Justin Turner is giving batting average new life
Batting average isn’t the end all anymore when it comes to evaluating the kind of season a player is having but it is can still catch the fans imagination when a player flirts with the magic .400 season.
Justin Turner is still at .387, and as the calendar turns to late June he could set a few LAD records. That batting average would currently be the best in LAD history for a first half break. Mike Piazza and Tommy Davis had to be on this list. I had forgotten about the great start Nomar had in 2006. Seeing Manny Mota with a high batting average is no surprise, seeing him with over 200 plate appearances in the first half is. 1971 was the year of the 3Dog.
The table below uses 200 plate appearances as the cut off point.
Player Split Year BA PA H 2B 3B HR RBI OPS Justin Turner 1st Half 2017 .387 210 70 14 0 5 27 1.011 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1996 .363 336 109 6 0 24 63 1.055 Nomar Garciaparra 1st Half 2006 .358 303 96 24 1 11 53 1.004 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1997 .357 342 107 19 0 16 51 1.004 Tommy Davis 1st Half 1962 .353 380 126 15 8 15 90 .949 Manny Mota 1st Half 1973 .351 234 73 7 2 0 20 .806 Willie Davis 1st Half 1971 .350 376 126 25 8 3 45 .852
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
I’m sure you are now wondering how many LAD had an OPS over 1.000 in the first half. I sure was.
No surprise to see the trading partners Gary Sheffield and Mike Piazza at the top. Nor is it any shock to see the greatest offensive Dodger of all-time Cody Bellinger on the list. Piazza did the trick twice. One of my favorite all-time Dodgers Reggie Smith is right there. Wally Moon and his moon shots were flying out plenty in 1961.
Player Split Year OPS PA 2B HR RBI BA OBP SLG Gary Sheffield 1st Half 2000 1.093 368 11 27 71 .334 .440 .652 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1996 1.055 336 6 24 63 .363 .432 .623 Reggie Smith 1st Half 1977 1.021 352 18 17 53 .307 .436 .585 Wally Moon 1st Half 1961 1.020 296 11 14 46 .333 .449 .571 Justin Turner 1st Half 2017 1.011 210 14 5 27 .387 .464 .547 Cody Bellinger 1st Half 2017 1.009 227 12 22 49 .271 .344 .665 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1997 1.004 342 19 16 51 .357 .424 .580 Nomar Garciaparra 1st Half 2006 1.004 303 24 11 53 .358 .426 .578
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
- Posted in: 2017 Dodgers ♦ Uncategorized
- Tagged: Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Manny Mota, Mike Piazza, Nomar Garciaparra, Reggie Smith, Tommy Davis, Wally Moon, Willie Davis
Love the names on this list.
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