FanPost

The Decline of Hitting

The overall OPS for major league hitters:
2006 .768
2007 .758
2008 .749
2009 .751
2010 .728
2011 to date: .706

Just so we make sure we are comparing "apples to apples", here are the MLB overall OPS numbers over the last few years just looking at each season's April numbers:
2006: .767
2007: .731
2008: .733
2009: .762
2010: .738
2011: .711 (the MLB OPS for this first week of May has been .683)

The substantial drop has occurred in both the AL and NL. Despite the DH, the AL's OPS so far this season is .707, barely higher than the NL's .705

American League left fielders as a group have an OPS so far this season of .636 (over 1,894 PAs). That's lower than any other position in the AL so far -- lower than the catchers (.659), lower than the shortstops (.643). Come back, Manny, and bring your PEDs! (Credit as always to baseball-reference.com and its marvelous statistical resources.)


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