Comments on: Yanks Win by a Nose, but Offense Doesn’t Pass the Smell Test

By: Chris in Sydney

Chris in Sydney — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:08:36 +0000

[1] I think this nails it. It’s not literally choking up. It’s situational hitting, and this team doesn’t do it. Why? Girardi should be doing more managing here (and, I’m sure most will agree, less elsewhere).

[7] I’m not willing to say it’s not a statistical anomaly yet, but I think people throw around “small sample size” without really understanding it. You probably have adequate statistical power to do parametric tests with N = 40.

By: RIYank

RIYank — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:29:30 +0000

[7] It’s not exactly a coincidence. A game in which the Yankees don’t homer is likely to be a game in which they don’t score many runs, after all!

By: RIYank

RIYank — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:28:30 +0000

[6] Does choking up only work when the game is tied or the other team is ahead by 3 runs or less? That would be surprising. I wonder what the explanation is.

RAB documented the Yankees’ RISP success last year, when the popular wisdom had it that they were really bad with RISP. It would be pretty easy to check any given year with Baseball Reference.

By: Shaun P.

Shaun P. — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:26:47 +0000

[6] “This year, we have lost every game where we did not hit a HR. That’s no coincidence,”

Yes it is. 40-something games is the very definition of coincidence, which is also referred to as a small sample size. If at the end of the year, the Yanks win over 81 games but none without hitting a home run, then you can say its not a coincidence.

As for evidence of doing well with runners in scoring position over the years, its because the Yanks have scored tons of runs. If they’ve scored tons of runs, the majority have certainly not come from solo home runs, two-run home runs with the runner on first base, and doubles and triples with a runner only on first base. That means they must have hit well with runners in scoring position.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:06:24 +0000

[4] “…but also done very well with runners in scoring position”
I’d like to see documentation of this. However, I am only concerned with RISP when tied, or behind by 3 runs or less.

I know the Yankees have had big innings in blowouts. They score 5 runs in an inning, and go 4 for 5 with RISP… when the game may already be won. I’m not saying these runs don’t count, but as we’ve seen in the last 2 weeks, when you have RISP fail when behind by a run or 2, the game is usually on the line.

The high run totals come because we have great players and hit lots of HRs. This year, we have lost every game where we did not hit a HR. That’s no coincidence, Sometimes, you need to be able to ‘grind out’ a run or 2.

By: William Juliano

William Juliano — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:58:56 +0000

[3] It’s a sports’ cliche to say he gave it his all, but on that throw, Arod put everything into it. That ball was either going into Tex’ glove or seats behind first base.

By: William Juliano

William Juliano — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:57:31 +0000

[1] The only problem with your theory is the Yankees have consistently had the same approach and not only posted historically high run totals, but also done very well with runners in scoring position. Choking up on the bat would be about the worst thing the offense could do, especially with the starting pitchers giving up so many home runs.

By: Alex Belth

Alex Belth — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:42:45 +0000

I still don’t get why if Tex was so ill he was still in uniform on Friday and Saturday and why he was playing in the rain on Monday.

That play by Alex was really good. Probably didn’t make the highlight reel but was a very difficult play, the short hop, the fact that the ball took its time, the fast runner, throwing flat-footed, oh, yeah, and the game being on the line.

By: monkeypants

monkeypants — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:33:11 +0000

[1] Remember 1,000,000 years ago, where if you had a man on base, you would choke up on the bat a bit? Go for contact? Make sure you hit the ball somewhere?

Was that before Ear Weaver’s time?l

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:18:51 +0000

Really… hard to brag about getting 6 hits. Nonetheless, the was a HUGE win, as going under .500 would have been really depressing.

I’ve said this before. We have an offensive team that likes to drive the ball, as opposed to a ‘contact first’ offense. When guys are hot, it’s wonderful. But it is why we have so much RISPFail. Sometimes I want tio see Gardner up there, and in the old days Damon, because these guys seem to be more concerned with putting the bat on the ball, rather than how hard they hit it.

It seems ARod understands he is not hitting HRs, and is content with opposite field ground balls. Between his bunt and his stealing bases, ARod has really impressed me of late as a team first guy.

Teix is the worst. It seems he needs to hit the ball as hard as he can, everytime up. Martin seems to take the same approach. Cano is so freaking good, he CAN drive the ball hard whereever it’s pitched, so he gets a bit of a pass. Derek is basically a contact guy.

Remember 1,000,000 years ago, where if you had a man on base, you would choke up on the bat a bit? Go for contact? Make sure you hit the ball somewhere?

Sometimes a nice, easy stroke will get it done.
Sometimes just hitting the ball back up the middle is a good thing.
I wish the Yankees would have a policy of the first 2 strikes go to the batter, but after that, the AB is for the Yankees.