Random Fandom

At the very least, fans will spend more time at BOB this year.

Player PlateApp Pitches P/PA OPS

Last season

Snyder 110 463 4.21 .786
Gonzalez 451 1836 4.07 .866
Zinter 40 161 4.03 .653
Sexson 104 413 3.97 .914
Tracy 532 2100 3.95 .750
Alomar 125 492 3.94 .855
Johnson 87 340 3.91 .329
Brito 184 718 3.90 .544
Hammock 210 809 3.85 .692
Terrero 255 965 3.78 .677
--3.75 -------------------------------------
DeVore 114 425 3.73 .646
Kata 178 663 3.72 .665
Hairston 364 1344 3.69 .735
Gil 88 321 3.65 .403
Fossum 46 167 3.64 .212
A. Green 119 433 3.64 .507
Olson 114 410 3.60 .620
Baerga 94 337 3.59 .638
McCracken 172 605 3.52 .751
Webb 71 247 3.48 .228
Hillenbrand 604 2049 3.39 812
Bautista 582 1975 3.39 .733
Cintron 613 2075 3.38 .665
Kroeger 55 178 3.24 .404
Hill 38 118 3.11 .651

2005-Who's Left

Snyder 110 463 4.21 .786
Gonzalez 451 1836 4.07 .866
Zinter 40 161 4.03 .653
--
Tracy 532 2100 3.95 .750
--
--
Brito 184 718 3.90 .544
Hammock 210 809 3.85 .692
Terrero 255 965 3.78 .677
--3.75 -------------------------------------
DeVore 114 425 3.73 .646
Kata 178 663 3.72 .665
Hairston 364 1344 3.69 .735
Gil 88 321 3.65 .403
--
A. Green 119 433 3.64 .507
Olson 114 410 3.60 .620
--
McCracken 172 605 3.52 .751
Webb 71 247 3.48 .228
--
--
Cintron 613 2075 3.38 .665
Kroeger 55 178 3.24 .404
Hill 38 118 3.11 .651

2005-With the new guys

Snyder 110 463 4.21 .786
Gonzalez 451 1836 4.07 .866
Counsell 551 2226 4.04 .645
Zinter 40 161 4.03 .653
Clark 283 1139 4.02 .755
Glaus 242 958 3.96 .930
Tracy 532 2100 3.95 .750
Brito 184 718 3.90 .544
S. Green 671 2597 3.87 .811
Hammock 210 809 3.85 .692
Terrero 255 965 3.78 .677
Clayton 652 2462 3.77 .735
--3.75 -------------------------------------
Cruz 636 2379 3.74 .766
DeVore 114 425 3.73 .646
Kata 178 663 3.72 .665
Hairston 364 1344 3.69 .735
Gil 88 321 3.65 .403
A. Green 119 433 3.64 .507
Olson 114 410 3.60 .620
McCracken 172 605 3.52 .751
Webb 71 247 3.48 .228
Cintron 613 2075 3.38 .665
Kroeger 55 178 3.24 .404
Hill 38 118 3.11 .651

Last year was not a good year for plate discpline by the D-Backs as they saw an average of 3.68 pitches per plate appearance. In the first table, you can see that 60% of the team with more than 35 plate appearances fell below the NL average of 3.75. (I include Johnson, Webb, and Fossum for comparison purposes; based on their numbers, I would guess pitchers might drag down the average, but only slightly, especially in the National League, where they probably just have little more than 6% of the plate appearances.

So, on the second table, the D-Backs no longer have 4 players below the 3.75 line, 3 above that line. (I kept players like Hammock, who might sign a minor league contract, on the list.)

The shift toward more patient batters becomes apparent when the new players (in italics) are incorporated into the third table. Whereas last year's Opening Day lineup had just 4 players above the 3.75 line, all but Jose Cruz reach that dividing line this year, with Cruz virtually there.

I haven't bothered to check on the relationship between plate discipline and OPS (and I'm sure there's some literature out there, either way, and perhaps both), but it's clear that we'll be spending a little more time at the ballpark this season.