Why Are The Red Sox Just a .500 Team If They Have a +47 Run Differential And An OPS Differential of +.039?

They hit well with runners on base but their pitchers do very poorly with runners on base and both the hitters and pitchers do poorly when it is close and late. This post was inspired by what David Pinto wrote at "Baseball Musings." See WPA I Can Use. David's post was based on Tango's post WPA insights which in turn linked to Dave Studeman's article Detailed standings at the all-star break.

Here is what I posted at "Baseball Musings."

"They actually hit well with runners on base and RISP. Here are their BA-OBP-SLG-OPS with

RISP) 0.283 0.359 0.458 0.817
None on) 0.260 0.313 0.425 0.738
ROB) 0.279 0.349 0.463 0.813

Now their overall BA-OBP-SLG-OPS and in close and late situations

Overall) 0.268 0.329 0.441 0.770
CL) 0.241 0.310 0.383 0.693

How can a team which hits so well with runners on base do so poorly when it is close and late? Are they at a platoon disadvantage? Just bad luck?

Now the same thing for their pitchers

RISP) 0.256 0.343 0.432 0.775
None on) 0.265 0.341 0.431 0.772
ROB) 0.251 0.306 0.395 0.701

So it looks like their pitchers do much worse with runners on base.

Now their overall BA-OBP-SLG-OPS and in close and late situations

Overall) 0.257 0.321 0.410 0.731
CL) 0.271 0.335 0.403 0.738

So their pitchers do worse when it is close and late.

Overall, they have an OPS Differential of .039 (.770- .731). But when it is close and late the differential is negative. It is -.045 (.693 – .738)