Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s live baseball chat
By Mark Polishuk | at
Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s live baseball chat
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
hide arrows scroll to top
C Yards Jeff
9:28; Actually Santander’s k rate is not that bad. What seems odd is his lower RBI totals in corelation with his dinger totals.
Canuckleball
His walk rate over the last 3 seasons has been just slightly better then average, while his K rate has been inconsistent. The past season it was slightly better then average, but the season before it was notably below average.
RBI’s are a luck and situational thing. It’s exactly why they’re not a great stat to look at for evaluations of a player. They are heavily reliant on runners getting on ahead of the hitter.
In the case of Santander, his homeruns went up from 28 to 44 last year to this year, but his RBI’s only went from 95 to 102. In this case, the doubles are the answer you’re looking for. Last year he had 41 doubles, this year only 25. He turned his doubles into homers.
Fever Pitch Guy
Jeff – Good question, you motivated me to look into it.
Typically a low RBI-to-HR ratio has at least one of four possible reasons:
1) Where the player bats in the lineup
2) The OBP of the guys in front of him
3) Production with RISP
4) Ability to drive in runs with a SF or ground ball (less than 2 outs)
Here’s what I learned:
1) He has exactly 13 HR in each of the 3rd, 4th and 5th slot of the lineup. However, he did have 92 PA’s batting 2nd which meant very few RBI opportunities and therefore only 9 RBI in 92 PA’s (1 RBI per 10 PA). Compare that to each of his other RBI-t0-PA ratios batting 3rd, 4th or 5th which are all 1 RBI per 6 PA, and I think you have your answer.
2) The OBP of the guys in front of him was about average
3) He hit for much worse power with RISP than with the bases empty, definitely a contributing factor.
4) He had only 5 SF all year, not aware of a stat that shows RBI from grounding out.
C Yards Jeff
FPG; cool stats.
I’m curious as to how his 1 rbi per 6 PAs in the 3, 4 and 5 hole compares out with the league?
Im thinking that RISP stat may hurt his value on the open market. Maybe.
If you regularly hit in 3, 4 or 5 hole, I would hope the OBP of 1,2and 3 would be at least average. Good to know that was the case in Baltimore.
Thanks for the leg work.
Fever Pitch Guy
Jeff – I agree on the OBP of the guys batting first or second, but some teams do put a low OBP guy at the top of the order if they have really good speed.
The Red Sox put Hamilton as either the leadoff hitter or #2 hitter for 94 PA’s this season, despite the fact he had a .291 OBP batting 2nd and a .250 OBP batting leadoff.
As for a much more extreme example of low RBI for a power hitter, look no further than Tyler O’Neill ….. 31 homers and just 61 RBI, nearly all PA’s came while batting 3rd, 4th or 5th.
C Yards Jeff
Speed up top. I like the logic.
O’Neill. Hard pass. Career 30% k rate to boot.
ohyeadam
Batting average also makes a big difference, most runs are scored on hits. Higher average last year means RBIs even with 2Bs instead of HRs
C Yards Jeff
Canuck; hope all is well.
To me, RBIs are not a situational thing nor a luck thing. Every time you bat, you have an opportunity to drive in a run(s). Throughout his career he often hits in the 3 or 4 hole. Why? Because management expects him to drive in runs. 2023 he was pretty good at it. Last year and other years, no.
And for his career, he has 20% k rate. Pretty impressive for a power bat.
RBI production is an issue here. It should effect his FA asking price.
CCCTL
“A’s need a 3B. Pirates are on the hook for 7.5M for IKF. What would it take to get IKF from Pittsburgh?
Mark P
8:41
It’s actually around $6.3MM”
Answer to original question: about $6.3M from Pittsburgh to [no city].
It’s been about a year since Fisher first offered 25% of the team for $500M.
No takers, and he hasn’t backed off that price.
Looks like no one’s willing to be the First Sucker to pay that much just to be guaranteed to be have no say and be minority owner to a skinflint.