Numbers are weird. They are all orderly and well behaved but ultimately mystifying and magical.
Barry Bonds just doesn't do things the average Big League Joe does. When he is hot, he is otherworldly. He centers up every ball he hits and does more with the one or two hittable pitches he sees a game than anyone ever. That's a given. What makes him astounding is he also has the best slumps in the game.
Most guys go into a funk of ghastly and mythical proportion. They seem to always be 0 and 2 in the count and off balance. The resulting stats are as dismal as Cliff Clavin's babe conquest scorecard. But not Bonds. BB is 7 for 37 this month for a cool .189 batting average. 4 of those 7 hits are of the extra base variety. Other than the little dribbler to left a couple nights ago, Bonds has been hitting what he hits pretty hard during this drought. He is not striking out at an alarming rate and of course he is being walked at a relentless and astounding level. 19 walks In May!!!. When pitchers actually let him swing the bat this month, they are getting him out 81 percent of the time. Timid managers and nibbling pitchers ( and thank Gaia they are so nervous) are keeping Bonds more productive then almost anyone else on the team even through a grim stretch with the lumber.
Though his numbers this month are well below his norm, he is still getting on base at a .464 clip. His 4 extra base hits have kept him at a respectable .459 slugging percent. The Dude has an OPS of .924 during a slump! Who does that?
At the other end of the spectrum is Randy Winn. He has 23 hits this month alone. His average is .397. His slugging percentage is a very nice .534. When he swings the bat he is a dangerous hitter at the moment. Pitchers should be avoiding this guy, especially since the rest of the lineup isn't doing much this month. Yet, Winn has just 2 walks despite being in the middle of a smoking hot streak. His ops at .951 for May is only a fraction better than Bonds at .924.
Like I said, numbers are weird. To be certain, Bonds has a fearsome reputation and pitchers are afraid to give him much. Bonds will continue to be walked and an otherwise flaccid Giants offense will benefit tremendously from this generosity. Eventually, someone will decipher the code that unlocks the hidden secret which can only bring panic and despair to the land. Let's hope they don't figure it out any time soon.
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3 comments:
Winn has shown his 2005 Jint form so far in 2007. Bonds is Bonds. Now if we can add some more offense from all the infielders, we might win 80+ games.
Even if Bonds is in a slump everyone is watching to cheer or jeer Bonds on his way to 756. Pitchers are going to stay away from him because every home run he hits is going to be a highlight on ESPN and make headlines in every newspaper around the world. Pitchers just don't want their names put in the limelight for that reason.
I was a pitcher and if your comment is true I just don't understand it.
These are men who are paid to get hitters out. I hate it when I hear, "I'd rather walk him than have hit a homer off me." Make some good pitches dumbass and get him out. Sure if your ahead by two with a man on and first base open you're gonna walk Bonds and pitch to Benji Molina, otherwise grow a set and do your job.
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