Ryan Howard strikeout watch

[OnBaseMachine]

Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 today with three strikeouts. Why am I reporting on Howard? Because he now has 168 strikeouts in 442 atbats, making him only 27 strikeouts shy of Dunn's record of 195 set in 2004. Now strikeouts don't bother me one bit, however, I would love to see Howard set the strikeout record just to see if he gets the same treatment from announcers and fans that Dunn does.

In 2004, Dunn struckout 195 times in 568 atbats in a total of 161 games.

This year, Howard has struckout 168 times in 442 atbats in a total of 119 games (Howard has missed 18 games due to injury). He's right on pace to break the record even with the missed 18 games.

I'll update this thread after each game until the end of the season. I hope he breaks it to further prove that strikeouts are just another out.

[flyer85]

funny thing that post all-star break Dunn has made the transformation his detractors have been looking for

Pre ASB 86G .258BA .356OBP .549LG 55R 24HR 58RBI 45BB 105K

Post ASB 49G .274BA .420OBP .555SLG 34R 12HR 35RBI 41BB 45K

Of course the Reds have missed a bit of the benefit by batting him 5th.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 today with three strikeouts. Why am I reporting on Howard? Because he now has 168 strikeouts in 442 atbats, making him only 27 strikeouts shy of Dunn's record of 195 set in 2004. Now strikeouts don't bother me one bit, however, I would love to see Howard set the strikeout record just to see if he gets the same treatment from announcers and fans that Dunn does.

The whole strikeout thing on this board is ludicrous. I don't think anyone would care if Dunn made all of his outs via the K. The main problem was that he was hitting in the .230s. The Ks were magnified because of his ridiculously low BA.

Howard whiffed 180+ times last season. No one cared because his stat line read .313-58-149. A lot different than hitting in the .230s.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

The whole strikeout thing on this board is ludicrous. I don't think anyone would care if Dunn made all of his outs via the K. The main problem was that he was hitting in the .230s. The Ks were magnified because of his ridiculously low BA.

Howard whiffed 180+ times last season. No one cared because his stat line read .313-58-149. A lot different than hitting in the .230s.

Dunn hit .266 the year he broke the record.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Dunn hit .266 the year he broke the record.

That wasn't the only year he struck out an obscene amount.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

That wasn't the only year he struck out an obscene amount.

No it wasn't. But he hit 40+ homers, drove in 100 or close to it, and scored 100+ runs in those years also.

[CTA513]

If he doesn't break the record this year he will break it next year.

[SteelSD]

Originally Posted by flyer85

funny thing that post all-star break Dunn has made the transformation his detractors have been looking for

Pre ASB 86G .258BA .356OBP .549LG 55R 24HR 58RBI 45BB 105K

Post ASB 49G .274BA .420OBP .555SLG 34R 12HR 35RBI 41BB 45K

Of course the Reds have missed a bit of the benefit by batting him 5th.

I see. So Dunn has replaced K's with Walks which raises his OBP and suppresses his gross AB totals- causing a virtual increase in Batting Average while not being on pace to acquire a single additional Hit per Game.

Been waiting for that to happen. Thus endeth the "Swing More" debate. And after all this time, it's washed away in a thread about Ryan Howard. Tsk.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by SteelSD

I see. So Dunn has replaced K's with Walks which raises his OBP and suppresses his gross AB totals- causing a virtual increase in Batting Average while not being on pace to acquire a single additional Hit per Game.

Been waiting for that to happen. Thus endeth the "Swing More" debate. And after all this time, it's washed away in a thread about Ryan Howard. Tsk.

Why compare 1st half vs 2nd half? Why not this entire season vs his career?

Dunn is on pace for his lowest walk total ever in a full season, while also being on pace for his 2nd highest hit total and most RBI ever.

Swing more...sweet chariot.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Why compare 1st half vs 2nd half?

because Dunn was supposed to be trying a different approach, successfully implementing those kind of changes doesn't happen overnight. There has been a decided difference in Dunn at the plate. It is from a design change that has finally taken or is it merely a random fluctuation? Only time will tell.

If it a real change does it make him a much more valuable hitter?

[M2]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Why compare 1st half vs 2nd half? Why not this entire season vs his career?

Dunn is on pace for his lowest walk total ever in a full season, while also being on pace for his 2nd highest hit total and most RBI ever.

Swing more...sweet chariot.

I suppose if you wanted to miss what's working in order to create a bogus argument for what hasn't worked for Dunn then that would be the way to do it. Me, I didn't like what you're peddling here any better than I did than when Tom Robson was pushing it.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by M2

I suppose if you wanted to miss what's working in order to create a bogus argument for what hasn't worked for Dunn then that would be the way to do it. Me, I didn't like what you're peddling here any better than I did than when Tom Robson was pushing it.

Please elaborate.

[M2]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Please elaborate.

Steel already did.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by M2

Steel already did.

Got it...I see the angle.

But I still don't think anyone ever wanted Dunn to just swing at everything. If he is replacing Ks with BBs, then that's just smarter baseball. Don't swing at what you can't hit, and swing at what you can hit.

If Dunn was able to "flip a switch" at the ASB and turn Ks into walks, then what was his issue over the past few years?

[M2]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Got it...I see the angle.

But I still don't think anyone ever wanted Dunn to just swing at everything. If he is replacing Ks with BBs, then that's just smarter baseball. Don't swing at what you can't hit, and swing at what you can hit.

If Dunn was able to "flip a switch" at the ASB and turn Ks into walks, then what was his issue over the past few years?

I'd say his biggest problem has been coaches trying to get him to swing at the wrong pitches. Tightening his swing, improving his two-strike approach, going with the pitch are all things that every hitter works on, but they need to be incorporated with Dunn's judicious eye. When he does that, when he squeezes pitchers, he's deadly.