.300 HITTERS

Seventeen hitters reached the coveted .300 batting average in MLB in 2014 (minimum 500 plate appearances).  17 of approximately 255 regular hitters is 6.7%.  The cream of the crop average-wise.  In sabermetric circles and cubicles less importance is given to Batting Average.  It's not the ultimate stat but it's very important as it is the biggest component of On Base Percentage (OBP).  With this list of elite batting average hitters and the high strikeout rates prevalent today we took a quick look at the relationship between batting average and strikeouts.

The sample here included the 17 hitters that hit .300 plus 13 more to complete the highest 30 averages in MLB in 2014.  The lowest average included was .287.  
                                     K RATE %
.300 hitters                    12.5
non .300 hitters             18.2
MLB average 2014       20.4

Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera at Comerica

There's 46% more strikeouts for the non .300 hitters.  The only .300 hitters with more than 20% K rate were Jose Abreu with 21.1% and Lorenzo Cain with 20.9%.  There are 5 hitters with less than double-digit K rate, Victor Martinez with 6.6%, Jose Altuve (7.5%), Ben Revere ( 7.8%), Michael Brantley with 8.3% and Denard Span with 9.7%.  Altuve, Revere and Span are top of the order hitters while Martinez and Brantley are middle of the order sluggers.  Victor Martinez will be 36 years old in December, missed all of the 2012 season with an injury and had the best year of his career in 2014 when he should be past his peak.  His .335/.409/.565 line with 32 HR's and 103 RBI's with the lowest K rate in MLB shows skills of the real great hitters. High batting average, excellent power and very low K rate.  He had 70 walks and 42 strikeouts. Victor Martinez, in my humble opinion, has been the best hitter in MLB in 2014.  Martinez even outhit the great Miguel Cabrera, who had a down year with .314/.371/.524 with 25 HR's and 109 RBI's. The two "Venezuelan Bashers" were the best 3-4 hitters in the Major Leagues and the only duo with over .300 average and 100 RBI's each.  

Victor Martinez at work in Camden Yards

Victor Martinez peppering the Green Monster

Victor Martinez MLB best hitter 2014

This small observation suggests that most elite hitters strike out a lot less than 20% while the .280-.290 hitters can strike out around  20% and still be very productive.  Also there is a trend-line showing that elite batting averages are negatively impacted by high K rates.  This negative relationship shows that when one goes up the other goes down.