Dodgers: Cody Bellinger Statistically Improved As Much As Any NL Player
Obviously, everyone knows about Cody Bellinger’s ongoing postseason struggles. However, the 2019 regular season was an entirely different story for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder.
Undeniably – Bellinger could be named NL Most Valuable Player in the weeks to come – in part to his improved play this past season. Furthermore, Max’s Sporting Studio has a nice tweet exhibiting the players who had the largest Fangraphs’ Wins Above Replacement (fWAR) value jumps in 2019.
You guessed it, Cody Bellinger is in the top three. Here is the complete list.
Position players who increased their fWAR most from 2018 to 2019:
+5.0 Rafael Devers
+4.5 Ketel Marte
+4.1 Cody Bellinger
+3.9 Trey Mancini
+3.7 Marcus Semien
+3.6 George Springer
+3.6 Yoan Moncada
+3.3 DJ LeMahieu
+2.9 James McCann
+2.8 Scott Kingery— Max Goldstein (@MaxSportsStudio) October 18, 2019
Without question, Bellinger was right there with anyone in the entire game of baseball in terms of players who had the most improved seasons. Likely, you heard the names of Ketel Marte and Rafael Devers on highlight shows across America while not watching the Dodgers.
This is because their play was improved offensively and defensively, and that play is rounded into one nice number which is fWAR.
Finally, Bellinger finished with an astonishing 7.8 fWAR overall. By comparison, he posted fWAR totals of 4.0 and 3.6 in his first two big league seasons. This is evidence that – no matter how he arrived at this number – Bellinger was among not only the most improved but the most elite in all of the sport in 2019.
Bellinger finished the season with 47 home runs, a .305 average, .406 on-base percentage and 15 steals. Notably, it goes to show you how quickly all of these numbers are forgotten if a player has a slow post season.
For one half
Dave Martinez turned a glaring weakness. Bullpen into a strength while Our manager couldn’t navigate six outs with both setup men and closer available and ready. What an idiot
I wonder what may have happened had the Dodger hitters struck out only 32 times in these 5 NLDS games instead of 64. But Roberts has shown time and time again he just cannot manage in low scoring games. When your team is ahead 3 to 1 in the 8th inning, you MUST know how to finish it off, but unfortunately Roberts did not or does not and probably will not next year either.
I don’t want to even make the playoffs next year I think they could use a break as well as the fans
Its been really embarrassing to be a Dodger fan these last 7 year’s but why would this organization even care, the fans keep making them hell of money. It starts by letting them play in an empty stadium i’m doing my part by not buying any dodger gear until they win a damn championship. So i guess i’m not buying any dodger gear for a long time.
Its been really embarrassing to be a Dodger fan these last 7 years. This organization doesn’t care about the fanbase that makes them so much money, it starts by them playing in empty stadiums, i’m doing my part by not buying any dodger gear until they win a championship so i guess i’m not buying Dodger gear any time soon LOL. So so embarrassing. It’s not even funny.
Unfortunately, Bellinger’s numbers were already starting their dive after the all-star break. His August and September figures weren’t at the same level as April, May and June.
Good first half season. Barely replacement level in the second half which he once again carried into the playoffs.
Not sure what the point of this story is. Need a deep dive into why a .928 OPS becomes a .560 in October.
During that Sunday game against the Rays late in the season, it was on ESPN, Jessica Mendoza put it best when Cody was at the plate, that “every swing was a defensive swing, he just looked like he’s completely lost his confidence”. I don’t think anyone could said it any better than that. It really summarized Cody Bellinger’s entire season in those two sentences. Somehow he mentally lost it after the All-Star break.