Huntsville Headlines 39.058: Black Sox/Phantoms choose team Hitter of Year
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:27 am
By Mark Telander
Black Sox Bulletin
The once and future Chicago Black Sox (still known as the Huntsville Phantoms for a few more weeks) have selected their hitter of the year.
Third baseman Luis González got the nod in what team officials say was a surprisingly tough decision.
Luis González
Which is not to say that González wasn’t deserving. The 9-year BBA veteran put up career-best numbers in virtually every meaningful offensive category:
BA: .336
OBP: .453
SLG: .467
OPS: .851
OPS+: 119
WAR: 3.4
So, why was it a closer decision than you might think? A glance at the team leaderboard shows González at the top of most categories.
Well, the answer is this: Emilio Lugo.
Emilio Lugo
The first baseman misses the leaders list because he platooned this season, facing only right-handed pitchers. As a result, he missed the plate appearance cutoff for the rate stats. Lugo played in 120 games and had 443 PA, compared to González’s 157 games and 647
But if you put the two in head-to-head competition, the left-handed Lugo actually leads González in some interesting categories. Lugo’s .374 WOBA, for instance, led the team, with González second at .361. The story is the same for RC27: Lugo stood at 7.39, with González standing third on the team at 6.80.
In the more conventional stats, Lugo trailed González in BA (.336 to .312) and OBP (.384 to .366). But he led González in SLG (.550 to .467) and OPS (.915 to .851). And, of course, Lugo’s home run production far outstripped González, 24 to 7.
In the end, though, González was the choice: on a truly bad team, he was a shining light, pretty much from wire to wire.
Black Sox management are counting on him in the coming year to lead a young team as it begins play in a new stadium and new city.
As building blocks go, you could do worse.
Black Sox Bulletin
The once and future Chicago Black Sox (still known as the Huntsville Phantoms for a few more weeks) have selected their hitter of the year.
Third baseman Luis González got the nod in what team officials say was a surprisingly tough decision.
Luis González
BA: .336
OBP: .453
SLG: .467
OPS: .851
OPS+: 119
WAR: 3.4
So, why was it a closer decision than you might think? A glance at the team leaderboard shows González at the top of most categories.
Well, the answer is this: Emilio Lugo.
Emilio Lugo
But if you put the two in head-to-head competition, the left-handed Lugo actually leads González in some interesting categories. Lugo’s .374 WOBA, for instance, led the team, with González second at .361. The story is the same for RC27: Lugo stood at 7.39, with González standing third on the team at 6.80.
In the more conventional stats, Lugo trailed González in BA (.336 to .312) and OBP (.384 to .366). But he led González in SLG (.550 to .467) and OPS (.915 to .851). And, of course, Lugo’s home run production far outstripped González, 24 to 7.
In the end, though, González was the choice: on a truly bad team, he was a shining light, pretty much from wire to wire.
Black Sox management are counting on him in the coming year to lead a young team as it begins play in a new stadium and new city.
As building blocks go, you could do worse.