Running 2015 MLB Regular-Season Thread

Here's some data on the best 50-game stretches in MLB history.

GROUND BALL WITH EYES: The Best 50-Game Stretches in Baseball History

Note that the 2005 A's went 40-10 at one stretch, and didn't make the playoffs.

 

Very cool. Thanks.

 

Wins will be a factor. I wouldn't count it, but if all else is equal and a writer decides to make that the tiebreaker, I don't have a huge problem with that decision.

 

Not content with one tip-of-the-cap start, the A's are rolling Barry Zito out there again tomorrow ... against the Angels.

The Rangers, Astros and Twins must appreciate that a whole lot.

 

This is just anecdotal evidence on my part, but I've found when the Angels face a struggling pitcher, or one that's really green making his first or second start, they tend to make him look like Cy Young. Hope that isn't the case Wednesday.

 

Just because they do it doesn't mean we have to like it. I stand by my Pujols/Cano post. You're right that Cano is accurate with his windmill throws, but it still irritates me, the perception that he doesn't give a damn. And when he hits a grounder to second and peels off to the dugout before he even reaches the running lane, and still has the bat in his hands, that is ridiculous to someone who was taught to ... you know ... hustle.
Pujols has been a below average player with above average power since he came to the Angels. He is why the culture of the team changed from a balanced offense to homers-or-bust. It worsened with the horrible Hamilton acquisition.
And the thought that they are unnecessarily risking injury by running out grounders and popups is no different than saying they are risking injury by stepping off a curb or walking down a stairway (hello, Joe Smith).

 

God I was about to come on here to make a completely convoluted explanation about how Grenkie has been shafted by his bullpen and offense (and he has. Bullpen has blown three leads and he's left games either tied or down by 2 runs or less in 10 other games, just three of which the Dodgers have won).

Then I saw what Arrieta has done. Cubs haven't lost one of his games since July 25. He has failed to factor into the decision just twice since the All-Star Break, both of which the Cubs won. Grenkie has been great, but I didn't realize how good Arrieta has been since May ended: A 17-2 record in 22 starts and Cubs are 19-3 in his games. He's lowered his ERA from 3.18 to a 1.82 in that stretch (an ERA of 1.25 after May 29). That same stretch, Grenkie has gone 13-2 in 21 starts with a 1.77 ERA. Dodgers are 15-7 in those games.

I might be converted to the SJ cause here.

 

Here's my guess. They seed teams from 1 through 4 based on AL record and play a 3-game tournament Monday and Tuesday. The tournament winner is AL West champion and the runner-up is the second wild card. If the Twins win it, they are in as the second wild card and the runner-up becomes West champion.

EDIT: On second thought, if the Twins win, there's no need to play the third game because the field would be set. The third game would only be needed if the Twins lose first.

 

Arrieta's last 11 starts: 0.44 ERA.

 

I'd be curious to look through the records and see if Kershaw had had the best season ever for a third-place finisher in the Cy Young Award voting.

 

Without looking, because what fun is knowing what you're talking about, I'd guess that the third place finishers in the NL in the '60s in the Koufax, Marichal, Gibson and later Jenkins era had some pretty sporty numbers.

 

Koufax, 1964: 19-5, 1.74, 223 IP, 223 SOs.

That's pretty close.