Reds K rate

[50YrRedsFan]

The Reds are now 2nd in the majors behind only the Houston Astros in strikeouts
per game at 9.4. The Astros are at 11.2 k's per game. At this rate, we could come close to the D'Backs 2010 record of 1529 K's in a season. Heisey has struck out 13 times in 39 PA with only 2 BB. Bruce has k'd 15 times in 48 PA with only 2 BB. Even Votto has k'd 10 times in 49 PA, but with 14 BB. Our batting average is at .251, 20th out of 30 teams. Cozart, Hanigan, Mesoraco, & Heisey are all under .200. That is a third of our starting lineup. Our OBP and SLG are actually pretty good, but these numbers have been skewed by 2 high scoring games (15-0) and 13-4) If we want to win a World Series, this isn't going to get it done. By the end of April, if there has been no improvement, do we start to look for other players to get the job done (which is my opinion), or stick it out until June or July? Your comments?

[HometownHero]

We have masted the bad AB. Time after time we follow the same pattern or something very close to it by taking strike one, swinging off the plate to miss or foul for strike two and then swinging as total garbage for strike three.

We aren't going anywhere but down in the standings until we clean it up.

[Raisor]

"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer

[Kc61]

Bruce and Votto are high level hitters, their K rates will normalize. Guys like Cozart and Hanigan are mostly defensive players, I'm not concerned about their K rate.

Heisey is a low BB/K hitter. If he doesn't get going soon, I'd platoon him with XPaul. This should help the team's K situation somewhat. Heisey's 13 Ks in 39 PAs is just not an acceptable rate for LF.

[tomnuetten]

Bruce and Votto are high level hitters, their K rates will normalize. Guys like Cozart and Hanigan are mostly defensive players, I'm not concerned about their K rate.

Heisey is a low BB/K hitter. If he doesn't get going soon, I'd platoon him with XPaul. This should help the team's K situation somewhat. Heisey's 13 Ks in 39 PAs is just not an acceptable rate for LF.

bruce has stretches with real bad at bats... votto on the other side is different, he´s not looking for the long ball every at bat, he wants to make the pitcher work and doesn´t want to make an out (he will be fine)

hanigan has a good eye and puts the ball in play (normaly), I think he has a slow start and his k rate will drop soon...

[Kc61]

bruce has stretches with real bad at bats... votto on the other side is different, he´s not looking for the long ball every at bat, he wants to make the pitcher work and doesn´t want to make an out (he will be fine)

hanigan has a good eye and puts the ball in play (normaly), I think he has a slow start and his k rate will drop soon...

Yes, but historically Bruce doesn't have an enormous number of strikeouts.
He gets his share, but it's not enormous. I think he'll be acceptable in the strikeout department.

[Raisor]

The next time I worry about the Reds' team k/9 will be the first time. I worry way more about how often they make an out as opposed to what kind of out they make.

Get on base.

[_Sir_Charles_]

"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer

I agree that a strikeout is generally no worse than most other outs. But that's not the issue. The issue is the number of poor-contact hitters we have.

[AtomicDumpling]

The next time I worry about the Reds' team k/9 will be the first time. I worry way more about how often they make an out as opposed to what kind of out they make.

Get on base.

Agreed.

[Kc61]

I agree that a strikeout is generally no worse than most other outs. But that's not the issue. The issue is the number of poor-contact hitters we have.

Good post.

The impact of a strikeout vs., say, a pop up isn't the point. Obviously, a strikeout is just an out.

The point is that without contact your chances of a productive at bat are very small.

When a team strikes out often, the players limit their chances of getting hits or productive outs. Because they don't hit the ball enough.

Without Stubbs, I think the Reds will be ok in the strikeout department. They have to deal with LF. But strikeouts are a very important stat because they tell us if the team is hitting the baseball.

[Tony Cloninger]

I agree that a strikeout is generally no worse than most other outs. But that's not the issue. The issue is the number of poor-contact hitters we have.

I agree. The approach that some of these hitters have....mainly Heisey, Cozart...leaves a lot to be desired. You know you are not power hitters but yet you swing and approach your AB's like you are.

[maxx]

1st and 2nd...no outs...trailing by one late...Frazier's whiff certainly was more damaging than an out moving the runner to 3rd for Bruce's subsequent fly.

Generally, yes, Ks are no different than any other out. But, not always.

[Jamz]

I think we can be working towards the right side of things slowly. Votto, Choo and BP are good hitters that can make the pitcher work quite a bit. Hannigan can do the same when he's actually on his game, and Mesoraco has a hisory of being a pretty decent hitter too. Guys like Hamilton and Winker coming up should be able to provide the kind of contact to supplement those guys.

If we re-sign Choo for 3 - 5 years, and Mesoraco shows continued improvement in terms of hitting the ball and having a good eye we could see these guys all in the line-up:

Hamilton
Choo
Votto
Phillips
Hannigan/Mesoraco

With Winker hopefully ready when Choo is done.

Bruce and Frazier are a little more hot and cold, but Bruce should be someone that can eventually be more consistent. He has the ability and with some more mentoring from Votto we can hope that one day he might be smarter at the plate and make use of his exceptional tools.