On the site that still won’t link us in its list of blogs (sad face emoticon), there is another post discussing the Yankees’ failure to produce with runners in scoring position — in particular comments from Mark Teixeira:
“We’ve talked about this for a long time,” Mark Teixeira said. “We need to be better, but I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what our strikeout average is. Maybe we’re striking out too much. I don’t know. Maybe we are putting too many balls in play. I talked to you guys earlier, about when you’re not aggressive, you end up putting balls in play that you should swing and miss, or maybe foul off. Maybe we’re not being aggressive enough. I don’t know. … I hope it’s bad luck. At this point, maybe it’s not.”
That’s the thing, it is bad luck. We suggested this back on May 30th, when the Yankees were last in MLB in BABIP with runners in scoring position. And that position in the rankings hasn’t changed. The Bombers remain last by a wide margin with an ultra-low .229 BABIP. The Marlins are next-to-last with a .251 BABIP with RISP.
Teixeira also wondered if the Yankees were striking out a lot with RISP. They’re not. They have the 22nd-lowest strikeout rate with runners in scoring position.
Now, the Yankees do possess the second-lowest line drive rate in these situations at 17.5%, and that’s 4% below their overall line drive rate. So that might account for some of their underperformance with RISP versus what the offense has done on the whole.
But still…a .229 BABIP? That’s nuts. The Yankee hitters are too good to possess such a crazy-low BABIP. That’s going to change with just a little bit of luck.
50 Comments
Luck June 21, 2012 10:03
If you are looking for me, I’m usually hanging around Jeter and his strange.
BEXY June 21, 2012 15:03
LUCK IS NOT BEING EATEN BY ME AT AN ALL U CAN EAT BUFFET
Greg June 21, 2012 10:18
Will it?? We have very few hitters who are willing and able to adjust their swing on a strike two pitch, like shortening their swing or going with the pitch to the opposite field. Jeter can, but who else? I see A LOT of popups with RISP, and plenty of Ks. Let’s be honest, when you have a team with low batting averages how can we expect to do well with RISP? Most of our hitters are looking for HRs and walks, basehits are just too much work for them. :)
Reading is fundamental June 21, 2012 10:25
Teixeira also wondered if the Yankees were striking out a lot with RISP. They’re not. They have the 22nd-lowest strikeout rate with runners in scoring position.
Brian S. June 21, 2012 11:14
Well, our lineup is full of low contact-high power hitters with the exception of Cano and Jeter. So it doesn’t surprise me that we have a really low batting average with RISP because everyone in the lineup besides the two I mentioned have a low batting average. The Yankees have the highest .ISO in the league, and are sixth in .ISO with RISP. So they are what they are: a team that is not going to get a lot of hits, but when they do it will go far. And it’s not really working at this point.
Ritardi Losses:4 June 21, 2012 11:22
We are in first place?! what do you mean its not working?!
These are the dopiest comments I have ever seen on this site, including the 1st grade political debates and the retarded drivel from our resident mongoloid.
Big Spike June 21, 2012 12:03
You’re the one named Ritardi, does that make you the mongoloid?
Brian S. June 21, 2012 14:59
I whole heartedly agree.
Brian S. June 21, 2012 16:07
We were a .500 team until our pitching got hot. Our offense isn’t the reason we are in first place.
Yankees contact rate June 21, 2012 11:31
80.4%. Tied for 12th highest in MLB.
But I thought they didn’t make contact?
Brian S. June 21, 2012 16:08
Not good contact. I’m talking getting hits and stuff. Everyone except Jeter and Cano has a low batting average.
Brian S. June 25, 2012 14:05
Batting average means everything.
Fucker June 21, 2012 14:18
Wait wouldn’t 22nd lowest, be 8th highest?
Kevin S. June 21, 2012 10:19
I love how Marchand was all over A-Rod’s DP yesterday while nary a peep about clutchness was heard when he hit his game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning against the Braves last week – then it was just about tying Gehrig.
Brian S. June 21, 2012 15:02
Are we brothers? Do we hug?
Mr. Over Slot June 21, 2012 10:27
When the stats don’t agree with your bias… call it bad luck.
Serious question June 21, 2012 10:43
How about you take some time to learn what these stats actually mean?
Bryce June 21, 2012 11:31
That’s a clown question, bro.
Mr. Over Slot June 21, 2012 11:59
What else would you like me to learn about them?
That a low BABIP means bad luck? How long would that number have to remain low before you no longer consider it a matter of luck?
Ki m Last June 21, 2012 15:00
Lumps.
Ritardi Losses:4 June 21, 2012 10:33
I would guess that we have more runners in scoring position than other teams. That is a good sign that we will start mashing at some point this summer. Hopefully when th ered sox come to town
Dennis June 21, 2012 10:39
This truly goes back to the style of hitter the Yankees have become or Jeter, all or nothing HR first single second hitters. It is painful to watch any of the hitters, except Chris Stewart, go up there and just swing for the fences when a bloop single will score a run. Look at the starting players averages and it really shows that the teams approach is HR first. Against good pitching they are exposed as a very impatient one dimensional team.
Ritardi Losses:4 June 21, 2012 10:46
This is the most moronic thing I have ever read.
You are lauding Chris Stewart like his bloop singles are some skill the whole team can acquire?
You hit the fucking ball as hard as you can and hope it drops somewhere, no one tries to hit bloop singles.
CJ June 21, 2012 10:53
Haha. Awesome response.
My skill is that I hit bloop singles.
Greg June 21, 2012 10:57
Dennis is absolutely right. how can anyone who watches this team night in and out disagree?? We have gone out of our way to sign players who hit HRs and draw lots of walks. We have not done a good job of getting high average hitters who put the ball in play… Now I realize you can’t try to hit a bloop single, but I think what he’s trying to say is that sometimes you have to adjust your swing and poke a ball to the opposite field, instead of swinging out of your pants.
BC June 21, 2012 13:07
Care to respond to being OWNED about you “see” lots of strikeouts?
Mr. Over Slot June 21, 2012 12:01
Hit the ball as hard as you can and pray?
That is what you think hitters should be doing every time at the plate?
Joe Páwlikowski June 21, 2012 15:00
I got 74k words on why that is so. Tune in. Tune on.
Laz Diaz June 21, 2012 11:11
I must say, for a site that lives and dies by statistics, you need a refresher course! Just because RISP has been bad up to this point, means it can be bad for the rest of the season. You sound like old people when they go to the casinos and play the nickel machines – “well I lost the first hundred pulls so I am bound to win any second now!”. All I know is when they get RISP I get nauseous, and when they strike out or hit a pop up to an infielder I simultaneously rage and throw-up.
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 12:00
the reality is that there is truth on both sides of the arguments here. It is true that noone intentionally wants to hit bloop singles, that would be idiotic to do but you also have to take into account that the approach by most of these players lack some fundamentals.
its like Arod said, the pitcher should be the one with the pressure not the hitter who should be smelling blood, and while BABIP also states part of the problem that we are just with no luck, you also have to factor that by the team being in this position they are putting extra pressure on themselves to perform.
Stats are great and all, I would think it is dumb if you dont inform yourself with how the game works based on this data, but there has to be also a human element to it, there are things that stats cannot display.
And yes , things will get better for them with RISP, thats kinda obvious since things are just so bad right now. Noone should focus on trying to hit bloop singles but they are professional hitters, they should take advantage of situations like these and use the whole field instead of focusing on simply just hitting the ball as hard as you can.
Request June 21, 2012 12:30
Please lay down in the middle of a busy street.
Jay Destro's Weenie June 21, 2012 15:01
Right after both of you. Losers.
Mr. Over Slot June 21, 2012 12:42
Why would hitting a bloop single be idiotic?
Saberdorks are silly. It is awesome to intentionally work a walk. But not awesome to intentionally hit a weak single over the infield?
????? June 21, 2012 13:06
No one intentionally hits bloop singles. Are you really serious?
Mr. Over Slot June 21, 2012 13:20
No one intentionally hits bloop singles? Maybe we have different definitions of bloop singles.
If you are talking about someone taking a HR hack, missing solid contact, and the ball happens to drop for a single in the outfield… then yeah, that is not intentional.
But if you are trying to imply that hitters do not, in some situations, intentionally go to the plate and try to poke or slap balls over the infield for a single… I have to question if you have ever played the game.
It is no different than what you see when a runner is on third with less than two outs. Often hitters will intentionally try to lift the ball to increase the chance of at least a sac fly.
It is no different than when hitters intentionally try to pull the ball behind a runner.
It is no different than when hitters try to go the other way to foil a shift or exploit a hole.
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 13:32
i think the definition of bloop single needs to be established, I am sure everyone will have a different opinion on the term bloop single, i think bloop goes more with blooper as in not intentional or excuse me base hit.
otherwise to me is just a single
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 13:17
because if you are a power hitter your main purpose is to bring power, so unless you are brett gardner who just slaps the ball and is used to that sort of approach you will ultimately end up failing , its not like if you are robinson cano you want to try to hit an excuse me slap hit, i believe that would be as idiotic as our hitters now trying to hit homers all the time, how about instead of focusing on either they let their talent take over and adjust depending on the pitch, therefore if he sees a ball to pull for a homer you go for it if you see the pitcher is attacking low and out side you try to hit it the other way, use the field more.
Big Bam June 22, 2012 05:19
If there was a difference between a blooper and a line drive that really meant anything, it would say, in the box score.
Jesus, you guy’s need to get laid.
Phil "Monster Jaws" Hughes June 21, 2012 13:11
Well, we really need to know if pitchers are pitching to our hitters differently in this situation.
I know, I know, why wouldn’t they pitch to them this way all the time, right? I agree, let’s find the data so we can rule stuff out first instead of just assuming.
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 13:29
I’m sure stats are never wrong though, I am sure Nomaas saw advance stats back then and said Ubaldo Jimenez is an ace and the yankees should trade for him cause according to his stats going foward he will improve. Cause I do remember and let me Quote, that Nomaas also thought Ubaldo was “The Truth” So apparently you have to take their opinions as “the truth” .
Fucker June 21, 2012 14:13
Wait, Ubaldo and Nomaas are racist black guys?
TSJC June 21, 2012 15:04
I hate honky muthafucka’s. Hater.
Ben Bernanke June 22, 2012 05:21
Mister, that’s the first funny thing you’ve said here yet. Keep trying son, maybe you’ll get another chuckle in a year or two.
Joe Páwlikowski June 21, 2012 15:01
Joe Pawl only knows one cure for this problem. Nunez. More Nunez.
27 Rings June 21, 2012 15:52
The bottom line is we have a great regular season lineup and a mediocre post-season lineup. Facing better pitchers where every at bat is magnified, the Yankees will not hit the HR’s or get the same amount of walks they get in the regular season, so they will have to make more productive outs. This team has not proven they can do that. Who do you have confidence in that they will get the runner in from 3rd with less than two outs???
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 18:28
exactly, this team doesnt have that aura to come through like they did in 98 and 2009 , they dont have the overpowering rotation they had in 99 and 2000
MakeMeSomeFoodHo June 21, 2012 17:39
Terry Collins should have R.A. the Rugged Man walk the first two batters in every inning against the yankees, he will get his no hitter that way.
Rath June 21, 2012 20:42
BABIP might continue to be low if some of the batters, Tex being the greatest offender, don’t figure out ways to counteract the shift and other defensive adjustments.
Inferno the smart man curse June 21, 2012 21:47
exactly
but this is nomaas, theres 2 possible outcomes to this, 1. the yankees continue to suck with RISP, there is no mention of this topic again and they move on to the next thing to point to
or the yankees turn it around, start hitting and nomaas makes another post gloating on their absolute knowledge of the sport even though its 50 – 50 odds of being either right or wrong
Jerry Sandusky June 22, 2012 23:22
They need me. I am good no matter how difficult the position. Good in the clutch, you might say.