TheRivernator

I think I'll shake things up a bit and use my interest in stats and make some use out of it, while I procrastinate from doing my paper. As always, I'll use team stats as individual player stats to this point are still rather premature (although you could follow trends), but team stats are a good thing to follow. Here goes Pitching Stats of note Boston Red Sox Overall 18th in MLB, 7th in the AL with a 4.67ERA Overall on the road, 25th in MLB, 9th in AL with a 5.33ERA Overall at home, 8th in MLB, 4th in AL with a 3.92ERA Overall during the day, 3rd in MLB, 2nd in the AL with a 3.07ERA Overall at night, 29th in MLB, 13th in the AL with a 5.64ERA Overall in Close and Late scenarios, 21st in MLB, 8th in the AL with a 4.05ERA Overall BAA 13th in the MLB, 5th in AL at .264 Overall WHIP 12th in MLB, 6th in AL at 1.36 Starters 19th in MLB, 7th in the AL with a 4.96ERA Relievers 14th in MLB, 5th in the AL with a 4.13ERA Bridge ERA 5.10 Boston has the 8th fewest IP by their relievers in the majors, meaning that their starters are pitching deep into games for the most part. They are averaging 2.93 IP/game by their relievers. New York Yankees Overall 4th in MLB and 2nd in AL at 3.72 Overall on the road 8th in MLB, 3rd in AL at 3.89 Overall at home, 6th in MLB, 3rd in AL at 3.55 Overall during the day, 1st in MLB at 2.80 Overall at night, 15th in MLB, 6th in AL at 4.36 Overall in Close and Late scenarios, 2nd in MLB, 1st in AL at 1.35 Overall BAA 6th in MLB, 3rd in AL at .245 Overall WHIP 3rd in MLB, 2nd in AL at 1.25 Starters 6th in MLB, 3rd in AL at 4.13 Relievers 3rd in MLB, 1st in AL at 2.89 Bridge ERA 2.80 NYY has the 3rd fewest IP by relievers in baseball, but they have also played one of the fewest totals of games. They are averaging a fraction more IP/game by their reliever than the sox though, at 2.98. Hitting Stats Boston Red Sox 15th (8th in AL) in BA at .260 6th (5th in AL) in OBP at .356 17th (8th in AL) in SLG at .413 13th (8th in AL) in OPS at .769 Boston is 25th in MLB w/RISP at .242 Boston is 16th in MLB w/RISP&2outs at .224 Runs/(H+BB )- 35% Boston is averaging 4.8R/game New York Yankees 3rd in AL and MLB at .292 1st in MLB w/ .389 4th in MLB and AL at .475 2nd in MLB at .865 9th in MLB w/RISP at .279 18th in MLB w/RISP&2outs at .222 R/(H+BB ) 40% NYY is averaging 6.04 R/game R/H+BB is essentially a view of how bad a club is at geting runners on base to score. It is essentially LOB% but LOB% does not take into account players erased on DPs. This is essentially a stat focused on what % of players reaching base score. No analysis, just stats. I used ESPN and their filter options for the stats. Hope you guys like them.....

Damn, I guess I figured you could understand the concept without having to spell it out to you. Sorry, I'll be sure to spell everything out the next time. Just so you can digest the info, I'll type s-l-o-w-l-y Red Sox Bullpen ERA minus Papelbon, otherwise known as the bridge 5.10 better?

Speaking of lefty out of the pen, the sox will likely be in the market for one, and I wouldnt be surprised if they nabbed Guardado out of Seattle. He has been just plain awful this yr, and it could hurt to take a flier on him...

that is just how he is. He isnt a Papi who will do it every game from april to october. He's the guy who will do it in the swing games that start winning streaks. He'll do it when the season is on the line. He did it to pedro in 2003. Look at any solid yankee comeback in the playoffs and he is there in either a prominent or secondary role....

Relief minus Closer = Bridge. Tough concept, I know, but you'll get the hang of it....

Think about it man. Pavano will return in 3-4 weeks and likely will claim Sturtze job. Once Dotel is ready, either Wright or Small will be gone too. I hope it is wright, small actually has balls....

I think Foulke is between where he was in 2004 and last yr. He likely wont regain the 2004 form as he had a bulldog mentality and I do not think he possesses that anymore. BUT, he is not the guy to bring into a 1 run game. He's a guy you give at least a 2 run cushion to, because his stuff makes a 2 run homer likely....

Coco was said to be returning in about 2 weeks to game action. That means he should be given the green light to start swinging the bat soon in rehab work. Now is when any potential setbacks may occur as he is now using the broken knuckle. Cross your fingers sox fans....

Seriously, Jeter is not all that clutch over his career. He isnt, but think about it. The guy has the intangibles, as people call it. He has the desire to win at all costs. He always seems to be huge in big moments. Not May or April ballgames, but those games in October when he is really needed. He makes the plays when we really need them. 2001 vs Oakland for instance. He is always in the right place at the right time and almost never seems to make a mistake in crunch time. I agree with the Brady references. I'd go one step farther, he is Montana-esque. While ARod and Nomar put up the big numbers in the late 90s, Jeter was winning championships with a team that man for man was not the best but TEAM wise was unstoppable. Also, I think he was isolated the past 2 yrs and hence why he was not as productive. What we all love about this guy is that he is very fundamentally sound. He will not only get the hits and make the plays, but he will sacrifice, hit and run and hit to situations. That was lost with him in the leadoff slot the last 2 yrs and I think it made him a worse player. Now that he is back in the 2 hole, you can see his impat has improved and he and Damon are a great top 2 tandem. Either way, Jeter is an easy target, but fans from NY who arent filled with Yankee hate or jealousy can see why he occupies a different space than most other ballplayers. And no stupid poll can change that....

I liyour list, but sori cannot be on there. a 2b with power and speed coming as advertised. Mine would include Jason Kendall Brad Wilkerson Justin Morneau John Garland JARET WRIGHT etc

should be a high scoring game. Towers is DONE. He was great last yr because he was a control pitcher. This yr he cannot find the plate and his stuff is not good enough to win with on its own. Clement has been horrendous and has lost some velocity off his heater. I expect both to be hitting the showers by the 5th and both teams pens battling to the end....

CF is both easy and hard to play. Slices and hooks are easier to read off the bat from CF, but depth is a problem whereas a corner OFer can read depth fine, but at the angle that the bat comes off the ball, it is a little harder to read the slices. CF requires a whole lot more range though....

your starting pitching was its own bridge for awhile and Timlin has been great....

who cares.

fine, be that way, if you want to stay ignorant, and I am using that term for a reason here. If the point is to measure how good a bullpen is, the closer must be included. If the point is the bridge to the closer, ie the middle relief, how can u use the closer in that equation? You don't. Get my drift junior? Your pen overall is top 6 in the AL. Your middle relief is horrible overall. Better?

That's the thing man. Mariano has terrible trouble in those situations as well. Closers get the mentality that the game will end when they pitch one inning. Some guys have trouble when the game is tied, because that killer instinct is gone. Remember, the kid is a rook and he will have his lumps. Being a closer is a bruising mental task and hence why so many of them burn out quickly and guys like Mo are becoming anomalies instead of the rule. Your kid has the potential to be a killer closer, but he has to show he can bounce back from it. I think he will, because he has one of the best mentalities of any rookie I have seen. He's good, but no closer saves or wins every game....

Take a look at our pen numbers.... Myers 1.29ERA Proctor 1.62ERA Villone 1.80ERA Farnsworth 2.53ERA Rivera 3.38ERA Small 7.71ERA (Thanks Myers and Squirtz) Squirtz 6.48ERA - please DFA me!!!! Our pen has been nasty....

Could be the parks. Marlins stadium and Shea are overly large, so Reyes triple was due to the field mostly and the fact that he is olympic speed....

AGon is gonna be gone soon. I think Izturis will be your man, but he wont be much better. He cant hit either and both are great defensively....

against Halladay no less. The sox O has shown they are more than 2 men deep today. Open mouth, insert crow (for now)....

damn, this sox game is pretty good...

There have been reports of the sun turning blood red and planets disappearing from view. In the middle east, tombs are ripping open and bodies are arising from the earth. A swarm of locusts seem to be heading across the atlantic ocean toward Tampa Bay. The earth is indeed ending. btw, YANKEES WIN, THAAAAHAAAAA YANKEES WIN!!!!

it is. It is about the premier rivals to the red sox....

Yanks up by 2 for those of you who want score updates....

arod with the go-ahead single in the 10th, atta baby!!!!