01:08
Sabermetrics has been slow to grasp the mental side of the game.
they treat playing in front of 1300 in Minnesota on a tuesday night
the same as playing in from of 35000 at old yankee stadium on a friday night
That being said the recently said they were looking into “clutch hitting” as something different.
Aaron Boone May 31, 2012 01:11
Hi!
Pen 15 May 31, 2012 07:45
Are you the same douchebag who was much to blame as anyone else for losing the world series in 03?
Joe Torre May 31, 2012 10:05
No that would be me, with an assist from David “the gout” Wells.
Jeff Weaver May 31, 2012 18:18
what about me?
Scott Brosius career stats May 31, 2012 08:46
.257/.323/.422
With RISP: .265/.334/.416
A touch better with RISP, but really not much difference than his regular numbers. Supports option #2 on the poll.
rob balis May 31, 2012 13:48
bottom of the 9th 2 outs down 2 runs in the world series and he crushes a home run
you’re stat line doesnt show that douche bag
world series mvp too
fucking dick
rob balis May 31, 2012 13:55
lifetime world series numbers .314/.333/.529
you didnt mention that…oh because it wouldnt support your view
Dormant Ulcer May 31, 2012 14:02
I shit on you goodsir.
The Knicks are Back. May 31, 2012 18:20
Wow, really aggressive for absolutely no reason. The fact that in 76 postseason AB’s Brosius (who I loved) happened to do well proves he’s got some sort of skill that others don’t have? Also the question was does hitting with RISP require said skill, so his World Series numbers are technically irrelevant. I think you got a little excited because you used Brosius as an example, when in reality his RISP line was almost perfectly in line with his career line. Your “proof” was actually great proof for the other side of the argument and you got embarrassed.
Brian Cashman May 31, 2012 01:04
You are talking about the team then ask about the individual hitter
so what we can take from this is that sucking is contagious
Jesus Montero May 31, 2012 01:20
Hey Ca$hmoron, how’d you like my performance vs Texas today?
The Truth May 31, 2012 07:43
SHHH You cannot critcize the Ninja on this site or all the geniuses that swear by him will insult you and say you don’t “understand” his inate ability to make brilliant deals. Like trading an everyday player for one who may or may not be successful every fifth day.
Serious question May 31, 2012 08:39
Why are you so angry?
The Truth May 31, 2012 09:11
Who’s angry/ A serious question for all of you at what point do you stop with the blind hero worship of our GM?
Pineda's Shoulder May 31, 2012 08:45
Ouch, that hurts…
Next Year May 31, 2012 09:02
What about me? Pineda will be back.
Jesus Montero May 31, 2012 01:20
Yes.Btw- update my pic, I’m on pace for 20+ homers and 85 RBI for a shit offense team.
rob balis May 31, 2012 05:10
with a shit on base…..and you’re a dh
The Truth May 31, 2012 07:45
Another blind Cashman worshipper. Question since the Yankees have better hitters don’t tou think his ability to draw walks would improve? Honestly just swallow your fuckin pride and say the following “Cashman fucked up big time.”
Montero's Ballsack May 31, 2012 09:04
When will you get off of me? Next year? Five years? Ten years?
The Truth May 31, 2012 09:08
When you remove your cock from Cashman’s ass.
Fellow Hispanic May 31, 2012 09:37
You are a disgrace to Hispanics, Truth.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia May 31, 2012 12:09
All hispanics are disgraces.
TSJC May 31, 2012 14:03
SPIC PLEASE!
Sensitive RAB Guy May 31, 2012 21:52
thought he was a black / shogun of harlem
Montero's Ballsack May 31, 2012 09:51
Cash is our GM, and he is a very successful one.
Montero is a clunky DH who will never play regularly in the field. He can hit some. So what. Ibanez is a better DH this year and others on this team will be better in the future.
At some point, give it up.
rob balis May 31, 2012 13:50
actually im not a cashman worshipper…im actually not a fan of his at all..stupid fuck
i just think montero is the most overhyped piece of shit useless DH ive ever seen
sorry a .750 ops doesnt make me cream myself
Matzo May 31, 2012 14:04
Cashman traded a stud bat for a fat piece of out of shape shit. Forget if Montero plays catcheror not. They went from dealing Lee for him to getting nothing. Thats a shitty GM.
Barack Obama May 31, 2012 06:59
Being President doesn’t require any special skill
Mitt Romney May 31, 2012 07:46
Neither does banruoting a company and firing people. Something I am quite good at.In addition to spelling America wrong.
Republicrats May 31, 2012 08:47
It does take a special skill to make people believe Romney and Obama are actually different.
Harry Reid May 31, 2012 14:05
Did we pass a budget yet??
Mitch the Turtle June 1, 2012 03:14
We’ll filibuster everything. Like we’ve been doing for four years.
Pound the corners June 4, 2012 11:19
Did you ever hear of the “debt ceiling” before Obama was president? No? Funny, because every Republican president has raised the debt ceiling repeatedly. Regardless of whether the economy was strong or weak at the time. If Mitt gets in, you’ll never hear of the debt ceiling again, but it will go up over and over again.
George W. Bush June 1, 2012 10:33
Being President really doesn’t take too much skill at all.. Trust me on this one.
Jete's Ball Man May 31, 2012 07:46
“Do hitters swing differently or change their thought-process when there’s a runner on second or third waiting to be knocked in?”
Of course they do. Hitters are human. There’s a mental part of this game that plays a big part in performance.
Nomaas is shocked to learn there is an intangible and mental part of the game that stats can’t measure.
Teabag Enthusiast May 31, 2012 08:48
Does your name imply that you take Jeter’s balls to your face?
rob balis May 31, 2012 13:52
lol..well said…like i stated earlier sabermetrics are cool..i enjoy them and they are very useful…but the guys on the field are not robots or computers….human element is a factor…dare i say at times they feel pressure?
Pingback: The Yankee beat: RISP, Swisher, and 3rd base | Bronx Baseball Daily
Call me Crazy May 31, 2012 10:39
Hitting with RISP is only a special skill if you make it one. If you change your approach when there’s a runner in scoring position, you change your results.
If it’s a change for the worse, you should cut it the shit out.
DormantUlcer May 31, 2012 13:36
This is about as spot on as it can be. The hitters on the Yankees have it especially hard, since they have this universe-wide expectation hanging over each one of their heads. This is the ‘human element’ of the game that cannot be replaced or corrected.
The umps, on the other hand, are bullshit.
Rath May 31, 2012 11:16
Why not compare league batting average to league batting averge with RISP. A large sample size like that should answer all questions.
Pingback: The Yankee beat: RISP, Swisher, and 3rd base | All New York Yankees
DormantUlcer May 31, 2012 14:05
Meatloaf! MOM!
DormantUlcer May 31, 2012 16:36
Hey, somebody ripped off my handle to make me look ridiculous! I guess I made the big time.
Jay Destro May 31, 2012 19:29
I can’t get enough cock in my mouth and asshole.
Brian S. May 31, 2012 20:29
How can you be so happy about that?! All these nomaasian losers make so much fun of me, calling me stinky and saying I fart and saying I think Raul Ibanez is sexy (which is true, but still)!! Its so mean, I am gonna tell on you guys to my mom
Mitt Romney May 31, 2012 15:51
President Obama has been a total failure at hitting with men on base.
Of course May 31, 2012 18:23
It’s not a matter of hitting better with RISP.
It’s the ability to hit the same with RISP.
Meaning some players have the ability to stay calm and cool, and they do not change their approach to hitting as a result of the additional pressure. Things like expanding the strike zone or swinging harder than usual can make a rather big difference in a hitter’s results.
This is pretty much true in all walks of life. Some people handle pressure filled situations better than others because they remain calm and level headed. On the contrary, some people get more nervous and things seem to “speed up”.
Not something you can really teach either. People are pretty much preprogrammed the way they are.
Dude June 1, 2012 01:50
You’re right, sir.
The Real World Isn't a Robot June 1, 2012 09:34
Wow… the stats geeks pose a question about intangibles.
What you’re missing is that a player’s mental make-up – his composure, calmness, etc – is PART of his physical talent. Last time I checked, my mind was in my brain, and my brain was in my body. This distinction between the two is where this argument goes awry – because once you separate the two you’re not basing the argument on reality/truth. Something like composure is more difficult to measure than, for example, arm strength or bat speed…but it’s measureable nonetheless, usually by personal history/past actions.
That said, anyone who honestly thinks that failure doesn’t create more pressure to succeed in the future is fooling themselves. If I totaled two cars, I’d feel pressure not to wreck the third one I got. It’s really no different for anything – including coming through with RISP – a noticeably important time in a baseball game where the runs are right there for the taking and the opportunities over nine innings may be very limited.
That said, A-Rod’s a choke artist.
F Bobby V June 1, 2012 11:45
Asking NoMaas readers to explain the RISP hitting thought process is asking pro baseball players how to make retarded comments on internet blogs.
Curtis Granderson June 2, 2012 01:51
It takes a big black dick.
Pound the corners June 4, 2012 11:24
If hitting with RISP was no different than hitting with no men on base, then ARod & Cano would not be hitting under .200 with RISP. Right?