Ozuna unlucky
Posted: September 8 19, 10:47 am
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-s-unluckie ... rs-in-2019
They should really re-sign Ozuna. He could be that Holliday-type of presence in the lineup for quite a while.
Statcast defines a hard-hit ball as 95 mph or greater off the bat. When MLB hitters reach that exit velocity threshold, they bat .541. A hard-hit ball is a hit more than half the time. Well, not for these guys.
Highest % of outs on hard contact in 2019
Of 168 hitters with 100+ hard-hit balls
1) Lorenzo Cain (MIL): 61.0%
2) Brandon Belt (SF): 57.5%
3) Alex Gordon (KC): 56.1%
4) Rougned Odor (TEX): 55.0%
5) Marcell Ozuna (STL): 54.8%
Largest "unlucky" gaps between xwOBA and wOBA in 2019
Of 130 hitters with 450 PA
1) Justin Smoak (TOR): 43 points -- .374 xwOBA | .331 wOBA
2-T) Lorenzo Cain (MIL): 37 points -- .335 xwOBA | .298 wOBA
2-T) C.J. Cron (MIN): 37 points -- .375 xwOBA | .338 wOBA
4) Marcell Ozuna (STL): 34 points -- .382 xwOBA | .348 wOBA
5) Khris Davis (OAK): 30 points -- .312 xwOBA | .282 wOBA
MLB wOBA: .325
Ozuna might be the most interesting. His stat sheet numbers are good by themselves. But his expected stats put him right around the top 10% of hitters. Ozuna is ripping the ball. His 91.9 mph average exit velocity is stellar, higher than nearly all MLB regulars. His 50.5% hard-hit rate is elite, ranking in the top 5. Those numbers at least bode well for the Cardinals, who are hunting a National League Central title and a postseason run.
They should really re-sign Ozuna. He could be that Holliday-type of presence in the lineup for quite a while.