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](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6edc6f2f43b7abfacb0fce3edba7fb71bd0df0b487dc950657e46fd4b3435876.jpg)
1986-95: Turning Up The Juice
Scoring increased markedly in 1987 (again, with allegations of a “juiced’ ball, but it may just be that more of the hitters were juiced) and then really spiked after another expansion round in 1993.
At the same time run totals began to spike in the strike and lockout seasons of 1994-95, strikeout rates spiked as well, to a major-league record 5.45 at-bats per strikeout in 1995.
YEAR | R/G | HR | SO | AB/SO |
1986 | 4.41 | 147 | 950 | 5.79 |
1987 | 4.72 | 171 | 965 | 5.74 |
1988 | 4.14 | 122 | 898 | 6.10 |
1989 | 4.13 | 119 | 910 | 6.04 |
1990 | 4.26 | 128 | 917 | 5.99 |
1991 | 4.31 | 130 | 938 | 5.86 |
1992 | 4.12 | 117 | 905 | 6.07 |
1993 | 4.60 | 144 | 940 | 5.89 |
1994* | 4.92 | 118 | 706 | 5.58 |
1995* | 4.85 | 146 | 908 | 5.45 |
*-1994 season shortened by strike in August, 1995 season by lockout in April.
During this decade, 14 players with at least 2,500 plate appearances fanned more than once every four at-bats and two of them—Rob Deer and Bo Jackson—topped the once every three at-bats plateau.
More significant was that it wasn’t just power hitters that were joining the whiff brigade. Outfielder Gary Pettis hit just 14 home runs from 1986-92, but struck out once every 3.85 at-bats.
Interestingly, there aren’t any current Hall of Famers among the top 10 most frequently fanned hitters from 1986-95.
Rk | Player | AB/SO | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rob Deer | 2.8082 | 1039 | 3645 | 542 | 810 | 140 | 12 | 215 | 568 | 531 | 1298 | .222 | .325 | .444 |
2 | Bo Jackson | 2.8454 | 694 | 2393 | 341 | 598 | 86 | 14 | 141 | 415 | 200 | 841 | .250 | .309 | .474 |
3 | Pete Incaviglia | 3.3101 | 1100 | 3747 | 490 | 929 | 180 | 19 | 183 | 591 | 317 | 1132 | .248 | .310 | .453 |
4 | Jack Clark | 3.3551 | 824 | 2674 | 450 | 668 | 109 | 6 | 155 | 498 | 682 | 797 | .250 | .401 | .469 |
5 | Mickey Tettleton | 3.5955 | 1214 | 3876 | 595 | 934 | 169 | 14 | 214 | 625 | 812 | 1078 | .241 | .373 | .457 |
6 | Danny Tartabull | 3.6694 | 1242 | 4451 | 685 | 1220 | 258 | 18 | 232 | 810 | 690 | 1213 | .274 | .371 | .497 |
7 | Cory Snyder | 3.6855 | 1068 | 3656 | 439 | 902 | 178 | 13 | 149 | 488 | 226 | 992 | .247 | .291 | .425 |
8 | Jose Canseco | 3.7338 | 1216 | 4615 | 780 | 1246 | 226 | 12 | 295 | 938 | 556 | 1236 | .270 | .352 | .516 |
9 | Jay Buhner | 3.7657 | 875 | 2990 | 462 | 769 | 146 | 16 | 169 | 548 | 415 | 794 | .257 | .350 | .486 |
10 | Jesse Barfield | 3.7693 | 871 | 3023 | 451 | 755 | 139 | 13 | 153 | 448 | 382 | 802 | .250 | .336 | .456 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2014.
The home run leader for this 10-year period might be a bit of a surprise, as well. Joe Carter clubbed 299 homers and struck out once every 6.19 at-bats. Eddie Murray is the lone member of this era’s top 10 to strike out less than once every seven at-bats, checking in with a rate of 8.01.
The all-time home run leader, Barry Bonds, had 292 homers from 1986-95 (third in the period) and had a strikeout rate of one in every 6.31 at-bats.