Player's change in batting order = more HR's?? (Roger Maris)

What matters is who protects him and where they hit… Leadoff gets a dude the most ABs but he’ll have less runners on base and guaranteed none for his first at bat.

Hence why HR hitters usually bat 3rd or cleanup

Spot in the batting order shouldn't matter but it can affect players mentally. Alfonso Soriano famously struggled with the Rangers when Buck Showalter had him hitting third and fifth in the lineup instead of leadoff. The Rangers end up trading Soriano to the Nationals who move him back to the leadoff spot and he became really good again, having the best season of his career.

quote:

---

But why? It's still him vs. the pitcher. Is it a psychological thing??

---

There are some reasons.

The simplest, if you move up in the lineup you get more at bats, more chances for home runs.

But if you are moved ahead of a really good player, then the pitcher loses the ability to try to pitch around you a bit more and hoping you may chase a pitch here and there but they're ok with a walk. They can't do that if an elite hitter is behind you so you likely get more pitches to hit.

But all that being said, it could also be totally random. Like in your OP, Maris going from 39 to 61 HRs. Sure, it could have had a little to do with a move in the lineup, but not to the tune of 22 additional HRs. It was more so just coincidental that he had his best season with that move in the lineup.

Its not the order that matters so much as the guy hitting behind you gives you protection. In other words, they cant pitch around a good hitter as much(not wanting to walk him), knowing another good hitter is coming up next. So he will see more strikes, and maybe more fastballs.

Early in the season was mantle 3rd and Maris 4th, but changed to Maris 3rd and Mantle 4th. So maybe Houk thought Maris benefited more from the protection than Mantle, or that Mantle offered more protection.

If you have a stud behind you, you will see more strikes. Generally, especially at that time, it meant you would see far more fastballs. If you have someone crappy behind you, they’ll just throw you crap/balls and see if you swing. They don’t care if you walk. So having Mantle behind Maris meant Maris would see easier pitches to hit. Last thing they’d want to do is walk someone before Mantle.

quote:

---

Wasn't 1961 also an expansion year?

---

Yes. Angels and new Senators started in 1961.

Mets and Colt .45s started in 1962.

quote:

---

Early in the season was mantle 3rd and Maris 4th, but changed to Maris 3rd and Mantle 4th. So maybe Houk thought Maris benefited more from the protection than Mantle, or that Mantle offered more protection.

---

Yup. exactly what happened.

quote:

---

If you have a stud behind you, you will see more strikes. Generally, especially at that time, it meant you would see far more fastballs.

---

Look at that era and how many homerun hitters had another homerun hitter protecting them.

Aaron-Matthews
Gehrig-Ruth
Mays-McCovey
Banks-Williams
Maris-Mantle


All but Maris is in the HOF, most are in the 500 HR club

quote:

---

The traditional thinking of having protection in the lineup by the guy hitting behind you doesn't bear out in the numbers. The guy hitting in front of you has a larger effect.

---

I remember a game where Sparky Anderson had his pitcher walk Will Clark to load the bases with Juan Gonzales coming up behind him. Juando hit a walk-off grand slam. Because it was pretty early in Gonzales' Ranger career, he was already batting clean up, but Sparky thought he wouldn't handle the pressure as well as Clark.

That's the kind of thing I think about when it comes to changing batting orders.