Fansided

MLB: Strikeouts at record pace for 9th straight year

ByPhil 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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Rob Deer was a hit-or-miss proposition at the plate in the late 1980s and early 1990s ... mostly miss.
Rob Deer was a hit-or-miss proposition at the plate in the late 1980s and early 1990s … mostly miss.

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.

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