Comments on: Justin Verlander’s MVP Case http://www.dailyfungo.com/2011/08/25/justin-verlanders-mvp-case/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:33:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Rex http://www.dailyfungo.com/2011/08/25/justin-verlanders-mvp-case/comment-page-1/#comment-106273 Rex Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:08:27 +0000 http://www.dailyfungo.com/?p=6563#comment-106273 Consider this: If we think about total batters faced as a pitcher's equivalent to plate appearances then we have the ability to compare pitchers and position players -- at least in terms of opportunities to help or hurt their respective team. Ian Kinsler of Texas currently leads all American League hitters with 643 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Verlander has faced 882 batters in 2011. Apples-to-apples, Verlander faced opposing batters 239 more times than Kinsler faced a pitcher. That's roughly 1.37 times as many chances to help or hurt his club as the most frequent batter in the American League. Consider this: If we think about total batters faced as a pitcher’s equivalent to plate appearances then we have the ability to compare pitchers and position players — at least in terms of opportunities to help or hurt their respective team.

Ian Kinsler of Texas currently leads all American League hitters with 643 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Verlander has faced 882 batters in 2011.

Apples-to-apples, Verlander faced opposing batters 239 more times than Kinsler faced a pitcher. That’s roughly 1.37 times as many chances to help or hurt his club as the most frequent batter in the American League.

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