A player's batting average with RISP (Runners in Scoring Position) may be a simple example of "hitting in the clutch". I sampled 14 good hitters using data from www.retrosheet.org to see if their career Batting Averages with RISP tend to be better or worse than BA when there are no runners in scoring position.
Retrosheet has no splits data prior to 1959 AL or 1960 NL, so that leaves out many of the old-time greats. The 14 players I sampled are: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente, Norm Cash, Tommy Davis, Rickey Henderson, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, George Brett and Sammy Sosa. Of this group, five players have career Batting Averages with RISP that are ten or more points higher than their BA without RISP: Aaron, Boggs, Clemente, Killebrew and Mays. Some of these have a much better BA with RISP: Aaron .319 w/RISP and .288 without RISP; Killebrew .273 and .253; Mays .312 & .287.
Why would these players have a significantly higher BA with RISP? I can think of several reasons: (1) With RISP, the pitcher cannot use a wind-up; (2) the pitcher is unlikely to pitch a breaking ball (curve, splitter or change-up); also (3) the hitter is more likely to swing just to get a hit, rather than swing for the fences.
Another five players had lower career BA with RISP than with no runners in scoring postion: Cash, Davis, Henderson, Mantle, and Sosa. Mantle had his best seasons before 1959 (we have no splits data prior to 1959) so his early career may have had a higher BA with RISP. Henderson was such a great base-runner that pitchers might often "groove" the ball to him with bases empty rather than risk putting him on with a walk -- but with RISP they would be willing to pitch to the corners of the plate.
This table (attached) shows that most of these hitters averaged .450 RBI per AB with RISP, versus about .100 RBI when there were no runners in scoring position. Players not known for HR power have even few RBI when hitting without RISP: Wade Boggs .024; Roberto Clemente .049; Tommy Davis .039; R >Henderson .039; Brooks Robinson .038; and George Brett .050. These numbers confirm the thought that players in the middle of a batting order, who more often hit with runners on base, have many more opportunities to drive in a run than a player who usually hits with no Runners in Scoring Position.
Also please note that I included situation splits data for each hitter's best RBI season. In their best RBI season, some of these hitters had incredibly high BA with RISP; look at Hank Aaron (.409 BA with RISP but only .285 otherwise in his 1963 season); Barry Bonds (.382 RISP v .315 all other in 2001); Roberto Clemente (.407 v .295 in 1966); Harmon Killebrew (.314 v .261 in 1969); Mantle (.364 v .305 in 1961); Willie Mays (.361 v .285 in 1962); Frank Robinson (.390 v .324 in 1962); -- and George Brett (,469 with RISP v. "only" .357 other in 1980).
Norm Cash in 1961 and Tommy Davis in 1962 had BA and RBI totals much better than they had in any other season. Any suggestions why this might be?
Retrosheet has no splits data prior to 1959 AL or 1960 NL, so that leaves out many of the old-time greats. The 14 players I sampled are: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente, Norm Cash, Tommy Davis, Rickey Henderson, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, George Brett and Sammy Sosa. Of this group, five players have career Batting Averages with RISP that are ten or more points higher than their BA without RISP: Aaron, Boggs, Clemente, Killebrew and Mays. Some of these have a much better BA with RISP: Aaron .319 w/RISP and .288 without RISP; Killebrew .273 and .253; Mays .312 & .287.
Why would these players have a significantly higher BA with RISP? I can think of several reasons: (1) With RISP, the pitcher cannot use a wind-up; (2) the pitcher is unlikely to pitch a breaking ball (curve, splitter or change-up); also (3) the hitter is more likely to swing just to get a hit, rather than swing for the fences.
Another five players had lower career BA with RISP than with no runners in scoring postion: Cash, Davis, Henderson, Mantle, and Sosa. Mantle had his best seasons before 1959 (we have no splits data prior to 1959) so his early career may have had a higher BA with RISP. Henderson was such a great base-runner that pitchers might often "groove" the ball to him with bases empty rather than risk putting him on with a walk -- but with RISP they would be willing to pitch to the corners of the plate.
This table (attached) shows that most of these hitters averaged .450 RBI per AB with RISP, versus about .100 RBI when there were no runners in scoring position. Players not known for HR power have even few RBI when hitting without RISP: Wade Boggs .024; Roberto Clemente .049; Tommy Davis .039; R >Henderson .039; Brooks Robinson .038; and George Brett .050. These numbers confirm the thought that players in the middle of a batting order, who more often hit with runners on base, have many more opportunities to drive in a run than a player who usually hits with no Runners in Scoring Position.
Also please note that I included situation splits data for each hitter's best RBI season. In their best RBI season, some of these hitters had incredibly high BA with RISP; look at Hank Aaron (.409 BA with RISP but only .285 otherwise in his 1963 season); Barry Bonds (.382 RISP v .315 all other in 2001); Roberto Clemente (.407 v .295 in 1966); Harmon Killebrew (.314 v .261 in 1969); Mantle (.364 v .305 in 1961); Willie Mays (.361 v .285 in 1962); Frank Robinson (.390 v .324 in 1962); -- and George Brett (,469 with RISP v. "only" .357 other in 1980).
Norm Cash in 1961 and Tommy Davis in 1962 had BA and RBI totals much better than they had in any other season. Any suggestions why this might be?
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