wOBA By Batting Order: 2011 All-Star Break Update

Whence we last examined yonder batting orders, we came away with several expected observations (Jose Bautista plays baseball like a video game, the Oakland Athletics do not care much for scoring runs, Rick Ankiel and Ian Desmond are not feared hitters, and so forth) as well as a number of curious findings (the Cubs lead-off combo was tops in the majors, the 7th hitters on AL teams were worse than the 9th hitters, NL managers effectively managed the bottoms of their lineups, and such).

Well, it is time again to delve back into that hopeless exercise and complain about the mismanagement or poor fortunes of our favorite teams. Before we continue, though, let us review a few things:

1) The optimal batting order: A subject widely debated, but to little gain. The worst batting order may ultimately only cost a team a game or two — but, still, we cannot help but prod, poke, and critique it. Tom Tango’s The Book fairly definitively defines the best batting order as: #1, #4, #2, #5, #3, #6, #7, #8, #9 in terms of importance of avoiding outs.

Read this on the matter: Optimizing Your Lineup By The Book, by Sky Kalkman

2) The optimal measuring tool: In my last article, a few people had trouble understanding my utilization of wOBA (weighted on base average). This too comes from Tango and is a most intuitive and useful tool. Think of it as smart batting average: Where batting average says homers and singles are worth the same, wOBA says, “Nay!” and then counts each non-out according to the runs it produces.

League average wOBA tends to hoover around .320 to .330. A .360 wOBA is good; a .400 wOBA is great; and a .290 wOBA is Yuniesky Betancourt.

Okay, so using wOBA, let’s examine the leagues as a whole again:

Average wOBA Per Slot

In my last post, I applauded NL managers for arranging the bottom of their lineup efficiently. That remains true; however, they still persist in giving sub-par hitters prime plate appearances in the #2 hole. This is a sport-wide affair, too.

The common perception is that the second hitter needs to be a no-power, sac machine like Alexi Casilla, but this belief originated in the Dead Ball Era, whence run scoring was as common as integration.

Overall, though, we are seeing the right-skewed bell curve common in traditional baseball theory, with the best hitters clustered in the 3, 4, and 5 spots and “little things” hitters in the 1 and 2 slots.

Now for the NL:

The first statistic I noticed the NL was the drastic and expected regression of the Cubs lead-off hitters. Kosuke Fukudome has continued to receive the largest share of PAs and has pulled his typical hot start trick. His wOBA by month tells the story.

Another observation worth observing is Aubrey Huff and his quite down year (.284 wOBA). It is reminiscent of his forgettable 2009 campaign — and could be an unfavorable portent for the 34-year-old slugger.

Meanwhile in San Diego, nine pitchers have elected to bat in lieu of position players.

[NOTE: The following passage and the later one concerning Alexei Ramirez are both off target and testaments to my need for corrective eye bespectaclement. It is the Marlins and Yankees that lead their respective sections, not the Phillies and White Sox.]

Here’s an example of how trying to produce the best ever batting order is like trying to catch fire in a bottle: Raul Ibanez is having a down year, and Carlos Ruiz is Carlos Ruiz, a catcher. Despite these two obstacles, the Phillies have mustered the most productive 6th spot in the NL. Go figure.

Enough of hitting pitchers! Let’s get freaky with tradition and go AL up in this beast:

Developing Story: Russell Martin needs a parachute:

He and Brett Gardner once combined for the second best wOBA in the MLB, but now that Russell Martin is playing like his 2009-2010 self, the Yankees’ #8 slot is no longer even second best in the AL. (Perhaps: Props to Girardi for not leaving him at #6 and #7 too long?)

Jose Bautista has actually gotten a little “cold” over the last month and a half, hitting a “mere” .400 wOBA in that span. By contrast, I am 0 for 8 with 8 Ks and 6 BBs in my semi-pro league. Could I be the next Bautista? Probably.

Eleven blocks south of my house, Alexei Ramirez his giving the White Sox the best #2 production of the league, causing droves of saberists to swoon. Ramirez’ impressive showing in a prime slot almost undoes the damage propagated day-to-day by lead-off hitter Juan Pierre (.289 wOBA, 13 SB, 10 CS). Almost.

Since my previous examination of these splits, the Boston Red Sox have produced perhaps the most gaudy of statistics. Since June 1st, the top of their lineup has hit:

#1: .397
#2: .443
#3: .440
#4: .426
#5: .404

Be still, my Tangoish heart.

***

As before, here are some of the details from my data set:

Updated Through 7/12/11 (the 2011 All-Star Break)

Arizona Diamondbacks
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	430	17	17	9	.276	.343
2nd	417	12	12	5	.238	.281
3rd	406	15	13	6	.338	.386
4th	395	9	7	4	.333	.354
5th	385	13	7	2	.275	.309
6th	378	11	4	2	.257	.299
7th	370	10	4	0	.298	.338
8th	363	9	5	1	.325	.322
9th	355	6	0	1	.282	.245
Atlanta Braves
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	423	8	12	9	.284	.310
2nd	410	11	2	4	.278	.308
3rd	406	12	3	2	.279	.320
4th	397	17	2	1	.344	.376
5th	386	13	1	5	.243	.295
6th	375	15	3	1	.277	.319
7th	367	9	4	0	.247	.278
8th	354	7	1	2	.291	.316
9th	348	5	1	2	.230	.196
Baltimore Orioles
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	413	12	7	2	.270	.306
2nd	404	9	8	1	.320	.339
3rd	393	10	3	1	.280	.291
4th	382	8	0	0	.288	.303
5th	373	11	3	2	.258	.292
6th	366	14	6	1	.324	.355
7th	355	15	0	3	.262	.320
8th	344	12	6	1	.245	.320
9th	338	6	2	1	.359	.334
Boston Red Sox
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	430	11	26	10	.334	.372
2nd	427	9	18	3	.307	.364
3rd	418	16	0	0	.387	.403
4th	406	18	1	0	.319	.411
5th	396	17	3	2	.310	.405
6th	382	9	1	1	.284	.316
7th	374	11	3	2	.302	.328
8th	362	5	4	1	.271	.269
9th	354	11	2	2	.275	.327
Chicago Cubs
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	425	5	9	2	.358	.368
2nd	416	3	8	2	.342	.335
3rd	411	7	3	1	.294	.313
4th	400	14	0	1	.294	.347
5th	388	16	1	2	.302	.349
6th	377	14	2	0	.337	.375
7th	364	10	8	2	.289	.287
8th	354	7	0	2	.322	.319
9th	346	3	1	0	.210	.168
Chicago White Sox
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	430	1	16	10	.291	.298
2nd	421	6	3	2	.302	.317
3rd	412	15	3	4	.256	.339
4th	403	23	1	1	.301	.381
5th	395	8	0	0	.255	.279
6th	382	9	4	1	.229	.283
7th	366	10	5	4	.277	.308
8th	356	13	0	4	.310	.354
9th	346	4	5	6	.268	.273
Cincinnati Reds
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	449	15	22	5	.337	.324
2nd	437	9	7	3	.272	.305
3rd	419	13	6	4	.374	.411
4th	410	8	4	6	.269	.310
5th	400	24	4	3	.271	.365
6th	394	10	4	2	.309	.338
7th	384	11	2	5	.299	.328
8th	373	5	4	2	.302	.321
9th	362	5	2	1	.276	.236
Cleveland Indians
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	414	11	8	3	.307	.320
2nd	407	12	11	0	.323	.351
3rd	390	9	11	4	.306	.317
4th	380	13	2	1	.250	.329
5th	370	10	5	3	.327	.335
6th	364	7	3	3	.270	.275
7th	354	5	5	2	.301	.306
8th	346	8	2	1	.261	.292
9th	336	5	3	1	.299	.297
Colorado Rockies
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	426	6	11	8	.341	.321
2nd	418	6	8	4	.322	.325
3rd	413	13	7	3	.323	.349
4th	400	18	7	3	.249	.350
5th	388	17	2	2	.290	.369
6th	377	14	4	0	.281	.320
7th	361	7	11	2	.297	.335
8th	353	8	2	2	.251	.297
9th	345	3	2	1	.218	.186
Detroit Tigers
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	431	5	14	4	.320	.303
2nd	419	8	2	0	.295	.311
3rd	411	13	0	2	.306	.339
4th	396	19	1	1	.319	.404
5th	386	6	3	1	.314	.330
6th	377	16	8	1	.326	.372
7th	371	7	1	3	.307	.313
8th	357	12	3	0	.288	.311
9th	348	4	2	1	.281	.257
Florida Marlins
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	427	5	20	7	.302	.318
2nd	416	2	6	4	.246	.270
3rd	402	7	9	5	.285	.304
4th	395	15	4	1	.339	.388
5th	385	14	1	1	.286	.330
6th	372	17	5	1	.342	.381
7th	367	8	1	3	.261	.286
8th	355	7	1	1	.280	.298
9th	344	0	3	0	.259	.191
Houston Astros
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	429	1	35	5	.351	.321
2nd	414	4	12	1	.287	.303
3rd	408	11	5	1	.388	.386
4th	396	8	5	2	.280	.329
5th	384	5	2	1	.323	.303
6th	379	5	0	3	.308	.286
7th	367	7	5	0	.335	.333
8th	359	5	1	1	.263	.275
9th	345	4	5	1	.270	.227
Kansas City Royals
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	435	9	18	4	.272	.317
2nd	427	12	12	3	.309	.345
3rd	416	9	6	1	.348	.359
4th	404	6	9	3	.300	.318
5th	393	15	7	3	.297	.360
6th	384	5	8	3	.325	.313
7th	372	5	8	2	.261	.267
8th	360	3	8	4	.290	.320
9th	353	2	16	6	.306	.295
Los Angeles Angels
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	431	6	17	6	.311	.319
2nd	418	12	12	4	.302	.331
3rd	405	3	11	5	.341	.344
4th	398	19	4	3	.269	.340
5th	387	2	5	2	.280	.284
6th	376	8	9	1	.299	.312
7th	369	15	5	2	.305	.339
8th	359	7	5	3	.305	.301
9th	347	4	7	2	.284	.257
Los Angeles Dodgers
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	422	1	19	5	.309	.300
2nd	412	5	6	2	.333	.324
3rd	400	9	2	1	.352	.353
4th	395	22	27	3	.343	.403
5th	389	6	4	0	.298	.295
6th	377	4	6	2	.277	.261
7th	369	9	1	0	.237	.280
8th	359	3	1	1	.274	.262
9th	345	4	5	3	.233	.229
Milwaukee Brewers
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	427	17	7	2	.318	.366
2nd	414	12	12	7	.309	.320
3rd	402	17	20	5	.345	.415
4th	393	22	0	0	.297	.407
5th	387	3	2	1	.250	.255
6th	375	6	3	1	.275	.286
7th	366	9	7	2	.261	.281
8th	356	11	4	1	.300	.322
9th	344	6	4	0	.244	.220
Minnesota Twins
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	406	2	12	6	.321	.336
2nd	396	5	12	1	.247	.274
3rd	388	10	5	0	.300	.324
4th	375	9	2	1	.302	.330
5th	366	9	4	2	.293	.321
6th	362	11	3	4	.310	.333
7th	355	5	5	3	.278	.274
8th	342	1	3	1	.231	.219
9th	328	2	4	3	.292	.289
New York Mets
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	438	4	34	7	.356	.377
2nd	425	4	13	2	.268	.290
3rd	409	14	12	0	.311	.369
4th	398	7	7	3	.310	.326
5th	391	7	10	1	.309	.334
6th	383	10	6	3	.326	.353
7th	375	4	1	5	.346	.350
8th	367	4	5	2	.287	.290
9th	357	4	1	1	.221	.184
New York Yankees
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	418	4	17	4	.299	.325
2nd	405	23	16	8	.284	.377
3rd	396	25	2	1	.235	.377
4th	388	14	5	1	.328	.366
5th	379	16	6	1	.298	.366
6th	372	9	3	4	.240	.297
7th	360	12	6	4	.258	.330
8th	349	12	13	5	.325	.389
9th	335	8	13	4	.249	.271
Oakland Athletics
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	420	2	25	9	.270	.280
2nd	405	6	4	3	.273	.298
3rd	398	5	8	4	.279	.313
4th	390	11	6	0	.278	.296
5th	379	4	4	2	.273	.292
6th	373	6	5	1	.255	.291
7th	364	6	4	3	.222	.260
8th	350	6	1	0	.290	.307
9th	345	4	7	7	.288	.293
Philadelphia Phillies
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	430	11	20	2	.279	.332
2nd	419	7	12	1	.310	.350
3rd	412	6	12	1	.276	.313
4th	403	19	1	0	.299	.347
5th	394	9	7	4	.240	.306
6th	380	11	3	1	.274	.332
7th	368	8	2	1	.278	.299
8th	356	5	2	0	.273	.280
9th	348	2	2	1	.290	.218
Pittsburgh Pirates
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	413	9	21	9	.338	.362
2nd	399	4	17	3	.302	.295
3rd	389	8	8	6	.327	.363
4th	385	11	4	1	.257	.321
5th	379	5	4	2	.264	.276
6th	369	13	3	2	.324	.356
7th	353	5	2	2	.295	.287
8th	344	3	2	3	.291	.268
9th	333	1	3	1	.277	.191
San Diego Padres
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	422	6	17	11	.298	.305
2nd	415	2	25	5	.279	.279
3rd	404	1	9	2	.326	.293
4th	394	8	2	0	.272	.280
5th	385	10	4	1	.276	.297
6th	372	9	11	1	.346	.339
7th	362	3	11	1	.281	.281
8th	350	5	5	1	.269	.267
9th	340	4	5	2	.235	.200
San Francisco Giants
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	426	3	12	7	.320	.307
2nd	417	3	4	3	.303	.301
3rd	412	8	5	2	.276	.295
4th	398	8	7	1	.295	.310
5th	388	13	3	2	.297	.341
6th	375	11	8	2	.295	.341
7th	363	5	5	10	.268	.295
8th	360	6	4	0	.271	.294
9th	346	2	1	1	.236	.206
Seattle Mariners
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	406	1	23	4	.296	.296
2nd	399	1	13	6	.237	.253
3rd	392	12	5	1	.263	.316
4th	386	4	3	0	.248	.259
5th	372	10	3	4	.260	.307
6th	366	12	3	3	.256	.290
7th	354	7	6	6	.295	.273
8th	341	2	8	2	.211	.220
9th	329	6	7	1	.322	.312
St. Louis Cardinals
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	432	1	7	5	.303	.304
2nd	422	7	6	3	.349	.340
3rd	412	22	5	0	.253	.374
4th	404	23	1	3	.323	.411
5th	396	15	4	1	.321	.372
6th	387	12	4	6	.300	.326
7th	381	4	2	2	.306	.323
8th	364	2	5	2	.308	.288
9th	350	3	1	0	.243	.222
Tampa Bay Rays
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	415	7	15	12	.288	.321
2nd	402	7	10	2	.312	.341
3rd	389	12	7	1	.297	.333
4th	382	13	7	3	.241	.304
5th	373	18	8	3	.332	.386
6th	363	10	15	6	.308	.329
7th	354	4	6	2	.260	.285
8th	340	11	1	6	.250	.279
9th	332	5	7	0	.254	.256
Texas Rangers
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	435	14	23	3	.271	.374
2nd	426	3	25	4	.315	.321
3rd	413	14	8	1	.336	.366
4th	399	16	1	2	.272	.352
5th	391	11	2	1	.298	.332
6th	379	24	5	7	.253	.358
7th	370	15	4	2	.286	.333
8th	361	10	2	1	.315	.345
9th	350	5	18	2	.287	.310
Toronto Blue Jays
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	433	9	10	4	.291	.336
2nd	424	11	12	6	.326	.325
3rd	412	31	5	3	.310	.453
4th	407	16	6	1	.295	.335
5th	395	9	10	2	.274	.302
6th	389	10	4	0	.229	.273
7th	375	7	6	4	.304	.321
8th	359	8	14	3	.283	.295
9th	352	6	8	7	.273	.287
Washington Nationals
Order	PA	HR	SB	CS	BABIP	wOBA
1st	427	7	20	2	.244	.275
2nd	418	5	19	2	.290	.290
3rd	409	10	10	2	.291	.333
4th	398	13	5	0	.271	.310
5th	385	16	6	6	.300	.342
6th	373	15	6	3	.312	.327
7th	359	9	5	3	.299	.331
8th	350	4	3	2	.252	.256
9th	338	4	4	2	.267	.239