Marlin Bats Breaking Strikeout Record in Fight for NL East Lead

The Florida Marlins, smack in the middle of hot division race and playing inspired baseball, are on pace to break the 2001 Milwaukee Brewers record for strikeouts of 1,399.  They almost broke it last year when they finished with 1322 K's as six hitters fanned over 100 times and a seventh registered 95. 

As of August 11th, The Fish lead the majors with 1,019 strikeouts.  The Padres are second with 918 and the Indians are next with 865.  The Marlins are projected to strike out over 1400 times this season.

Dan Uggla(121), Jeremy Hermida(112) and Hanley Ramirez(104) are the team leaders and Mike Jacobs(88),  Jorge Cantu(85) and Cody Ross(74) look like they will also break the century mark.  If Josh Willingham(53) hadn't missed 50 games earlier this year, he'd be there also.

Uggla, a back-up second baseman on this year's all star team struck out 167 times last year and will probably equal or better that mark in 2008.  In his four year career, Uggla has come to the plate 1600 times and has struck out 25% of the time.  Reggie Jackson, the career "Strikeout King", struck out 26% of the times he went to the plate.

Hanley Ramirez, the starting NL shortstop in 2008, has struck out 19% of the time in his 1700 career at bats. 

Most of the games all-time greats did not strike out nearly as much as Uggla and Ramirez.  They were known as "contact hitters."  Tony Gwynn and Joe Dimaggio were probably the best.  They fanned 5% of the time.  Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Ozzie Smith and George Brett all struck out less than 10% of the time.

As for power hitters, who as a rule strike a lot: Bonds(16%). Ruth(16%) and Aaron(11%) made pretty good contact when they took the plate.  Hank Aaron never struck out 100 times in any season.

Regardless of the strikeouts, the Marlins are only two and one half games back of the division leading Phillies and only one back of the Phillies for most home runs in the National League.  The Fish have homered 159 times this year and balls don't fly out of Dolphin Stadium like they do in Phladelphia.

Uggla and Ramirez homer a lot for middle infielders.  Uggla homers at a higher rate than just about any second baseman that ever played and Ramirez homers at a rate equal to the great Cal Ripken so, in their defense, they are going to be more vulnerable to the strikeout than the average hitter but hopefully, they can learn how to cut down on all the "K"'s.

Two points for the Marlins:1)Contact hitting is important.  If you have a runner on third with less than two outs, a strikeout often leaves the runner stranded.  2)Contact is spelled with a "C" not a "K".