(*) BATTERS: None on/runners on splits, 2015

Let's continue our one-split-away series by taking a look at the batters who have posted the most extreme batting average and power splits in the following situations: with the bases empty and with runners on base.

• Bases Empty Stats & Skills: 2013-2015
  
  Year  League  BA    OBP   Slg   OPS   ISO  | BB%  K%   Eye   h%
  ====  ======  ====  ====  ====  ====  ==== | ===  ===  ====  ===
  2013      AL  .252  .313  .404  .717  .152 |  7%  20%  0.37  30%
  2014      AL  .246  .305  .381  .686  .136 |  7%  20%  0.34  29%
  2015      AL  .246  .304  .395  .699  .149 |  7%  21%  0.33  29%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  2013      NL  .247  .306  .388  .694  .140 |  7%  21%  0.33  29%
  2014      NL  .245  .302  .376  .678  .131 |  7%  22%  0.31  30%
  2015      NL  .245  .301  .383  .684  .138 |  7%  21%  0.32  29%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  2013     MLB  .250  .309  .396  .705  .146 |  7%  21%  0.35  29%
  2014     MLB  .245  .303  .379  .682  .134 |  7%  21%  0.33  30%
  2015     MLB  .245  .302  .389  .692  .144 |  7%  21%  0.32  29%

• Runners On Stats & Skills: 2013-2015
  
  Year  League  BA    OBP   Slg   OPS   ISO    BB%  K%   Eye   h%
  ====  ======  ====  ====  ====  ====  ==== | ===  ===  ====  ===
  2013      AL  .261  .330  .405  .734  .144 |  9%  19%  0.47  31%
  2014      AL  .263  .330  .402  .733  .139 |  9%  19%  0.45  31%
  2015      AL  .262  .331  .406  .737  .144 |  9%  18%  0.49  31%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  2013      NL  .257  .327  .390  .717  .133 |  9%  19%  0.47  31%
  2014      NL  .256  .324  .392  .716  .136 |  9%  20%  0.43  31%
  2015      NL  .265  .331  .404  .734  .139 |  8%  19%  0.43  32%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  2013     MLB  .259  .328  .397  .726  .139 |  9%  19%  0.47  31%
  2014     MLB  .259  .327  .397  .724  .138 |  9%  19%  0.44  31%
  2015     MLB  .263  .331  .405  .736  .141 |  9%  19%  0.46  31%

Some key takeaways:

• Hitters draw more walks and strike out less with runners on base than with the bases empty
• Batting average typically is 15-20 points higher with runners on base compared to with the bases empty, likely driven by a reduction in strikeouts and an elevated hit rate
• There are no significant differences in isolated power (Slg minus BA) with the bases empty and with runners on base

***

Let's take a look at significant none on/runners on splits so far in 2015.

First, the following bats own the widest none on/runners on BA splits:

• BA, None On vs. Runners On
  
  Name                League  Position  BA None On  BA Runners On  Diff
  ==================  ======  ========  ==========  =============  =====
  Utley, Chase            NL        2B     .236          .125      -.111
  Semien, Marcus          AL  3B/2B/SS     .310          .210      -.100
  Ramirez, Hanley         AL     LF/SS     .318          .224      -.094
  Trumbo, Mark            AL  1B/LF/DH     .277          .190      -.087
  Rollins, Jimmy          NL        SS     .242          .156      -.086
  Forsythe, Logan         AL  2B/1B/DH/3B  .326          .246      -.080
  Simmons, Andrelton      NL        SS     .315          .235      -.080
  Moustakas, Mike         AL        3B     .357          .280      -.077
  Jones, Adam             AL        LF     .333          .259      -.074
  Souza, Steven           AL        RF     .252          .179      -.073
  Castro, Starlin         NL        SS     .301          .236      -.065
  Ortiz, David            AL        DH     .264          .202      -.062
  Perez, Salvador         AL         C     .310          .250      -.060
  Duda, Lucas             NL        1B     .293          .235      -.058
  Galvis, Freddy          NL        SS     .281          .224      -.057
  Escobar, Yunel          NL        SS     .355          .299      -.056
  Pillar, Kevin           AL        CF     .294          .242      -.052
  Heyward, Jason          NL        RF     .303          .252      -.051
  Santana, Carlos         AL  1B/3B/DH     .238          .188      -.050
  Kinsler, Ian            AL        2B     .284          .237      -.047
  Markakis, Nick          NL        RF     .310          .267      -.043
  Castellanos, Nick       AL        3B     .235          .192      -.043
  Cruz, Nelson            AL     RF/DH     .333          .291      -.042
  LaRoche, Adam           AL     DH/1B     .237          .195      -.042
  Zunino, Mike            AL         C     .176          .136      -.040
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Mauer, Joe              AL     1B/DH     .184          .356      +.172
  Crawford, Brandon       NL        SS     .198          .365      +.167
  Morales, Kendrys        AL     DH/1B     .210          .366      +.156
  Maybin, Cameron         NL        CF     .229          .367      +.138
  Norris, Derek           NL         C     .193          .330      +.137
  Calhoun, Kole           AL        RF     .215          .352      +.137
  Arenado, Nolan          NL        3B     .226          .360      +.134
  Carter, Chris           AL     1B/DH     .158          .286      +.128
  Bautista, Jose          AL     RF/DH     .202          .327      +.125
  Braun, Ryan             NL        LF     .196          .320      +.124
  Cabrera, Miguel         AL     1B/DH     .291          .413      +.122
  Murphy, Daniel          NL        2B     .229          .348      +.119
  Freeman, Freddie        NL        1B     .244          .361      +.117
  Bryant, Kris            NL        3B     .233          .341      +.108
  Holliday, Matt          NL        LF     .253          .361      +.108
  Gardner, Brett          AL        LF     .236          .344      +.108
  Cano, Robinson          AL        2B     .201          .301      +.100
  McCutchen, Andrew       NL        CF     .252          .348      +.096
  Encarnacion, Edwin      AL     1B/DH     .195          .291      +.096
  Abreu, Jose             AL        1B     .248          .343      +.095
  Rizzo, Anthony          NL        1B     .272          .367      +.095
  LeMahieu, DJ            NL        2B     .278          .368      +.090
  *min 100 PA none on/runners on

Here are the hitters who have posted the widest ISO (Slg less BA) splits with the bases empty and with runners on base:

• ISO power, None On vs. Runners On
  
  Name                League  Position  ISO None On  ISO Runners On  Diff
  ==================  ======  ========  ===========  ==============  =====
  Harper, Bryce           NL        RF      .496         .279        -.217
  Duda, Lucas             NL        1B      .286         .098        -.188
  Beltre, Adrian          AL        3B      .226         .055        -.171
  Semien, Marcus          AL  3B/2B/SS      .218         .048        -.170
  Springer, George        AL        RF      .264         .095        -.169
  Cruz, Nelson            AL     RF/DH      .327         .164        -.163
  Dozier, Brian           AL        2B      .312         .151        -.161
  Pederson, Joc           NL        CF      .338         .189        -.149
  Heyward, Jason          NL        RF      .221         .072        -.149
  Perez, Salvador         AL         C      .259         .112        -.147
  Valbuena, Luis          AL     3B/2B      .302         .155        -.147
  Ortiz, David            AL        DH      .240         .106        -.134
  Frazier, Todd           NL        3B      .404         .271        -.133
  Forsythe, Logan         AL  2B/1B/DH/3B   .209         .088        -.121
  Rodriguez, Alex         AL        3B      .296         .176        -.120
  Zunino, Mike            AL         C      .196         .080        -.116
  Jones, Adam             AL        CF      .240         .129        -.111
  Stanton, Giancarlo      NL        RF      .388         .278        -.110
  Santana, Carlos         AL  1B/3B/DH      .218         .111        -.107
  Drew, Stephen           AL        SS      .246         .143        -.103
  Martin, Russell         AL         C      .268         .167        -.101
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Cabrera, Miguel         AL     1B/DH      .149         .367        +.218
  McCutchen, Andrew       NL        CF      .103         .315        +.212
  Arenado, Nolan          NL        3B      .199         .396        +.197
  Gardner, Brett          AL        LF      .108         .271        +.163
  Morales, Kendrys        AL     DH/1B      .092         .252        +.160
  Norris, Derek           NL         C      .117         .275        +.158
  Murphy, Daniel          NL        2B      .064         .213        +.149
  Goldschmidt, Paul       NL        1B      .238         .385        +.147
  Holliday, Matt          NL        LF      .053         .193        +.140
  Gattis, Evan            AL      DH/C      .153         .292        +.139
  Cain, Lorenzo           AL        CF      .087         .225        +.138
  Crawford, Brandon       NL        SS      .127         .261        +.134
  Zimmerman, Ryan         NL        3B      .080         .202        +.122
  LeMahieu, DJ            NL        2B      .042         .160        +.118
  Posey, Buster           NL      C/1B      .111         .222        +.111
  Braun, Ryan             NL        LF      .181         .291        +.110
  Carter, Chris           AL     1B/DH      .158         .262        +.104
  Vogt, Stephen           AL      1B/C      .202         .304        +.102
  *min 100 PA none on/runners on

Let's take a closer look at five guys in each league who own significant none on/runners on BA and power splits.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Brian Dozier (2B, MIN) is one of the game's best-hitting 2B when the bases are empty, a situation during which he features both a solid BA and a lot of pop: .271 BA, .923 OPS, .312 ISO. Those marks decline significantly with runners on base: .237 BA, .723 OPS, .151 ISO. A tweak there would allow Dozier to increase even more his current four-year OPS rise: .603, .726, .762, .852.

Logan Forsythe (2B/1B/DH/3B, TAM) has plenty of value based on his multi-position qualification alone. He has also produced some nice surface stats so far in 2015: .288 BA, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB in 243 AB. Digging deeper, he has been an impact bat with the bases empty: .326 BA, 8% BB%, 15% K%, 0.52 Eye, .922 OPS, .209 ISO. While his plate control has been nearly the same with runners on base, his batting average and production have dropped a lot in that scenario: .246 BA, 9% BB%, 16% K%, 0.57 Eye, .672 OPS, .088 ISO. Transferring his none-on pop to when he hits with runners on base would help his HR and RBI production blossom.

Marcus Semien (3B/SS/2B, OAK) has been one of the most productive middle-infield eligible bats in MLB with the bases empty: .310 BA, .870 OPS. Both marks nosedive with runners on base: .210 BA, .546 OPS. That said, his plate skills are much better with runners on (10% BB%, 20% K%) than with the bases cleared (5% BB%, 22% K%), so hope is not lost. Semien remains a young bat worth owning, especially if he can adjust his approach to allow him to hit for higher average and power with guys on base.

George Springer (RF, HOU) lets his top-flight raw power upside come out when he is hitting with the bases empty: .296 BA, .941 OPS, .264 ISO. His average and power decline a lot when there are guys on base: .262 BA, .730 OPS, .095 ISO. Once Springer gets used to hitting in higher-pressure situations, expect his overall power to surge even more.

Mike Zunino (C, SEA) has a crazy 38% K% after 190 AB, so we can't expect his sub-.200 BA to improve anytime soon. That said, you're likely buying him for his power, and he does own a solid .196 ISO with the bases empty. With runners on base, Zunino's power evaporates (.080 ISO). He's another young bat who could show some significant gains with a little more composure when runners are on base.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Nolan Arenado (3B, COL) has shown more power than any bat in MLB when runners have been on base: .360 BA, 1.129 OPS, .396 ISO. He appears to lack some concentration with the bases empty: .226 BA, .696 OPS, .199 ISO. He could become a legit 40-HR threat if he can address that issue.

Lucas Duda (1B, NYM) looks like two different hitters during one situational split. With nobody on base, he resembles a legit All-Star at 1B: .293 BA, .956 OPS, .286 ISO, 10% BB%, 21% K%. He struggles to be productive when there are runners on base: .235 BA, .703 OPS, .098 ISO, 13% BB%, 22% K%. Given that his plate control remains solid with guys on base, there's hope that he can increase his power ceiling even further with a tweak in his approach when hitting with runners on base.

Bryce Harper (RF, WAS) owns by far the highest isolated power in MLB with the bases empty. His .496 ISO in that situation is nearly 100 points higher than anyone else. His .279 ISO with runners on base is good for twelfth in MLB. Given his even-better ISO with no one on base, Harper might have even more RBI upside than he's currently producing if he can elevate his ISO with runners on base.

Derek Norris (C, SD) has yet to fulfill his upper-tier bat upside at the catcher position due to some chronic struggles against LH bats. He also really struggles when the bases are empty: .193 BA, .556 OPS, .117 ISO. He hits the ball with tons more authority with runners on base: .330 BA, .976 OPS, .275 ISO. Norris still has a great shot at developing further with the bat.

Joc Pederson (CF, LA) cooled off a bit in May after his scorching April, but he has returned with a vengeance in June (.932 OPS, 113 BPV). And he has even more untapped upside if he can increase his production with runners on base (.886 OPS, .189 ISO) to match the levels he shows with the bases empty (.952 OPS, .338 ISO).

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