Mark Teixeira‘s freakishly low BABIP this year has been something I’ve covered a few times. His tendency to be ridiculously pull happy is something that William has covered extensively. Yesterday at the Hardball Times, Josh Weinstock combined both issues.
You can click through for the specifics–and some really awesome images–but the gist is something that combines the thinking William and I have had: Tex may be having a little bit of bad luck, but his left-handed hitting approach is suffering from trying to pull too many outside pitches.
If we look at Tex’s splits for the 2011 season, we can see this anecdotal problem fleshed out in real numbers. To his pull field overall, Tex sports a .512/229 wOBA/wRC+. To center, it’s .296/81. To the opposite field, it’s .174/-2. The problem, though, is much worse from the left side.
As a right handed hitter, Tex is wOBAing (and wRC+ing) .517 (.233)/.319 (97) /.355 (122) to his pull/center/opposite fields. When we look at Tex’s left handed side, we get .509 (.227)/.282 (72)/.071 (-72) to pull/center/right.
I’m not going to complain about Tex too much because despite his propensity to pull, he’s still productive. However, this is an issue that needs at least some addressing in the offseason. He’s either got to start laying off more outside pitches to avoid rolling over on them or work with Kevin Long to at least try and go the other way more than once in a blue moon.
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7 Responses to More on Tex’s BABIP
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TIQ IQ
you guys have done a great job with the stats and research. Now I think Tex is an awesome player so I’m not trying to beat him up but to me any player that lets the other team employ a defensive shift has a glaring area to fix. I dont care if it means learning how to poke one to left or bunt to third but they need to make the other team not employ a shift because you are allowing them in essence an extra player or so on defense. Now I understand this is not that easy since the pitcher is pitching to make them hit into the shift as well but if the pitcher gives you anything that can go the other way you need to be able to make it happen or your offense is heading south.
I guess my only comment is… and I could be wrong, but it seems like Tex has become even more of an extreme pull hitter in the last two seasons. I remember him being more of an all fields kind of hitter.
You are not mistaken. Here is some data to back up the point: http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/2011/08/revisiting-mark-teixeira%E2%80%99s-offensive-evolution-33347
I really wish he would pretend that the short porch at NYS doesn’t exist.
Good stuff. Were there any trends existing in April when he was absolutely raking that are now absent or modified?
In the link above is a link to a more comprehensive analysis done in early May, so that will give you the April perspective.
[...] Tex’s overall line — 2.48/.343/.496 — has been dragged down in part due to his career-low BABIP, but regardless of whether you want to ascribe this to bad luck — and yes, he’s had [...]