Here’s the OPS for the Dodgers with the bases empty and the bases un-empty:
| Player/OPS | Bases empty | Men on | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Ethier | 1.089 | .483 | .606 |
| Jerry Hairston | .545 | .000 | .545 |
| Carl Crawford | 1.054 | .753 | .301 |
| A.J. Ellis | 1.008 | .772 | .236 |
| Luis Cruz | .333 | .129 | .204 |
| Justin Sellers | .606 | .437 | .169 |
| Matt Kemp | .554 | .413 | .141 |
| Juan Uribe | 1.025 | .905 | .120 |
| Nick Punto | .917 | .833 | .084 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | .915 | 1.213 | -.298 |
| Skip Schumaker | .347 | .651 | -.304 |
| Mark Ellis | .500 | .863 | -.363 |
| Team | .764 | .635 | .129 |
I tend to think this is random – I’d be surprised if these figures didn’t fluctuate over the course of the season. It certainly offers an alternative explanation to Wednesday’s hypothesis.
Andre Ethier’s split is truly bizarre.
Here’s some more data:
Dodger team batting stats with bases empty
| Rk | G | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyun-jin Ryu | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .667 | 1.167 | .600 |
| 2 | Andre Ethier | 12 | 28 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | .375 | .464 | .625 | 1.089 | .533 |
| 3 | Clayton Kershaw | 4 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .286 | .375 | .714 | 1.089 | .250 |
| 4 | Carl Crawford | 14 | 41 | 39 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .410 | .439 | .615 | 1.054 | .441 |
| 5 | Juan Uribe | 7 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .250 | .400 | .625 | 1.025 | .250 |
| 6 | A.J. Ellis | 10 | 21 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .368 | .429 | .579 | 1.008 | .467 |
| 7 | Nick Punto | 8 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .417 | .500 | .417 | .917 | .556 |
| 8 | Adrian Gonzalez | 13 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .357 | .379 | .536 | .915 | .346 |
| 9 | Justin Sellers | 12 | 28 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | .200 | .286 | .320 | .606 | .211 |
| 10 | Matt Kemp | 13 | 24 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .217 | .250 | .304 | .554 | .313 |
| 11 | Jerry Hairston | 6 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .273 | .273 | .273 | .545 | .300 |
| 12 | Mark Ellis | 13 | 35 | 33 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .212 | .257 | .242 | .500 | .250 |
| 13 | Skip Schumaker | 7 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .125 | .222 | .125 | .347 | .143 |
| 14 | Ramon Hernandez | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | .000 |
| 15 | Zack Greinke | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | .000 |
| 16 | Luis Cruz | 10 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 | .176 |
| 17 | Tim Federowicz | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 18 | Chad Billingsley | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
| 19 | Josh Beckett | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Team Total | 15 | 294 | 271 | 78 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 49 | .288 | .344 | .421 | .764 | .333 |
Dodger team batting stats with men on
| Rk | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | SF | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrian Gonzalez | 34 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 5 | .462 | .559 | .654 | 1.213 | 0 | 1 | .524 |
| 2 | Zack Greinke | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| 3 | Juan Uribe | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .143 | .333 | .571 | .905 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 4 | Mark Ellis | 23 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | .429 | .435 | .429 | .863 | 0 | 1 | .529 |
| 5 | Nick Punto | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .333 | .500 | .333 | .833 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| 6 | A.J. Ellis | 31 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | .269 | .387 | .385 | .772 | 0 | 0 | .300 |
| 7 | Carl Crawford | 20 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | .294 | .400 | .353 | .753 | 0 | 0 | .417 |
| 8 | Ramon Hernandez | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .500 | .750 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| 9 | Skip Schumaker | 14 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | .111 | .429 | .222 | .651 | 0 | 0 | .125 |
| 10 | Tim Federowicz | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .500 | .000 | .500 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 11 | Andre Ethier | 31 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | .160 | .323 | .160 | .483 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| 12 | Justin Sellers | 17 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .143 | .294 | .143 | .437 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
| 13 | Matt Kemp | 36 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 11 | .156 | .194 | .219 | .413 | 0 | 2 | .217 |
| 14 | Josh Beckett | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 3 | 0 | .000 |
| 15 | Luis Cruz | 25 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .045 | .083 | .045 | .129 | 1 | 1 | .059 |
| 16 | Jerry Hairston | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 17 | Clayton Kershaw | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 18 | Hyun-jin Ryu | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Chad Billingsley | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 2 | 0 | |
| 20 | Matt Guerrier | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Team Total | 270 | 220 | 50 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 33 | 53 | .227 | .335 | .300 | .635 | 7 | 5 | .278 |
Interestingly, the on-base percentages in both categories are nearly identical, mainly thanks to walks. The batting average and slugging percentage by the Dodgers with runners on is anemic.
Anonymous
Ethier’s stats need an additional explantory variable: prevalence of LH pitching. He’s likely to see a lot more RH pitchers with bases empty. Managers will bring in a LH pitcher with runners on. Can you incorporate that into your analysis?
Linkmeister
Without doing that, my impression is that he’s been doing fairly well against lefties so far this season.
KT
Well now I feel sure that I’m not a jinx. I picked a game where we had a strong possibility of winning with Kershaw pitching and didn’t watch and we lost again…so not it
Anonymous
Certainly brings light to the current problem. However, the lights on (Halogen at that) moment for me was that going into a series with an AL team, a open roster spot to play with, the Dodgers make a move to allow Ramon Hernandez to be the DH. Ouch!
Anonymous
I don’t think ownership will stagger on with our Manager and General Manager much longer if the losses continue…
Anonymous
On the bright side: Gnatt Cain getting gnocked around again, by the Cerveceros, 5-0 after two in Milwaukee.
Anonymous
Why baseball needs baseball people in charge.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/padres-president-ceo-blames-zack-greinke-for-brawl–apologizes-for–rain-man–comment-about-pitcher-042033786.html;_ylt=AiDQXlIvc09KMN4lHwkc_hkRvLYF;_ylu=X3oDMTN1cGtsYWFoBG1pdANGRUFUVVJFRCBNZWdhdHJvbiBNTEIEcGtnA2Y1YjBjMWM4LThiZjgtM2NmMC1iM2Y2LTJmOWZjNzQ0MmQ1OARwb3MDMQRzZWMDbWVnYXRyb24EdmVyAzZmOGYyMjkzLWE3ZWYtMTFlMi1iZGRlLThmMTlhZTE5YWY2Zg–;_ylg=X3oDMTI1aTExNm8zBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANtbGIEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdANHemlwX0dyZWVkeV9Pbg–;_ylv=3
Anonymous
He has the dumb.
Jon Weisman
So far this year, Ethier has an .899 OPS vs. lefties and .659 OPS vs. righties. Yes, you read that right.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=ethiean01&year=2013&t=b
Anonymous
Less than .100 with the bases loaded?
Disaster…so far
Anonymous
Small sample size still. I look for lots of two-out hits in September when they’ll be magnified.
Anonymous
sample – envy :-)
Anonymous
If I’m reading correctly (a huge assumption) only Agon and Uribe have more than one HR. :(
Anonymous
A few notes:
1. I felt bad for Matty last night with the bases loaded. I was hoping for “Manny-Part Deux” :-)
2. I could go on and on about how I’d use so many of Mark Ellis’ AB’s differently than Donny is, but I am
making a pledge to myself not to waste my time (nor yours) on my advocating “small ball” for this club.
3. (injuries aside) and simply put…….. This team has no ‘swagger’ IMHO.
Jon Weisman
But the question is, has any team on a losing streak ever had swagger? Seems to me swagger is a consequence of winning. If you’re losing, it would just be misplaced arrogance.
Anonymous
Great point, Jon. Yes, most of the time, the ‘swagger’ comes secondary to success.
…
In ‘swagger’…. I think I was trying to allude to the fact that…
Here comes a team with whom this ball club threw blows with just a few days ago… and, ‘nothing, zippo, nada’ –
And, a sweep? – I guess I was just really surprised to see how the series unfolded…. (or unraveled, so to speak)
…
It’s early yet. Long ways to go, as Vinny reminded us last night.
….
PS – Any updates on Chris Capuano?????
Anonymous
Jon T. – What would you have Mellis do? He has an OBP of .435 with men on base.
Linkmeister
I’m about to start emulating those old Yankee fans who’d mutter “you spent all that money for what? A bunch of no-good bums who can’t hit out of a paper bag.”
And I HATED those guys when they’d say that.
KT
I’m thinking we can get 5-7 innings tonight before we get hit with the hard stuff
Jon Weisman
NPUT