One Unnoticed Thing That Has Hurt Our Offense

I’ve jumped up and down, shouting “don’t be so down about our offense” hanging it on Walk  and Line drive percentages. Well until I read Geoff Bakers article today a specific thought hadn’t even occured until now.

The teams that we have played up to this point have all been good defensive teams (well except the Athletics). So far this early season we have played the Athletics (-10.1), Rangers(10.4), Indians (18.8), Blue Jays (5.4), Royals (11.4), Tigers (-2.8) and again the Athletics. The numbers in the parentheses are UZR/150 numbers.

Yes, the numbers are really early and you can’t do a lot with them. But the numbers do tell us something, we have played against teams that have put together really good defensive performances early on this season.

We are still leading the league in walks and while we have dropped off in terms of Line Drive percentage it’s still up there and higher than league average all the while we are sitting last in Batting Average on Balls in Play. The offense is going to turn around.

Teams playing against us have just been able to get to those line drives or make spectacular players and it’s unusual.

While, everyone is pointing to Justin Smoak, Michael Saunders has made great changes and is hitting the ball so much better (now if only he would take a walk). Milton Bradley has done surprisingly well and for all the critiziscm of him playing first base and being in the middle of the line-up Adam Kennedy has better one of the teams better hitters.

We aren’t going to win over 80 games this year. Everyone knows that now. But, it doesn’t mean that we can’t win some games and that there isn’t a bit of a turn around coming.

Be patient Seattle. The summer hasn’t even gotten here yet.