Wednesday, August 22, 2007 |
The Rejoinder: When Scioscia-Ball Does Work
One would think that with an offense as delicately constructed as that of the Angels, they would have to have every position contributing. But they've succeeded in ranking fourth in runs scored despite lacking a regular catcher, a second baseman, or a designated hitter. Catcher Mike Napoli is something of a Mickey Tettleton Jr., a valuable hitter who will never hit for a great batting average, but hits enough home runs and draws enough walks to make up for it — but he's spent significant time on the disabled list. The same goes for second baseman Howie Kendrick, a natural high-average hitter who could be a force at his position if he could just refrain from breaking his fingers.Stupid DL tricks aside, it's worth mentioning that Joe Sheehan dissects the Angels and figures out how they score so damned many runs when they don't have that last big bopper they really (still) need at third, and maybe in the outfield, too:
They’re not a bad offensive team, either. In fact, the Angels in 2007 have a better EqA than either of the two teams listed above, and despite lacking much in the way of home run power, they have a slightly-above-average offense—a .261 EqA that ranks seventh in the AL and 14th in MLB. The Angels hit for a high batting average (.282), a key trait whenever they have a successful season which also enables them to have an above-average OBP (.341), the most important element in any offense. They hit doubles (260, fourth in the AL) and they steal bases (114, first in the AL, at a 72.6 percent clip, a positive rate). Dan Fox’s research shows that they also pick up some runs on the bases in ways besides stealing them.Tough news, then, about Figgy hurting his left elbow...Why isn’t this a bigger story? Well, I think it’s in part because the Angels have been playing this style, more or less, since Mike Scioscia arrived. This year’s team is an extreme application of the principle, but the Angels haven’t been that reliant on the long ball in the 2000s. Rather than turning a bad team into a good one and making a story out of it, the Angels are simply doing what they’ve done for most of the decade, and there’s not much of a fresh storyline there.
It is notable, however. It’s very hard, in today’s game, to have a good offense with so little home run power. The Angels have the closest thing going, and despite a game Mariners team just two behind them, are probably going to enter the postseason as the #2 team in the AL. I’ll stand by the idea that the offense only works when the team bats .280, but sometimes you’re going to hit .280, and they don’t make you give back the playoff shares just because your plan actually worked.
Labels: angels
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