Stats Are Fun

Issue: Didn't you already do an "Odd Stat of the Week?"

Short Answer: I did, but...

Reasoning: Sometimes I see stats that completely boggle my mind.  Stats that seemingly cannot be explained.  That is the main reason I started the "Odd Stat of the Week."  Oh, that, and my brother told me it might be a cool idea.  So, I ran with it.  I try to pick out one stat that makes me go "huh?" and pass it along to you, my readers (I am almost sure there is more than one of you out there by now).  But, this week, I have seen quite a few stats that have baffled me, including Raul Ibanez's slump, which I wrote about here.  Let's take a look at a few:

1. Joey Votto, on May 3, popped up to deep 2nd base - his first pop-out since 2009 - I haven't seen an actual stat that proves this to me.  However, I heard Jim Day, on the Reds' post game show, say this exact stat.  I also saw it in the Reds recap on Reds.com here.  Funny thing is, the stat is so awesome that I don't care.  I want to believe it.  But, I went to law school, so I know I have to do at least a little research (whether actual lawyers do or not).  I found a link from Rob Neyer at ESPN.com (it was written September 7, 2010) detailing how unbelievable this stat actually is.  From 2008-2010 Votto's IFFB % (infield fly ball, which is defined by FanGraphs.com as a fly ball caught within 140 feet of home plate) was 0.6%.  Yes, that is less than 1%.  Votto had 5 pop-ups in 2008, 2 in 2009, and 0 in 2010.  Well, how does that compare with some other hitters you may have heard of?  From 2008-2010 Albert Pujols hit an IFFB every 19 at-bats, Prince Fielder every 21 at-bats, Miguel Cabrera every 25 at-bats, and Adrian Gonzalez every 38 at-bats.  Joey Votto hits an IFFB every 167 at-bats.  The craziest thing about this stat: Votto is not the best.  Over the same time span, Ryan Howard hit an IFFB every 202 at-bats.  Howard has hit an IFFB only 15 times in his entire career.  And yes, major league hitters just don't pop-up that much.  In 2010, Skip Schumaker hit only one, Ryan Howard two, and Derek Lee two.  Votto, however, had zero all of 2010, which is just ridiculous.
2. Atlanta Hawks, on May 2, win their first conference semifinal game since 1997 - This stat, at first glance, seems a bit innocuous.  I mean, how often do the Hawks actually reach the conference semis?  Turns out, more than you may think.  In fact, the Hawks reached the ECS in 2010, where they were swept by the Orlando Magic.  They also made the ECS in 2009 (tells you how much I watch the NBA) where they were again swept, this time by the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Before that, the last time the Hawks made the ECS was 1999 (I knew they used to stink) where they squared off against the New York Knicks (this was a long time ago).  The Hawks were swept then too.  To 1997 we go!  The Hawks met up with the Chicago Bulls (the team they are playing this year too) in the ECS in 1997.  The Hawks were beaten 4-1 in the series.  However, that one game they won (game 2 of the series) would be their last win in the ECS until Monday night.  Their 15-game losing streak in the ECS was the longest losing streak in the conference semis in NBA history.  And now they are down 2-1 to Derrick Rose and the Bulls.  Better luck next year.
3. Reds pitcher Travis Wood has allowed exactly one stolen base in 24 career starts - I am a baseball guy (and a Reds guy, if you haven't figured that out yet).  I understand that left-handed pitchers have a distinct advantage in shutting down opponents' running games.  Yet, I have also seen left-handed pitchers who have terrible moves, basically wasting one of the best tools in baseball.  It's kind of like a speedster who can't/won't steal bases.  You can't teach speed and you can't teach being left-handed.  Travis Wood has taken full-advantage of being left-handed and it not only helps him, it helps the Reds (when he doesn't get rocked).  The reason this stat came up was because in Woods' last start against the Astros, he picked Jason Bourgeois off first base (the Astros Michael Bourne (13) and Bourgeois (12) are actually 1-2 in MLB in stolen bases).  The craziest part of the stat isn't that Wood has only allowed one stolen base, it's that there have only been 3 attempts off him.  In 17 starts in 2010, not one single runner attempted a stolen base.  In 7 starts in 2011, there have been three attempts, and only one (the Cardinals' Colby Rasmus on April 23) has been successful.  Now if Wood would just stop giving up runs and losing games.

Some crazy stuff there.  And just remember, these crazy stats all happened this week.  I'm sure there are more out there, but I have limited time and limited brain capacity, so, deal with it.