More Balls

Over the last two seasons in Florida, Mike Jacobs registered walk rates of 6.8 and 7.0%. This season (coming into the first game in Anaheim), Jacobs BB% is 9.6% leading to a rise in OBP to .333. Remember, his OBP last season was .299, which was admittedly that OBP was tainted by his absurdly low BABIP of .264--a career low by .035.

Coming into their loss in Anaheim, Jose Guillen's BB% on the season was 12.7%. This stands out in a career full of seasons that peaked at 6.5%. He walked again tonight, which certainly does not hurt his walk rate. Obviously, the sample size of his statistics this season are smaller than the rest of the Royals as he spent 15 days on the DL, but his OBP through the first 29 Royals games (he has played in 16) was .409. While his average of .291 is by no means aberrant in relation to some of Guillen's other standout seasons and his BABIP (.295) is within the parameters of his career numbers, his OBP is more than .050 points higher than his three best seasons in the mid-.350s.

Coco Crisp has been incredibly unlucky with a BABIP of .258 thus far. His ISO is .210, he's fast, but his average sits at .234. Regardless of his low average, his OBP is .367. It would stand to reason that this will come up as some of those hit balls start to drop and his BABIP corrects itself. His OBP is driven up, of course, by his BB% of 16.7 heading into action Friday night. In 28 games, Crisp has drawn 21 walks. He drew another off of Matt Palmer in the first. His BB/K rate was 1.50 heading into tonight's game.

While Willie Bloomquist's numbers are obviously skewed by his absurd hot streak he is currently enjoying, his BB/K is over 1.00 for the first time in his career.

Billy Butler's average is very much in line with the rest of his career numbers. In 2007, Billy posted a previous career best OBP of .347 in 92 games. His walk rates in 2007 and 2008 were 7.6 and 6.9%. Thus far this season, his BB% is 12.5. His 13 walks through 27 games played are a mere 20 fewer than he collected in 124 games last year.

It isn't just these players. Mark Teahen is enjoying a career-best BB%. Callaspo's BB% of 9.8 is higher than his 7.9% career mark that the 9.8% is currently raising.

Sure, Mike Aviles and David DeJesus are having their struggles, but I think everyone expected Aviles to take a step back from the lofty heights he reached last year in large part through smoke and mirrors.

The loss to Matt Palmer notwithstanding, the Royals offense has gotten through rough stretches in large part thanks to their newfound commitment to getting on base through the free pass.

I think we all know who to thank for this paradigm shift for Kansas City's offense: hitting coach Kevin Seitzer.

Apparently, you can teach someone to walk.