Chris Davis' Obscene Strikeout Pace

by Harold Friend

Chris Davis is in his second season with the Texas Rangers. In 74 games, he has struck out 111 times, which is an average of 1.5 strikeouts a game. From April 21 through May 13, Davis struck out in 21 consecutive games. He is on a pace to strike out about 240 times, which would easily eclipse Mark Reynolds' record of 204 set last season.

Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell

Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell don't remind anyone of Joe Sewell, who struck out once for every 168 at-bats in 1932, but while Dunn averages 180 strikeouts a season, he also hits .248 and averages 40 home runs a season. Burrell hits .256, averaging 157 strikeouts and 30 home runs a year. Isn't it amazing that hitting .248 or .256 is almost considered a positive? (Ty Cobb: .366. Rogers Hornsby: .358)

Chris Davis' Statistics

After one and one-half seasons, Chris Davis bats .247, averages 34 home runs and 209 strikeouts a season. He averages more strikeouts in a season than Mark Reynolds' single season record, but it gets better (or worse for Rangers' fans).

This season, Chris is batting .203, with a .259 on base average and an OPS+ of 76. He reached 100 strikeouts faster than any player in baseball history, and his strikeout average of .445 is more than double his batting average.

Davis started his career in 2006 with Spokane. As a minor leaguer, Davis had 1,045 at bats. He struck out 288 times, which by modern standards is acceptable, hit .302 with decent home run power and produced a good .357 on base average.

Texas Can Lose Without Davis

The Rangers, a mediocre team, trail the Angels, a mediocre team, by one-half game in the American League's Western Division. They may win the division, but they have as much chance of winning the pennant as Barry Bonds has of setting another home run record. They can afford to send Davis to the minors to learn his trade.

Chris Davis Has Great Potential

Chris Davis has great potential. He is only 23 years old, is a fine fielder, and hits with power, but walking back to the dugout more than 200 times after striking out is not a good thing. Recently, Omar Vizquel gave Davis some advice, which Davis heeded.

Omar spoke to Rangers' hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, who reminded him that batting practice pitches are thrown about 10 mph slower than pitches made in a game. Vizquel told Davis to try to hit the ball up the middle in batting practice instead of always going for the long ball.

"Sometimes you have to make an adjustment and you don't even know what you're doing at the plate," Vizquel said. "I just told him something to change his mind a little bit...."

High Strikeout Numbers Are Not Acceptable

No contending team can afford to have a .203 hitter who strikes out over 200 times in the lineup. There are too many negatives and almost no positives about striking out. Chris Davis must be brought along slowly, learn the strike zone, try to develop better plate discipline, and not accept striking out as something that is going to happen regardless of his hitting approach. If he does, he may become another Pat Burrell, or even an Adam Dunn.

References:

Wilson, Jeff. "Chris Davis turns tips into hits in Texas Rangers' 12th-inning win." The Dallas Morning News. 26 June 2009.

Baseball-Reference

RomiezzoLegend

127 days ago

Score 2

I wasn't even aware of the fact that Chris Davis had this many strikeouts. Maybe I'm just ignorant.

Chris Davis, as well as Mark Reynolds, need to work on their swing, whether it's in the minors, taking some extra BP, or getting more advice from a batting coach or a hitter with a better batting average and less strikeouts.

Davis is 23 and Reynolds is 25. They still have a lot of time to improve on their swings. And I definitely agree that 200+ strikeouts is not acceptable. I had a rule in my mind when I was a little kid (it's weird how I came up with this stuff): you cannot average over one strikeout/game/season, which means you cannot strike out 162 times during the year. So, the highest amount of times you can strike out is 162, and only if you played in all the baseball games during the season. That, to me, was considered my mediocrity level.

Now, we've got Ryan Howard, Mark Reynolds, Chris Davis, Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell...

They should learn from guys like Albert Pujols, Ichiro... even Casey Kotchman and Paul Lo Duca. Those guys have a good eye at the plate and are/were good contact hitters.

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Taytay 24All-American

127 days ago

Score 3

Certainly you are not a Rangers fan then, who are all painfully aware of Davis's strikeouts. Honestly, I would have guessed well north of 1.5/gm.

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RomiezzoLegend

127 days ago

Score 2

To be honest, ironically, I haven't been paying much attention to baseball stats nowadays; I guess it's because I've been focusing so much on basketball stats (see Site Scout). ;) Although Davis played only 80 games last season, he stuck out "only" 88 times, which is equivalent to 1.1 K's/game (or 28% of his 317 plate appearances). Now, a season later, it's gotten a lot worse: it's been 74 games, and he's already struck out a league leading 111 times, which is equivalent to 1.5 K's/game (or 41% of his 270 plate appearances so far). That must suck...

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

127 days ago

Score 1

If you're hitting 50 homeruns and have an OPS of 1.000, you can strikeout all you want. All hitters have something to learn from Albert Pujols, but that's because he's the best. Pujols hasn't figured out some magic way to hit for power without striking out, he's just that much better. And Ichiro's career high HR total was 15.

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Taytay 24All-American

127 days ago

Score 1

Romi, a challenge:

1) Fly to DFW.
2) Rent a car.
3) Turn the car stereo to KTCK 1310am, ESPN 103.3fm and The Fan 105.3 fm.

4) I'll give you a dollar if at least one of them isn't talking about Chris Davis.

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RomiezzoLegend

127 days ago

Score 1

You want power? Well, Joe Mauer has provided some power for the Twins so far into the season (with one less homer than Davis) and has 28 strikeouts (83 less than Davis), and Juan Rivera has struck out 26 times in 68 games with one less homer than Davis.

It's not the power that's a problem, it's the way you swing. All these guys... Mark Reynolds, Chris Davis, Ryan Howard, even Carlos Pena (had to throw him in because I've noticed this about him) have a certain uppercut in their swing where they need to get under the ball a lot more than let's say Ichiro.

Most of, if not all Mauer's long balls are line drives... which is why he's so successful. Albert Pujols can do the same thing... as well as any great hitter. That's the difference right there... and therefore, they don't strike out as much.

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RomiezzoLegend

127 days ago

Score 0

However, Rawb... you are correct. I'm not taking away anything away from guys who hit 50+ (or even 40+) homers (unless they're on steroids, but that's a different issue). As long as they're productive (and in this case) feared hitters and are known for going deep, true... you can strike out all you want.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

127 days ago

Score 2

The thing is, some players can hit for power without striking out so much. Some guys can't hit for power without striking out so much. Different (hitting) strokes for different folks. I'm sure the strikeout crazy guys are trying to improve, and looking at guys like Pujols and trying to adjust. But if Ryan Howard only had 28 strikeouts instead of his 94, I'd wager that he wouldn't have anywhere near 20 HRs.

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RomiezzoLegend

127 days ago

Score 1

"If Ryan Howard only had 28 strikeouts instead of his 94, I'd wager that he wouldn't have anywhere near 20 HRs." Like you said, "different (hitting) strokes for different folks". If I was Ryan Howard, I wouldn't care how many times I strike out... as long as I can get the ball in play in the clutch rather than strike out. You could strike out 300 times for all I care... but as long as your doing your job as a hitter in that spot (probably the #4 spot or the bottom of the order). ;)

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