We’re at the half-way point of the 2017 season. So far the Reds offense has been outperforming last year by quite a bit, nearly half a run per game.
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2016 – 4.42 runs/game
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2017 – 4.84 runs/game
What factors have lead to more runs?
1. Batting average?
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2016 – .256
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2017 – .260
2. Walk-rate (BB%)?
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2016 – 7.4%
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2017 – 8.1%
3. Strikeout rate (K%)?
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2016 – 21.1%
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2017 – 20.9%
4. On-base skills (OBP)?ÂÂ
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2016 – .316
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2017 – .327
5. Power (ISO)?
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2016 – .152
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2017 – .189
6. Base stealing (SB)?ÂÂ
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2016 – .86/game
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2017 – .85/game
The Reds have hit for more power and have gotten on base better. About one-third the higher OBP is due to batting average, and two-third due to a better walk-rate. At least in this example, stolen bases have played no role in higher run scoring.
The improvement in power and getting on base have been done despite no help from Billy and Peraza at all.Amazing especially when Billy gets the most at bats on the team.
If Billy had an OBP of .360 or more, he would be an tremendous asset to the team.
His OBP for a leadoff hitter is poor, relatively speaking, but he has contributed. I would be interested in seeing the Reds scoring per game in games where Billy reaches versus those he does not reach base.
Winker (if he were with the Reds and retained his AAA OBP) would be an obvious improvement as a leadoff hitter.
Someone yesterday mentioned Eugenio Suarez as a leadoff hitter, who seems to reach base despite his declining BA lately.
It is no surprise when looking at the Big Red Machine days, that Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan had good OBP numbers in 1970, and the Pete and Joe Morgan had very good (> 0.400) OBP numbers in 1972.
At present, with no changes in personnel on the 40 man, I would bring up Winker and have him play LF, move Duvall to Right (he has worked hard to be a good outfielder and could handle right field) and move Schebler to Center. Billy can come in as a pinch runner or late inning defensive replacement.
The outfield defense would be poorer, but if Winker led off, I agree that our offense would be better.
Or have Cozart/Gennett as 1-2 hitters, and bat Billy 8th or 9th. I just don’t see the light coming on and Billy becoming a much better hitter.
Great simple comparison, it’s nice to see how improved they’ve been. Interesting to see how they’ve already almost matched their WAR from last season offensively (15.4 last year, 15.0 this year). Hopefully they can keep building on that. On the pitching side it’s interesting to see the bullpen this year is unsurprisingly far better than the bullpen last year, but the starters are much worse (3.1 WAR last year, already -1.3 this year). Theres still time for them to turn it around but they desperately need some of these young guys to come up and have some success!
I just saw your post Old Cossack and I think we are talking about the same two hitters.Maybe and I am keeping my fingers crossed but maybe changes are coming.
Despite the improvement they’re still just 7th in the NL in runs scored (13th overall). Thats not going to cut it with GABP as our home park. Arizona is 5th & Colorado is 6th. We need to be in that range to compete since our pitching isn’t going to be top flight anytime soon. They can’t get by with daily holes in the lineup & ineffective batting orders.
The absolute number of steals is almost exactly the same. The key would be when those steals occurred and what part they played ( or didn’t play) in the creation of runs.
I live in Chicago so I was watching the Cubs feed on Saturday. I was half paying attention but there was a play where Hamilton went from 1st to 3rd on a dribbler up the middle. The Cubs announcers started discussing that some of Votto and Cozart success this year is tied to the fact that they see more fastballs when Hamilton is on base since breaking pitches are easy to steal on….no actual data was offered.
I haven’t read “Ball Four” since 1970 but I believe in the book Jim Bouton said Yankee pitchers complained that Yogi Berra always called for fastballs when base stealers were on base.
The decision is do the Reds give up on Hamilton now, the end of the season, or go another season with him in 2018? Next year is his first arbitration year. The 1st option is to at least finish the year with him to see if he can turn into something. The 2nd option is to make him a 5th outfielder and accept him as a defensive replacement and pinch runner this summer. The 3rd option is to do #2 next season. The #4 option is to move his .290 OBP. .240 BA, 10 doubles, 20 RBI, 50 SB’s and defense to some other team over the off season. He might help a loaded contender but do nothing for those mired in also ran status.
Or move him to 9th? Or a batting 9th/def replacement 4 man OF hybrid w/Winker? They just can’t carry both Hamilton & Peraza.
I know I’m beating this horse alot but I hope he has a big week in Denver! Billy is a great fit for them imo! Small sample size of course but he’s 19-48 (.396) in Coors. I think the weak OF bloops he hits have a much higher chance to fall in because they still have to play back somewhat. If the OF plays shallow then any ball he hits in the gap or actually cranks is an easy inside the park HR. Not to mention he would save them atleast 1-2 runs a homestand defensively.
So I assume we get Peraza leading off with his .276 OBP since he is the fastest guy in the lineup.
Good mix of veterans and young guys leading the offense. Great to see Schebler blossoming and Duvall actually improving on last year. IF the Reds had average starting pitching this year the team would be near or at the top of this mediocre division, even carrying Hamilton and Peraza’s bats.
With that in mind, excited to see Castillo on his third start tonight in a very tough place to pitch.
Can anyone tell me how many solo home runs Votto, Duvall and Schebler have? Just wondering how many more wins the Reds would have if the top of the order were “occasionally” on base.