All data is courtesy of Baseball Reference.
Needless to say, this list of quick thoughts is by no means comprehensive. Do your own digging and research to learn more, and if you think you can contradict me on any opinions, I imagine you're right.
- There's very little substantial difference between age groups in batting average or OBP. The only difference is that slugging about 20 points for hitters older than 30.
- Hitters who swung at the first pitch slugged .442, compared to hitters who didn't at .395. Their OBP improved by 20 points after the 1st pitch but their average dropped 23 points.
- Hitters who took a 1st pitch strike batted 218/264/349. Maybe swinging away at that first pitch is a better idea.
- When teams didn't IBB the hitter with a man on 2nd and 1st base empty, the hitter batted 240/328/390, compared to 241/308/402 with the bases empty.
- With the bases loaded and 2 out, batters hit a paltry 231/296/409, with a run expectancy in that situation of 0.616. Pitchers are probably best off just piping it and hoping for the best.
- High leverage: 249/322/402. Medium leverage: 251/320/414. Low leverage: 245/315/409. The slashes are all basically the same. Perhaps the leverage doesn't matter as much to a hitter's performance as people think.
- Aside from obviously the 1st inning, the highest OPS by inning came in the 4th-6th innings, indicating that tiring starters and long relievers are easier to hit off of. Along with the idea of the opener, perhaps managers would benefit plugging another quality reliever in one or more of the middle innings... or at least pulling struggling starters before the 5th and letting a good reliever bridge the gap. The notion of a pitching staff of 12 power relievers that can consistently work multiple innings doesn't seem too bad.
- Three True Outcomes OPS (out of play HR, walks and strikeouts only) is .836.
- Balls pulled to LF: .416 average, 1.203 OPS. Balls pulled to RF: .326 average, .950 OPS. This may be selective memory, but I believe LH power hitters get shifted a lot more often, because a RHB shift makes it harder for the 1B to cover the bag in time on a grounder. However, LHBs who go opposite field OPS 88 points higher (.784 to .696) than RHBs who go oppo to RF.
- No park saw more walks than Wrigley Field (614), with the next closest being Yankee Stadium at 596 (granted, the Cubs hosted a one game playoff tiebreaker after the season). No park saw fewer than Safeco Field (402), with the next closest (Comerica Park) seeing 443.
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