Lance McAlister - HR Stat

[*ochocincos*]

Saw this post from Lance on FB earlier today...

Quote:132 MLB players have hit more than 25 HR (in a season) since 2021.
None are Cincinnati Reds.

Cincinnati Reds have not had a player hit more than 25 HR since 2021, when three topped 30: Votto 36, Castellanos 34, Suarez 31. Let that sink in.

MLB players with 25+ homers:
2022 - 40
2023 - 45
2024 - 36
2025 - 11 and counting

1) IMO, this is sad, as it means Reds just flat out have not been good mashers.
2) It's especially concerning given GABP is supposed to be a hitters ballpark, owning the 3rd smallest OF distance in MLB, according to https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661740-mlb-ballparks-9-shortest-porches-in-major-league-baseball

Can someone please explain why this organization is focused on getting position players with an emphasis on being able to play defense when they have this great hitters-friendly ballpark? Should they not try to focus more on hitters and specifically power to take advantage and just put up big numbers week to week?
It can't really be that the record would be so much better with these defensive type players than good hitters with lower fielding ability, right?

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Reds 2025 3 Deadline Additions:
Ke'Bryan Hayes: 5.6 HR per 162 games over the last 2 years
Miguel Andujar: 11.7 HR per 162 games over the last 2 years
Zack Littell: 1.5 HR/9 over the last 2 years (league average is 1.2 in '25 and 1.1 in '24)

Play in GABP... added two guys who don't hit homers and one guy who gives up too many homers.  #RedsFO

- - - - -
Not to bash Littell, he's been a good pitcher. I just worry about him once he has to start in GABP. Much like I worried when Tyler Mahle pitched in GABP (where he had a 5.02 ERA because he gave up 1.9 HR/9 there) despite him being well above average on the road.

[*ochocincos*]

(08-08-2025, 03:40 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Reds 2025 3 Deadline Additions:
Ke'Bryan Hayes: 5.6 HR per 162 games over the last 2 years
Miguel Andujar: 11.7 HR per 162 games over the last 2 years
Zack Littell: 1.5 HR/9 over the last 2 years (league average is 1.2 in '25 and 1.1 in '24)

Play in GABP... added two guys who don't hit homers and one guy who gives up too many homers.  #RedsFO

- - - - -
Not to bash Littell, he's been a good pitcher. I just worry about him once he has to start in GABP. Much like I worried when Tyler Mahle pitched in GABP (where he had a 5.02 ERA because he gave up 1.9 HR/9 there) despite him being well above average on the road.

Note sure if you looked at the link of smallest ballparks, but at the top is the Rays ballpark, the Trop.
So Littell might actually do a bit better in Cincy than in TB.

Andujar is strictly a platoon/situational player, only being able to hit certain types of pitchers. He was never going to really move the needle because he's not an everyday player.

KBH is interesting, as the team clearly felt the reason they haven't won as much is not because of their hitting (despite having incredibly obvious hot and cold games where they score 5+ runs one night, only to turn around as score 0-2 a couple nights after), but because of some errors or just lack of athletic ability to get into the right defensive spot at 3B.

I do wonder...would it have been better off moving EDLC back to 3B, McLain back to SS, and Lux as the everyday 2B then add a true everyday DH to the lineup instead of KBH at 3B?
I'm not discounting KBH's ability to play defense, as he would be better than EDLC at 3B for sure, but I just don't think that was the biggest glaring problem for why this team isn't at the top of the division.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(08-08-2025, 03:55 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Note sure if you looked at the link of smallest ballparks, but at the top is the Rays ballpark, the Trop.
So Littell might actually do a bit better in Cincy than in TB.

Andujar is strictly a platoon/situational player, only being able to hit certain types of pitchers. He was never going to really move the needle because he's not an everyday player.

KBH is interesting, as the team clearly felt the reason they haven't won as much is not because of their hitting (despite having incredibly obvious hot and cold games where they score 5+ runs one night, only to turn around as score 0-2 a couple nights after), but because of some errors or just lack of athletic ability to get into the right defensive spot at 3B.

I do wonder...would it have been better off moving EDLC back to 3B, McLain back to SS, and Lux as the everyday 2B then add a true everyday DH to the lineup instead of KBH at 3B?
I'm not discounting KBH's ability to play defense, as he would be better than EDLC at 3B for sure, but I just don't think that was the biggest glaring problem for why this team isn't at the top of the division.

I don't trust them as gospel, but they're a good baseline of reference... the Statcast Park Factors last year (because they're not playing there this year due to hurricane damage) has Tropicana Field at 18th in HR Factor at 98, or slightly less likely than average to give up homers. (They had GABP at 1st at 128.)

Yes, yes, 100x yes. Having KBH improves your 3B defense, but it also essentially throws away having the DH, which feels a bit like playing while intentionally handicapping yourself...
-Mike Leake with the Reds: .219/.243/.314/.557
-KBH last 2 years: .234/.279/.292/.572
-Billy Hamilton as a Red: .245/.298/.333/.631 ...and KBH plays 3B which is less a premium spot than CF, and does not bring Hamilton's baserunning value, and Hamilton was still pretty tough to live with in a batting lineup.