eMailBag: Is Beltran Clutch?

by Mike Nichols on January 24th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

MetsBlog reader, Brian, recently sent in the following email question…

“Any idea what Carlos Beltran‘s numbers were the last two season after the 6th inning? I love him, but am afraid he is not clutch?”

…it’s odd, every so often this subject comes up and i don’t know if its because we still have this everlasting image of the 2006 season ending with beltran’s bat sticking to his shoulder with bases loaded or if Mets fans still have this feeling that beltran should be better than he is…

As you can see below, Beltran, from the seventh inning on, has been consistent with his run production over the past two years. In fact, his production is right in line with his career averages…

In addition to Beltran’s numbers from the seventh inning and later, here are his ‘clutch’ statistics (late and close and two out, runner in scoring position) from the past two seasons…

‘Close and late’ is a player’s results in the seventh inning or later with the batting team either ahead by one run, tied or with the potential tying run on deck.

…even with those stats, it’s difficult to determine if beltran is or isn’t a clutch performer…i mean, we all have an idea of what ‘clutch’ is, but each of us define it differently…to some, clutch is exactly what those numbers represent, but to others, hitting a 1-2 pitch for an opposite field single to move a runner from first-to-third may be their definition of clutch…

…yes, you can look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that in 2007 beltran wasn’t as ‘clutch’ as he was in 2006, but in reality, i don’t think clutch can be defined by a players performance in late-innning situations, each situation is different and a key hit in the first inning that results in the game-winning run is just as clutch as one in bottom of the ninth…

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