The Art of the Walk

[Marky Mark]

Over the years I've always enjoyed admiring how many walks a player could draw in a season. Probably with the blessing of Frank Thomas in my White Sox lifetime I've been able to enjoy this more than others who didn't grow up watching a player get walked so much.

 

I feel like the majority of the time walks are attributed to the "good eye" of the batter. However, I think almost as often walks should be attributed to the player's reputation of power just as much if not more than their "good eye". For example, in '07, Hanley Ramirez showed that he can hit for not just some power, but good power by slamming 29 HRs over the course of the season. As this reputation for power became well known by everyone by '08, Hanley started to gain walks. He went from 52 walks in '07 to 92 walks in '08. Did he simply get that much better as judging when to swing? Or could that have been because his reputation changed from a speedy leadoff hitter to the best power hitter on the team, making pitchers want to work around the strike zone more in avoidance of the long ball?

 

In '08 Sox fans watched Alexei Ramirez show an ability to hit the long ball, yet show no sign of an ability to walk. I think next season we will see his walk total at least double and go over 40. Yes, he is a free swinger, but I feel like pitchers are more aware of his reputation now, the fact that he can hit the home runs.

 

 

 

So, what I wanted to ask others is, do you feel like a player's ability to walk is based more on their "eye" or their reputation for big power and Xtra base hits? Naturally other factors do weigh in, particularly who is batting behind the player in the batting order. Just curious what others thought.

[Steve9347]

Eye = Walk

 

Power = careful which sometimes = walk

 

Plenty of guys hit bombs without taking walks. Hanley's walk rate increasing could have had a lot to do with the same thing that saw his power increase... natural development.

[Hawkfan]

I think you are right on Hanley, although he is high quality player and I'm sure some of it was natural development. However, I think Alexei is gonna need more time if youwant to see him develop a good eye. I don't think he has as much power as hanley. He likes to swing, and he takes some embarassing cuts. Not to quote hawk, but he can look awful on one pitch and then turn around and look like an allstar.

[Hatchetman]

for every frank thomas there's a jim rice.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I feel like the majority of the time walks are attributed to the "good eye" of the batter. However, I think almost as often walks should be attributed to the player's reputation of power just as much if not more than their "good eye". For example, in '07, Hanley Ramirez showed that he can hit for not just some power, but good power by slamming 29 HRs over the course of the season. As this reputation for power became well known by everyone by '08, Hanley started to gain walks. He went from 52 walks in '07 to 92 walks in '08. Did he simply get that much better as judging when to swing? Or could that have been because his reputation changed from a speedy leadoff hitter to the best power hitter on the team, making pitchers want to work around the strike zone more in avoidance of the long ball?

 

The reason HanRam's walks went up is simple...Cabrera no longer hit behind him

[Marky Mark]

True, but they generally weren't hitting back to back right? HR leads off, while MC bats third, right?

[Balta1701]

I think there's naturally a mix, but I think for most people, the walk rate is determined by your eye/the way you swing.

 

I think about a guy like Nick Swisher. He was horrible last year. Yet, he still saw by far the most pitches per plate appearance in baseball, and his walk totals were the one thing that didn't suffer. Furthermore, there's clearly an art to surviving to the point that you can draw a walk. Fouling off a pitcher's pitch close to the strike zone, for example, is an excellent way to move yourself closer to taking a walk, because most pitchers will only be able to pull off 1 or 2 perfect pitches per at bat.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

True, but they generally weren't hitting back to back right? HR leads off, while MC bats third, right?

 

He started batting 3rd the last couple months.