The Emasculation of a Big League Hitter
Posted on March 9, 2008
Filed Under MLB, Sabermetrics | 3 Comments
As a certified stathead I’m all in favor of major-league managers adopting Sabermetric principles into their everyday strategy. But when I heard that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and Brewers manager Ned Yost were planning to bat their pitchers eighth this season, all I could think about was how embarrassing it will be for a major-league hitter to have to see his name behind the starting pitcher in the lineup.
The strategy has been discussed in egghead circles for a while and does appear to be a sound theory. The Cardinals used it toward the end of last season with some success.
But I think the reason many teams have been reluctant to go there is because managers don’t want to bruise the ego of whoever they have to place in that ninth spot. Of course that sort of compassion didn’t stop crusty old Jack McKeon from batting Dontrelle Willis seventh a couple of years ago. Hey, when you’re that old, you can do whatever you want.
The Brewers at least have the perfect excuse for such a move: Jason Kendall is on their roster, and they have to play him. (It’s either Kendall or Eric Munson. Yikes. Way to round out that roster there, Doug Melvin.) Kendall hasn’t resembled his former All-Star self since since 2004, when he posted a 107 OPS+ (100 is considered average) in his final season with the Pirates. Since then his OPS+ has dipped to Paul Bako territory: 79 in 2005, 88 in 2006 and a 63 OPS+ in 466 at-bats (!) for the A’s and Cubs last season.
Yeah, I’d bat him ninth too.
As for the Cardinals, their options for the eighth-hole were just as bleak: shortstop Cesar Izturis has a career OPS+ of 67 and second baseman Adam Kennedy posted a sweet 50 OPS+ last year.
In any case, the mere fact that this is an issue doesn’t bode well for either of these clubs. While Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are launching home runs to the nether-regions of Miller Park, Kendall will be negating much of that great work by inhaling outs.
The Cardinals have been a top-heavy lineup for a while now, so the hitless wonder double-play combo of Izturis and Kennedy is no surprise. But unless they get huge seasons from Troy Glaus and Colby Rasmus, to say nothing of a healthy campaign from Albert Pujols, it won’t matter where the pitcher bats.
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3 Responses to “The Emasculation of a Big League Hitter”
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OPS is the wrong stat to use to evaluate Kendall’s hitting value on the Brewers. They were #1 in HRs and #4 in slugging. They really need some guys to work counts and get on base.
You also should mention park factors if you’re going to, uh, “analyze” Kendall.
Jake … like the blog! Don’t knock Beta. My hi-def Beta rocks in ways Blu-Ray could only dream of. Glad to have another blog to add to the daily list.
[...] Rosenthal from FOX Sports and Luft on Deck both discuss the merits of batting Jason Kendall in the ninth spot in the batting order. [...]