Samardzija is possibly an even harder-luck pitcher than Yu Darvish this year. Only two starting pitchers in all of MLB have lower run support (on a Runs per 9 innings basis) than Samardzija.
The Cubs are sitting right around the NL average in runs scored and runs conceded, but they’ve had some bad breaks in close games. They are 1-5 in extra innings and 2-9 in 1-run games. Their record is 14-27, but their Expected W-L (based on runs scored and conceded) is 20-21. That’s easily the biggest discrepancy in the Majors right now.
The A’s came into today’s game with a run differential of 85. They won today 13-3.
But Jim Johnson has been a major disappointment, especially considering the money they’re paying him. He lost his closer job early in the season and has shown no glimpses of getting it back. He gave up three walks today, and his ERA is 7.00.
Troy Tulowitzki is just ridiculously hot at the plate this season. He came into today with a .400 average, 50 points higher than any other NL player. He hit another homer today and leads the league with 13. He is second in RBI. His OPS is 1.266, .243 higher than the next best. He has scored 5 more runs than anyone else. He is second in hits and has already been walked 29 times.
Pretty happy with Los Tigres. A nice sweep to get a small measure of revenge for the ALCS last year. Smyly and Porcello have really stepped up to give them a deep nasty rotation. Davis and especially Kinsler have been much better than my expectations. Hopefully they can cruise through the heart of the year with no injuries, and things will be great.
Marlins release Carlos Marmol, Rays earlier released Heath Bell. Closers are NOT worth big contracts. I’m becoming more convinced that closer by committee is the way to go.
I was at last night’s 15 inning game between the Nats and the Reds. Two things struck me, how amazing DC’s bullpen is and how crappy the Nats’ hitting has been.
Lose the heart of the order and that’s what happens. This team has had trouble getting runners in going back to last year, and even further. It took a couple of excellent plays by Phillips and Hamilton for the Reds to win it, though. The only thing that gives me hope is that the Braves aren’t looking great either. I think if Fernandez hadn’t gone down the Marlins might have been able to sneak in.
True, the Nats have a lot of their big hitters on the DL, but one of the Cinci pitchers had a 6.59 ERA, come on, someone should have been able to feast on that guy.
On the plus side, the Nats bullpen went 27 and 2/3 scoreless innings until the Reds snapped their streak.
Stephen Drew just signed with the Red Sox for approximately $10 million for the rest of the year. Current report is he will spend 7-10 days in the minors before going to Boston.
Sooner than expected. It’s Drew - for the prorated amount of the qualifying offer Boras had him turn down last winter. Bogie to 3rd, almost certainly. Worry about the prospects in the minors in the spring; it’s time to win now. If Cecchini or Marrero or Betts were ready yet, they’d be up already.
Now, about the lack of offense from the entire outfield … maybe Sizemore needs to play every day to get in rhythm, but platooning in LF isn’t working and he really can’t cover CF well anymore, as feared in spring training. Bradley has admitted feeling “lost” at the plate, and has looked it. Nava looks like he’s getting it back together in AAA, but not quite yet. It’s time to quit trying to piece it together and go get somebody.
in Yankees @ Cubs a Cubs batter swung at a ball and hit it and it bounced off his leg and the Yankees challenged and said that the swing missed and it just hit his leg and it should be strike 3 not a foul ball
and the umps spent 5 minutes on the headset with New York before saying that it is not a reviewable play
The same team that couldn’t manage a run in 5 innings against the woeful Reds bullpen just scored 8 runs (6 earned) against Johnny Cueto, who hadn’t given up more than 2 runs in a game all season. Baseball is a funny game.
Nothin’ but losses and a malfunctioning team plane since you made this statement. I would thank you and everyone else to not discuss the Tigers here until November.
A nice sweep to get a small measure of revenge for the ALCS last year. Smyly and Porcello have really stepped up to give them a deep nasty rotation. Davis and especially Kinsler have been much better than my expectations. Hopefully they can cruise through the heart of the year with no injuries, and things will be great.