Friday, February 15, 2013

Six degrees of separation for batters or what's unique about Rickey Henderson?

Rickey Henderson is the only righty batter who throws lefty with at least 8,000 plate appearances (PA).  In fact the only other such batter with at least 5,000 PA is Hal Chase with 7,938.  Next is Cleon Jones with 4,730.  Who knew?

There are six ways to consider batter handedness - here they are with counts and percentages of batters with at least 5,000 PA:

bats throws count  pct      tot     bat% most PA
right right 459 54.90% 461 99.57% Hank Aaron
right left 2 0.24% 461 0.43% Rickey Henderson
left right 160 19.14% 277 57.76% Carl Yastrzemski
left left 117 14.00% 277 42.24% Stan Musial
both right 92 11.00% 98 93.88% Pete Rose
both left 6 0.72%     98 6.12%  Lance Berkman
total 836

The Rickey Henderson type is by far the most unusual but look at southpaw switch hitters.

- 99.6% of righty batters throw righty
- only 42.2% of lefty batters throw lefty; this suggests that some lefty batters may be opportunists trying to take some of the advantage of switch hitting; see below
- 93.9% of switch hitters throw righty, which makes sense as they are generally smaller than batters who only bat from one side of the plate and are trying to take advantage of the fact that over 70% of pitches are thrown by righty pitchers AND the silly rule that let's lefty batters stand closer to the bases.  Smaller players are probably faster and take even more advantage of the closer bases.  This will be explored in future posts.

Let's take a slightly different look at the percentages for the 836 batters with at least 5,000 PA followed by the batter with the most PA in each group:

bats throws
right right 54.90% Hank Aaron
left right   19.14% Carl Yastrzemski
left left     14.00% Stan Musial
both right 11.00% Pete Rose
both left     0.72% Lance Berkman
right left     0.24% Rickey Henderson

Top ten right    right:

Rk Player PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Hank Aaron 13941 1954 1976 20-42 3298 12364 2174 3771 624 98 755 2297 1402 293 1383 32 21 121 328 240 73 .305 .374 .555 .928 *9783D/45 MLN-ATL-MIL
2 Cal Ripken 12883 1981 2001 20-40 3001 11551 1647 3184 603 44 431 1695 1129 107 1305 66 10 127 350 36 39 .276 .340 .447 .788 *65/D BAL
3 Craig Biggio 12504 1988 2007 22-41 2850 10876 1844 3060 668 55 291 1175 1160 68 1753 285 101 81 150 414 124 .281 .363 .433 .796 *4287/D9 HOU
4 Willie Mays 12496 1951 1973 20-42 2992 10881 2062 3283 523 140 660 1903 1464 192 1526 44 13 91 251 338 103 .302 .384 .557 .941 *8/39675 NYG-SFG-TOT-NYM
5 Dave Winfield 12358 1973 1995 21-43 2973 11003 1669 3110 540 88 465 1833 1216 172 1686 25 19 95 319 223 96 .283 .353 .475 .827 *97D8/35 SDP-NYY-TOT-CAL-TOR-MIN-CLE
6 Robin Yount 12249 1974 1993 18-37 2856 11008 1632 3142 583 126 251 1406 966 95 1350 48 104 123 217 271 105 .285 .342 .430 .772 *68D/73 MIL
7 Paul Molitor 12167 1978 1998 21-41 2683 10835 1782 3319 605 114 234 1307 1094 100 1244 47 75 109 209 504 131 .306 .369 .448 .817 D543/6879 MIL-TOR-MIN
8 Derek Jeter 11895 1995 2012 21-38 2585 10551 1868 3304 524 65 255 1254 1039 38 1743 163 89 53 269 348 95 .313 .382 .448 .829 *6/D NYY
9 Brooks Robinson 11782 1955 1977 18-40 2896 10654 1232 2848 482 68 268 1357 860 120 990 53 101 114 297 28 22 .267 .322 .401 .723 *5/46 BAL
10 Frank Robinson 11742 1956 1976 20-40 2808 10006 1829 2943 528 72 586 1812 1420 218 1532 198 17 102 270 204 77 .294 .389 .537 .926 97D38/5 CIN-BAL-LAD-CAL-TOT-CLE
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/15/2013.

Top ten left    right:

Rk Player PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Carl Yastrzemski 13992 1961 1983 21-43 3308 11988 1816 3419 646 59 452 1844 1845 190 1393 40 13 105 323 168 116 .285 .379 .462 .841 *73D8/59 BOS
2 Ty Cobb 13078 1905 1928 18-41 3034 11434 2246 4189 724 295 117 1938 1249 680 94 291 897 212 .366 .433 .512 .945 *89/73145 DET-PHA
3 Eddie Collins 12040 1906 1930 19-43 2825 9949 1821 3315 438 187 47 1300 1499 468 77 512 741 195 .333 .424 .429 .853 *4/69875 PHA-CHW
4 George Brett 11625 1973 1993 20-40 2707 10349 1583 3154 665 137 317 1596 1096 229 908 33 26 120 235 201 97 .305 .369 .487 .857 *5D3/796 KCR
5 Mel Ott 11348 1926 1947 17-38 2730 9456 1859 2876 488 72 511 1860 1708 896 64 109 82 89 .304 .414 .533 .947 *958/74 NYG
6 Joe Morgan 11329 1963 1984 19-40 2649 9277 1650 2517 449 96 268 1133 1865 76 1015 40 51 96 105 689 162 .271 .392 .427 .819 *4/7D58 HOU-CIN-SFG-PHI-OAK
7 Rusty Staub 11229 1963 1985 19-41 2951 9720 1189 2716 499 47 292 1466 1255 193 888 79 56 119 297 47 33 .279 .362 .431 .793 *9D3/78 HOU-MON-NYM-DET-TOT-TEX
8 Wade Boggs 10740 1982 1999 24-41 2440 9180 1513 3010 578 61 118 1014 1412 180 745 23 29 96 236 24 35 .328 .415 .443 .858 *5D/317 BOS-NYY-TBD
9 Darrell Evans 10737 1969 1989 22-42 2687 8973 1344 2223 329 36 414 1354 1605 141 1410 35 34 90 133 98 68 .248 .361 .431 .792 *53D/76 ATL-TOT-SFG-DET
10 Rod Carew 10550 1967 1985 21-39 2469 9315 1424 3053 445 112 92 1015 1018 144 1028 25 128 64 216 353 187 .328 .393 .429 .822 34/D657 MIN-CAL
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/15/2013.

Top eleven (had to include the Babe) left   left:

Rk Player PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Stan Musial 12717 1941 1963 20-42 3026 10972 1949 3630 725 177 475 1951 1599 127 696 53 35 53 243 78 31 .331 .417 .559 .976 3798/1 STL
2 Barry Bonds 12606 1986 2007 21-42 2986 9847 2227 2935 601 77 762 1996 2558 688 1539 106 4 91 165 514 141 .298 .444 .607 1.051 *78/D9 PIT-SFG
3 Rafael Palmeiro 12046 1986 2005 21-40 2831 10472 1663 3020 585 38 569 1835 1353 172 1348 87 15 119 232 97 40 .288 .371 .515 .885 *3D7/98 CHC-BAL-TEX
4 Tris Speaker 11991 1907 1928 19-40 2790 10195 1882 3514 792 222 117 1529 1381 395 103 309 436 157 .345 .428 .500 .928 *8/3971 BOS-CLE-WSH-PHA
5 Reggie Jackson 11418 1967 1987 21-41 2820 9864 1551 2584 463 49 563 1702 1375 164 2597 96 13 68 183 228 115 .262 .356 .490 .846 *9D8/7 KCA-OAK-BAL-NYY-CAL
6 Ken Griffey 11304 1989 2010 19-40 2671 9801 1662 2781 524 38 630 1836 1312 246 1779 81 8 102 199 184 69 .284 .370 .538 .907 *89D/73 SEA-CIN-TOT
7 Lou Brock 11240 1961 1979 22-40 2616 10332 1610 3023 486 141 149 900 761 124 1730 49 47 46 114 938 307 .293 .343 .410 .753 *798 CHC-TOT-STL
8 Harold Baines 11092 1980 2001 21-42 2830 9908 1299 2866 488 49 384 1628 1062 187 1441 14 9 99 298 34 34 .289 .356 .465 .820 *D9/87 CHW-OAK-BAL-TOT
9 Johnny Damon 10917 1995 2012 21-38 2490 9736 1668 2769 522 109 235 1139 1003 38 1257 50 57 71 93 408 103 .284 .352 .433 .785 *87D9/3 KCR-OAK-BOS-NYY-DET-TBR-CLE
10 Paul Waner 10766 1926 1945 23-42 2550 9459 1627 3152 605 191 113 1309 1091 376 38 174 127 104 0 .333 .404 .473 .878 *9/378 PIT-BSN-BRO-TOT-NYY
11 Babe Ruth 10620 1914 1935 19-40 2503 8399 2174 2873 506 136 714 2213 2062 1330 43 113 2 123 117 .342 .474 .690 1.164 971/83 BOS-NYY-BSN
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/15/2013.

Top eleven (had to include the Mick, king of the switch hitters) both    right:

Rk Player PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Pete Rose 15890 1963 1986 22-45 3562 14053 2165 4256 746 135 160 1314 1566 167 1143 107 56 79 247 198 149 .303 .375 .409 .784 37549/8 PHI-TOT-CIN
2 Eddie Murray 12817 1977 1997 21-41 3026 11336 1627 3255 560 35 504 1917 1333 222 1516 18 2 128 315 110 43 .287 .359 .476 .836 *3D/57 BAL-LAD-NYM-CLE-TOT
3 Omar Vizquel 12013 1989 2012 22-45 2968 10586 1445 2877 456 77 80 951 1028 25 1087 49 256 94 207 404 167 .272 .336 .352 .688 *65/4D379 SEA-CLE-SFG-TEX-CHW-TOR
4 Ozzie Smith 10778 1978 1996 23-41 2573 9396 1257 2460 402 69 28 793 1072 79 589 33 214 63 167 580 148 .262 .337 .328 .666 *6 SDP-STL
5 Max Carey 10770 1910 1929 20-39 2476 9363 1545 2665 419 159 70 800 1040 695 77 290 738 109 .285 .361 .386 .747 *879 PIT-TOT-BRO
6 Chipper Jones 10614 1993 2012 21-40 2499 8984 1619 2726 549 38 468 1623 1512 177 1409 18 3 97 253 150 46 .303 .401 .529 .930 *57/6D9 ATL
7 Roberto Alomar 10400 1988 2004 20-36 2379 9073 1508 2724 504 80 210 1134 1032 62 1140 50 148 97 206 474 114 .300 .371 .443 .814 *4/D6 SDP-TOR-BAL-CLE-NYM-TOT
8 Tim Raines 10359 1979 2002 19-42 2502 8872 1571 2605 430 113 170 980 1330 148 966 42 39 76 142 808 146 .294 .385 .425 .810 *78D/49 MON-CHW-NYY-OAK-TOT-FLA
9 Frankie Frisch 10099 1919 1937 20-38 2311 9112 1532 2880 466 138 105 1244 728 272 31 229 55 419 74 .316 .369 .432 .801 *45/6 NYG-STL
10 Chili Davis 9997 1981 1999 21-39 2436 8673 1240 2380 424 30 350 1372 1194 188 1698 15 20 94 232 142 98 .274 .360 .451 .811 D897/13 SFG-MIN-CAL-KCR-NYY
11 Mickey Mantle 9907 1951 1968 19-36 2401 8102 1676 2415 344 72 536 1509 1733 126 1710 13 14 47 113 153 38 .298 .421 .557 .977 *8397/645 NYY
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/15/2013.

Top ten both    left:

Rk Player PA From To Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Lance Berkman 7520 1999 2012 23-36 1806 6235 1119 1843 412 29 360 1200 1163 157 1248 66 1 54 140 86 48 .296 .409 .544 .953 3798/D HOU-TOT-STL
2 Lu Blue 7223 1921 1933 24-36 1615 5904 1151 1696 319 109 44 695 1092 436 43 168 0 151 85 .287 .402 .401 .803 *3/8 DET-SLB-CHW-BRO
3 Dave Collins 5507 1975 1990 22-37 1701 4907 667 1335 187 52 32 373 467 16 660 38 64 31 59 395 139 .272 .338 .351 .689 7983D CAL-SEA-NYY-TOR-OAK-DET-CIN-STL
4 David Segui 5451 1990 2004 23-37 1456 4847 683 1412 284 16 139 684 524 56 687 14 19 45 131 17 19 .291 .359 .443 .802 *3D/79 BAL-NYM-MON-SEA-TOT
5 Bob Bescher 5276 1908 1918 24-34 1228 4536 749 1171 190 74 28 345 619 548 48 74 428 54 .258 .353 .351 .704 *78/9 CIN-NYG-STL-CLE
6 Nick Swisher 5013 2004 2012 23-31 1209 4241 684 1085 251 9 209 673 669 38 1070 49 12 42 104 12 15 .256 .361 .467 .828 *9387/D1 OAK-CHW-NYY
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/15/2013.

Who knew Nick Swisher was sixth in anything?
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