Allow me to reiterate

[dustcover]

A few weeks back I added my thoughts to a thread on JBJ.

 

"Since JBJ first arrived his full season BA is 2014-.198, 2015-.249, 2016-.267, 2017-.245, and thus far 2018-.201. His 6-year BA is .236

 

During which time he has batted in various spots in the batting order. I contend that he has always hit for higher average when batting 9th versus any other spot in the batting order. Can anyone provide stats for BA when he is batting 9th. Personally, I would cement him into the 9 spot going forward."

 

What Jackie has done over the past few weeks in the #9 spot further supports my contention. However, I don't know how to dig up the actual stats to validate my supposition.

 

Can someone come up with his BA when hitting from the different slots in the lineup?

[Bellhorn04]

These numbers are all before his big night tonight:

 

Total career numbers 2415 PA

 

237/316/404 - 720 OPS

 

Hitting 9th 1049 PA

 

255/329/437 - 766 OPS

 

His best spot has actually been 6th, with an 820 OPS in 399 PA. Other than that, 9th is easily his best.

[dustcover]

These numbers are all before his big night tonight:

 

Total career numbers 2415 PA

 

237/316/404 - 720 OPS

 

Hitting 9th 1049 PA

 

255/329/437 - 766 OPS

 

His best spot has actually been 6th, with an 820 OPS in 399 PA. Other than that, 9th is easily his best.

 

Good info, thank you. I'd still like to see him remain in the 9 slot!

[moonslav59]

I'd like to see him up 6th or 7th, but being up in front of Betts helps, too.

[S5Dewey]

I'd like to see him up 6th or 7th, but being up in front of Betts helps, too.

 

LOL Are you sure you want to go there??

[moonslav59]

LOL Are you sure you want to go there??

 

I wasn't sure anyone would catch that.

 

I shoulda known you would!

 

 

[vegasbob]

Mookie knows where you live.

[Emp9]

LOL Are you sure you want to go there??

 

Ha! I’ll put it this way: I’m sure it doesn’t hurt

[Kimmi]

Jackie is just fine hitting in the #9 slot.

 

If if ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

With Kinsler, Nunez, and Jackie hitting, the bottom of our order has a whole different feel to it.

[Kimmi]

JBJ has been hitting in front of Mookie all year. Funny how it only started to help in June.

 

Confirmation bias at its finest.

[Bellhorn04]

Confirmation bias at its finest.

 

I deleted that post because it wasn't quite accurate. JBJ wasn't moved down to the 9 spot till May. But the point probably stands. His numbers have improved because his swing has improved.

[S5Dewey]

I deleted that post because it wasn't quite accurate. JBJ wasn't moved down to the 9 spot till May. But the point probably stands. His numbers have improved because his swing has improved.

 

Both.

[Bellhorn04]

Both.

 

OK, well, if somebody really wanted to try to make a case for protection this might be a good example to look at. The theory is that if you're protected you should be getting better pitches to hit - more fastballs and closer to the middle of the plate, I assume. If someone had the pitch data they could tell us if JBJ is getting better pitches or not.

[S5Dewey]

My opinion (with absolutely NOTHING statistical to back it up ) is that JBJ was always getting good pitches to hit. He just wasn't hitting them. Now that he's changed his approach and is hitting more the opp way pitchers are faced with the dilemma of whether to give him good pitches to hit or taking their chances with Mookie. Since a pitcher can only avoid so many hitters they're still taking their chances with JBJ by continuing to give him pitches to hit.

 

So it's both.

[sk7326]

What I like about him at 9th is that it improves the chance of having a baserunner around for Betts to do something ...

[S5Dewey]

What I like about him at 9th is that it improves the chance of having a baserunner around for Betts to do something ...

 

Exactly right. There's a reason JBJ is 4th on the team in Runs Scored, behind only Betts JDM & Benintendi - the top 3 in the order - and ahead of Bogaerts & Moreland.

 

He's also 6th in RBI, ahead of Moreland, Nunez & Holt.

 

I love this guy hitting 9th.

[Emp9]

My opinion (with absolutely NOTHING statistical to back it up ) is that JBJ was always getting good pitches to hit. He just wasn't hitting them. Now that he's changed his approach and is hitting more the opp way pitchers are faced with the dilemma of whether to give him good pitches to hit or taking their chances with Mookie. Since a pitcher can only avoid so many hitters they're still taking their chances with JBJ by continuing to give him pitches to hit.

 

So it's both.

 

Another thing i’ve noticed lately is that instead of JBJ hoping the ball finds his swing, he’s proactively adjusting his swings to find the ball more. All that launch-angle stuff is great when you can actually connect, but one has to make actual contact for that to happen. Sometimes you have to try and do something with the pitches you’re getting, and forget about the pitches you wish you were getting.

[OH FOY]

Another thing i’ve noticed lately is that instead of JBJ hoping the ball finds his swing, he’s proactively adjusting his swings to find the ball more. All that launch-angle stuff is great when you can actually connect, but one has to make actual contact for that to happen. Sometimes you have to try and do something with the pitches you’re getting, and forget about the pitches you wish you were getting.

 

Good Post!

[harmony]

A few weeks back I added my thoughts to a thread on JBJ.

 

"Since JBJ first arrived his full season BA is 2014-.198, 2015-.249, 2016-.267, 2017-.245, and thus far 2018-.201. His 6-year BA is .236

 

During which time he has batted in various spots in the batting order. I contend that he has always hit for higher average when batting 9th versus any other spot in the batting order. Can anyone provide stats for BA when he is batting 9th. Personally, I would cement him into the 9 spot going forward."

 

What Jackie has done over the past few weeks in the #9 spot further supports my contention. However, I don't know how to dig up the actual stats to validate my supposition.

 

Can someone come up with his BA when hitting from the different slots in the lineup?

Jackie Bradley's career splits:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=bradlja02&year=Career&t=b

[S5Dewey]

Jackie Bradley's career splits:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=bradlja02&year=Career&t=b

 

Wow. Who compiles this stuff? And I thought I had no life! LOL

[vegasbob]

What I like about him at 9th is that it improves the chance of having a baserunner around for Betts to do something ...

 

Far better to have JBJr in front of Betts than a thick legged catcher. Another reason Blake Swihart hitting 8th, when catching, can be a real bonus for the top of lineup guys.

[Kimmi]

OK, well, if somebody really wanted to try to make a case for protection this might be a good example to look at. The theory is that if you're protected you should be getting better pitches to hit - more fastballs and closer to the middle of the plate, I assume. If someone had the pitch data they could tell us if JBJ is getting better pitches or not.

 

The interesting thing is that there is evidence that pitchers will pitch differently to a 'protected' batter. Despite that, the protected batter does not produce better results.

[Kimmi]

What I like about him at 9th is that it improves the chance of having a baserunner around for Betts to do something ...

 

Completely agree.

[dustcover]

WOW! Outstanding post. Thank you Harmony for https://www.baseball-reference.com/p...ear=Career&t=b

 

In spite of what Jackie's stats reveal when batting 6th in the lineup, I am still inclined to to bat him 9th. He just seems more comfortable and from the 9 hole seems to take advantage of the whole field by hitting balls up the middle as well as to the opposite field. And there's no denying he has the strength to drive the ball to the opposite field. And as previously noted by other members, hitting in front of Mookie, Beni, and J.D. has viable residual benefits.

[harmony]

Wow. Who compiles this stuff? And I thought I had no life! LOL

After the computer program was written years ago, the developers could just sit back and watch the computer generate the statistics.

 

I suspect the program is much simpler than those found in many industries outside of sports.

[moonslav59]

Did he look uncomfortable hitting better in the 6th slot?

[Kimmi]

After the computer program was written years ago, the developers could just sit back and watch the computer generate the statistics.

 

I suspect the program is much simpler than those found in many industries outside of sports.

 

The technology that is available these days makes it pretty simple to calculate any stat that you want and to filter the stats by pretty much any criteria that you want. Awesome stuff for people who love stats.