Alex Rodriguez sucks, Nick Swisher sucks, Mark Teixeira sucks, Curtis Granderson sucks, Eduardo Nunez sucks, and even Derek Jeter sucks in the playoffs, at least that’s what everyone tells me on the Internet. It’s almost as if we have a lineup of guys that are more likely to get out than succeed. Why would Cashman fill this $200 million plus lineup with guys that only get on base 30-40% of the time?
Because succeeding 30-40% of the time makes you an allstar in baseball. OBP-wise, the Yankees led the American League in 2012 at .337, which they also coupled with the highest slugging percentage, highest wRC+, wOBA, and ISO. Most Yankee fans will agree that this team is one of, if not the best offensive team in baseball. That’s all good but I’ve heard the guys on TV say they suck with RISP . Well actually, they hit .256/.352/.436 with RISP in 2012, which you can compare to their .259/.337/.453 triple slash throughout the season. From all the games we’ve watched and heard the YES Network talk about their inability to get that big hit, these triple slashes are remarkably similar.
...And that’s how we get to where we are today. We’re just two games in to the playoffs and I’m being constantly reminded that Alex Rodriguez is batting .111 in the playoffs this year thanks to a sample size of 9 at bats. Forget what he did in 2009, when he almost single handedly won the World Series for the Yankees, HE’S HITTING .111 AGAINST THE ORIOLES IN 9 AT BATS!
Baseball is meant to be played over a long season, and what we’re left with in the playoffs is little more than a coin toss with a 5 game series. Sample size evens out over 162 games, but in these series it won’t. So the best analysis I can give you is that this team has proven it can hit just fine with runners in scoring position, there’s no significant difference between what they did inside and outside these opportunities. If you’re wondering if this team will ever get another big hit, the answer is yes. And if you’re wondering is Alex Rodriguez really sucks in the playoffs, you won’t find the answer in his 9 at bats this year, you’ll find it in his .273/.383/.490 triple slash over his playoff career.
Repoz
Posted: October 09, 2012 at 12:59 PM |
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1. PreservedFish Posted: October 09, 2012 at 01:12 PM (#4260534)Which really shows how bad this team has been with runners in scoring position. Also, the Yankees haven't won an ALDS against a non-Twins opponent since 2001. They really have been a bad playoff team lately.
While I understand the urge to fight back against the Arod can't hit in the postseason nonsense, it seems Arod's 2009 World Series is starting to take on mythical proportions that it doesn't really warrant.
Yes, he hit great that postseason (particularly in the first two rounds), but it didn't match Bonds' 2002, and was comparable (a little better in terms of numbers, a little short in terms of drama) to Papi's 2004. But his WS slash line was only .250/.423/.550, which does not win 6-game series even double-handedly.
No particular offense meant, but this is the kind of slicing and dicing that "mainstream" people use to discredit the statistical movement.
I've seen sone craziness about how Girardi should drop Rod in the order today.
But here's my question: who would replace him up there? Granderson, Swisher, and Teixeira look just as lost as Rodriguez does at the plate.
Also, if the Yankees are going to win this series and go deeper into the postseason, they're going to do it because of these guys. If you're going to lose, you go down with the guys who brought you there.
No particular offense meant, but this is the kind of slicing and dicing that "mainstream" people use to discredit the statistical movement.
Or you can turn that around and say that this is the sort of unarguable fact that the "statistical movement" tends to brush aside.
I've seen sone craziness about how Girardi should drop Rod in the order today.
But here's my question: who would replace him up there? Granderson, Swisher, and Teixeira look just as lost as Rodriguez does at the plate.
I agree that shifting A-Rod down in the lineup would likely solve nothing, but Teixeira has actually been a pleasant surprise in the first two games. After getting only one hit in the final Red Sox series, he's 4 for 8 plus a walk, and has looked more than comfortable from both sides of the plate. It may also be the first time in his life that he's ever gone two games in a row against tough pitchers without striking out once, not that I expect that to continue.
Isn't Swisher 1 for 31 or something in the postseason? This at least is a more credible sample size than A Rod's one for nine, this year only.
It's truly painful to watch, but then again they don't have him hitting leadoff.
I hope that is some serious quality snark.
I heard today that Swisher's 1-33 with RISP in his postseason career. I don't think it has any bearing on how he'll do tonight, but it's still kind of a Holy #### figure.
That must be where I got the 1 for 31. That is an incredibly bad record.
How much of that was with Oakland? I think those guys are contractually restrained from participating from any run scoring plays in the post-season.
EDIT: Man how time flies...this is Swisher's 4th year in New York?
At some point in time it's going to have to be asked, what good is Teix providing if he can't run the bases at all.
But the essential problem is the same as I said above with A-Rod. If not him, then who?
Cashman would be nuts to bring him back, unless he takes a 1 or 2-year deal. He'll be 32 and they'll soon need 3 DH slots in the lineup to accomodate all of their aging, long-term contract holders. But no one will clog up the bases, because they'll all be slow.
Hmmm, that may be. I do seem to recall a discussion or two about Jeter's defense on this site...
But they don't have any aging hitters to put at DH.
Seriously, I would have bet he was playing for the Ozzie Guillens in 2010, not 2008. #### me.
Not Swisher related, but every team in baseball just got $30 million more a year from the new TV deal. The best guy on the market is Josh Hamilton. People are going to get overpaid.
Checked ARod 2009 vs Papi 2004, and it's amazing how close they were over the full PS.
ARod: .365/.500/.808, OPS 1.308
Papi: .400/.515/.764, OPS 1.279
Each had 68 PA.
Hmm...they just announced the TV ratings for the regular season and they were apparently significantly down from last year...why is it that all the new TV rights offerings ($$$) are going up so much when the demand for the product is going down? I don't blame the teams for taking the money but I think the buyers are WAY overpaying for this deal...where are they going to make their money if people aren't watching?
I strongly suspect that a weird counterintuitive part of marketing nowadays is simply being able to identify with another brand (the "co-branding" you hear so much about). FOX is the official network of MLB, and MLB is the official summer sport of FOX, and no matter who's watching, it's an advantage to both in other media and markets.
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