Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
May 04, 2008
Losing Bases

The Angels held on to defeat the Orioles 6-5 Sunday afternoon. One reader sends along these comments:

Would appreciate it if you could get Baltimore writer to comment on Brian Roberts horrendous base running. Today he was thrown out at plate by V. Guerrero trying to score on hit in 1st, and in ninth, down a run, he singles to lead-off and gets picked off.

I don't have statistics on players being put out on base besides caught stealings. However, Roberts has reached base fifty times this year and scored sixteen runs, or 32% of the time on base. Among regulars, players with at least 70 plate appearances, the median value is 35%. Sitting at the top of the lineup, he has the power hitters coming up behind him, so he should be scoring lots of runs. If anyone has data on Roberts making outs on the bases, please pass it on.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:16 PM | Players | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Ahem. Close your blockquote tag, sir. ;)

Posted by: Linkmeister at May 4, 2008 09:33 PM

Right, but he's also on the Orioles, and "the power hitters" are... Nick Markakis. At least last year, he didn't get caught stealing much at all - 50 steals to 7 caught stealing. That's probably actually an unsustainably good ratio... but the rule of thumb is anything over 80% success rate is VERY good, right? He has that beat handily.

Posted by: Mike at May 4, 2008 09:44 PM

I'm pretty sure Roberts was thrown out stealing 3rd in the 1st, not at the plate trying to score.

Posted by: Bjoern at May 5, 2008 03:50 AM

Still, Roberts aggressiveness on the base paths this year isn't the same as last year. on many occasions, he's started and stopped on his way to a base. He also looks a little hesitant when taking leads. He's been thrown out a few times heading BACK to the base.

I had a question though on another base running matter. Yesterday, when Ramon Hernandez thought he had a home run, slapped hands with the 1st base coach as he rounded the bag only to be thrown out at 2nd. Would that kind of contact, if noticed, created a dead ball situation where the batter is out? They obviously shake coaches hands after a hit when they are on 1st but not when they are on their way to the following base. what do you think?

Posted by: Jared W at May 5, 2008 11:23 AM

*opens Bill James Handbook 2008*

According to god, he had a +31 rating... that would be +36 for his steals, and -5 for his base running gain.

*opens Bill James Handbook 2007*

He was +13 here and oddly 0-0 in the moving first to home department. Both years he was never out while advancing and was doubled off for all in BR outs. From the numbers, most of his gaffes were team based. That being said, most speedy guys tend to have positive base running and stolen base ratings.

Basically, his speed more than makes up for his base running aggressiveness. He's no Benji Molina (-20/0).

Ichiro is the best base runner in the AL. His +26/+21 BR/SB split is only beaten by Rollins and Reyes.

Posted by: Andrew at May 5, 2008 12:07 PM

April 5th vs Seattle, Roberts was out 3 times on bases, once caught stealing and twice trying to advance & one of those was a grounder to Crede at 3rd where Roberts never should have tried to go home.

Posted by: Bob S at May 5, 2008 09:58 PM

My error, not CWS Crede.

Posted by: Bob S at May 5, 2008 10:00 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?