"It would be an interesting study to see what the strongest correlation factors are. Boggs' absence from any notable hitting streaks may be due to his high walk rates and mediocre speed. Based on those factors, Ichiro would seem the ideal candidate for an extended streak."
I agree. What I've seen so far the pecking order would seem to be:
1. contact; 2. contact with a fair degree of power; 3. low BB rate; 4. speed.
Ichiro has 1, 3 amd 4 in spades; but he is not only a pure contact hitter but a "slap" hitter, often making contact while exiting the batter's box. This sacrifices power on contact and raises the possibility of batted balls of less off-bat speed and thus a bit more playable.
Ichiro's HR/K ratio = .153, low, like Boggs; so while he is a tremendous hitting talent, the mix doesn't suggest record-breaking consecutive streaks. Here are his treaks, to date:
2001: [2 streaks]; 15 & 23
2007: 25, club record
Last edited by nanwynnfan; 08-15-2007 at 11:20 AM.
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