In general terms, we should probably divide the results into tiers, because it's an awful lot easier to put up a big OPS over 50 PA than over 500 PA. Not allowing for PA would give a big advantage to American League teams, which we may only see once ever three years, and certainly to those outside the NL West, whom get to face us half a dozen times per season. So, we have three groups of killers: the heat of the moment (50-100 PA), occasional psychopaths (101-250 PA) and mass murderers (more than 250 PA). Here are the top 5, for each category, among active players.
50-100 PA
Rk | Player | OPS | PA | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jhonny Peralta | 1.186 | 54 | 50 | 9 | 20 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 7 | .400 | .426 | .760 |
2 | Billy Butler | 1.146 | 51 | 40 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | .375 | .471 | .675 |
3 | Alex Rodriguez | 1.084 | 66 | 58 | 13 | 19 | 6 | 22 | 7 | 11 | .328 | .394 | .690 |
4 | Delmon Young | 1.025 | 50 | 46 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | .413 | .460 | .565 |
5 | Starling Marte | 1.015 | 73 | 68 | 13 | 24 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 18 | .353 | .397 | .618 |
101-250 PA
Rk | Player | OPS | PA | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Freddie Freeman | 1.197 | 120 | 110 | 26 | 44 | 9 | 32 | 8 | 17 | .400 | .433 | .764 |
2 | Edwin Encarnacion | 1.142 | 102 | 88 | 18 | 26 | 11 | 25 | 12 | 19 | .295 | .392 | .750 |
3 | Miguel Cabrera | 1.104 | 174 | 148 | 29 | 53 | 11 | 39 | 24 | 40 | .358 | .448 | .655 |
4 | Justin Upton | 1.041 | 111 | 92 | 19 | 30 | 7 | 19 | 17 | 27 | .326 | .432 | .609 |
5 | Wilin Rosario | 1.038 | 172 | 160 | 25 | 58 | 10 | 29 | 11 | 31 | .363 | .407 | .631 |
251+ PA
Rk | Player | OPS | PA | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Beltran | 1.031 | 280 | 243 | 46 | 83 | 16 | 55 | 32 | 36 | .342 | .418 | .613 |
2 | Albert Pujols | 1.005 | 342 | 289 | 64 | 91 | 18 | 69 | 47 | 41 | .315 | .409 | .595 |
3 | Jayson Werth | .986 | 279 | 238 | 47 | 75 | 14 | 47 | 32 | 57 | .315 | .398 | .588 |
4 | Carlos Gonzalez | .954 | 324 | 293 | 55 | 89 | 19 | 49 | 29 | 78 | .304 | .367 | .587 |
5 | Adrian Gonzalez | .925 | 616 | 522 | 97 | 157 | 31 | 102 | 82 | 104 | .301 | .397 | .529 |
Some surprising names there: I've got a shiny quarter for anyone who predicted the trifecta of Peralta, Freeman and Beltran as the leaders in each category. However, there are also some names listed, which probably should not come as anything of a surprise: why, yes, Justin Upton does appear to hold something of a grudge, doesn't he? [and, perhaps, not unreasonably...] But I think Adrian Gonzalez perhaps deserves the title of D-back Enemy #1. That's an entire season's worth of playing time, and just Todd Helton all-time has driven in more runs against us; not even Barry Bonds had more. It's especially impressive, given A-Gon has played much of that in Petco,
Before we get to the current top killers for each franchise, let's just mention briefly the top five, setting the cut-off at a minimum of 100 PA. Encarnacion and Freeman are there, in fifth and second place respectively. Between them, tied for third with an OPS of 1.192 are Bonds and, maybe another surprise, the Rockies' Dante Bichette; obviously, Bazza produced that (including a .499 OBP!) in a lot more playing time, and without the benefits of altitude and a pre-humidor Denver. But blowing well past everyone is the much-despised Manny Ramirez. In 37 games and 157 PA, he had a line against Arizona of .411/.522/.782. I think we were all delighted to see the back of him.
So, here is the official list of the Diamondbacks killers for each team. With a cutoff of 100 PA against the D-backs, there were no players currently with the Minnesota Twins found, so they'll have to do with a designated murderer. Teams have been allocated on the basis of the last major-league appearance by the active player in question, even if they are now outside the majors with another franchise or not currently signed. Basically, there's only a couple of those, and we'll mention them more after the list. Note: using the term "Diamondbacks killer" for a player not on the list is unsanctioned, and may result in a visit from the SB Nation drone.
- ATL - Freddie Freeman
- BAL - J.J. Hardy
- BOS - Pablo Sandoval
- CHC - Chris Denorfia
- CHW - Emilio Bonifacio
- CIN - Joey Votto
- CLE - Michael Bourn
- COL - Wilin Rosario
- DET - Miguel Cabrera
- HOU - José Castillo
- KCR - Omar Infante
- LAA - Albert Pujols
- LAD - Yasmani Grandal
- MIA - Giancarlo Stanton
- MIL - Jonathan Lucroy
- MIN - No award
- NYM - Michael Cuddyer
- NYY - Carlos Beltrán
- OAK - Cody Ross
- PHI - Carlos Ruiz
- PIT - Andrew McCutchen
- SDP - Justin Upton
- SEA - Seth Smith
- SFG - Buster Posey
- STL - Matt Holliday
- TBR - David DeJesus
- TEX - Prince Fielder
- TOR - Edwin Encarnación
- WSN - Jayson Werth
Notes: In case you're wondering, our "suicide player" e.g. the D-back with the best numbers against us, would be Mike Jacobs, who played here earlier this year, but is now with the Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League. He has a solid .940 career OPS vs. ARI. Also note who leads the A's, as the last stopping place of Ross, who was at one time a much feared hitter versus Arizona. I dunno what Cody is doing these days: still cashing the checks, presumably. And if you don't recognize the Astros' player, that's because he last played for them in 2008. However, Castillo is still "active", with the Olmecas de Tabasco in Mexico - playing alongside, incidentally, Karim Garcia!
Oh, and the non-pitcher who fares worst against us? That would be the Giants', Joaquin Arias who has a career line against the Diamondbacks of .147/.154/.155, for a .309 OPS. But, not all killers are equal. Here is the same list of players, ordered in descending OPS, from Freeman all the way down to Castillo. I suspect the Astros' shortcomings are down to their struggles when we last played against them as fellow National Leaguers: in 2011-12, we were 12-1 versus Houston, though they did take three of four from us last year. Be interesting to see if the upcoming series will lead to anyone displacing the long-absent Castillo as their best "Diamondbacks killer"!
Player | Team | OPS | PA | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Freddie Freeman | ATL | 1.197 | 120 | 110 | 26 | 44 | 9 | 32 | 8 | 17 | .400 | .433 | .764 |
Edwin Encarnacion | TOR |
1.142 | 102 | 88 | 18 | 26 | 11 | 25 | 12 | 19 | .295 | .392 | .750 |
Miguel Cabrera | DET | 1.104 | 174 | 148 | 29 | 53 | 11 | 39 | 24 | 40 | .358 | .448 | .655 |
Justin Upton | SDP | 1.041 | 111 | 92 | 19 | 30 | 7 | 19 | 17 | 27 | .326 | .432 | .609 |
Wilin Rosario | COL |
1.038 | 172 | 160 | 25 | 58 | 10 | 29 | 11 | 31 | .363 | .407 | .631 |
Carlos Beltran | NYY | 1.031 | 280 | 243 | 46 | 83 | 16 | 55 | 32 | 36 | .342 | .418 | .613 |
Joey Votto | CIN |
1.026 | 118 | 102 | 11 | 38 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 18 | .373 | .458 | .569 |
Carlos Ruiz | PHI |
1.007 | 144 | 124 | 21 | 46 | 4 | 22 | 18 | 12 | .371 | .458 | .548 |
Albert Pujols | LAA | 1.005 | 342 | 289 | 64 | 91 | 18 | 69 | 47 | 41 | .315 | .409 | .595 |
Jayson Werth | WSN |
.986 | 279 | 238 | 47 | 75 | 14 | 47 | 32 | 57 | .315 | .398 | .588 |
J.J. Hardy | BAL | .984 | 117 | 109 | 22 | 38 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 13 | .349 | .388 | .596 |
Giancarlo Stanton | MIA | .981 | 134 | 119 | 21 | 33 | 11 | 32 | 14 | 33 | .277 | .351 | .630 |
Yasmani Grandal | LAD | .954 | 152 | 131 | 27 | 38 | 10 | 25 | 19 | 38 | .290 | .382 | .573 |
Andrew McCutchen | PIT | .927 | 183 | 145 | 33 | 48 | 4 | 19 | 31 | 30 | .331 | .437 | .490 |
Prince Fielder | TEX | .923 | 189 | 166 | 29 | 49 | 11 | 26 | 18 | 39 | .295 | .381 | .542 |
Cody Ross | OAK | .909 | 168 | 146 | 22 | 42 | 7 | 30 | 18 | 37 | .288 | .375 | .534 |
Chris Denorfia | CHC |
.903 | 210 | 194 | 48 | 62 | 9 | 22 | 15 | 22 | .320 | .367 | .536 |
David DeJesus | TBR | .887 | 104 | 94 | 22 | 28 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 17 | .298 | .365 | .521 |
Buster Posey | SFG | .886 | 340 | 306 | 42 | 99 | 13 | 66 | 28 | 30 | .324 | .376 | .510 |
Michael Cuddyer | NYM | .885 | 195 | 185 | 27 | 54 | 11 | 27 | 10 | 41 | .292 | .328 | .557 |
Michael Bourn | CLE |
.884 | 153 | 135 | 28 | 45 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 31 | .333 | .395 | .489 |
Pablo Sandoval | BOS | .884 | 429 | 385 | 55 | 125 | 11 | 62 | 36 | 55 | .325 | .382 | .501 |
Matt Holliday | STL | .868 | 462 | 407 | 59 | 122 | 14 | 66 | 45 | 82 | .300 | .374 | .494 |
Jonathan Lucroy | MIL |
.844 | 105 | 95 | 12 | 30 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 12 | .316 | .381 | .463 |
Seth Smith | SEA | .810 | 263 | 236 | 33 | 61 | 10 | 35 | 23 | 42 | .258 | .331 | .479 |
Emilio Bonifacio | CHW |
.803 | 107 | 94 | 12 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 25 | .309 | .377 | .426 |
Omar Infante | KCR |
.780 | 146 | 133 | 22 | 42 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 18 | .316 | .359 | .421 |
Jose Castillo | HOU |
.773 | 131 | 126 | 12 | 37 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 20 | .294 | .321 | .452 |