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The Chase is Wild
The White Sox, meanwhile, kept up with the Twins and added
to the pressure on
The Wild Card leading Padres had the day off – their last
one of the season – as did the Giants, Phillies and Reds, leaving the spotlight
on the Marlins and Anibal Sanchez.
Sanchez saw his hitless innings streak end at 10 2/3 when Cliff Floyd
homered in the second inning, but didn’t give up much else. He allowed 3 runs on just 4 hits in 7 innings
as the Marlins pounded out 20 hits in a 16-5 drubbing of the Mets. Dan Uggla went 5-for-5 and tied Joe Gordon’s
rookie record for home runs by a second baseman with his 24th of the
year. He was nevertheless overshadowed
by Cody Ross, who hit 3 home runs and drove in 7, both tying club records. The win broke a three way tie with
In one other game with Wild Card implications, Chris
Carpenter strengthened his bid for a second consecutive Cy
Young award by tossing his third shutout of the year, beating the Astros
7-0. Carpenter allowed just 6 singles in
lowering his NL leading ERA to 2.84 and raising his record to 14-6. Adam Everett committed two errors in the loss
for
NL Wild Card
Quick Hits
Ichiro Suzuki on Sunday collected the 2,600th hit of his professional career.
Derek Jeter had two hits on Monday to extend his hitting streak to 21 games, the sixth longest streak in the majors. He is batting .403 since the streak began on August 20 during the infamous Boston Massacre.
Alex Rodriguez is batting .429 (15-for-35) in his last 9 games with 6 HR and 13 RBI. His home run on Monday gave him 461 in his career, just 1 behind Jose Canseco for 29th all-time.
With 2 HR on Monday, Derrek Lee is batting .370 (17-for-46) with 4 HR and 14 RBI since his second return from the DL.
Tony Gwynn Jr., recalled on Monday, improved his batting average as a pinch-hitter to .455 (5-for-11) and is batting .500 (8-for-16) overall.
Salomon Torres has a 1.55 ERA (6 ER, 34.2 IP) over his last 33 appearances. The stretch began on June 28 with 1/3 of an inning against the White Sox in which he did not throw a pitch, instead picking off Scott Podsednik for the only out he recorded.
Among the September call ups for
Free Swinger Update Pt I – DN&N’s favorite free swinger, Jeff Francoeur, has been showing increased patience at the plate of late, drawing three free passes this month and nine since the beginning of August, doubling his total of walks from the first four months in just the last 6 weeks. With a walk once every 33.67 plate appearances (18 BB in 606 PA), Francoeur is still on pace to post the second highest ratio of plate appearances per base on balls with at least 700 plate appearances since 1900, but it would appear that Woody Jensen’s mark of one walk every 45.69 (16 BB in 731 PA) is safe for another season. Francoeur’s mark is now just ahead of Alfonso Soriano’s 2002 rate of 32.22 plate appearances per walk.
Free Swinger Update Pt II – Among all major leaguers with enough plate appearances to qualify for the league leaders, Francoeur has now slid down to third in the big leagues behind both Angel Berroa (12 BB in 451 PA) and Yuniesky Betancourt (15 in 513). With just three weeks left to go in the regular season, Berroa is unlikely to reach the 700 PA mark, though Betancourt has a good shot at it. Through the first five months of the season, he has averaged 317 PA per month and has recorded 102 thus far in September. Here are the top 5 free swingers in each league among qualified hitters.
1. Angel Berroa – 37.58
(451/12) 1. Jeff
Francoeur – 33.67 (606/18)
2. Yuniesky Betancourt – 34.2
(513/15) 2. Ronny Cedeno –
31.44 (503/16)
3. Placido Polanco – 31.00
(465/15) 3. Shea Hillenbrand – 27.83
(501/18)
4. Jose Lopez – 29.00
(580/20) 4.
Clint Barmes – 26.74 (508/19)
5. Ivan Rodriguez – 28.06
(505/18) 5. Aaron
Rowand – 24.72 (445/18)
Free Swinger Update Pt III – Lowering the bar to include all hitters with at least 150 PA discovers some more of the leagues most prolific free swingers, including Tigers backup catcher Vance Wilson, who this week managed to draw his second walk of the year to drop his ratio to one walk every 79 plate appearances (2 in 158). Almost as impatient, yet with far more PA, is Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo. Olivo is drawing walks at a rate of one every 50.25 PA with over 400 PA for the season. Here are the top 5 free swingers in each league based on a minimum of 150 plate appearances.
1. Vance Wilson – 79.00
(158/2) 1. Miguel
Olivo – 50.25 (402/8)
2. Robb Quinlan – 72.33
(217/3) 2. Luis
Gonzalez (
3. Mike Redmond – 54.33
(163/3) 3. Johnny
Estrada – 37.36 (411/11)
4. Tomas Perez – 45.80
(229/5) 4. Jeff
Francoeur – 33.67 (606/18)
5. Shane Costa – 41.40
(207/5) 5. Ronny
Cedeno – 31.44 (503.16)
Free Swinger Update Pt IV – Adjusting for intentional walks, however, gives us a slightly different set of free swingers. This group is led by Eliezer Alfonzo of the Giants, who this past week managed to draw just his second un-intentional free pass of the season, snapping a streak of 149 consecutive at bats without a walk. He now has just 2 in 263 plate appearances. Here is the list of free swingers adjusted for intentional walks.
AL – Most PA/Adjusted BB min 150 PA NL Most PA/Adjusted BB min 150 PA
1. Robb Quinlan – 108.50
(217/3-1IBB) 1. Eliezer
Alfonzo – 131.5 (263/9-7IBB)
2. Vance Wilson – 79.00
(158/2-0) 2. Johnny
Estrada – 82.20 (411/11-6)
3. Mike Redmond – 54.33
(163/3-0) 3. Miguel Olivo – 80.40
(402/8-3)
4. Shane Costa – 51.75
(207/5-1) 4. Jeff
Francoeur – 50.50 (606/18-6)
5. Neifi Perez – 48.83
(293/8-2) 5.
Toby Hall – 47.83 (287/10-4)
Information on intentional walks during Jensen’s days (1931-1939) is not available, but during the 2002 season, Soriano drew just 1 intentional walk (out of 23 total), giving him an adjusted rate of 33.68. Lou Brock, fourth among all major leaguers with at least 700 PA (30.17 PA/BB), had six intentional free passes out of 24 total walks in 1967 to give him an adjusted rate of 40.22, second to Jensen’s unadjusted rate.
Free Swinger Update Pt V – Among all hitters who have not drawn a walk at all, Laynce Nix is still on top with 70 PA without a free pass, though he did not come to the plate in the past week. Anderson Hernandez has upped his PA total to 52 without a walk, the second most in the majors, by going 0-for-7 during the week (lowering his season batting average to just .115 – 6-for-52 – and his career average to a miniscule .100 in 70 AB). In his short ML career, he has drawn just 1 BB in 71 PA.
Free Swinger Update Pt VI – The flip side of this coin are the batters who go the fewest PA without drawing a walk. You might expect Bobby Abreu, Travis Hafner or Jason Giambi to be leading this category, but you’d have to think again. Among all qualified hitters (Barry Bonds does not have enough appearances to qualify, falling just short), the major leaguer with the fewest plate appearances between walks is the Astros’ Morgan Ensberg with one walk every 4.95 plate appearances.
ML – Fewest PA/BB
1. Morgan Ensberg – 4.95
(450/91)
2. Jason Giambi – 5.21
(537/103)
3. Bobby Abreu – 5.28
(612/116)
4. Travis Hafner – 5.64
(564/100)
5. Manny Ramirez – 5.64
(553/98)
Lowering the bar to 150 plate appearances does little to change this list except to add Bonds, who then takes the lead with one walk every 4.07 plate appearances.
Free Swinger Update Pt VII – Though certainly not the rule, DN&N can’t help but have noticed the preponderance of catchers and shortstops on the list of free swingers throughout the year. With that in mind, we’ve taken a closer look at both of those positions.
Catchers |
TM |
PA |
BB |
IBB |
ABB |
PA/BB |
pa/abb |
Short Stops |
TM |
PA |
BB |
IBB |
ABB |
PA/BB |
pa/abb |
P.
Phillips |
KC |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
---- |
---- |
T. Perez |
TB |
229 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
45.80 |
45.80 |
J.
Phillips |
Tor |
30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
---- |
---- |
Berroa |
KC |
451 |
12 |
1 |
11 |
37.58 |
41.00 |
|
Det |
158 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
79.00 |
79.00 |
Betancourt |
Sea |
513 |
15 |
0 |
15 |
34.20 |
34.20 |
|
Min |
163 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
54.33 |
54.33 |
Uribe |
ChW |
441 |
13 |
1 |
12 |
33.92 |
36.75 |
Olivo |
|
402 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
50.25 |
80.40 |
Cedeno |
Chi |
506 |
16 |
3 |
13 |
31.63 |
38.92 |
Alomar |
ChW |
97 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
48.50 |
48.50 |
Cintron |
ChW |
274 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
27.40 |
27.40 |
Rivera |
Sea |
93 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
46.50 |
46.50 |
Barmes |
|
508 |
19 |
5 |
14 |
26.74 |
36.29 |
Estrada |
Ari |
411 |
11 |
6 |
5 |
37.36 |
82.20 |
Castro |
Cin |
237 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
26.33 |
26.33 |
Pena |
Atl |
32 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
32.00 |
32.00 |
Gonzalez |
Bos |
399 |
21 |
1 |
20 |
19.00 |
19.95 |
Fasano |
NYY |
188 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
31.33 |
31.33 |
|
Pit |
515 |
28 |
0 |
28 |
18.39 |
18.39 |
Ruiz |
Phi |
61 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
30.50 |
61.00 |
McDonald |
Tor |
253 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
18.07 |
18.07 |
Alfonzo |
SF |
263 |
9 |
7 |
2 |
29.22 |
131.50 |
Drew |
Ari |
178 |
10 |
3 |
7 |
17.80 |
25.43 |
Hall |
LAD |
287 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
28.70 |
47.83 |
Clayton |
Cin |
476 |
27 |
3 |
24 |
17.63 |
19.83 |
Rodriguez |
Det |
505 |
18 |
2 |
16 |
28.06 |
31.56 |
Eckstein |
StL |
528 |
31 |
0 |
31 |
17.03 |
17.03 |
Lieberthal |
Phi |
209 |
8 |
0 |
8 |
26.13 |
26.13 |
|
Hou |
503 |
30 |
5 |
25 |
16.77 |
20.12 |
Pierzynski |
ChW |
495 |
19 |
6 |
13 |
26.05 |
38.08 |
Izturis |
ChC |
195 |
12 |
3 |
9 |
16.25 |
21.67 |
Johjima |
Sea |
463 |
18 |
1 |
17 |
25.72 |
27.24 |
Counsell |
Ari |
372 |
23 |
0 |
23 |
16.17 |
16.17 |
Barajas |
|
350 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
25.00 |
25.00 |
Young |
|
667 |
42 |
0 |
42 |
15.88 |
15.88 |
J. Molina |
LAA |
220 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
24.44 |
24.44 |
Tejada |
Bal |
620 |
40 |
8 |
32 |
15.50 |
19.38 |
B. Molina |
Tor |
406 |
17 |
1 |
16 |
23.88 |
25.38 |
|
Min |
294 |
19 |
1 |
18 |
15.47 |
16.33 |
LoDuca |
NYM |
493 |
21 |
0 |
21 |
23.48 |
23.48 |
|
Tor |
242 |
16 |
0 |
16 |
15.13 |
15.13 |
Coste |
Phi |
162 |
7 |
1 |
6 |
23.14 |
27.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Torrealba |
|
241 |
11 |
1 |
10 |
21.91 |
24.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greene |
SF |
149 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
21.29 |
37.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rivera |
Mil |
103 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
20.60 |
34.33 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matheny |
SF |
177 |
9 |
2 |
7 |
19.67 |
25.29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Molina |
StL |
411 |
21 |
1 |
20 |
19.57 |
20.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Laird |
|
215 |
11 |
0 |
11 |
19.55 |
19.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blanco |
ChC |
182 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
18.20 |
18.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stinnett |
NYM |
91 |
5 |
1 |
4 |
18.20 |
22.75 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Iannetta |
|
33 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
16.50 |
33.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buck |
KC |
377 |
24 |
2 |
22 |
15.71 |
17.14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bennett |
StL |
156 |
10 |
2 |
8 |
15.60 |
19.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Melhuse |
Oak |
122 |
8 |
1 |
7 |
15.25 |
17.43 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Doumit |
Pit |
121 |
8 |
0 |
8 |
15.13 |
15.13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions or comments for Richard? Richard Van Zandt is a staff writer for Baseball Evolution who lives in San Francisco, California. You can reach him at richard@baseballevolution.com.
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