Who is the best hitter in the American League?

by user twins15

If you ask people this question, my guess is that most people would say David Ortiz. I'd go with Travis Hafner myself.

Sure, the HR and RBI numbers are there for Ortiz, and he seems to be hitting a game-winning HR every time you turn around. But if you read any of my stuff then you know I'm not one to put much stock into RBI and the like. Let's compare some other numbers:

AVG - Hafner (.322) > Ortiz (.278)
OBP - Hafner (.461) > Ortiz (.388)
SLG - Hafner (.650) > Ortiz (.609)
OPS - Hafner (1.112) > Ortiz (.996)
RC/27 - Hafner (10.91) > Ortiz (8.00)
ISOP - Ortiz (.330) > Hafner (.329)
AB/HR - Ortiz (10.6) > Hafner (11.4)

What does all of this mean? Well, in my opinion, it's a pretty darn good argument that Hafner is the better hitter than Ortiz, at least through the 1st half of this year, even without adjusting for the parks that they play in or who bats behind them. The power numbers are about equal - the SLG advantage for Hafner is mainly do to the difference in BA - but Hafner is getting on base at a much more prolific rate. The Isolated Power stat suggests that they are basically even as far as power is concerned.

The other thing that is most often cited in Ortiz' favor is that he's a 'clutch' hitter. Once again I'm not sure that the numbers exactly prove that to be the case. First the numbers for each man with runners in scoring position and 2 out, the situation that is probably most considered 'clutch.' For fun, I won't give you their names yet.

Player 1 - .295 AVG/.446 OBP/.614 SLG - 4 HR, 23 RBI - 44 AB
Player 2 - .290 AVG/.522 OBP/.839 SLG - 5 HR, 20 RBI - 31 AB

How about with the bases loaded, another situation that can be described as 'clutch.'

Player 1 - .364 AVG/.385 OBP/1.091 SLG - 2 HR, 17 RBI - 11 AB
Player 2 - .700 AVG/.636 OBP/2.200 SLG - 5 HR, 25 RBI - 10 AB

Ok, so I can only assume that not telling you the names didn't fool anyone, and that you all know that Player 1 is David Ortiz and Player 2 is Travis Hafner. But would those numbers have been surprising if you didn't know going in? David Ortiz is always portrayed as the clutch hitter, and maybe with good reason, but Travis Hafner is pretty darn good there too.

So I humbly submit to you that Travis Hafner is in fact the best hitter in the American League.

Thoughts?

Date

Tue 07/11/06, 10:55 pm EST

ASwaffAll-American

1241 days ago

Score 2

Best hitter in the American League is Javier Vazquez. Tied with Vicente Padilla for most hit batsmen, and without the trademark wildness of Padilla to use as an excuse. Padilla has walked 41 batters against just 28 for Vazquez. Vazquez also has just 2 wild pitches to Padilla's 4. So I submit to you that Vazquez is, in fact, the best hitter in the American League.

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LeftyloonJV Squad

1241 days ago

Score 2

I agree. If the Indians were in first place instead of 4th, Hafner would be the MVP.

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Bball3345Draft Pick

1241 days ago

Score 3

I agree, and it hasn't even been close. Hafner has been the best hitter in the majors...period.

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EnyboDiv-I Stud

1241 days ago

Score 0

Hafner is a better hitter, but I think you need to look at AB with runners in scoring postitions when the team is down in th 7th inn or later. That would describe "clutch" to me. But I am not sure where to find stats like this.

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The sharkDraft Pick

1241 days ago

Score 1

There is nobody I rather have at the plate when the game is on the line than David Ortiz. Hafner is a great hitter, no argument here. But give me Big Papi.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

1241 days ago

Score 1

amen to that shark.

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1241 days ago

Score -2

That's not what the discussion is about though. Clutch hitting is a different story. (Although you can't tell me a guy who has five grand slams in the first half isn't clutch)

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The sharkDraft Pick

1240 days ago

Score 0

I would rather have Ortiz than Hafner - regardless of the situation. His homeruns and RBI speak for themselves. He is the best power hitter in baseball - and he also hits for average. Give me Big Papi!

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1240 days ago

Score -2

Give me a break. How you consider .278 as "hitting for average" is beyond me. Hafner has your boy beat by nearly 50 points. He also has Ortiz beat in terms of pure power with a .650 slugging percentage (versus Ortiz' .609). You're a Red Sox fan. Nobody expects you to be aware of anything going on outside of Boston. But regardless of what you think, Hafner is the better hitter in every respect.

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Awrigh01All-Star

1241 days ago

Score 0

Wouldn't Ichiro be considered the best hitter in the American league. He is the first person to accumulate 200 hits through his first five seasons in the bigs. It looks as if Joe Mauer is also an excellent hitter. Isn't there a difference b/w a hitter and a slugger?

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1241 days ago

Score 0

Hafner combines both average (.322) and power (.650). In terms of a pure hitter, there is no better in the AL.

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

1241 days ago

Score 2

Michael Young. You're only as good as your last at-bat!

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1241 days ago

Score 1

Nice to see Hafner get some props here, since he probably won't when the MVP voting rolls around. I think fans have a tendency to focus in most heavily on the players on the teams they root for or the players that play against the teams they root for. I know there are many players having great seasons that I wouldn't know about if I weren't involved in a fantasy baseball league. I just don't pay as much attention to teams outside of the AL Central Division. Being that the Red Sox' bandwagon is so popular these days, that is why you hear so many people saying Ortiz is the best. They simply aren't aware of what Hafner is doing. The fact that Hafner lost the All Star fan vote to a player who is inferior in every way is proof of that. But when you actually look at the numbers, it is clear that Hafner is far and away the best hitter in the league and maybe even in all of baseball (with Pujols his only real competition). I don't care if it's the first inning with nobody on or the ninth inning, down by three with the bases loaded; I will take Hafner every time. He is simply amazing, and those who have not been paying attention to him are missing out on a great hitter and a great person.

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ASwaffAll-American

1241 days ago

Score 3

There are a heck of a lot of minuses here without any explanations. I give a light-hearted response and get three minuses, without anyone saying why. Come on folks, that's weak.

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FriskysmanVarsity Captain

1241 days ago

Score 1

I also have a minus for each of my Hafner comments. It would be nice if people would engage in debate rather than just anonymously throw out minuses when they disagree.

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

1241 days ago

Score 1

I get that all the time. Although I think there is one person that gives me a minus every time they see one of my comments. Don't know who it is, though.

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ASwaffAll-American

1241 days ago

Score 2

Exactly. I've got no problem getting minuses, and I've got no problem with people disagreeing with me. What I have a problem with is seeing threads like this where almost everyone has a minus and almost noone has an explanation as to why.

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Davis21wylieMVP

1241 days ago

Score 2

Don't look at me, I gave you guys pluses...

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TartanVarsity Captain

1241 days ago

Score 1

I also just received a bunch of minuses on one thread within minutes of one another. I just gave you all pluses to offset it, for free.

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

1241 days ago

Score 1

I never give minuses and always seem to get them??

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OpinionatedLittle Leaguer

1241 days ago

Score 3

Michael Young may not be the best overall hitter in the AL, but he has the best average in the majors with RISP, batting .409. I'd submit that Young is probably the most underrated player in the AL. Right now I'd say there's four guys to consider as the best hitter in the AL: Ortiz, Hafner, Thome and Ramirez. And there's not much that separates the four at this point.

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