STRIKEOUT RATES

The league average for strikeout rate is 8.10 per nine innings.

That mark is the highest in the history of baseball.

It was the first time in baseball history the mark was over 7.80.

Moreover, the last 5-years have been the five highest K/9 rate in baseball history – and it’s going up each year.

2012: 7.56
2013: 7.57
2014: 7.73
2015: 7.76
2016: 8.10

SWINGING STRIKEOUT RATES

The league average last season was 10.1 percent. That is the highest mark in baseball history. The second highest mark ever was in 2015. It was 9.9 percent.

FIRST PITCH STRIKE RATIO

Since the 2002 season...

There have been only four seasons with a first pitch strike rate over 60 percent. Those four seasons have all been the last four years.

2013: 60.2
2014: 60.6
2015: 60.9
2016: 60.3

STRIKEOUTS – HITTERS

Remember, the league average was 10 percent last season. Here are some hitters that only wish thy were league average.

As you can tell, swinging and missing a ton leads to an awful lot of risk in the batting average category. Makes sense, don’t it?

Let’s take a look at the other end.

A couple of stinkers in there no doubt, but also a whole bunch of solid contributors, no? Note that Iglesias hit .300 in both 2014 and 2015 and that Panik had hit .305 and .312 in those seasons. If those guys had been their “normal” selves last season the list would look pretty impressive.

*** FOR MORE ON STRIKEOUTS SEE STRIKEOUT AND WALK RATES MATTER.