October | 2011 | The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

Articles from October 2011



David Freese’s swing and pitch recognition

This morning I had a conversation with one of the best hitters I’ve played with, as well as one of the most knowledgeable hitters I know, about David Freese’s swing and postseason success.  My question to him was whether Freese’s ability to drive through the ball so well to both center and right field stemmed from his ability to hit off of such a firm front side — as illustrated in the picture above.

He responded by saying that was definitely part of it.  However, he also noted that Freese never gets the barrel around the ball which in turn allows him to always keep his hands inside the pitch.  But what he mentioned next is what really got my wheels spinning.  He said that the only way you can be successful doing that is by recognizing the pitch, something that Freese did visibly well all October.

Here is Freese’s ‘Swing Pitch Types’ chart for all of October:

The above graphic depicts his ability to recognize and attack three different types of fastballs within the strike zone.  Furthermore, it shows that rarely swung at fastballs outside of the zone.  Rather, the pitches he chased out of the zone were low changeups and curves, and he did that sparingly.

To further my argument on Freese’s pitch recognition, here is his October ‘Take Pitch Types’ chart:

Just as he showed a propensity to attack fastballs within the strike zone, Freese’s discipline was also exemplified by his ability to resist non-strike fastballs, especially inside ones. This brings me to the final part of that conversation.  He stated that because Freese is so disciplined, when pitchers try to bust him inside (like they were trying do during the World Series), he does not deviate from his approach — which, as any hitter knows, is incredibly tough to do.

Freese, Berkman, and Hamilton’s Legendary Game Six

Early yesterday morning I posted an article that highlighted the best Game Six performances in World Series history, as determined by RE24.  Just to follow up and show everyone how absolutely extraordinary last night’s game was—as if you didn’t already know—here is what that Top-25 list looks like a day later:

Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO RE24
1 Reggie Jackson 1977-10-18 NYY LAD W 8-4 4 3 4 3 0 0 3 5 1 0 4.874
2 Hideki Matsui 2009-11-04 NYY PHI W 7-3 4 4 1 3 1 0 1 6 0 1 4.683
3 Al Kaline 1968-10-09 DET STL W 13-1 5 4 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 1 4.374
4 Pedro Guerrero 1981-10-28 LAD NYY W 9-2 5 5 1 3 0 1 1 5 0 0 4.228
5 Stan Hack 1945-10-08 CHC DET W 8-7 7 5 1 4 1 0 0 3 2 0 3.905
6 Danny Bautista 2001-11-03 ARI NYY W 15-2 4 4 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 3.893
7 Lance Berkman 2011-10-27 STL TEX W 10-9 6 5 4 3 0 0 1 3 1 0 3.655
8 Jack Barry 1911-10-26 PHA NYG W 13-2 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 3.336
9 David Freese 2011-10-27 STL TEX W 10-9 6 5 1 2 0 1 1 3 1 1 3.117
10 Pee Wee Reese 1947-10-05 BRO NYY W 8-6 5 4 2 3 1 0 0 2 1 0 3.041
11 Jimmy Dykes 1930-10-08 PHA STL W 7-1 4 2 2 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3.041
12 Yogi Berra 1960-10-12 NYY PIT W 12-0 5 4 3 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 2.997
13 Reggie Jackson 1973-10-20 OAK NYM W 3-1 4 4 1 3 2 0 0 2 0 0 2.886
14 Danny Murphy 1911-10-26 PHA NYG W 13-2 4 4 3 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.847
15 Josh Hamilton 2011-10-27 TEX STL L 9-10 6 6 2 3 0 0 1 3 0 1 2.823
16 Darrell Porter 1982-10-19 STL MIL W 13-1 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 2.789
17 Kirby Puckett 1991-10-26 MIN ATL W 4-3 5 4 2 3 0 1 1 3 0 1 2.756
18 Mel Ott 1936-10-06 NYG NYY L 5-13 5 4 1 2 1 0 1 3 1 0 2.741
19 Dib Williams 1931-10-09 PHA STL W 8-1 4 4 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.700
20 Terry Pendleton 1991-10-26 ATL MIN L 3-4 5 5 1 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 2.685
21 Willie Horton 1968-10-09 DET STL W 13-1 5 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 2.672
22 Marty Barrett 1986-10-25 BOS NYM L 5-6 6 4 1 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 2.668
23 Jake Powell 1936-10-06 NYY NYG W 13-5 5 5 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 2 2.667
24 Keith Hernandez 1982-10-19 STL MIL W 13-1 5 5 2 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 2.658
25 George Davis 1906-10-14 CHW CHC W 8-3 5 5 2 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 2.637
Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO RE24
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/28/2011.

I’m f’n pumped for Game Seven.

GIF of the Moment: David Freese’s celebration

Serious style points for the walk-off and helmet spike

MLB Look-alikes: Dave Duncan and the Emperor from Star Wars

The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Dave Duncan and the Emperor from Star Wars

The Best Game 6 Offensive Performances of All-Time

Last Saturday night, Albert Pujols treated us to an unparalleled display of power.  His 5-for-6 performance, which included three home runs, six RBI, and 14 total bases, produced a RE24 of 5.808, the highest in World Series history.

To help pass the time until tonight’s game, I thought that it would be interesting to examine the best Game Six offensive performances in World Series history, as determined by their RE24 value* from that game.

The most legendary Game Six performance belongs to Reggie Jackson, whose three home run game during the 1977 World Series sits atop the list with an RE24 of 4.874.  Beyond that you will find a list of players that includes a slew of Hall of Famers, World Series legends, a player who probably got high before the game, and Danny Bautista.

Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO HBP RE24
1 Reggie Jackson 1977-10-18 NYY LAD W 8-4 4 3 4 3 0 0 3 5 1 0 0 4.874
2 Hideki Matsui 2009-11-04 NYY PHI W 7-3 4 4 1 3 1 0 1 6 0 1 0 4.683
3 Al Kaline 1968-10-09 DET STL W 13-1 5 4 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 1 1 4.374
4 Pedro Guerrero 1981-10-28 LAD NYY W 9-2 5 5 1 3 0 1 1 5 0 0 0 4.228
5 Stan Hack 1945-10-08 CHC DET W 8-7 7 5 1 4 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 3.905
6 Danny Bautista 2001-11-03 ARI NYY W 15-2 4 4 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 3.893
7 Jack Barry 1911-10-26 PHA NYG W 13-2 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 3.336
8 Pee Wee Reese 1947-10-05 BRO NYY W 8-6 5 4 2 3 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 3.041
9 Jimmy Dykes 1930-10-08 PHA STL W 7-1 4 2 2 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 0 3.041
10 Yogi Berra 1960-10-12 NYY PIT W 12-0 5 4 3 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 2.997
11 Reggie Jackson 1973-10-20 OAK NYM W 3-1 4 4 1 3 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 2.886
12 Danny Murphy 1911-10-26 PHA NYG W 13-2 4 4 3 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2.847
13 Darrell Porter 1982-10-19 STL MIL W 13-1 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 2.789
14 Kirby Puckett 1991-10-26 MIN ATL W 4-3 5 4 2 3 0 1 1 3 0 1 0 2.756
15 Mel Ott 1936-10-06 NYG NYY L 5-13 5 4 1 2 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 2.741
16 Dib Williams 1931-10-09 PHA STL W 8-1 4 4 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2.700
17 Terry Pendleton 1991-10-26 ATL MIN L 3-4 5 5 1 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 2.685
18 Willie Horton 1968-10-09 DET STL W 13-1 5 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 2.672
19 Marty Barrett 1986-10-25 BOS NYM L 5-6 6 4 1 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 2.668
20 Jake Powell 1936-10-06 NYY NYG W 13-5 5 5 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 2 0 2.667
21 Keith Hernandez 1982-10-19 STL MIL W 13-1 5 5 2 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 2.658
22 George Davis 1906-10-14 CHW CHC W 8-3 5 5 2 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 2.637
23 Joe Pepitone 1964-10-14 NYY STL W 8-3 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 1 0 2.568
24 Bernie Carbo 1975-10-21 BOS CIN W 7-6 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 2.549
25 Yogi Berra 1957-10-09 NYY MLN W 3-2 4 4 1 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 2.547
Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO HBP RE24
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/27/2011.

*RE24 is the difference in run expectancy (RE) between the start of the play and the end of the play.  That difference is then credited/debited to the batter and the pitcher.