SBs a thing of the past?
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- May
- 23
The numerically inclined Jayson Stark of ESPN.com had a great stat in his recent column.
The Yankees stole 139 bases in 2006. They had 123 last season. They’re on a pace to steal 56 this season. It would be the biggest single-season dropoff in franchise history.
To add to Stark’s research, the Yankees were 140 of 163 last season (.858). They’re 16 of 27 (.432) this season.
So what’s up? It’s pretty simple. Under Joe Torre, the Yankees used the stolen base to build on leads. So far this season, the Yankees haven’t had many leads. Joe Girardi would probably like to be more aggressive but has lacked the opportunities.
It also hasn’t helped that two of their best base stealers, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, have had leg injuries. Johnny Damon doesn’t run much either, but that has more to do with his OBP than anything else. Bobby Abreu used to run more. Maybe somebody told him there was a wall near second
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Peter Abraham
Bobby Abreu used to run more. Maybe somebody told him there was a wall near second.
Busting a gut….tremendous, Pete….you are priceless!
Tough to run when you’re down 5 runs by the third inning. Hopefully, we can get on a consistent run with the starting pitching (thank you Mr. Rasner and Mr. Kennedy), we’ll stay close enough to get aggressive on the bases and make some things happen.
“They’re 16 of 37 (.432) this season.”
As a manager, this would discourage me from running.
The ball that Shelley cut off yesterday to keep Hernandez at first was huge… Abreu wouldn’t have done that he would have been to afraid of the wall
They’re 16 of 27. Stark said they’ve been thrown out 11 times, so they HAVE to be over .500
Still not a great steal rate, but I agree with your analysis…When you’re not getting a lot of baserunners, are you really going to risk them by stealing? That’s kind of stupid. If Damon, Jeter and Bobby start getting on base closer to their career rates, then talk about sending them a bit more often.
I’m still chuckling over Shake Yabuta.
This may be a bit too “glass half full” but I think Alex’s return will help here.
I think he’s the most aggressive player we have. Even his two most famous Yankee mishaps were attempts to “steal” a base in a pressure situation (the “whoa” and the glove slap). His leadership could translate into more aggressiveness on the basepaths (and more leads to build on).
the glove slap wasn’t a steal. he was running to 1st
Or maybe Girardi just realizes that SBs are overvalued, and that definitely having a runner on first with no one out will generate more runs in the long haul than a 60% chance of a runner on second with none out (and a 40% chance of no one on and one out) will.
Rocco,
Didn’t you see where he put steal in parenthesis?
Of course with no offense its kinda hard to steal a base if theres no one actually on a base.
How much would Cashman have been getting hammered right now if Santana was on the Yankees and scouts were saying this:
It’s from Buster Olney’s blog, I believe you have to be an insider.
And the only guys getting on are noted speedsters Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui.
Although I must give Matsui props for the run and slide last night to win it. He slid 20 feet!
pete- is was a pleasure to see you blog like a fan yesterday night! it maked you look human….
oh ok i get it. very funny. those are quotes not parenthesis
“oh ok i get it. very funny. those are quotes not parenthesis ”
You’re right, my bad.
“Although I must give Matsui props for the run and slide last night to win it. He slid 20 feet!”
That’s the one thing that’s being forgotten about yesterday’s win. Great effort running and excellent slide.
The Yankees are going to need to improve their base running. We are entering a new era where speed not power is gong to be key. Since MLB has new tougher drug testing, power numbers will drop. Homeruns throughout MLB will be down significantly this year.
That is why you do not sign 29 yr old pitchers to 7 yr. contracts…ie CC Sabathia who has already thrown alot of innings. 7 yrs is a long long time….
the Yanks are not stealing a lot of bases because there team OBP is way way down, many less guys on base….
That is why you do not sign 29 yr old pitchers to 7 yr. contracts…ie CC Sabathia who has already thrown alot of innings. 7 yrs is a long long time….
the Yanks are not stealing a lot of bases because there team OBP is way way down, many less guys on base….
And also our speed guys are getting older, and our young guys are not speed guys.
raymagnetic - Very interesting. I think Omar, in stripping what he had in his farm system and pushing the Wilpons for a big-contract for Santana, is showing that he is interested in the very short term. We can speculate why. A definite contrast to what Cash has said, and is, in fact, doing.
Cash deserves credit, I believe, for sticking to his principles and trying to do the right thing. One may disagree about his decisions, but he is doing what he perceives as best for the team in the long run.
“And also our speed guys are getting older, and our young guys are not speed guys.”
Melky and Cano are pretty fast guys, but neither seems to have the knack for it.
Happens that way sometimes. Bernie Williams was fast and a very good baserunner, yet he didn’t have the knack for stealing bases.
“the glove slap wasn’t a steal. he was running to 1st”
True, Rocco. Neither play was an actual stolen base attempt. Just pointing out that in addition to being a fine base stealer, Alex is a “do whatever it takes to win” kind of player. I’m hoping his aggressiveness is contagious with the young guys.
Stolen bases a thing of the past?
For the rest of the MLB? no. For the Yankees? yes.
I guess it’s actually very simple.
You can’t steal first base.
In order to steal 2nd, 3rd, or even home, you have to first get to 1st base.
Even though last night’s game was great for IPK, where were the bats? A weak LHP shuts down the side again.
any clue what the rate was last year at this point in the season (aka - before they started winning)?
actually, i posted that question too soon. keep forgetting baseball-reference.com is my friend
:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/tgl.cgi?share=1&team=NYY&year=2007&t=b#1:45:sum
up to May 23rd last year, 26 of 37
Joe from Long Island:
Reminds me of Frank Zappa’s album “Sheik Yerbouti.”
They have been too lethargic on the bases, being down five in the second inning is no reason to stop being aggressive. Leg injuries have clearly slowed Jeter and A-Rod and I doubt they will reach last year’s totals.
As for Santana, if he continues to post weaker numbers in the weaker league (offensively at least) that will end up costing Sabathia years and dollars. It also reinforces the value of home grown pitching, even if it turns out to be home GROAN pitching like Hughes and Kennedy before last night.
Now what are you guys willing to give up for a LH reliever like Damaso Marte or a RH bat like Nady or Bay… would Horne, Betemit and JB Cox get it done? Miranda?
It’s also because there has been no turnaround in a lineup that is getting older.
Damon 34. Abreu 34. Jeter soon to be 34. Matsui 34. Giambi 37. Posada 36. Alex 33.
Multi-year deals. Some legends that will be here for quite some time. It’s not going to get better unless there is a serious shakeup in the lineup, which isn’t happening. Not with 3 more years on Posada, 9 more for Alex…Jeter isn’t going anywhere. Matsui and Damon have 2009 left at $13 mil. As they get older, they get slower…
Pete, 16-for-27 is a .593 clip. 16-for-THIRTY-seven, however, is .432. Either the number of attempts is off, or your math.
Peter- these cheap shots you take from time to time- how do the players respond when you say it to their faces?
A-Rod’s fault.
Fredo, Bernie was a good baserunner? He was asleep 80% of the time out there.