Batting Average

We have passed the days when a guy can hit .400 in a season, but high batting averages are still present. In 2012 the highest batting averages are .369 by Andrew McCutchen, .354 by Melky Cabrera, and .348 by Mike Trout.

A lot of people today think on base percentage is more important that batting average and in some ways it is. If a guy is on base more often than the average player his team has a better chance of scoring a run than the other team. But if a player gets hits instead of walks, runs are more likely to score, because runners on base can advance more than one base at a time. The top on base percentages are .465 by Joey Votto, .429 by Andrew McCutchen, and .420 by David Wright.

A player with a high on base percentage but a generally low batting average can be valuable as a lead off hitter, while a player with a high batting average but low on base percentage can be more valuable as a number three hitter.

The general threshold between a good and an excellent batting average is .300. So far this season there are 27 players with a batting average of .300 or greater. In 2011 there was only 25 players over the threshold, in 2010 just 23, but in 2009 there were 42 players with a .300 or greater batting average. The reason for the sudden drop in contact hitters? A new era of the pitcher.    

This season there are 44 starting pitchers with a batting average against of just .250. That means they are allowing just one hit per inning pitched. In 2011 the number of starting pitchers with a batting average against lower than .250 was 42. In 2010 it was 45 and in 2009 it was just 33.

Over the past 3 seasons the shift between hitting an pitching has changed. The pitchers dominate the game and won't allow as many hits as they used to. With a new age of lights out relievers hits are less likely to come late in ball games. You can bet that the players with a .300+ batting average next year will be lower.