Why do we consistantly struggle to hit with RISP throughout the Years?

M

Millwood1Hitter

Anytime Now Frankie...
Maybe its just me, maybe its because I watch almost every Braves game, but it just seems to me that this organization has really struggled hitting with RISP consistantly throughout the years. Im not talking about just this season or even the past couple, I'm talking about those great teams of the 90's that won division title after division title. Seemed like for the most part getting a clutch hit in a pivotal situation was like pulling teeth. So my question is, why is this? Is it because for the most part our teams have been constructed as such to rely on the homer, primarily the 3 run homer to win games? Too many free swingers in the lineup? Poor roster construction? An organizational philosophy when developing hitters?

I've always felt that this was one of the key differences between us along with the back end of the bullpen and the Yankees, and why they won multiple WS and we only won 1. Seemed to me that in the big spotlight, they always got a hit, a sac fly, move the runner over and put him into scoring position, etc., while we didn't do the little things good enough on a consistant basis. I want to say for the most part, that in the 90's, we probably had more talented lineups, but the Yankees always had grinders like o'Neil, Knoblauch, Williams, Martinez, Jeter, etc that were grinders, took lots of pitchers and fouled a lot of pitches off and wore pitchers down or until they got a good pitch to hit. We had Chipper & Justice, but our lineups were filled more with guys like Klesko, Andruw, Gant, Javy, Boone, Grissom, etc that were more free swingers and hackers.
 
Nats go 0-17 with risp tonight. Their fans ask why their team can't hit as well as the braves with risp. Its all about perspective.
 
Also the Nats went 0-17 with RISP tonight to drop them to .204 for the season. The Braves are at .219 on the year with RISP and the NL average is .238.
 
KeithLockhart said:
"The Braves are struggling with RISP right now because their pitching is so dominant". - Brian Jordan
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Actually that's not so crazy. I've been thinking the same thing for a while. Everyone knows that teams play up or down to their competition. There's got to be a similar correlation between hitting and pitching on the same team. If you know all you need are 1 or 2 runs, it will affect you.

With us it's also because our lineup has too many slugger types and not enough table setters.
 
cajunrevenge said:
Its just you. Go look up the risp stats over the last few years compared to other teams. There are two things consistent in every fan base. Every team thinks they have the worst manager and that they are the worst hitting team with risp.
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but what if we actually do have the worst manager? :)
 
Runnin said:
Actually that's not so crazy. I've been thinking the same thing for a while. Everyone knows that teams play up or down to their competition. There's got to be a similar correlation between hitting and pitching on the same team. If you know all you need are 1 or 2 runs, it will affect you.

With us it's also because our lineup has too many slugger types and not enough table setters.
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Are you telling me Brian Jordan is a 5-star analyst and knows things we can't see with the naked eye? :Gasp:
 
goldfly said:
but what if we actually do have the worst manager? :)
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Then we wouldn't have been in the Wild Card game in 2012, nor won the division last year when you add up all the injuries sustained (Venters TJ, O'Flaherty TJ, Beachy pitched 2 games, Hudson broken ankle from July till end, Maholm sucking, Missed McCann for a month, then McCann went missing from August to October, Laird was on DL, Uggla was MIA from July to October, BJ was MIA all season, Justin only showed up in April and August, Heyward was out with appendectomy + broken jaw for a total of over 2 months, Freeman had that random DL stint in the beginning of the year for precautionary reasons, Ramiro Pena was out all year, Reed Johnson spent a lot of time on the DL, etc.).

Anyone who says we did it in spite of Fredi needs to get real.
 
Last year we had plenty of quality play. I don't think Fredi is the worst manager in baseball, but I'm pretty sure we could attract a better manager. Most seasons the handful of games he costs us don't matter, but it certainly did in 2011. In 2011 we absolutely should have won the wild card and I'm sure you can look back and find a handful of games were Fredi made a bonehead move that cost us. If we converted 50% of them with a better manager, maybe we walk away with that Wild Card.
 
KeithLockhart said:
Then we wouldn't have been in the Wild Card game in 2012, nor won the division last year when you add up all the injuries sustained (Venters TJ, O'Flaherty TJ, Beachy pitched 2 games, Hudson broken ankle from July till end, Maholm sucking, Missed McCann for a month, then McCann went missing from August to October, Laird was on DL, Uggla was MIA from July to October, BJ was MIA all season, Justin only showed up in April and August, Heyward was out with appendectomy + broken jaw for a total of over 2 months, Freeman had that random DL stint in the beginning of the year for precautionary reasons, Ramiro Pena was out all year, Reed Johnson spent a lot of time on the DL, etc.).

Anyone who says we did it in spite of Fredi needs to get real.
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I am not a Fredi hater, BUUUUUUUUUUUUt, can he adequately explain the Kameron Loe start when the #1 seed in the playoffs is at stake with 1 more win?????
 
zitothebrave said:
Last year we had plenty of quality play. I don't think Fredi is the worst manager in baseball, but I'm pretty sure we could attract a better manager. Most seasons the handful of games he costs us don't matter, but it certainly did in 2011. In 2011 we absolutely should have won the wild card and I'm sure you can look back and find a handful of games were Fredi made a bonehead move that cost us. If we converted 50% of them with a better manager, maybe we walk away with that Wild Card.
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We had a lot of bad luck in Sept and overall just bad play. I wouldn't put that on the manager.
 
#23 so far this year.

2013 = #18

2012 = #29

2011 = #18

2010 = #12

2009 = #4

2008 = #11

2007 = #3

After looking at the stats, I would say it has a lot to do with the manager putting players in the best position to win. We haven't been good at all at it since Fredi took over. Can't imagine it is just a coincidence.
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
I am not a Fredi hater, BUUUUUUUUUUUUt, can he adequately explain the Kameron Loe start when the #1 seed in the playoffs is at stake with 1 more win?????
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They did that to skip Julio's start i believe.

Because of his innings.
 
KeithLockhart said:
Are you telling me Brian Jordan is a 5-star analyst and knows things we can't see with the naked eye? :Gasp:
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Well, he did play 2 sports professionally, so he no doubt knows way more than anybody here, but every time I've heard him he sounded a little like he was trying to say the right thing. I can't get his pregame stuff on mlbtv, so I haven't heard him since he was guesting with Chip and Joe.
 
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