Let me be very clear: This doesn’t matter. What I’m about to indicate you is small pattern measurement theater. It’s not statistically important. It has no bearing on what’s truly going to occur within the World Collection. We’re right here for a enjoyable reality reasonably than a studying alternative. Are all of us in settlement? Okay, then let me present you one thing wild. Listed here are Aaron Decide’s profession numbers in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
These Are Some Humongous Numbers, My Associates
| PA | HR | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | wOBA | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 8 | .389 | .463 | 1.111 | 1.575 | .621 | 312 |
So, uh, yeah. A .389 batting common is nice. A slugging share within the 1000’s is nice. A wRC+ over 300 can also be good. Simply in case you had been questioning how good these numbers are, right here’s a desk that exhibits one of the best profession numbers in opposition to the Dodgers, minimal 40 plate appearances, courtesy of our splits leaderboard.
Splits Leaders In opposition to the Dodgers (Min. 40 PA)
As you might need seen, the leaderboard solely goes again to 2002, so all we are able to say for positive is that Decide’s numbers are one of the best of the previous 22 years. Let’s enterprise over to Stathead, the place we are able to have a look at OPS going all the best way again to 1900. This time, we’ll use a minimal of 30 PAs.
All-Time Dodger Destroyers (Min. 30 PA)
| Participant | From | To | PA | HR | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Decide | 2016 | 2024 | 41 | 8 | .389 | .463 | 1.111 | 1.575 |
| Frank Thomas | 2003 | 2007 | 35 | 4 | .357 | .486 | .857 | 1.343 |
| Nick Johnson | 2005 | 2009 | 60 | 5 | .415 | .483 | .793 | 1.276 |
| Joe Mauer | 2005 | 2017 | 61 | 0 | .529 | .590 | .667 | 1.257 |
| Cody Bellinger | 2023 | 2024 | 58 | 6 | .326 | .466 | .783 | 1.248 |
| Edgar Martínez | 1997 | 2001 | 39 | 1 | .423 | .590 | .654 | 1.244 |
| Tripp Sigman | 1929 | 1930 | 38 | 2 | .438 | .526 | .688 | 1.214 |
| Delmon Younger | 2007 | 2013 | 30 | 1 | .500 | .533 | .643 | 1.176 |
| Brad Fullmer | 1998 | 2003 | 83 | 6 | .356 | .434 | .726 | 1.160 |
| Jimmy Outlaw | 1937 | 1939 | 30 | 0 | .517 | .533 | .621 | 1.154 |
SOURCE: Stathead
So yeah, we are able to actually say that Decide is the best hitter of all time in opposition to the Dodgers, and it’s not remotely shut. We must always nonetheless give a pair main caveats, although. To begin with, the numbers above are only for the common season, as a result of that’s how Stathead’s cut up searches work. Second, there’s a purpose eight of the ten names on this checklist belong to gamers from this century: Again when there have been fewer groups, gamers confronted every workforce much more typically, and numbers like these are unattainable to maintain over a lot of plate appearances (until you’re Gary Sheffield, who by some means had a 1.093 OPS in opposition to the Dodgers over 318 PAs). Decide has solely performed 10 video games in opposition to the Dodgers.
That stated, it’s not like Decide is hanging on by the pores and skin of his tooth right here. He’s bought greater than 230 factors of OPS on the Corridor of Famer in second place! If he had been to strike out six instances in a row the subsequent time he faces the Dodgers within the common season, his OPS would nonetheless high the checklist. I do know that 30 PAs is a small pattern measurement, however Decide would nonetheless be in first place if we dropped the minimal to 25. Or to twenty. Even in the event you drop the minimal to only 15 plate appearances, Decide nonetheless has the best OPS of all time by a margin of practically 100 factors. It’s not like he’s wildly overperforming his peripherals both; within the Statcast period, his .582 xwOBA is the best of any batter, as is his 65.2% hard-hit price (minimal 25 PAs).
As soon as once more, none of this issues. It’s a statistical fluke. The numbers are tiny, and until there’s a sweep, Decide will practically double the pattern measurement through the World Collection. If he comes anyplace near replicating these numbers, it would represent the best World Collection efficiency of all time. The Dodgers pitchers Decide has confronted most frequently are Tyler Glasnow and Joe Kelly, neither of whom shall be enjoying within the World Collection. He’s by no means confronted Jack Flaherty in any respect. Moreover, the Dodgers aren’t even the workforce that Decide has hit one of the best. With a 381 wRC+, he’s additionally the best hitter ever in opposition to the Giants. No surprise they tried so arduous to signal him and his brother Arson.
Over the course of his profession, Decide has a 173 profession wRC+. That’s the third-highest mark in AL/NL historical past, behind Babe Ruth (194) and Ted Williams (187) and simply forward of Bonds. After all one of many biggest hitters within the historical past of the sport goes to be the best in opposition to a few groups. Simply to hammer that time house, Decide got here into the ALDS with a 159 profession wRC+ in opposition to the Guardians, and he ended up going 3-for-18 within the collection. That is no assure of something. But it surely’s fairly enjoyable, proper?
