Quote:
Originally Posted by *BaseClogger*
A lack of groundballs and flyballs?  |
Well ...
Code:
Ball-in-Play Rates
Reds NL
GB% 43.19% 44.82%
GB BABIP .237 .231
FB% 34.52% 36.02%
FB BABIP .147 .143
LD% 22.30% 19.16%
LD BABIP .740 .720
If the Reds had league average BIP percentages, then they'd have 42 less line drives allowed. Those 42 line drives would instead be dispersed as ground balls and fly balls. And of those 42 extra line drives, 30-35 of them would be turned into outs if they were ground ball balls or fly balls.
The BABIP differences between the Reds and the NL in ground balls and fly balls is roughly a half dozen balls over the season so far. That's it, nothing more.
Everything else is due to a combination of A) a high line drive percentage, and B) more of the Reds' line drives allowed end up as hits than the NL average. Defense cannot at all be blamed for the former, and it only has a small share of the responsibility for the latter (approximately a half dozen balls here).
Really, put it together and the Reds defense is only 12 balls behind the NL average once you account for the types of hits that the pitching staff is allowing.