One year removed from a World Series win and two years removed from an MVP award, Jimmy Rollins is now putting up numbers that, if he did not have the name Jimmy Rollins, would relegate him to AAA ball.
2009: .229/.270/.336
Career: .275/.331/.437
His career numbers are almost the same as his 2008 numbers, so what is the problem?
Three Things
1. His power. Not just looking at his slugging percentage, but his ISO (Isolated Power, which is calculated by this formula (Total Bases-Singles)/(At-Bats)) Has dropped from a career high in 2007 (shock) of .235 to .160 in 2008 to .108 in 2009 so far. Yes, he might be on the down slope of his career, but he is only 30, and most MVP caliber, power speed combo's dont drop off the face of the planet like that.
2. His speed. Let's face it, Rollins is not as fast as he used to be. He has stolen 10 bases so far this year, which puts him on pace for 30 which is 8 below his career average of 38. Don't get me wrong, his speed is still a huge asset, just not as big as it once was.
3. His Walks. This is a problem, as he is only drawing a walk in 5% of his at-bats. This, combined with the next reason, is why he is below the OBP Mendoza line of .300.
4. His luck. Rollins BABIP (Batting Average for Balls In Play) is an unfortunate .249. The historical average is .300, which just means that he is hitting the ball to fielders. Should this turn around, he could right his ship, especially if the problem is being combined with his power lull (i.e. the balls that he is hitting that usually find the gap are instead finding outfielders).
Overall, it doesnt seem to be time to panic yet, he is having a really unlucky year...kind of. I wouldnt put money on him producing at his current rate the rest of the year, and the statistics say he shouldnt either, but one thing is for sure. The MVP Jimmy Rollins has gone away for the time being.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment