Well, he is hitting around .370, so on average he gets a hit only 37% of the time. That means he makes an out 63% of the times that he is not walked. That's one reason most clubs pitch to him unless there are runners in scoring position or a home run could decide the outcome of the game.
I would pitch to him normally, but around him in key situations. Bonds is dangerous, but the hitters behind him are scorching the ball - and that's a free RBI for them with a runner on. Of course, late in the game I wouldn't give him anything to hit - let him take his free base. Of course - the first free base I give him would be a fastball in the ribs - just to set the tone.
Where does Bonds hit the ball the worst? Down and away - I'm just guessing?? Just pitch him there consistently, maybe you'll get him to swing at a few - the key is to not get excited if you have him down 0-2 or 1-2 and give him something "decent" to hit.
Personally for me its definitely situational ... With 2 outs and a base open, I would walk him just about every time. With 0 or 1 out, I only walk him if there are runners in scoring position. If no one is on base then I think walking him is a waste. You're automatically giving him a single. The next guy sacrifices him over, and all they need is a single to score him after that. That means that he scores probably 20-30% of the time if you walk him with 1 out or less. Bonds hits a homer 12-13% of his ABs, and that is why I think it is better to just go ahead and pitch to him (very carefully giving him only marginal strikes to see at best).
Dierker's theory is a fallacy. He says that you should walk Bonds every time, basically, because then he'd compile a 1.000 OPS instead of a 1.400 or whatever ungodly number he's at now. It's false, though, because OPS isn't a true statistical indicator. OBP is far more statistically significant than Slugging. The downside of increasing Bonds' OBP outweighs the upside of reducing his slugging percentage. If it was me, I'd pitch to Bonds every time he came to the plate when there were no men on base, and walk him with men on.
As far as pitchers. I would like to see how Barry hit: Doug Jones: His lobs might be tough to hit for Barry. Then again, Barry can sit back on a slow pictch. Would be sometihng different tho'. Juan Agosto: had the type of motion that could be diffcult for Bonds. Anybody got those stats?
Bonds versus astros this year: Oliver .313 Miller .462 3 hr, 4bb Miceli .250, 4k in 8 ab Springer .167 Duckworth .200 Redding .250 Oswalt 1.000 1 hr Clemens .714, 4bb Pettite .333 Backe .000 Munro .000 Wheeler .000 vs. Stros 61 AB 19 H 7 HR 13 rbi 18 bb .311 ba 1.275 ops
I think we have to see first how J.T Snow is hitting. The guy is on fire. If we can Shut him down, we can walk Bonds everytime.
Earlier in the season, I looked at Bonds's ability to hit himself in versus the ability of teammates ability to hit him in when on first base. My conclusions at the time. two outs:walk unless bases loaded easily one out: walk unless runners at first and second, first and third, or juiced. no outs: walk if first base empty
At the beginning of this year people seem to have the concensus that it's better to walk Bonds than pitch to him. However, juding by the Giants' record this season, that strategy may have backfired. Barry is having one of his best hitting seasons (percentage wise) because he knows that people will tend to walk him on purpose and hence doesn't swing at anything out of zone.
BTW, Bonds just showed how much of an azz he is...Backe wasn't trying to hit him, it just got away and Bonds made a big deal of it...
I guess you didn't notice that he got hit on his previous AB... he also had a couple pitches that almost hit him... really an accident?
