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MLB: Strikeouts at record pace for 9th straight year

By Phil Watson

Among hitters qualified for the batting title, no one strikes out more frequently this year than Adam Dunn of the Chicago White Sox, once every 2.6 at-bats. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Among hitters qualified for the batting title, no one strikes out more frequently this year than Adam Dunn of the Chicago White Sox, once every 2.6 at-bats. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Gorman Thomas' prodigious power made him a fan favorite in Milwaukee in the early 1980s, but he didn't make a lot of contact.
Gorman Thomas’ prodigious power made him a fan favorite in Milwaukee in the early 1980s, but he didn’t make a lot of contact. /

1976-85: Strikes And Strikeouts

Another round of expansion (and rumors of a rabbit ball) jumped team scoring from 3.99 runs a game in 1976 to 4.47 in 1977 as the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays joined the American League.

Strikeout rates climbed back above seven per at-bat as the 1970s turned into the 1980s, but after a strike wiped out roughly a third of the 1981 season, the rate began to spiral again, all the way to 6.37 at-bats per K by 1985, the worst level of contact since 1972.

YEAR R/G HR SO AB/SO
1976 3.99 93 781 7.02
1977 4.47 140 835 6.63
1978 4.10 114 771 7.06
1979 4.46 132 771 7.13
1980 4.29 119 777 7.13
1981* 4.00 69 509 7.14
1982 4.30 130 816 6.79
1983 4.31 127 835 6.61
1984 4.26 125 865 6.39
1985 4.33 139 864 6.37

*–1991 season was shortened by players’ strike in June.

Only three players were below the four at-bats per strikeout line from 1976-85, noted free swingers Gorman Thomas, Reggie Jackson and Dave Kingman.

The distribution of talent in the top 10 was similar to the previous decade—two Hall of Famers (Jackson, Mike Schmidt), only two non All-Stars (Butch Hobson, Jerry Martin).

Rk Player AB/SO G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG
1 Gorman Thomas 3.6508 1137 3921 576 908 181 9 238 696 586 1074 .232 .331 .464
2 Reggie Jackson 3.7890 1342 4759 730 1255 217 20 276 868 650 1256 .264 .354 .492
3 Dave Kingman 3.9211 1254 4372 589 1063 144 15 294 811 403 1115 .243 .309 .485
4 Bobby Bonds 4.0844 690 2467 400 637 88 21 114 387 325 604 .258 .345 .450
5 Tony Armas 4.1800 1103 4088 502 1022 153 31 213 669 206 978 .250 .285 .459
6 Gene Tenace 4.2632 878 2349 348 561 109 14 102 351 590 551 .239 .399 .427
7 Mike Schmidt 4.3736 1482 5209 1004 1415 250 46 365 1007 991 1191 .272 .388 .548
8 Greg Luzinski 4.4012 1228 4322 611 1170 228 11 216 780 619 982 .271 .366 .478
9 Butch Hobson 4.5009 736 2552 314 633 107 23 98 397 183 567 .248 .297 .423
10 Jerry Martin 4.5660 948 2525 320 639 122 16 83 333 195 553 .253 .308 .413

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2014.

Schmidt led the era in homers with 365 but also struck out at a high rate. Jim Rice had 308 homers in the 10-year period and struck out once in every 5.84 at-bats.

Among the top 10 home run hitters from 1976-85, only Dave Winfield (7.56) and Eddie Murray (7.12) had strikeout rates better than one K every seven at-bats.

Times, they were a-changin’.

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