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04-19-2004, 03:32 AM
Coming into the season, a lot of emphasis was placed on the Brewers' ability to work the count, draw bases-on-balls, and get on base. Thus far, the team's hitters have done an admirable job of doing just that. The following is an overview of the team's abilities to draw the free pass thus far in 2004.
<b>How Has The Team As A Whole Drawn Walks? Allowed Them?</b>
Thus far, the Brewers have remained near the top of the league in walks and near the bottom in walks allowed. Prior to Sunday's matchup with Houston, the Brewers are 5th in the NL and 9th in MLB in walks. The team's pitchers, on the other hand, are 14th in the NL and 25th in MLB in walks allowed.
<b>How Have Walks Impacted The Team's Winning Percentage?</b>
A lot of factors go into determining each game's outcome. Walks drawn and walks allowed, however, have proven to be an accurate predictor of the team's performance on any given day.
<pre><font size=2>
Date Opponent W/L MilBB OppBB +/-
---------------------------------------------
04/05 Cardinals W 8 5 + 3
04/06 Cardinals W 1 2 - 1
04/07 Cardinals L 3 1 + 2
04/08 Cardinals W 6 3 + 3
04/09 Astros L 4 8 - 4
04/10 Astros W 5 0 + 5
04/11 Astros L 5 4 - 1
04/12 Giants L 0 5 - 5
04/13 Giants L 2 3 - 1
04/14 Giants W 5 2 + 3
04/15 Astros W 3 2 + 1
04/16 Astros L 0 5 - 5
04/17 Astros L 1 10 - 9
---------------------------------------------
6-7 43 50 - 7
</font></pre>
The Brewers are 5-1 when drawing more walks than their opponents and 1-6 when the tables are turned. The two anomalies came in contests where the walk differentials were only 1 and 2, respectively.
<b>Which Brewers' Are Drawing Walks Most Efficiently?</b>
Craig Counsell leads the team with seven walks and half of the team's hitters are drawing at least one walk per ten plate appearances. The following charts the teams' walks per plate appearance, pitches per plate appearance, and isolated discipline (on-base average minus batting average).
<pre><font size=2>
BB/PA P:PA IsoD
------------------------------------------
Brady Clark .190 4.4 .163
Trent Durrington .167 4.5 .133
Craig Counsell .152 4.1 .116
Chad Moeller .129 3.4 .124
Brooks Kieschnick .125 3.6 .089
Keith Ginter .120 4.1 .107
Junior Spivey .100 3.5 .081
Scott Podsednik .097 3.7 .066
Ben Grieve .088 4.2 .071
Wes Helms .075 4.0 .057
Geoff Jenkins .068 3.6 .056
Gary Bennett .050 4.2 .034
Lyle Overbay .019 3.8 .010
Billy Hall .000 4.0 .000
------------------------------------------
</font></pre>
If the Brewer's hitters can continue their disciplined approach at the plate, their offense should keep the team in most games. The club's pitching, however, is still the key variable in determining whether their early season flirtations with .500 can continue throughout the year.
<b>How Has The Team As A Whole Drawn Walks? Allowed Them?</b>
Thus far, the Brewers have remained near the top of the league in walks and near the bottom in walks allowed. Prior to Sunday's matchup with Houston, the Brewers are 5th in the NL and 9th in MLB in walks. The team's pitchers, on the other hand, are 14th in the NL and 25th in MLB in walks allowed.
<b>How Have Walks Impacted The Team's Winning Percentage?</b>
A lot of factors go into determining each game's outcome. Walks drawn and walks allowed, however, have proven to be an accurate predictor of the team's performance on any given day.
<pre><font size=2>
Date Opponent W/L MilBB OppBB +/-
---------------------------------------------
04/05 Cardinals W 8 5 + 3
04/06 Cardinals W 1 2 - 1
04/07 Cardinals L 3 1 + 2
04/08 Cardinals W 6 3 + 3
04/09 Astros L 4 8 - 4
04/10 Astros W 5 0 + 5
04/11 Astros L 5 4 - 1
04/12 Giants L 0 5 - 5
04/13 Giants L 2 3 - 1
04/14 Giants W 5 2 + 3
04/15 Astros W 3 2 + 1
04/16 Astros L 0 5 - 5
04/17 Astros L 1 10 - 9
---------------------------------------------
6-7 43 50 - 7
</font></pre>
The Brewers are 5-1 when drawing more walks than their opponents and 1-6 when the tables are turned. The two anomalies came in contests where the walk differentials were only 1 and 2, respectively.
<b>Which Brewers' Are Drawing Walks Most Efficiently?</b>
Craig Counsell leads the team with seven walks and half of the team's hitters are drawing at least one walk per ten plate appearances. The following charts the teams' walks per plate appearance, pitches per plate appearance, and isolated discipline (on-base average minus batting average).
<pre><font size=2>
BB/PA P:PA IsoD
------------------------------------------
Brady Clark .190 4.4 .163
Trent Durrington .167 4.5 .133
Craig Counsell .152 4.1 .116
Chad Moeller .129 3.4 .124
Brooks Kieschnick .125 3.6 .089
Keith Ginter .120 4.1 .107
Junior Spivey .100 3.5 .081
Scott Podsednik .097 3.7 .066
Ben Grieve .088 4.2 .071
Wes Helms .075 4.0 .057
Geoff Jenkins .068 3.6 .056
Gary Bennett .050 4.2 .034
Lyle Overbay .019 3.8 .010
Billy Hall .000 4.0 .000
------------------------------------------
</font></pre>
If the Brewer's hitters can continue their disciplined approach at the plate, their offense should keep the team in most games. The club's pitching, however, is still the key variable in determining whether their early season flirtations with .500 can continue throughout the year.