Today's Fun Fact

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 21, 2009 11:17 AM PDT in Seattle Mariners Stats

Information on yesterday's six home runs, via HitTracker.com:

		Impact Due To
Player	Distance	Wind	Temperature	Elevation	Standard Distance
Inge	398	8	1	1	388
Raburn	391	4	1	1	385
Branyan	439	-12	2	2	445
Lopez	392	-3	1	0	393
Sweeney	360	0	2	3	356
Johjima	354	-24	2	2	372

The Sweeney distance comes as no surprise - that thing was weak, and he hit it with a broken bat (of course, if the bat were broken prior to the swing, one wonders how far the ball would've gone with a normal bat instead). The Branyan distance isn't surprising, either, because that's just how Russell Branyan hits his home runs. No, the real shocker here is Kenji Johjima. Like many, I thought his home run looked a little suspect...

"Two were wind-blown and would’ve been outs any other day," Washburn said. "Unfortunately, those still count."

...but if these numbers are to be believed, that fly ball was actually pushed back, rather than pushed out, and by a significant margin.

I had no idea. Kenji really does get the last laugh.

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Atmospheric data: Hit Tracker accounts for all the atmospheric factors that significantly influence the flight of a batted ball: wind, temperature, altitude and spin. Wind speed and direction, temperature and altitude must be specified by the user, based on the conditions at the time of the home run.

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 21, 2009 11:26 AM PDT reply actions

I'm shocked that Washburn would make excuses for his poor performance.

He was so good about manning up for his failures and not blaming them on other teammates or factors outside his control.

by CMC_Stags on Aug 21, 2009 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs

We had only one hit off Washburn that wasn't a homerun.

This was admittedly kinda flukey.

by ThundaPC on Aug 21, 2009 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

We had only extra-base hits.

More, please.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Aug 21, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

There was only 1 hit of 14 balls in play

Also kind of flukey the other way (assuming I’m reading the Fangraphs box-score right).

7 Groundballs + 9 Flyballs + 2 Line drives = 18 total balls hit – 4 home runs = 14 balls in play

Of those 14, only 1 became a hit (Ichiro’s double)

The non home runs (in order): 2B to CF, sac bunt to P, sac fly to CF, ground out to SS, fly out to 3B, ground out 1B, ground out to P, ground out to 2B, ground out to SS, ground out to 2B, foul/fly out to 3B, fly out to RF, lined out to 1B, fly out to SS, and ground out to 1B.

by CMC_Stags on Aug 21, 2009 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions

That really doesn't sound much like an excuse

so much as Washburn’s analysis which he genuinely believes.

I mean, really, Sweeney’s home run was ridiculous, and until I saw this Johjima’s looked to me like it blew out.

Obviously, giving a reason why YOU failed will always technically be an excuse, but really those home runs weren’t major “mistakes” in Jarrod’s mind; they’re the sort of pitches he’s had success with all year.

by Andersean on Aug 21, 2009 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions