The Boston Red Sox currently hold a 5-0 edge in the head to head matchup against the New York Yankees. In addition over the past few seasons there current roster always seems to step up their game against the Yanks. Is this just perception as an angry Yankee fan or is it reality? Hint it's reality.
Let's take a look at the three most notable percentage statistics in MLB: Batting Average, On Base % and Slugging %. I'm going to ignore shortstop because that's ever changing, JD Drew is the one player on the Sox with absolutely horrendous numbers against the Yankees cause he's a choke, and I'm not going to use Varitek because his numbers are very similar between the Yanks and his career numbers (more power less average and OB%). Therefore I'm focusing on the Red Sox we've grown to despise: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Bay and Lowell.
The most noticeable of all those stats to me is the vast improvement of averages by both Ellsbury and Pedroia against the Yankees. They are the 1+2 punch at the top of the order. They get things going for the new version of the Boston Red Sox, and them getting on base at such a higher clip naturally leads to more runs for the Sox.
The second stats of note is that in limited time against the Yanks, Jason Bay morphs into Albert F'n Pujols. His OPS is well above 1.000, he does everthing much better against the Yanks than he has in his career.
All the stats are right there in front of your face, if you're a Yankee fan and wondering why your team keeps on losing to its hated rival, its because the best players on the other squad step up in the big spot and your player most likely doesn't.
Let's take a look at the three most notable percentage statistics in MLB: Batting Average, On Base % and Slugging %. I'm going to ignore shortstop because that's ever changing, JD Drew is the one player on the Sox with absolutely horrendous numbers against the Yankees cause he's a choke, and I'm not going to use Varitek because his numbers are very similar between the Yanks and his career numbers (more power less average and OB%). Therefore I'm focusing on the Red Sox we've grown to despise: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Bay and Lowell.
Batting Averages = Way Way Way Higher
Slugging = 4 out of 6 Much Higher, Other 2 Barely Lower
On Base % = Everybody Is Getting On Way More
The most noticeable of all those stats to me is the vast improvement of averages by both Ellsbury and Pedroia against the Yankees. They are the 1+2 punch at the top of the order. They get things going for the new version of the Boston Red Sox, and them getting on base at such a higher clip naturally leads to more runs for the Sox.
The second stats of note is that in limited time against the Yanks, Jason Bay morphs into Albert F'n Pujols. His OPS is well above 1.000, he does everthing much better against the Yanks than he has in his career.
All the stats are right there in front of your face, if you're a Yankee fan and wondering why your team keeps on losing to its hated rival, its because the best players on the other squad step up in the big spot and your player most likely doesn't.
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