3.07...

[RichRed]

...A fantastic number for an ERA, atrocious for pitches per plate appearance. This is Brandon Phillips' P/PA.

I hope that when Narron and the coaches are preaching hustle when running out weak grounders and pop-ups, they're also talking about a little thing called patience at the plate and working the pitchers.

Just an observation.

For comparison (small sample size fully acknowledged):

Gonzalez - 4.32
Ross - 4.30
Griffey - 4.20
Freel - 4.09
Hamilton - 4.06
EdE - 3.98
Hatteberg - 3.96
Valentin - 3.71
Dunn -3.70
Conine - 3.63

Surprising to see Gonzo (I still prefer my idea of "Chuckles" for his nickname) and Ross at the top. Also, Dunn is usually among the NL leaders in P/PA, not that I'm complaining about his results so far at the plate.

The NL leader is Morgan Ensberg with 4.91 P/PA.

We need to see more patience out of BP, especially if he's going to keep getting ABs at the top of the lineup.

Comments?

[RedFanAlways1966]

I was starting to worry that 3.07 was Aaron Harang's WHIP after his last two starts.

Good stuff, Rich. I am sure that we'd all agree that Brandon needs to be more patient. To his credit he has received 5 walks in 10 games this year (1BB / 8.4AB). That is staggering considering his past MLB experience shows:

2006: 35 walks... 1BB / 16.3AB
2003: 14 walks... 1BB / 27.4AB

[Razor Shines]

Well Narron said that he wanted BP to have a .370 OBP this season, so I'm sure that patience would have come up somewhere along the way.

[RichRed]

Well Narron said that he wanted BP to have a .370 OBP this season, so I'm sure that patience would have come up somewhere along the way.

I want BP to have a .370 OBP too. If it happens, great, but I don't think it's realistic for a guy who had a .324 OBP last year. I'd be happy if he got up to around .340 or so. Not good enough to bat at the top of the order but plenty good enough to bat around 6th, especially with the defense he gives us.

But hey, I'm just glad Narron knows what OBP is.

[Red in Chicago]

i know it's early in the season, but griffey seems much more willing to take a walk this year, as opposed to last...

[RedsManRick]

I want Juan Castro to hit 35 homers, we should bat him cleanup.

If BP starts OBP'ing in that range, move him up to leadoff. Until then, BP is a guy you bat 6th or 7th to maximize use of his power/speed given low OBP.

[Razor Shines]

I want BP to have a .370 OBP too. If it happens, great, but I don't think it's realistic for a guy who had a .324 OBP last year. I'd be happy if he got up to around .340 or so. Not good enough to bat at the top of the order but plenty good enough to bat around 6th, especially with the defense he gives us.

But hey, I'm just glad Narron knows what OBP is.

I agree I don't think it's very realistic either. I was just sayin' that if Narron told him he wanted him to have a .370 OBP, he had to have told him to be more patient. But some guys just aren't going to be patient, Jeff Francouer comes to mind.

[TeamBoone]

Dunn is usually among the NL leaders in P/PA, not that I'm complaining about his results so far at the plate.

Hasn't that been one of the frequent complaints about Adam Dunn on this board? That he's TOO patient?

I think swinging earlier in the count is one of the things he's been working on this year. Many of his strikeouts looking can be attributed to his "eye", which often doesn't coincide with the ump's, especially on those below-the-knees strikes that they so often call on him.

[Razor Shines]

Hasn't that been one of the frequent complaints about Adam Dunn on this board? That he's TOO patient?

I think swinging earlier in the count is one of the things he's been working on this year. Many of his strikeouts looking can be attributed to his "eye", which often doesn't coincide with the ump's, especially on those below-the-knees strikes that they so often call on him.

Yep.

I hope it's the kind of thing Dunn can turn off and on. Because he's going to go into a slump at some point this season and usually when he's in a slump he still walks a lot because he's patient, but if he slumps this season and isn't patient during the slump....it could get ugly.

[KronoRed]

i know it's early in the season, but griffey seems much more willing to take a walk this year, as opposed to last...

Yep, it's a great sign.

[coachw513]

...A fantastic number for an ERA, atrocious for pitches per plate appearance. This is Brandon Phillips' P/PA.

I hope that when Narron and the coaches are preaching hustle when running out weak grounders and pop-ups, they're also talking about a little thing called patience at the plate and working the pitchers.

Just an observation.

For comparison (small sample size fully acknowledged):

Gonzalez - 4.32
Ross - 4.30
Griffey - 4.20
Freel - 4.09
Hamilton - 4.06
EdE - 3.98
Hatteberg - 3.96
Valentin - 3.71
Dunn -3.70
Conine - 3.63

Surprising to see Gonzo (I still prefer my idea of "Chuckles" for his nickname) and Ross at the top. Also, Dunn is usually among the NL leaders in P/PA, not that I'm complaining about his results so far at the plate.

The NL leader is Morgan Ensberg with 4.91 P/PA.

We need to see more patience out of BP, especially if he's going to keep getting ABs at the top of the lineup.

Comments?

Really good post...

I wonder what Phillips P/PA is for the 7 games not played in freezing weather???...cause he did a lot of 1st pitch hacking last weekend and I'm serious when I say I think the weather had a bunch to do with it...

Griffey's #'s are promising and isn't Hamilton continuing to show remarkable poise and patience given the lack of experience...amazing...

[DannyB]

Ross is second on that list and all that patience got him 2 for 21 with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Sometimes you just need to swing the bat.

[adampad]

Ross is second on that list and all that patience got him 2 for 21 with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Sometimes you just need to swing the bat.

Hes been swinging. Just missing.

[RichRed]

Ross is second on that list and all that patience got him 2 for 21 with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Sometimes you just need to swing the bat.

In this case, Ross is the poster boy for small sample size. All those pitches he's seeing are because he hasn't been able to make contact so he's seeing at least 3 pitches every AB - ABs that usually end with strike 3.

[oneupper]

This is just from observation (no stats to back it up)...but my impression is that BP rarely (relatively) fouls off a pitch. If he hits the ball...it's usually in play.