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Saw a stat last night on Sportscenter. Pitchers who have started the season 6-0 with an ERA under 0.50:
Walter Johnson Fernando Valenzuela Zack Greinke That's pretty good company. FWIW......Dayton Moore stated that he wanted to build this team through pitching and build a rotation that had 5 good starters. If we can just hurry up and get Hochaver to the big leagues to replace Ponson (Hochaver's now 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA at Omaha), we've got a heckuva chance at winning this division. |
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Wow- just saw that in the game recap. That's not cool. SI |
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They were going bonkers at every turn last night. People were smiling, leaning forward in their seats, party patio in the outfield was packed. This town has a tendancy to assume the wheels will fall off at some point in each season. They may have no choice but to buy in again and hope it doesn't happen. I'm heading out to the stadium tonight with my daughter. The fabulous thing about Greinke is he's actually quite intimidating, despite his demeanor off the mound. He's now had five straight starts against the Chicago White Sox where he went head hunting. If you crowd the plate against Greinke, you can expect to get a 95 MPH fastball in the helmet earhole. Quintan gave Greinke a dirty look earlier in the season when he threw an inside pitch. Greinke put the next pitch in the middle of his back. The rivalry between Chicago and KC has really heated up over the past couple of years. It reminds me a lot of the Chiefs/Raiders hatred. |
Yeah, that was game 2 where he had an 0-2 count, iirc, and Quentin kept crowding so he hit him. That was sandwiched in a 3 K inning where he had pinpoint control. It was no accident and I'm glad to see someone on our team willing to do that.
SI |
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I'm glad they had the good sense to bring him back, but..yes...it's pretty interesting that no one else hired him over that time. But then, it's baseball and we sure do love our retreads. I'm cautiously optimistic at what's going on now and I'm appreciative that the squad is even in the conversation. That's better than we've had in past years. |
Zack Greinke ERA+ Update: 1173
No, that is not a misprint. I know it's not going to be anywhere near that at season's end and suffers from small sample size. But, holy crap- just look at it. 6-0 0.40 ERA 0.84 WHIP 45 IP 30 H 3 R 2 ER 54K 8 BB 0 HR 10.8 K/9 6.7 K/BB (and from Rany: "For the season, his BABIP is also .286. The BABIP for the Royals as a team is virtually indistinguishable at .289. In other words, Greinke hasn’t been lucky this season. He comes by that 0.40 ERA honestly. Honestly.") SI |
12:35pm game today! Nothing like a half-day at work and some baseball! Too bad the weather isn't better.
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I always thought the way BABIP was used was you needed to compare it to the PITCHER's own career baseline - as in each pitcher has a BABIP that they tend to regress to. Greinke's is .315 for his career, meaning that he is getting a little lucky. Assuming I understand BABIP correctly, of course. EDIT: Also, has the defense improved greatly? That could explain a change (I know Crisp is solid in CF). |
Frankly, I don't buy Rany's argument but he's Rany so I'll give him some benefit of the doubt.
I thought BABIP averages out to something like .320. The outfield defense is improved but the infield is scary- at least the right side. So, I think Zack's been a little lucky. He does seem to dial it up when he gets in trouble- throw that extra little bit he's been saving up- but that's simply anecdotal and holds no water. SI |
Regardless, it's a remarkable start and we can probably agree that he won't keep up THIS pace all season. Still, enjoy it while you've got it.
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Exactly- I know the easy question is "what are realistic numbers from here on out"? I just prefer not to think about it and enjoy the ride :)
SI |
Its hard to use Greinke's career numbers at this point because his '05 season was far out of character and caries too much weight at this point (.343 BABIP that year). League average is just under .300 most years.
He is pitching lights out right now, but you don't put up a 0.40 ERA and 1173 ERA+ without a sizable amount of luck. The most obvious place he's had luck this year has been zero home runs allowed. Based on his HR/FB rates from the past 2 years he should have allowed 4-5 at this point. But as both of you said, its best to enjoy the ride. He sure as hell earned any good fortune he's getting now. |
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Not as I've seen it. There is an average BABIP, but that also depends on having an average defense. |
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Honestly, luck goes both ways. Chicago got 6 hits last night. Two of the hits were broken bat loopers that just went over the head of the infielders and three other hits went off the gloves of KC's weak infielders. Chicago really only had one good line drive hit the whole night. |
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Actually, after thinking about it, I think what I was describing is how to use BABIP to judge a hitter's performance. For a pitcher it should be to league average. |
I think there are also exceptions for knuckleballers and extreme groundball pitchers- of which Greinke is neither- but I could be mistaken.
SI |
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I didn't even know what Marcum and McGowan were up to, other than they weren't pitching right now. Had no idea both could miss the season. :( |
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It depends on both the pitcher and the defense. The average is around .300. For a pitcher who has enough innings, you can start with their career average and adjust for defense/park effects from there. |
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Last night definitely had to be pouring salt on the Pirates' wounds. I'm definitely happy that the Brewers have taken the high road so far after that jackass Jeff Karstens threw at Ryan Braun. Beating them 16 times in a row is definitely better revenge than throwing at a guy. |
Good MLB debut by Brett Cecil today, power lefty for Toronto. 6 innings and 6Ks with one earned run. He did hit 3 guys though, not sure what that was about.
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lol, the #9 hitter twice. |
Had the 6 K's in the first 3 innings as well. Pretty bizarre seeing a 2-1 game through 5, and 3-2 through 6 turn into a 10-6 final with all the extra runs coming in 1 inning.
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Ugly meltdown by Tribe pen...again!
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There's a guy pitching for SF named Merkin.
That is all. |
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He's bush league. |
Posada on the DL now. Too bad (teeheehee).
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Good enough to K Derrek Lee. |
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Did he wig out afterwords? |
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They didn't exchange words that I could see. |
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I don't really have a problem with a guy throwing at another teams player. Unless it's at the head. A meatball to the back....that's baseball. Besides, it's not like Karstens throws hard enough to bruise anyways. I think we basically need to no-hit the Brewers if we want to win one of these games. |
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Glad things didn't get hairy. |
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I'd usually agree with you, but I'm not sure what Braun did to deserve it that particular night? Braun definitely has a reputation for admiring his home runs but I certainly didn't recall any of the Brewers admiring their shots that particular night. If it is pent up frustration about losing so much to the Brewers, well, who is to blame for that? Win a damn game against them. It seems the past few years the Pirates have had some bad blood for the Brewers (Matt Capps vs. Prince Fielder). From a Brewer fan's perspective, it's akin to a chihuahua nipping at the heels of a rottweiler (based on how the actual outcome of the games have come out). |
Padilla is pitching a gem against the Mariners right now.
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Curtis Granderson hit 5th today for Detroit with Magglio hitting 6th. Granderson was 1-5 but hit a HR, and the Tigs put up 9 runs in a 9-0 victory over the Twins. Hopefully this stays this way a little bit.
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Make it 17 in a row against the Pirates for the Brewers.
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LOVE the Yankees' relief staff. Ha!
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Honestly... I look at the box score. Who the hell are half of these guys? Actually... who are ALL of these guys? I've heard of a few but for crying out loud, you'd think the Yankees could patch together a relief staff with all the money they have. |
Meanwhile, the Red Sox run out Saito as the "other" guy to mop up a 4 run lead so they don't have to use Papelbon.
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Good job Mets... bragging rights in Atlanta now (until the next series) :D.
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That Delgado drop was beyond awful, though.
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LUV IT!!! UNDEFEATED VS. THE EVIL EMPIRE THIS YEAR! |
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Delgado tried his best to fuck it up :banghead: |
Well, if you love irony, Lidge just gave up a home run to Pujols in the ninth inning.
At least the Phillies still have a three-run lead. |
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Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte are on the DL. I'm guessing you've heard of them. So they've brought young guys up from the minors who have done well like Melancon and Robertson and Girardi definitely doesn't use them enough. He overuses Veras who is worthless and Albaledjo who has been roughed up of late. I really hope they don't do what all the idiots on ESPN want them to do and move Joba to the bullpen. The pen will be ok when Bruney and Marte are back and the starting rotation gets on track. |
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Well, yes... but that's over now, and I can refrain from breaking anything ;). |
Wow. A suspended game? Bullpens of Houston and Washington alternating implosions before suspension at 10-10 in the 11th.
SI |
On the plus side, Phils in first place for the first time this season.
:thumbsup: |
Dola - Greinke.
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Well, my 2 year old couldn't make it through the whole Royals game last night. We left in the 6th inning after 3(!) hours. I got home and still watched from the 8th inning all the way to the conclusion of the game in the 11th inning. Couldn't believe the number of walks by White Sox pitchers.
As for the new Kauffman Stadium, it's unbelievable. It's hard to believe it's even the same stadium. My daughter rode a few carnival rides, played on the playground, and ate an entire hot dog along with downing a couple of glasses of pop. She loved it. Definitely going to take her back out for some more games this year. And in case anyone wants to know the going rate for superstar pitchers, Greinke's high school girlfriend/fiance has her own website....... Emily Kuchar, Miss Daytona Beach USA |
Wow. Got into the bottom of the 10th, rain delay. Played into the bottom of the 11th, game suspended. It's going to be completed in Houston in July.
Zimmerman extends his hitting streak to 23 games. |
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