Monday, March 25, 2013

Lefty batters 1950-2012 batting average (BA)

As documented here previously, righty/lefty splits are reliable only back to about 1950 when a high percentage of the data is derived from play-by-play data rather than from box scores.  With box scores a batter's stats are attributed to the handedness of the starting pitcher.

I've used some of the cool new functions at baseball-reference.com to try to get a cross section of the best left batters from 1950 through 2012 using Ted Williams as my minimum criteria since he has the least data for a great batter during those years and I wanted Williams included.

There are four swipes.  Note the batters who cross the categories.

Tony Gwynn is second in both pitching splits; Rod Carew is the only other in both pitching top fives.  Here are the top fives.  Cruise down to see longer, more detailed lists.

1. Batters throw lefty:
Tony Gwynn
Stan Musial
Todd Helton
Don Mattingly
Matty Alou

2. Batters throw righty:
Ted Williams
Wade Boggs
Rod Carew
Joe Mauer
Ichiro Suzuki

3. Pitchers throw lefty:
Ichiro Suzuki R
Tony Gwynn L
Stan Musial L
Rod Carew R
Larry Walker R

4. Pitchers throw righty:
Ted Williams R
Tony Gwynn L
Wade Boggs R
Joe Mauer R
Rod Carew R

1. Batters throw lefty:

1950 to 2012, Bats LH, Throws LH, (requiring batting_avg>=0.3 and At least 3000 plate appearances), sorted by greatest Batting Average

Rk Player BA PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Tony Gwynn .338 10232 1982 2001 22-41 2440 9288 1383 3141 543 85 135 1138 790 203 434 24 45 85 259 319 125 .388 .459 .847 *98/7D SDP
2 Stan Musial .321 7964 1950 1963 29-42 1954 6839 1134 2198 423 69 329 1245 1034 127 497 32 7 53 161 34 31 .410 .548 .958 3798/1 STL
3 Todd Helton .320 9011 1997 2012 23-38 2123 7565 1360 2420 570 36 354 1345 1295 184 1088 57 3 88 182 37 29 .419 .545 .964 *3/79D COL
4 Don Mattingly .307 7722 1982 1995 21-34 1785 7003 1007 2153 442 20 222 1099 588 136 444 21 13 96 191 14 9 .358 .471 .830 *3/D97584 NYY
5 Matty Alou .307 6220 1960 1974 21-35 1667 5789 780 1777 236 50 31 427 311 38 377 36 55 29 101 156 80 .345 .381 .726 *8973/1D SFG-PIT-STL-TOT-SDP
6 Rusty Greer .305 4420 1994 2002 25-33 1027 3829 643 1166 258 25 119 614 519 16 555 22 6 44 91 31 15 .387 .478 .865 *79/8D3 TEX
7 Josh Hamilton .304 3151 2007 2012 26-31 737 2825 471 858 173 19 161 553 263 46 620 24 1 38 47 43 13 .363 .549 .913 *87/9D CIN-TEX
8 Hal Morris .304 4443 1988 2000 23-35 1246 3998 535 1216 246 21 76 513 356 55 548 22 28 39 105 45 24 .361 .433 .794 *3/7D9 NYY-CIN-KCR-TOT
9 Mark Grace .303 9290 1988 2003 24-39 2245 8065 1179 2445 511 45 173 1146 1075 114 642 34 17 99 192 70 48 .383 .442 .825 *3/1D CHC-ARI
10 Will Clark .303 8283 1986 2000 22-36 1976 7173 1186 2176 440 47 284 1205 937 155 1190 59 13 101 100 67 48 .384 .497 .880 *3/D SFG-TEX-BAL-TOT
11 Al Oliver .303 9778 1968 1985 21-38 2368 9049 1189 2743 529 77 219 1326 535 119 756 82 17 95 254 84 64 .344 .451 .795 837D/9 PIT-TEX-MON-TOT
12 John Kruk .300 4603 1986 1995 25-34 1200 3897 582 1170 199 34 100 592 649 83 701 2 12 43 92 58 31 .397 .446 .842 *379/D8 SDP-TOT-PHI-CHW
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/25/2013.

2. Batters throw righty:

1950 to 2012, Bats LH, Throws RH, (requiring batting_avg>=0.3 and At least 3000 plate appearances), sorted by greatest Batting Average

Rk Player BA PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Ted Williams .335 4443 1950 1960 31-41 1108 3485 716 1166 211 15 256 801 920 86 333 18 0 20 98 8 4 .474 .624 1.098 *7 BOS
2 Wade Boggs .328 10740 1982 1999 24-41 2440 9180 1513 3010 578 61 118 1014 1412 180 745 23 29 96 236 24 35 .415 .443 .858 *5D/317 BOS-NYY-TBD
3 Rod Carew .328 10550 1967 1985 21-39 2469 9315 1424 3053 445 112 92 1015 1018 144 1028 25 128 64 216 353 187 .393 .429 .822 34/D657 MIN-CAL
4 Joe Mauer .323 4552 2004 2012 21-29 1065 3933 626 1270 247 20 94 587 555 96 475 17 4 43 130 43 15 .405 .468 .873 *2D/39 MIN
5 Ichiro Suzuki .322 8723 2001 2012 27-38 1911 8085 1204 2606 308 80 104 660 518 173 813 49 33 38 69 452 102 .365 .419 .784 *98/D7 SEA-TOT
6 Joey Votto .316 3064 2007 2012 23-28 728 2599 428 822 197 9 133 457 429 61 562 22 0 14 54 41 20 .415 .553 .968 *3/7 CIN
7 Larry Walker .313 8030 1989 2005 22-38 1988 6907 1355 2160 471 62 383 1311 913 117 1231 138 7 65 153 230 76 .400 .565 .965 *9/387D45 MON-COL-TOT-STL
8 Robinson Cano .308 5110 2005 2012 22-29 1214 4731 718 1459 334 28 177 715 285 49 604 48 10 36 153 31 27 .351 .503 .854 *4/D NYY
9 Richie Ashburn .308 8478 1950 1962 23-35 1918 7240 1160 2232 282 94 26 509 1080 25 511 41 99 18 75 193 92 .400 .384 .784 *8/794 PHI-CHC-NYM
10 Ralph Garr .306 5456 1968 1980 22-34 1317 5108 717 1562 212 64 75 408 246 46 445 19 62 21 72 172 83 .339 .416 .755 *79/8D ATL-CHW-TOT-CAL
11 George Brett .305 11625 1973 1993 20-40 2707 10349 1583 3154 665 137 317 1596 1096 229 908 33 26 120 235 201 97 .369 .487 .857 *5D3/796 KCR
12 Tony Oliva .304 6880 1962 1976 23-37 1676 6301 870 1917 329 48 220 947 448 131 645 59 14 57 139 86 55 .353 .476 .830 *9D/874 MIN
13 Mike Greenwell .303 5166 1985 1996 21-32 1269 4623 657 1400 275 38 130 726 460 79 364 39 3 41 136 80 43 .368 .463 .831 *7/D982 BOS
14 Sean Casey .302 5644 1997 2008 22-33 1405 5066 690 1531 322 12 130 735 477 69 577 62 0 39 156 18 8 .367 .447 .814 *3/D CLE-CIN-TOT-DET-BOS
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/25/2013.

3. Pitchers throw lefty:

1950 to 2012, vs LHP as LHB (within Platoon Splits), (requiring batting_avg≥.3 for entire season(s)/career and PA≥1000), sorted by greatest Batting Average for this split

Rk I Player Split From To G BA BAtot GS PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA BAtot OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip
1 Ichiro Suzuki vs LHP as LHB 2001 2012 1051 .330 .322 2601 2416 798 94 23 24 193 91 33 137 228 .330 .322 .368 .418 .786 1010 15 16 16 16 28 38 .355
2 Tony Gwynn vs LHP as LHB 1982 2001 1509 .325 .338 3523 3226 1048 153 24 51 404 71 43 238 167 .325 .338 .371 .435 .806 1402 102 14 22 23 25 52 .329
3 I Stan Musial vs LHP as LHB 1950 1963 887 .311 .321 2422 2132 662 119 19 84 371 8 7 253 196 .311 .321 .384 .502 .887 1071 49 14 5 18 19 30 .309
4 Rod Carew vs LHP as LHB 1967 1985 1301 .310 .328 3314 2905 900 119 34 21 303 95 66 307 450 .310 .328 .376 .396 .772 1150 64 13 68 21 15 57 .358
5 Larry Walker vs LHP as LHB 1989 2005 1171 .306 .313 2417 2109 645 137 20 90 426 62 28 219 392 .306 .313 .385 .518 .903 1092 44 66 2 21 2 31 .337
6 I Richie Ashburn vs LHP as LHB 1950 1962 797 .300 .308 2227 1906 572 59 22 7 121 42 20 274 204 .300 .308 .392 .365 .757 696 26 15 29 3 3 34 .333
7 I Ted Williams vs LHP as LHB 1950 1960 443 .298 .334 1083 878 262 48 2 35 154 3 0 193 120 .298 .334 .428 .477 .905 419 27 8 0 4 14 15 .312
8 I Ralph Garr vs LHP as LHB 1970 1980 614 .298 .306 1640 1529 455 58 16 8 86 40 32 72 163 .298 .306 .331 .372 .703 569 22 5 32 2 3 27 .329
9 Todd Helton vs LHP as LHB 1997 2012 1270 .298 .320 2605 2238 666 129 9 66 374 15 5 316 399 .298 .320 .388 .452 .840 1011 70 27 3 21 16 25 .334
10 Wade Boggs vs LHP as LHB 1982 1999 1344 .297 .328 3120 2740 815 130 17 29 331 7 7 327 290 .297 .328 .372 .389 .761 1066 77 12 17 24 12 38 .321
11 Mark Grace vs LHP as LHB 1988 2003 1296 .296 .303 2872 2551 755 151 13 48 365 18 3 268 264 .296 .303 .363 .422 .785 1076 70 17 9 27 5 32 .312
12 Don Mattingly vs LHP as LHB 1982 1995 1127 .296 .307 2728 2480 734 164 6 67 429 7 2 189 181 .296 .307 .344 .448 .792 1111 82 14 7 38 10 38 .294
13 Joe Mauer vs LHP as LHB 2004 2012 698 .295 .323 1564 1379 407 61 2 19 189 13 6 152 204 .295 .323 .366 .384 .750 529 47 13 1 19 11 13 .330
14 Mike Greenwell vs LHP as LHB 1985 1996 699 .293 .303 1518 1398 410 68 9 31 204 21 5 79 114 .293 .303 .338 .421 .760 589 46 24 2 15 2 20 .299
15 Rusty Greer vs LHP as LHB 1994 2002 561 .293 .305 1166 1017 298 59 8 27 160 4 2 117 154 .293 .305 .369 .446 .815 454 16 13 5 14 1 19 .319
16 Sean Casey vs LHP as LHB 1997 2008 807 .291 .302 1529 1376 401 75 4 34 211 4 1 115 199 .291 .302 .354 .426 .780 586 47 26 0 12 2 15 .318
17 Robinson Cano vs LHP as LHB 2005 2012 765 .290 .308 1662 1521 441 82 8 50 235 5 8 93 232 .290 .308 .338 .453 .791 689 53 24 9 15 3 16 .312
18 Will Clark vs LHP as LHB 1986 2000 1182 .289 .303 2704 2413 698 141 17 64 412 31 15 210 410 .289 .303 .349 .441 .791 1065 38 35 4 42 12 29 .320
19 I Matty Alou vs LHP as LHB 1961 1974 582 .283 .307 1411 1301 368 43 8 3 93 29 19 83 113 .283 .307 .329 .335 .664 436 29 9 13 5 4 22 .307
20 George Brett vs LHP as LHB 1973 1993 1557 .280 .305 3868 3513 983 190 35 88 504 39 26 275 359 .280 .305 .331 .429 .760 1507 76 18 15 46 23 46 .288
21 Tony Oliva vs LHP as LHB 1962 1976 840 .271 .304 2066 1923 521 70 14 38 265 18 14 90 239 .271 .304 .309 .381 .690 733 42 24 11 18 12 34 .290
22 John Kruk vs LHP as LHB 1986 1995 694 .271 .300 1443 1253 340 46 8 20 180 8 10 167 269 .271 .300 .353 .369 .722 462 30 1 5 17 4 14 .326
23 Al Oliver vs LHP as LHB 1969 1985 1280 .269 .303 3053 2843 766 138 20 54 397 11 17 139 354 .269 .303 .310 .389 .699 1106 82 37 10 24 11 48 .290
24 I Billy Goodman vs LHP as LHB 1950 1962 412 .258 .300 1095 955 246 31 5 3 80 4 8 107 84 .258 .300 .338 .310 .648 296 20 9 23 1 0 16 .280
25 Hal Morris vs LHP as LHB 1988 2000 564 .252 .304 1053 943 238 47 1 3 100 4 4 77 192 .252 .304 .312 .314 .626 296 37 8 19 6 2 10 .312
Rk I Player Split From To G BA BAtot GS PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA BAtot OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/25/2013.

4. Pitchers throw righty:

1950 to 2012, vs RHP as LHB (within Platoon Splits), (requiring batting_avg≥.3 for entire season(s)/career and PA≥2500), sorted by greatest Batting Average for this split

Rk I Player Split From To G BA BAtot GS PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA BAtot OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip
1 I Ted Williams vs RHP as LHB 1950 1960 933 .347 .335 3250 2520 875 157 13 216 627 5 6 704 208 .347 .335 .489 .677 1.166 1706 73 10 0 16 99 28 .312
2 Tony Gwynn vs RHP as LHB 1982 2001 2098 .345 .338 6709 6062 2093 390 61 84 734 248 82 552 267 .345 .338 .397 .471 .868 2857 159 10 23 62 178 87 .348
3 Wade Boggs vs RHP as LHB 1982 1999 2203 .341 .328 7620 6440 2195 448 44 89 682 17 28 1085 455 .341 .328 .433 .466 .898 2998 159 11 12 72 168 93 .353
4 Joe Mauer vs RHP as LHB 2004 2012 928 .338 .323 2988 2554 863 186 18 75 398 30 9 403 271 .338 .323 .425 .513 .938 1310 83 4 3 24 85 20 .353
5 Rod Carew vs RHP as LHB 1967 1985 2112 .336 .328 7236 6410 2153 326 78 71 712 258 121 711 578 .336 .328 .401 .444 .845 2848 153 12 60 43 129 102 .359
6 Todd Helton vs RHP as LHB 1997 2012 1935 .329 .320 6406 5327 1754 441 27 288 971 22 24 979 689 .329 .320 .432 .584 1.016 3113 112 30 0 67 168 57 .332
7 I Stan Musial vs RHP as LHB 1950 1963 1399 .324 .321 4590 3903 1263 252 35 203 716 14 23 640 251 .324 .321 .418 .562 .980 2194 109 15 0 32 177 43 .305
8 Hal Morris vs RHP as LHB 1988 2000 1127 .320 .304 3390 3055 978 199 20 73 413 41 20 279 356 .320 .304 .376 .470 .846 1436 68 14 9 33 53 36 .340
9 Ichiro Suzuki vs RHP as LHB 2001 2012 1706 .319 .322 6122 5669 1808 214 57 80 467 361 69 381 585 .319 .322 .364 .419 .783 2376 54 33 17 22 145 74 .344
10 Al Oliver vs RHP as LHB 1968 1985 2023 .319 .303 6725 6206 1977 391 57 165 929 73 47 396 402 .319 .303 .360 .480 .840 2977 172 45 7 71 108 82 .317
11 Tony Oliva vs RHP as LHB 1962 1976 1453 .319 .304 4814 4378 1396 259 34 182 682 68 41 359 406 .319 .304 .372 .518 .890 2269 98 35 3 39 119 52 .317
12 George Brett vs RHP as LHB 1973 1993 2302 .318 .305 7757 6836 2171 475 102 229 1092 162 71 821 548 .318 .305 .388 .517 .906 3537 160 15 11 74 205 73 .317
13 Robinson Cano vs RHP as LHB 2005 2012 1102 .317 .308 3448 3210 1018 252 20 127 480 26 19 192 372 .317 .308 .358 .527 .885 1691 100 24 1 21 46 31 .326
14 Larry Walker vs RHP as LHB 1989 2005 1765 .316 .313 5613 4798 1515 334 42 293 885 168 48 694 839 .316 .313 .407 .586 .993 2812 109 72 5 44 115 41 .329
15 Roberto Alomar vs RHP as LHB 1988 2004 2138 .314 .300 7439 6463 2027 371 65 140 824 372 85 777 703 .314 .300 .386 .456 .842 2948 153 29 91 79 47 85 .331
16 Don Mattingly vs RHP as LHB 1982 1995 1555 .314 .307 4994 4523 1419 278 14 155 670 7 7 399 263 .314 .307 .366 .484 .850 2190 109 7 6 58 126 50 .304
17 John Kruk vs RHP as LHB 1986 1995 1028 .314 .300 3160 2644 830 153 26 80 412 50 21 482 432 .314 .300 .416 .482 .899 1275 62 1 7 26 79 25 .348
18 I Matty Alou vs RHP as LHB 1960 1974 1399 .313 .307 4708 4396 1375 185 41 28 324 122 58 221 255 .313 .307 .348 .393 .740 1726 74 27 41 23 34 79 .326
19 Will Clark vs RHP as LHB 1986 2000 1727 .311 .303 5579 4760 1478 299 30 220 793 36 33 727 780 .311 .303 .400 .525 .925 2497 62 24 9 59 143 49 .329
20 I Ralph Garr vs RHP as LHB 1968 1980 1097 .309 .306 3783 3548 1097 148 48 66 320 130 51 173 278 .309 .306 .342 .434 .776 1539 49 14 29 19 43 60 .320
21 Rusty Greer vs RHP as LHB 1994 2002 950 .309 .305 3254 2812 868 199 17 92 454 27 13 402 401 .309 .305 .393 .490 .883 1377 75 9 1 30 15 37 .330
22 Mike Greenwell vs RHP as LHB 1985 1996 1120 .307 .303 3648 3225 990 207 29 99 522 59 38 381 250 .307 .303 .380 .481 .861 1552 90 15 1 26 77 35 .307
23 I Pete Rose vs RHP as LHB 1963 1986 3136 .307 .303 11471 10051 3083 566 104 119 937 131 112 1209 845 .307 .303 .384 .419 .804 4214 151 94 31 60 112 137 .324
24 I Richie Ashburn vs RHP as LHB 1950 1962 1562 .306 .308 5837 4975 1524 204 68 18 348 140 84 764 290 .306 .308 .400 .386 .786 1918 45 23 60 15 32 75 .322
25 Mark Grace vs RHP as LHB 1988 2003 2006 .306 .303 6418 5514 1690 360 32 125 781 52 45 807 378 .306 .303 .392 .451 .844 2489 122 17 8 72 109 64 .308
Rk I Player Split From To G BA BAtot GS PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA BAtot OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip
26 Sean Casey vs RHP as LHB 1997 2008 1297 .306 .302 4115 3690 1130 247 8 96 524 14 7 362 378 .306 .302 .371 .456 .827 1681 109 36 0 27 67 40 .319
27 Victor Martinez vs RHP as LHB 2002 2011 1049 .304 .303 3239 2902 881 190 1 91 502 3 3 289 350 .304 .303 .366 .464 .830 1346 83 17 0 31 37 30 .317
28 Chipper Jones vs RHP as LHB 1993 2012 2298 .303 .303 7686 6451 1956 402 26 361 1206 117 37 1144 1005 .303 .303 .405 .541 .947 3493 164 13 2 76 143 70 .309
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/25/2013.

1 comment:

Cliff Blau said...

That Suzuki is a freak, isn't he?