Why are the Royals, Twins, Red Sox, Orioles, and Rangers above .500?

AL Teams Batting Average and BA w/RISP

I can't help be fascinated with the differential between team batting average and team average with runners in scoring position as an indicator of team success.

AL teams are hitting .251 overall and .251 with runners in scoring position 

It stands to reason then that the teams that are succeeding this young season are the ones with the highest positive differential between the two figures.

As you mouse over the teams, you can see that in terms of batting, the team closest to the average is Houston. Remember, this only takes into account batting and clearly the 5-13 Astros have problems that far exceed their ability to hit with runners in scoring position.

When you look at the Kansas City Royals numbers you can see why they are a first place team. Their batting avg. is fifth best in the league, but their abilty to hit with runners in scoring position is the best in the AL and  at +55 points, you can see a reason for their success.

Look at the Twins, and you can see a reason for their surprising early success. They have a +49 point differential. The Red Sox have a +35 which has brought them success when paired with their strong pitching.

Wonder why the Tigers with their great bats are off to a rocky start? How about hitting 42 points lower with runners in scoring position as an answer? 

The Angels have the highest batting average in the league at .280, but are only hitting .223 w/RISP. This puts them in the bottom four in the league.

But no team is exhibiting worse timely hitting than the White Sox

Chicago, like Toronto, is not hitting well overall, both at .232. But as bad as the Jays are hitting with RISP at .200, that is robust compared to the White Sox at .170, a -62 differential.

Unless, and until, those two teams narrow the gap, the liklihood of even reaching .500 this season remains remote.

In the meantime, as the Royals, Twins, Red Sox, Orioles, and Rangers continue to hit well with runners in scoring position, we will see them above .500 and challenging in their respective divisions.

Pierzynski Punishing Lower-Half Pitches

A.J. Pierzynski has been a surly metronome behind the plate for the White Sox since 2005, averaging around 10-15 homers per season with a slugging percentage in the low .400s. But A.J.'s power, pretty good given his punishing defensive position, appeared to be on the wane as he entered his mid-30s. Pierzynski popped just eight home runs in 2011, his lowest total since he was a Minnesota Twin back in 2002.

Instead of falling further into the offensive abyss like so many others who spend a decade-plus squatting in the majors, Pierzynski has turned in a career year at age 35. He leads all backstops in home runs (26) and trails just Buster Posey in slugging (.528). Pierzynski is enjoying a late-career power surge by blasting lower-half pitches.

Last season, Pierzynski was pretty ordinary against pitches thrown to the lower half of the strike zone. He killed pitches tossed low-and-in and those that caught the middle of the plate, but his overall slugging percentage on lower-half offerings (.394) was well south of the MLB average (.420).

Pierzynski's slugging percentage vs. lower-half pitches, 2011

This year, he's making Hawk Harrelson swoon when pitchers give him something at or below the belt:

Pierzynski's slugging percentage vs. lower-half pitches, 2012

Pierzynski's .560 slugging percentage vs. lower-half pitches places fifth among MLB hitters, trailing just Mike Trout (.608), Adrian Beltre (.586), Edwin Encarnacion (.578) and Melky Cabrera (.567). Seventeen of his 26 bombs have come on pitches thrown to the middle or low portion of the plate, just one shy of matching his homer total in that area from 2009-11 combined. It's almost enough to make A.J. crack a smile. Almost.

Youk Slugging On the South Side

With no farm system to speak of, White Sox GM Kenny Williams has repeatedly gambled by acquiring high-priced veterans with question marks in trades. While some of those moves blew up like Wile E. Coyote ACME bombs last season, the likes of Alex Rios, Jake Peavy, Francisco Liriano and Kevin Youkilis have propelled the White Sox to the top of the AL Central standings in 2012. Youkilis, whose bat was on life support in Boston, has rediscovered his power stroke on the South Side.

The 33-year-old, who slugged just .377 and had an 84 OPS+ in 165 PA with the Red Sox, was shipped to the White Sox in late June for Zach Stewart, since-DFA'd Brent Lillibridge and cash. In Chicago, Youk has slugged .512 and has a 138 OPS+ in 150 PA. With the Red Sox, he only hurt pitchers occasionally on high-and-away offerings:

Youkilis' slugging percentage by pitch location with Boston, 2012

But since the swap, Youkilis has drilled just about everything thrown high in the strike zone:

Youkilis' slugging percentage by pitch location with White Sox, 2012

Youkilis has tapped into his power by hitting more fly balls (28.3% in Boston, 44.4% in Chicago). Those flies are traveling farther, too: an average of 275 feet with the White Sox, up from 262 feet with the Red Sox (the MLB average is about 269 feet).

While Youkilis is currently pushing the White Sox toward a playoff spot, Williams can also retain him next year by picking up a $13 million club option ($1 million buyout). Youkilis will have to keep raking and avoid the back ailments that felled him in Boston for that to happen. But Chicago doesn't have an in-house option after Brent Morel's own offense collapse and back issues, the club's still fallow-farm system makes a trade for an impact player unlikely, and it's slim pickings on the free agent market.

Give Williams credit. Sure, his moves occasionally blow up in his face. But, unlike that aimless Coyote, Williams looks poised to catch his Road Runner.