Dodgers Acquire Free Swingin' HanRam

Miami Marlins 3B Hanley Ramirez has been dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers with RP Randy Choate for the package of SP Nathan Eovaldi and prospect SP Scott McGough. Hanley has had his fair share of problems at the dish thus far, posting a measly .246 average to this point in the season. Here we will look at his numbers over each month of the season.

April:

A slow start to the season for the Marlins former franchise shortstop (pushed to third by the addition of Jose Reyes) created some doubt as to whether he could handle his position switch and still hit effectively. The power was still there as he hit four centerfield home runs and knocked in 13 RBI, but his strikeout rate was up as he only managed 17 hits in 22 games. He was also cold against left handed pitching, getting only three hits the whole month (though two were doubles); his hot zone against left handers is shown below.

May:

Ramirez turned up the heat in May, tearing the cover off the ball. He truly showcased why he was such a hot commodity and a middle of the order presence. He hit for a .322 batting average, .525 slugging percentage, as 15 of 38 hits went for extra bases. The strikeout rate remained high, but knocking in twenty runs and using the whole field makes a team less wary about strike outs. Below is a chart of the locations of Hanley's hits in May. Hanley showcased his pull field power, shifting the location of his home runs from center to left.

June:

June was another month long slump for Hanley, as he couldn't keep up the pace from May. His average and extra base hits fell, and his strikeout percentage rose. One good stat from this month was his strikeout to walk ratio, which dipped below 2:1 in a month for the first time this season. Strangely enough, it was right handed pitching that left Ramirez scratching his head this time. He struck out 16 of 18 times versus righties and only hit .194 (while hitting .300 versus lefties). Hanley versus right handed pitching is shown below.

July:

Hanley has gotten even worse since June, dealing with a lacerated finger that has kept him out of games, and seeming all-around lost at the plate. He has managed less hits than strike outs, which is a really depressing number for a major league hitter. The strangest thing is, Hanley is on pace to match his average home run out put at 4 per month; at least he has been consistent in that respect. July has been quite a mystery for Hanley, considering that there was a pattern to his success, or lack thereof in previous months: his swing and miss rate.

   April : 21.4% - disappointing month

   May : 15.4% - best month of the season

   June : 18.8% - back to the drawing board

   July : 17.8 % - this one is the anomaly, as he seems to be having a worse month than June but has cut down on his swing and miss rate, increasing contact. This should lead us elsewhere to see a pattern: BABIP.

   April : .228

   May : .351

   June : .250

   July : .179 (equal to average this month)

As you can see, though Hanley increased his contact rate, he is not getting any help in the field, leading to a decreased average. Perhaps a change of scenery, and some west coast parks will help him break out of his slump; the Dodgers can only hope that they are getting the May version of HanRam as opposed to the other months so far.