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Worst hitters of the Trendy Period

July 18, 2022

At this time’s topic is a sensitive one.

We’re coping with gamers who have been ok to remain within the main leagues for at the very least a decade, and but we’re hanging the “worst” tag on them. It’s not a simple factor to do — and admittedly not very good.

So let me say proper off that all the guys on right this moment’s record have been sturdy. It’s additionally true that their profession batting averages have been first rate sufficient — effectively, aside from Ed Brinkman and Mark Belanger — and but they have been all missing on the plate.

The next record contains the ten batters who reached the fewest bases per out (BPO) in a minimal of 5,000 plate appearances in the course of the Trendy Period (overlaying the seasons from 1961 by 2021).

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not equating anyone on this record with a batter who strikes out 4 occasions in his solely sport within the majors — by no means — however I’m saying that each one 10 of them have been poor base producers.

Let’s begin with Brinkman, the unlucky chief on this record. He at all times was a far-ranging, sure-handed shortstop, even profitable a Gold Glove in 1972. He additionally had been a strong hitter as a young person, when he performed on the identical Cincinnati high-school staff as Pete Rose. “He was our home-run hitter,” Rose recalled. “Ed hit the lengthy ball.”

That wasn’t the case within the huge leagues. Brinkman launched solely 60 homers in 15 seasons with 4 golf equipment, primarily the Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers. He batted lower than .240 in all however three of these years — and dropped beneath .200 in 5 of them.

Brinkman reached 2,437 bases whereas making 4,998 outs over the course of his profession, leading to a BPO of .488. That makes him the one batter within the Trendy Period (with at the very least 5,000 plate appearances) to complete with a ratio of lower than half a base per out.

It’s noteworthy that the period’s 10 worst batters all performed the infield, and several other have been extraordinarily gifted within the subject. Six of the ten, together with Brinkman, have been primarily shortstops.

The next summaries present the bases per out, bases reached, outs made, and different stats (video games, plate appearances, hits, residence runs, and batting averages) for the ten batters with the bottom BPOs. Their profession spans are additionally proven. (Needless to say these rankings are confined to the Trendy Period, so any pre-1961 stats have been excluded.)

Ties in BPO have been damaged by referring to further decimal locations, which aren’t proven right here. A short record of the following 15 batters (with their profession BPOs) follows the ten worst batters.