Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
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Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
Since the New York media is all caught up in bashing A-Rod for lack of clutch hitting, I'm curious: do any disciples of sabermetrics on the Japanese side of the planet have any numbers supporting who are the best and worst hitters in the clutch in NPB play?
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Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: Jingu Bleacher Bum | Posted: Sep 3, 2008 12:23 PM
| YAK Fan
]
I don't have any numbers off hand to support this, but I've always thought that Atsunori Inaba of the Fighters, and formerly Swallows, was an excellent clutch hitter. I can remember several times where he came through with a clutch hit or HR when the team needed one. He also hit a big HR in the Olympics game vs. Canada.
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: PLNara | Posted: Sep 3, 2008 6:16 PM
| HT Fan
]
I don't know about the worst, but Number has the RISP batting avg. rankings for the Pacific League and Central League. Inaba is 3rd in the Pa-League.
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: Deanna | Posted: Sep 4, 2008 12:56 AM
| NIP Fan
]
Oh, interesting. It should be pointed out that those are the numbers for the 2007 season though.
I was going to make a joke about how obviously Shigeo Nagashima is the most clutch batter in Japanese history and we don't need no stinkin' numbers, but... honestly, Inaba is a good call there.
I don't really know about numbers, but the guy who always seems to be coming up with game-winning hits when I least expect it is the Hawks' Hiroshi Shibahara. Alternately, Makoto Kaneko (Fighters) seemed to have this habit for a while of being this 9-spot batter that would come out of nowhere with really important hits.
I was going to make a joke about how obviously Shigeo Nagashima is the most clutch batter in Japanese history and we don't need no stinkin' numbers, but... honestly, Inaba is a good call there.
I don't really know about numbers, but the guy who always seems to be coming up with game-winning hits when I least expect it is the Hawks' Hiroshi Shibahara. Alternately, Makoto Kaneko (Fighters) seemed to have this habit for a while of being this 9-spot batter that would come out of nowhere with really important hits.
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: NipponHam11 | Posted: Sep 5, 2008 7:54 AM
| SFT Fan
]
Kaneko has absolutely killed the Hawks this year, he's always getting hits when the Fighters need them against SoftBank, and he's batting under .130 against them!
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: Shinigami | Posted: Sep 8, 2008 2:49 PM
| FSH Fan
]
Shibahara only seems to do it during the beginning of season though. Every year he seems to have those game winning sayonara (walk-off) home runs day after day in the beginning of the season, then he dies off.
I think Takasu led the league in BA RISP last year? And Kaneko does come up with lots of big hits batting at the no.9 spot.
I think Takasu led the league in BA RISP last year? And Kaneko does come up with lots of big hits batting at the no.9 spot.
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
[ Author: PLNara | Posted: Sep 8, 2008 11:45 PM
| HT Fan
]
- Oh, interesting. It should be pointed out that those are the numbers for the 2007 season though.
Ugh. That's what I get for posting something at 2:14am.
Ugh. That's what I get for posting something at 2:14am.
Re: Best and Worst Clutch Hitters
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