# MLB: September **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 1, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150 "2014-09-01T14:32:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/181 "2014-09-19T18:57:10Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > ElvisL1ves: > > While your link is broken Apologies: [http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140917&content\_id=95105270&fext=.jsp&vkey=news\_milb&sid=milb](http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140917&content_id=95105270&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb) > [@](#): > > The others essentially played a game of musical chairs that resulted from the above. I’m simply surprised at how little regard so many teams have for keeping their AAA teams close enough to get a replacement player up \*today \*instead of 2 days from now. As well, there’s a common lack of regard for building their fan bases in nearby areas. So what if there’s a new ballpark - the minor league owner gets the revenue from that, not the MLB club. So the Rockies would bailing out of Colo Springs, for instance, makes no sense. A Texas team abandoning Oklahoma doesn’t either, but now they both have. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/182 "2014-09-19T19:56:50Z")
Clayton Kershaw has allowed seven baserunners! And three runs! IN JUST THREE INNINGS! Armageddon!! ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/183 "2014-09-19T21:50:21Z")
Elv1sLives: > [@](#): > > So what if there’s a new ballpark - the minor league owner gets the revenue from that, not the MLB club. The minor league team has to have money to hold up its end of the player development deal. That’s part of why Fresno was an unattractive option to the A’s (and many others) - the Fresno team was practically bankrupt at times. Also, I suspect that with the A’s difficulty in getting a new stadium for itself built in the Bay Area, they might see Nashville as a potential re-location target, and thus might want to cultivate a fan base there. I’d been trying to find out if the stadium was designed with possible expansion in mind, but haven’t seen any sites that say one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/184 "2014-09-19T22:10:35Z")
Edwin Jackson allowed 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning. If he’s at spring training next year, he’d better be in charge of washing jockstraps ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/185 "2014-09-20T00:31:40Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Clayton Kershaw has allowed seven baserunners! And three runs! IN JUST THREE INNINGS! > > Armageddon!! I know! I was worried a bit too. But the Dodgers ended up winning 14-5, so the End Times will have to be pushed back a bit. Did Clayton look a bit funny on the mound today? I was at work, but the wife said his pitching motion wasn’t his normal one. It looked “off.” ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/186 "2014-09-20T02:20:25Z")
I think Clayton’s big problem today was that he sat on the bench for about 45 minutes before he threw his first pitch. He’s not really used to doing that considering the run support he usually gets. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/187 "2014-09-20T19:10:21Z")
What’s going on in Det-KC? You can’t use a replay yet. The ball has to be in play and thrown to third before there’s a call to make. (Line drive to second, ball thrown away, runner at third scored without going back to third.) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/188 "2014-09-20T21:17:50Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > What’s going on in Det-KC? You can’t use a replay yet. The ball has to be in play and thrown to third before there’s a call to make. (Line drive to second, ball thrown away, runner at third scored without going back to third.) The ball apparently was thrown back to third, but they didn’t show it on TV. Regardless, it’s a non-reviewable play, even though they did actually use the replay to make their decision. It’s bullshit - but I guess you can’t expect such a colossally terrible baserunning blunder to be over-looked. That loss is Yost’s fault. I better not have to wait another 29 years to watch an equally important game for the Royals. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/189 "2014-09-20T23:19:58Z")
> [@Club\_33](#): > > I think Clayton’s big problem today was that he sat on the bench for about 45 minutes before he threw his first pitch. He’s not really used to doing that considering the run support he usually gets. Which is the fourth highest among NL starters at 4.88 runs per game. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/190 "2014-09-20T23:44:09Z")
Effing college football pre-empting the Mariners game on the radio. And of course, as usual, this will continue on Saturdays all through the postseason. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/191 "2014-09-20T23:56:49Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Which is the fourth highest among NL starters at 4.88 runs per game. Yeah, my first reaction to that comment was “¿Qué?” The Dodgers are the second-best offensive team in the NL, and Kershaw has gotten more than his share of runs from the offense. Of course, given the unbelievable season that Kershaw has had, he’d probably have just about as many wins even if he got 3 runs a game in support. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/192 "2014-09-21T01:12:41Z")
Which really goes to show how ridiculous win/loss records are when assessing a pitchers overall performance. Hiroki Kuroda has the poorest run support in the Al at 3.68 per game. His ERA is 3.77, so it’s not surprising that his record is 11-9. On one of the powerhouse Yankee teams, his record would probably be somewhere around 16-4. That brings me to Andy Pettitte and why he isn’t a Hall of Famer. It’s hard for me to admit, because I really enjoyed watching him play. Lots of great memories. In 2003, Pettitte won 21 games with a 4.02 ERA. Of course ERA isn’t everything, but it’s illustrative when you compare it to the run support he received: a whopping 6.61 per game. For his career he averaged 5.4 per game. Sorry to have gone off on a rant about win/loss stats. What would be the best replacement stat? Win shares? ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/193 "2014-09-21T01:37:26Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > The ball apparently was thrown back to third, but they didn’t show it on TV. Regardless, it’s a non-reviewable play, even though they did actually use the replay to make their decision. It’s bullshit - but I guess you can’t expect such a colossally terrible baserunning blunder to be over-looked. That loss is Yost’s fault. I better not have to wait another 29 years to watch an equally important game for the Royals. I guess Royals fans are finding out why Ned Yost is no longer in Milwaukee. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/194 "2014-09-21T03:34:24Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Which is the fourth highest among NL starters at 4.88 runs per game. This is true, but I’ve watched every Kershaw start for the last three years and when he sits for a long time between warming up and taking the mound, he can start out a bit shaky. In the game in question, he sat for 48 minutes before throwing the first pitch of the game and came out shaky. I wasn’t surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/195 "2014-09-21T12:18:32Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Sorry to have gone off on a rant about win/loss stats. What would be the best replacement stat? Win shares? Probably quality starts. > [@Carl\_Corey](#): > > I guess Royals fans are finding out why Ned Yost is no longer in Milwaukee. I’ve been hating him for a few years now, but yeah. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/196 "2014-09-21T12:47:17Z")
Slate: Would difference between run support and ERA be a useable stat? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/197 "2014-09-21T13:56:06Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Slate: Would difference between run support and ERA be a useable stat? I think it’s only useful in the context of Wins. Otherwise, run support isn’t all that useful of a pitcher’s stat, since he has absolutely no control over it (at least for AL pitchers, NL pitchers have a very small amount of control). It’d be about as useful as average temperature during his starts. The only takeaway from a significantly large ERA-RunSupport (positive or negative) would be “wow, he got lucky/unlucky!” ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/198 "2014-09-21T18:01:11Z")
Josh Hamilton has reportedly had 12 cortisone shots over the past couple of weeks. Still not playing. The Angels should give serious thought to leaving him off the playoff roster. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/199 "2014-09-21T18:19:03Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Probably quality starts. I don’t much care for that stat, either. If you do the minimum, you end up with a 4.50 ERA. Not exactly “quality.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150/200 "2014-09-21T21:28:21Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I don’t much care for that stat, either. If you do the minimum, you end up with a 4.50 ERA. Not exactly “quality.” The point, though, is that 6 innings and three runs is the MINIMUM. No one ever before, and no one ever will, has a full season with a lot of quality starts that are exactly 6 innings, 3 earned runs. After all, you don’t get more than one quality start if you throw a shutout, either. The point of quality starts is “he gave him team a legiitimate shot at winning,” nothing more. That said, we have some pretty decent complete stats for pitchers, like WAR and Support Neutral W-L. I would point out that Andy Pettite’s 21-win, 4.02 ERA season in 2003 was a damned good year. 4.02 sounds like a high ERA today, when the average team only scores about 4 runs a game. In 2003 the average teams scored 4.52 runs per game, so Pettite was substantially below the league average. He had 3.1 WAR that year, which makes him a pretty damn good player; his season was more or less the same year that Jered Weaver is having this year with a 3.52 ERA, or that Chris Tillman is having for the Orioles. Pitchers who can throw 200+ innings with below average ERAs are in short supply. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september/697150.md?page=11)