Another article from Baseball Prospectus

[Fishbone]

As you can tell this is one of my favorite websites. Be sure to check out the links within the page:

No such thing as a clutch hitter

[Reggie Cleveland]

I'm pretty sure that there exists an article, with complete statistical backup, for every possible view that one could have on any baseball question.

[TTB]

they are wrong

[Fishbone]

I think there is some merit to it. Who in today's game would you describe as a clutch hitter? So much of it is based on perception and the media hype, see Tim McCarver and his manlove for Derek Jeter, that we tend to exaggerate when the supposed clutch hitters come through, and minimize whenever they don't. I think what is more likely is that there are players who cave in under pressure, but there isn't one player who comes to mind who can transcend his typical abilities and take his game to another level.

[Reggie Cleveland]

but there isn't one player who comes to mind who can transcend his typical abilities and take his game to another level.

Maybe we're looking at it backwards. Maybe the clutch players are those who can MAINTAIN their typical abilities under intense pressure.

[TTB]

Edgar Renteria comes thru in the clutch...time after time.

[TTB]

Originally posted by ReggieCleveland@Mar 10 2004, 08:24 PM

but there isn't one player who comes to mind who can transcend his typical abilities and take his game to another level.

Maybe we're looking at it backwards. Maybe the clutch players are those who can MAINTAIN their typical abilities under intense pressure.

Bingo

[moedrabowsky]

Emotion isn't being factored into the equation.

Certain guys do perform better when the pressure's on.

Ivan Rodriguez didn't hit like that all season, but he was definitely at his best when there was the most pressure -- internally, externally and situationally.

[Reggie Cleveland]

How do you explain a hitter with a better average with RISP than with the bases empty? Obviously, you see better pitches with men on base, but I look at someone like Pedro Gurerro in 1989, who hit something like .413 with RISP. That's just not an accident.

[TTB]

Originally posted by ReggieCleveland@Mar 10 2004, 08:29 PM
How do you explain a hitter with a better average with RISP than with the bases empty? Obviously, you see better pitches with men on base, but I look at someone like Pedro Gurerro in 1989, who hit something like .413 with RISP. That's just not an accident.

Exactly

[Fishbone]

Originally posted by ReggieCleveland@Mar 10 2004, 08:29 PM
How do you explain a hitter with a better average with RISP than with the bases empty? Obviously, you see better pitches with men on base, but I look at someone like Pedro Gurerro in 1989, who hit something like .413 with RISP. That's just not an accident.

But I think their argument is that that is just a stastical anomaly, and that he is just as likely to hit 250 with guys in the same situation the next year. Like I said, I think that the reputation of a clutch hitter is largely based on perception. We think of Edgar and his 97 gamewinning RBI in the WS. Whenever he does have a "clutch" hit, we recognize it and remember what he did. Thus, his reputation of a clutch hitter is born. If he doesn't come through, then we subconsciously overlook his failure and only remember when he did come through. Take a look at his splits from last year:

Edgar;s splits

[Fishbone]

Here is another example of Pujols in "close and late" situations in 2003 v. 2002. Look at the gap in the OPS, it's 400 points. Did he suddenly become clutch in the 2002 offseason. Doubtful.

Pujols in "close and late" in 2002

vs.

Pujols in "close and late" in 2003

edit: it's at the very bottom of the screen.

[TTB]

No Sale IU but you of course are feee to believe what you wish.

[kah2523]

Did he suddenly become clutch in the 2002 offseason.

Not when he whiffed with Fernando on 3rd and one out in the 9th inning of Game 4.

[moedrabowsky]

I think sometimes the so-called seamheads get so infatutated with numbers, they forget to watch the game.