They say 40 is the new 30.
Well, it seems in baseball, .260 is the new .280.
Batting averages are down all over baseball, and as you guessed it, the averages are also down in fantasy baseball. To have a .277 average and still be the second-best offense in the League was unheard of two years ago. As you’ll see in the chart below, the numbers are drastically different here after about two months of ball.
2011: .287; .277; .271; .270; .263; .258; .257; .257; .255; .255; .253; .246.
2010: .285; .280; .280; .277; .276; .274; .272; .270; .269; .263; .258; .256.
2009: .292; .284; .283; .283; .280; 276; .274; .273; .272; .270; .268; .268.
The worst team in the League offensively in 2009 batted 22 points higher than the worst team this season. Similar gaps can be found at each spot in the standings, which is crazy to see.
The same trend can be seen in the majors. Here, check this out.
Right now in MLB, the Cards lead the majors with a .282 average and the Nats are last with .229. Aside from the Cards, only four other teams are .260 and above. More than half of the majors are batting worse than .250.
In 2010, the first “Year of the Pitcher,” batting averages were from .276 to .236, with 12 teams batting better-than .260.
In 2009, 19 teams were better-than .260, including two in the .280s and four in the .270s.
In 2008, 21 teams were better-than .260, with three teams in the .280s and five in the .270s.
In 2007, 23 teams were better-than .260, with a team batting .290, four batting in the .280s, and eight teams in the .270s.
So, clearly a change is going on in baseball, and it’s going to be tough for fans to handle. The games are still exciting, so it’s not a change in “how much fun” a game will be.
Rather, it’s a change in “how patient fans must be.”
I’m talking about when you see a player on your team batting .260 or .270, you may just want to lay off the boos. Wait until they dip below .240 — you know, Jayson Werth territory — before you jeer.
It’s for that reason that I’m OK with Jimmy Rollins batting .262. It’s far better than his .243 average from a year ago.
Fantasy-wise, seeing these batting averages have to be frustrating — trust me, I know. I was stuck at .240 for a couple weeks, and haven’t had too many big offensive nights.
I’m no longer shocked to come home and check my fantasy roster to see my team batting 2-for-24 or worse. In fact, if I have two hits, I’m impressed. Thankfully, it’s the Year of the Pitcher II and I am one of three teams with an ERA lower than 3.50. I’m also one of 10 teams in the 3s, which is absurd considering what it was like in 2009.
Two years ago, the two best team ERAs in fantasy were 3.54 and 3.59. The rest were higher — much higher — including seven of the 12 teams in the 4s. This year, only two teams are in the 4s and they’re barely there with a 4.00 and 4.04 ERA.
Ah, the “Year of the Pitcher.” Gotta love it.
Well, it seems in baseball, .260 is the new .280.
Batting averages are down all over baseball, and as you guessed it, the averages are also down in fantasy baseball. To have a .277 average and still be the second-best offense in the League was unheard of two years ago. As you’ll see in the chart below, the numbers are drastically different here after about two months of ball.
2011: .287; .277; .271; .270; .263; .258; .257; .257; .255; .255; .253; .246.
2010: .285; .280; .280; .277; .276; .274; .272; .270; .269; .263; .258; .256.
2009: .292; .284; .283; .283; .280; 276; .274; .273; .272; .270; .268; .268.
The worst team in the League offensively in 2009 batted 22 points higher than the worst team this season. Similar gaps can be found at each spot in the standings, which is crazy to see.
The same trend can be seen in the majors. Here, check this out.
Right now in MLB, the Cards lead the majors with a .282 average and the Nats are last with .229. Aside from the Cards, only four other teams are .260 and above. More than half of the majors are batting worse than .250.
In 2010, the first “Year of the Pitcher,” batting averages were from .276 to .236, with 12 teams batting better-than .260.
In 2009, 19 teams were better-than .260, including two in the .280s and four in the .270s.
In 2008, 21 teams were better-than .260, with three teams in the .280s and five in the .270s.
In 2007, 23 teams were better-than .260, with a team batting .290, four batting in the .280s, and eight teams in the .270s.
So, clearly a change is going on in baseball, and it’s going to be tough for fans to handle. The games are still exciting, so it’s not a change in “how much fun” a game will be.
Rather, it’s a change in “how patient fans must be.”
I’m talking about when you see a player on your team batting .260 or .270, you may just want to lay off the boos. Wait until they dip below .240 — you know, Jayson Werth territory — before you jeer.
It’s for that reason that I’m OK with Jimmy Rollins batting .262. It’s far better than his .243 average from a year ago.
Fantasy-wise, seeing these batting averages have to be frustrating — trust me, I know. I was stuck at .240 for a couple weeks, and haven’t had too many big offensive nights.
I’m no longer shocked to come home and check my fantasy roster to see my team batting 2-for-24 or worse. In fact, if I have two hits, I’m impressed. Thankfully, it’s the Year of the Pitcher II and I am one of three teams with an ERA lower than 3.50. I’m also one of 10 teams in the 3s, which is absurd considering what it was like in 2009.
Two years ago, the two best team ERAs in fantasy were 3.54 and 3.59. The rest were higher — much higher — including seven of the 12 teams in the 4s. This year, only two teams are in the 4s and they’re barely there with a 4.00 and 4.04 ERA.
Ah, the “Year of the Pitcher.” Gotta love it.
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