Chone Figgins is batting like .050 and has yet to have an extra base hit in 2010. Or so it feels like. He's been particularly frustrating to watch given his position in the lineup and because he's made some errors out at second base. He needs a rest, right? He needs to do something to get going offensively, right?
Well, yeah, that would be super. Would you guess though that Figgins wOBA+ is actually as high as 90? Twenty-five walks will do that. Yeah, 25 walks. Figgins walked 101 times last season and he's walking at a higher clip this season. Only a few players have more walks than he does in the whole league. Despite having an (actual) batting average of just .188, his on base percentage is within two points of the AL average. The good news doesn't stop there.
For his career, Figgins has hit .276 on ground balls, .202 on fly balls and .734 on line drives. In 2010, he's been hitting .194 on ground balls, .129 on fly balls and .692 on line drives. Relax. His BABIP is not going to stay a hundred points below his career average. And in the meantime, he's still making pitchers work and he's still drawing walks.
When those hits start falling in, he's going to return to being a very useful offensive table setter. In the meantime, he's still more valuable than a lot of people realize.
0 recs | 38 comments
This is excellent news.
lmeyer40 - May 12, 2010
Also good news
Career: 86.0% contact
April: 77.3%
May: 86.0%
He’s normalizing.
Jeff Sullivan - May 12, 2010
This makes me feel a little better
Griffin Cooper - May 12, 2010
Me too!
I didn’t realize it until I looked it up. His contact and strikeout rates are back on their career averages.
Jeff Sullivan - May 12, 2010
Has he been a slow starter throughout his career?
Or is this year an aberration?
wyte_lightning - May 12, 2010
Aberration
New position, new spot in the order, new team, new stadium – makes some sense.
Jeff Sullivan - May 12, 2010
Lowest to highest career OPS
May
August
April
Sept
July
June
Differences are pretty small.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 12, 2010
His career May BABIP
is about 60 points under his overall average too! So, I guess we’ll have to wait till summer for him to start hitting
Bearskin Rugburn - May 12, 2010
Career March/April wRC+ of 108 against a career wRC+ of 106, so no.
His career May wRC+ is 84, but he stunk it up in May 2007 (25!) and followed that up with good 2008/2009 Mays. Guys slump. It happens.
abender20 - May 12, 2010
Something else that may merit mention
Is his L/R splits look all kinds of off right now. He’s always been a much better lefty than righty, to the extent that I think he ought to give up switch hitting altogether. But so far he’s been getting killed from the left side, hitting only 13%LD compared to a career rate of 24 and with a dismal .164 BABIP.
This… this can’t be for real.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 12, 2010
He is a handsome fellow...
He’s a senior in high school, right?
Ike Clanton - May 12, 2010
So he's been a 3po guy without the home run power?
wetzelcoal - May 12, 2010
Yes, he either walks, strikes out or gets a hit.
BARRY BONDS!
harkening - May 12, 2010
everyone can deal with a slow start
but when you start seeing double digits on the dates in May( may 10 and on) you start to worry. He needs to start climbing the average back up. He is one of many reasons the Mariners are not living up to the off season hype/signings
Rickfansince76 - May 12, 2010
Average is not a good measure of the quality of a hitter.
pdb - May 12, 2010
He's a Mets fan. What can you say.
the other side - May 12, 2010
Amazin' Avenue is one of the better SBN blogs.
Eyeball Kid - May 12, 2010
Jesus, why'd you pick the Mets from the teams his profile and not the Steelers?
That’s the indefensible one.
Eyeball Kid - May 12, 2010
Good point.
I was going on the general annoyingness of Mets fans I’ve met.
the other side - May 12, 2010
Perhaps you shouldn't do so publicly, in such a needlessly contemptous manner?
Aaron Campeau - May 12, 2010
This is kind of a lame comment
Jeff Sullivan - May 12, 2010
But if he had said it about a Cubs fan no one would bat an eye.
Sec 108 - May 12, 2010
Thank you for the explanation of double digit days in May
seattlebruin - May 12, 2010
The BABIP rates pretty much explain everything.
As soon as his luck turns around he will be very productive.
The May contact rate being back in line with his career average is great news.
ARock - May 12, 2010
Now do a post explaining how flukey Jose Lopez's season has been, and there's no reason to worry.
Please. …….please?
BigR - May 12, 2010
Jose Lopez has looked terrible this season
he is swinging less, except instead of swinging at fewer balls, he is swinging at fewer strikes.
seattlebruin - May 12, 2010
Who would have ever thought that his value would ever come from his defense?
tootthekazoo - May 12, 2010
He's on pace to have a +30 season!
Kirk - May 12, 2010
.
BigR - May 12, 2010
well now you can come to my house and rock me to sleep tonight
that thing will haunt my dreams.
pdb - May 12, 2010
Reminds me of Papa Lazarou
Eyeball Kid - May 12, 2010
GOD
pdb - May 12, 2010
You are a terrible human being.
the other side - May 12, 2010
rawr ;)
BigR - May 12, 2010
Chone Figgins probably has better slumps than almost everyone in the majors.
When he stops hitting, you still get defense, walks, and great baserunning. Plus, he’s likable enough to get rival coaches working for us.
Manzanillos Cup - May 12, 2010
You
Me?
Figgins is walking a ton, and has had some bad luck on balls in play. He’s a good player but last year he had a great year. He’s usually a 3-3.5 WAR type guy, not 6 like 2009. Maybe he can average close to .340 wOBA the rest of the way, which he has topped twice in a season in his career, and would be higher than his career average of .337.
wobatus - May 12, 2010
Preach it Matthew!
baetown415 - May 12, 2010
Figgins has had some bad luck with balls finding the hole.
Kotchman has been in the same boat. . Kotchmans .198 BABIP is about seventy points below his career average. He’s hitting the ball the same, only with a higher ISO, slightly higher LD% and shitty luck.
ChaseB - May 12, 2010
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