Strikeouts

Braves fans will continuously deride the team’s high strikeout total this season, without even discounting when pitchers punched out. They fail to realize, or conveniently forget, that most other teams are in the same boat. Last year the Braves ranked in the bottom third in striking out. Sports Illustrated recently published an article on how strikeouts are more meaningless in today’s game than ever before. They projected each team’s eight starting player’s strikeout total for the year. With time on my hands over Easter weekend, I made a team-by-team comparison:

1119 Indians

1066 Nationals

1001 Mariners

973 Braves

957 White Sox

916 Astros

911 Angels

905 Red Sox

This off-season the Indians signed free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, two outfielders with high strikeout totals. Throughout the winter Braves fans called for Frank Wren to sign both. Here are SI’s projected strikeout totals for some of the worst offenders, plus all eight Braves regulars:

203 Adam Dunn, White Sox

180 Mark Reynolds, Indians

177 Ryan Howard, Phillies

172 G Stanton, Marlins

175 Dan Uggla, Braves

171 Carlos Pena, Astros

168 Pedro Alvarez, Pirates

167 Chris Davis, Orioles

161 Drew Stubbs, Indians

161 Austin Jackson, Tigers leadoff hitter

159 Tyler Flowers, CWS (former Brave)

159 Kelly Johnson, former Brave

155 BJ Upton, Braves

153 Jay Bruce, Reds

152 Matt Kemp, Dodgers

151 Tori Hunter, Tigers

151 Rickie Weeks, Brewers

145 Mike Trout, Angels

143 Nick Swisher, Indians

142 Michael Bourn, CLE (former Brave)

142 Hunter Pence, Giants

140 Dexter Fowler, Rockies

132 Bryce Harper, Nats

132 David Wright, Mets

130 Curtis Granderson, Yankees

129 Jason Heyward, Braves

123 Justin Upton, Braves

122 Chris Johnson, Braves

121 Freddie Freeman, Braves

114 Jeff Francoeur, Royals

84 Brian McCann, Braves

64 Andrelton Simmons, Braves