Why is Nick choking up?

[SilentJames]

You could try "I was wrong" on for size.

Come on, just this once

[Sports Guy]

You could try "I was wrong" on for size.

What exactly was I wrong about?

[SilentJames]

He never choked up on the bat like he is now...As if he needed another reason to take power away from his hitting.

Come on Duder, you overreacted a little but and Markakis' 1.009 OPS over the last month has proven that wrong.

[Frobby]

I'm not going to argue with success. Nick has been on a nice streak for 33 games now, including rapping doubles and homers at a pretty solid rate. He's hit .396/.428/.563 in that stretch. There is no way he can stay that hot forever, but I am enjoying it while it lasts. July and August are traditionally his best months (career .890 in July, .921 in August). So, hopefully he keeps it rolling for a while.

[Sports Guy]

Come on Duder, you overreacted a little but and Markakis' 1.009 OPS over the last month has proven that wrong.

Did I say anywhere that Nick wouldn't or couldn't improve his numbers by choking up?

I argued that it wasn't neccassary because what choking up generally improves wasn't the area where Nick needed to improve...And that is still correct.

Has choking up made Nick not swing at as many bad pitches? Did choking up make Nick drop his hands and have them in a position where he has always hit better?

Where I questioned him choking up is the thought that choking up isn't going to help with his power...Thus far, that has happened but I also think a lot of it has to do with normalization of numbers more than anything else...Also, he is hitting pitches that are more hitters pitchers because he isn't swinging at as many balls as he was before.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Where the hell do you go to find somebody's line drive percentage?

[waroriole]

Where the hell do you go to find somebody's line drive percentage?

fangraphs has it.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

[Frobby]

fangraphs has it.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

BB-ref also has it, though they have a different way of measuring it. Fangraphs has Nick at 22.5%, BB-ref at 20%. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/markani01-bat.shtml

[Pedro Cerrano]

BB-ref also has it, though they have a different way of measuring it. Fangraphs has Nick at 22.5%, BB-ref at 20%. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/markani01-bat.shtml

Is that 20% of his at-bats? Plate appearances? Balls put in play?

What is a "good" line drive %?

[Sports Guy]

Is that 20% of his at-bats? Plate appearances? Balls put in play?

What is a "good" line drive %?

The balls he puts in play.

17% and above would be considered good or better I would guess.

[LA2]

Did I say anywhere that Nick wouldn't or couldn't improve his numbers by choking up?

I argued that it wasn't neccassary because what choking up generally improves wasn't the area where Nick needed to improve...And that is still correct.

Has choking up made Nick not swing at as many bad pitches? Did choking up make Nick drop his hands and have them in a position where he has always hit better?

Where I questioned him choking up is the thought that choking up isn't going to help with his power...Thus far, that has happened but I also think a lot of it has to do with normalization of numbers more than anything else...Also, he is hitting pitches that are more hitters pitchers because he isn't swinging at as many balls as he was before.

Gee, I just don't know--Do you? :scratchchinhmm:

[Frobby]

Is that 20% of his at-bats? Plate appearances? Balls put in play?

What is a "good" line drive %?

Well, using the BB-ref method, 19% is the MLB average, and Nick is at 20%. Using the Fangraphs method, 19% is also the MLB average, and Nick is at 22.5%. Under the Fangraphs system, Nick is 22nd in MLB in LD%.

[Sports Guy]

Well, using the BB-ref method, 19% is the MLB average, and Nick is at 20%. Using the Fangraphs method, 19% is also the MLB average, and Nick is at 22.5%. Under the Fangraphs system, Nick is 22nd in MLB in LD%.

Wow...The league average is that high?

I wonder what the average would be if you just used everyday players?

[PaulFolk]

From Jeff Zrebiec in today's Orioles Insider:

"On to another question that I’ve been asked repeatedly: “Why is Nick Markakis choking up on the bat so much?” I posed that one to Markakis, who enjoys talking about his hitting mechanics with a reporter almost as much as he enjoys wearing a fastball from John Lackey in the ribs. Markakis gave his usual stock answers that he just feels real comfortable now at the plate and he’s staying with what works. About as expansive as he got was indicating that that it allows him to exhibit better bat control. I asked him whether he feels that choking up will further limit his power – I know, I know, Barry Bonds choked up a lot, too - and he opined that it had nothing to do with it, and power was a function of his bat speed. He then went out and homered in his second consecutive game."

[Frobby]

Wow...The league average is that high?

I wonder what the average would be if you just used everyday players?

Of the 151 players who are on pace to qualify for the batting title, the median is 19.1% (Fangraphs method). The Orioles as a team are at 18.7%, which ranks 19th.

Markakis 22.5%

Lee 21.2%

Andino 20.9%

Wieters 20.7%

Jones 18.9%

Guerrero 18.4%

Scott 16.3%

Reynolds 13.4%

Hardy 13.3%

Pie 11.1%