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Post by Doobs on Jan 12, 2007 9:14:13 GMT -5
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Post by theforty on Jan 12, 2007 12:42:46 GMT -5
I know better than to comment on this, but I'm a fool....
1. I'll suggest if the Tigers are going to focus on something, they should focus on drawing more walks rather than striking out less. Drawing 100 extra walks will generate far more runs than striking out 100 fewer times.
2. That written, a player's tendency to strike out or walk is largely dictated by his skill level + fundamental approach to hitting. The Tigers can plan and scheme all they want, but guys who don't walk now (Polanco, Rodriguez, Monroe) probably are not going to be able to change their game enough to start drawing walks at a significantly higher rate. Same goes for guys who strikeout often.
3. Drawing walks and striking out are not mutually exclusive. This view often presented in print and TV media, but one can both walk and strikeout at high rates (e.g. Jack Clark, Mickey Tettleton, Mark McGwire), or rarely strikeout or walk (e.g. Deivi Cruz, Placido Polanco, Ivan Rodriguez). Reducing strikeouts does not automatically increase walk totals.
- A related point to point 3. A key (if not THE key) aspect to drawing a walk is working a count. Which means a batter who walks often bats with 2 strikes on them more frequently than most hitters. This inevitably leads to some additional strikeouts for a guy who draws walks.
4. Lastly, the Tigers are a slugging team. They hit a lot of home runs in a pitcher's park. Striking out is a price one must pay to hit home runs. I would like to see the Tigers reduce their strikeouts - but they did hit many home runs last year - and their strikeout totals were not all that out of line with other teams' K/HR ratio.
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