TWIB #4: now to the end of the month

[vivalaultra 0]

'Stros win again, and are now 15-6. Presuming the White Sox don't come back, which they certainly might, we'll have the best record in baseball, which is cool, considering how we started last year. Wandy freakin' Rodriguez is 4-0 with a 2.3 ERA. I mean, he's no Brandon Arroyo, but that's pretty damn good considering he had an ERA in the high 5's last season. Now, however, the real test begins as we have something like...17 of the next 19 games on the road, and 2 at home with the Cards. First up is Cincy. Roy O pitches Friday with his 15-0 lifetime record against the Reds on the line. And that is your Houston Astros baseball franchise club update.

[naiwf 0]

'Stros win again, and are now 15-6. Presuming the White Sox don't come back, which they certainly might, we'll have the best record in baseball, which is cool, considering how we started last year. Wandy freakin' Rodriguez is 4-0 with a 2.3 ERA. I mean, he's no Brandon Arroyo, but that's pretty damn good considering he had an ERA in the high 5's last season. Now, however, the real test begins as we have something like...17 of the next 19 games on the road, and 2 at home with the Cards. First up is Cincy. Roy O pitches Friday with his 15-0 lifetime record against the Reds on the line. And that is your Houston Astros baseball franchise club update.

 

What's up with the schedule maker giving you 16 of 21 (23 really as you had 2 away rainouts) at home, then 12 of 14 on the road, 9 straight at home, 10 in a row away and then 16 of 19 at home AGAIN?

[vivalaultra 0]

I think John Kruk and Peter Gammons are making the schedules now, and they don't ever seem to realize that Houston exists until the last minute, and then they just kinda have to throw shit together. That's my working theory. Seriously, though, I dunno. It is kind of a weird schedule. I can understand opening the season at home, because most Southern teams open at home due to the unpredictable Northern weather, but I guess it evens out with us having this long streak of road games and ending the season on the road. It kinda seems unfair, given how well the 'Stros play at home, though.

[Guest Smues]

Oh hey, we have Kerry Ligtenberg down in Iowa now. How 'bout that.

 

Did they pay more then a few dozen bats and balls for him? I learned from "Built to Win" that when the Braves got him all they had to trade to get him was I think 2 dozen bats and 6 dozen balls. Something like that.

[Guest Smues]

Bad: Braves got swept by the Brewers.

Good: My Braves 2006 media guide showed up. Now when we call up 10,000 rookies it'll be easier to keep track of who is who.

[Guest Felonies!]

Going back to the NL Central thing, a quick number-crunch tells me that the five contending teams combine for a 28-11 record against West and East teams.

[naiwf 0]

Going back to the NL Central thing, a quick number-crunch tells me that the five contending teams combine for a 28-11 record against West and East teams.

 

Further analysis shows that the Central has won the majority of those games at home.

 

St. Louis 3-0 (swept Fla)

Houston 7-3 (2-1 vs Fla, 3-1 vs Wash, 2-1 vs LAD), they also went 2-1 at Arizona, and 1-1 at SF

Milwaukee 5-1 (swept Atlanta, 2-1 vs Arizona), they also went 1-2 at NY Mets

Chicago 2-1 (Fla again), they also went 2-1 at the Dodgers

Cincy 2-1 (Fla yet again), they also went 3-0 at Washington

 

 

Home records 19-6

Away records 9-5

 

Against just Florida and Washington the NL Central contenders are 15-4. Granted that's why the Mets are in 1st in the NL East but the bulk of these wins are coming in NL Central ballparks which skews the numbers pretty heavily.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Going back to the NL Central thing, a quick number-crunch tells me that the five contending teams combine for a 28-11 record against West and East teams.

 

Further analysis shows that the Central has won the majority of those games at home.

 

St. Louis 3-0 (swept Fla)

Houston 7-3 (2-1 vs Fla, 3-1 vs Wash, 2-1 vs LAD), they also went 2-1 at Arizona, and 1-1 at SF

Milwaukee 5-1 (swept Atlanta, 2-1 vs Arizona), they also went 1-2 at NY Mets

Chicago 2-1 (Fla again), they also went 2-1 at the Dodgers

Cincy 2-1 (Fla yet again), they also went 3-0 at Washington

 

 

Home records 19-6

Away records 9-5

 

Against just Florida and Washington the NL Central contenders are 15-4. Granted that's why the Mets are in 1st in the NL East but the bulk of these wins are coming in NL Central ballparks which skews the numbers pretty heavily.

 

Not sure where you got this information, but the St. Louis numbers are incorrect. The Cardinals haven't played the Marlins all year and their 3-0 record outside of the Central division comes from sweeping the Phillies in Philadelphia for the first series of the year:

 

Away @ PHI: 3-0

Away @ CHC: 0-3

Home v. MIL: 2-1

Home v. CIN: 2-1

Away @ PIT: 2-1

Home v. CHC: 2-1

Home v. PIT: 3-0

 

I think your away stats for the division are incorrect too, upon another look at the schedules on MLB.com:

 

STL HOME vs. NL EAST: -

STL HOME vs. NL WEST: -

STL AWAY vs. NL EAST: 3-0 (PHI)

STL AWAY vs. NL WEST: -

 

Home: -

Away: 3-0

 

HOU HOME vs. NL EAST: 5-2 (2-1 FLA, 3-1 WAS)

HOU HOME vs. NL WEST: 2-1 (LAD)

HOU AWAY vs. NL EAST:

HOU AWAY vs. NL WEST: 3-2 (1-1 SF, 2-1 ARI)

 

Home: 7-3

Away: 6-2

 

CHC HOME vs. NL EAST: 2-1 (FLA)

CHC HOME vs. NL WEST: -

CHC AWAY vs. NL EAST: -

CHC AWAY vs. NL WEST: 2-1 (LAD)

 

Home: 9-4

Away: 8-3

 

CIN HOME vs. NL EAST: 2-1 (FLA)

CIN HOME vs. NL WEST: -

CIN AWAY vs. NL EAST: 3-0 (WAS)

CIN AWAY vs. NL WEST: -

 

Home: 11-5

Away: 11-3

 

MIL HOME vs. NL EAST: 5-1 (2-1 v. ARI, 3-0 v. ATL)

MIL HOME vs. NL WEST: -

MIL AWAY vs. NL EAST: 1-2 (NYM)

MIL AWAY vs. NL WEST: -

 

Home: 16-6

Away: 12-5

 

PIT HOME vs. NL EAST: -

PIT HOME vs. NL WEST: 2-2 (LAD)

PIT AWAY vs. NL EAST: -

PIT AWAY vs. NL WEST: -

____________________

 

Home: 18-6 (.750 WPCT)

Away: 12-5 (.706 WPCT)

 

The home winning percentage is higher, but not to such an extent to suggest that the NL Central can't play teams outside of the division on the road. If there's anything that skews the data, it's Houston's bizarre schedule and absurd home park effects and, if you take them out of the equation, the numbers aren't impacted significantly anyway:

 

Home (w/out Houston): 10-3 (.769 WPCT)

Away (w/out Houston): 9-3 (.750 WPCT)

 

Discussing how teams are going to play based on home/road splits at this point in the season is mostly conjecture to begin with but, even if you're really wanting to take this sample size seriously, there's still no substantial evidence that indicates that the Central is benefitting from a significant home field advantage.

[naiwf 0]

Not sure where you got this information, but the St. Louis numbers are incorrect. The Cardinals haven't played the Marlins all year and their 3-0 record outside of the Central division comes from sweeping the Phillies in Philadelphia for the first series of the year:

 

Away @ PHI: 3-0

Away @ CHC: 0-3

Home v. MIL: 2-1

Home v. CIN: 2-1

Away @ PIT: 2-1

Home v. CHC: 2-1

Home v. PIT: 3-0

 

You're right, looking back at it I mixed up the Houston, St. Louis schedules side by side. I had the St. Louis sweep right, but put them down as doing that against the same team Houston played in the opening series instead of the Phillies. I should have done the whole thing individually instead of trying to multitask. Even with that correction, that makes the NL Central's top 5 16-6 at home against the East/West and 12-4 against Washington/Florida.

[the pinjockey 0]

So far in his AAA debut Cole Hamels has gone 6 IP (88 pitches 59 strikes, 29 balls), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 12 Ks. I am trying to resist the urge to scream to bring him up to the majors, but god damn.

 

EDIT: Final line - 7 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 14 Ks. He struck out everyone in the lineup at least once.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

So far in his AAA debut Cole Hamels has gone 6 IP (88 pitches 59 strikes, 29 balls), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 12 Ks. I am trying to resist the urge to scream to bring him up to the majors, but god damn.

 

EDIT: Final line - 7 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 14 Ks. He struck out everyone in the lineup at least once.

God damn indeed. I hope to see him in Scranton before long. I saw him pitch in Reading last year, and it was obvious that he's a top-flight prospect, and only the injury bug can stop him.

[the pinjockey 0]

You might want to make it snappy, reading on another board it looks like he will be in Scranton in two rotations. If Floyd and Cole keep doing what they are doing for those couple weeks you might not have many more chances after the first to see him.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

You might want to make it snappy, reading on another board it looks like he will be in Scranton in two rotations. If Floyd and Cole keep doing what they are doing for those couple weeks you might not have many more chances after the first to see him.

I doubt the Phils have such an iron-clad idea of what they want to do with Hamels. I think if Floyd becomes unusable, Ryan Franklin would get the first opportunity. And Hamels won't be this good every time out. It's nice to have choices though.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new worst guest singer for "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Those guys weren't even close.

 

 

Those are the same guys who run around their school's parking lot barefoot tossing a frisbee around an hour after school lets out, listening to modern alternative rock, and crawling into a shell when my friend and I drive up in his black Monte Carlo with tinted windows and 20's, bumping WGCI.

[Guest Felonies!]

Where is Lincoln Way East? They said it was new; I'm not familiar with that. I know Maine West, the school they beat, is up in Des Plaines/Park Ridge.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Frankf(u/o)rt.

[Mik 0]

Delmon Bat Incident

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Delmon Bat Incident

 

Give him 50. No, 100. That's inexcusable.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Nice. Looks like a guy everyone would want on their team.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

In his defense, the video doesn't prove he was aiming at the ump.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I heart watching the Indians' approach at the plate. That first inning may have been getting tedious because of Beckett's slow pace, but the Tribe showed why it pays to have a good eye at the dish. Props to Sizemore for actually running out a pop-up and thus, landing on second.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

In his defense, the video doesn't prove he was aiming at the ump.

Where, exactly, would he have been aiming if not at the ump? I find it pretty hard to make that argument when the bat comes whipping at the ump's chest.

[vivalaultra 0]

In his defense, the video doesn't prove he was aiming at the ump.

Where, exactly, would he have been aiming if not at the ump? I find it pretty hard to make that argument when the bat comes whipping at the ump's chest.

 

 

I like how the ump just completely no-sold it. Good thing they wear more body armor than Barry Bonds.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Woah, Delmon Young is one stupid bitch.

 

I agree with cheech... at least a 50 game suspension, and preferrably the entire season.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I think 50 games is extreme, considering past offenses like Carl Everett bumping the umpire netted ten games. Izzy Alcantara got 6 games for kicking a SWB catcher. Still, Young should be warned that a further offense will cost him a season.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Throwing a bat is much worse than those offenses, though. Even if it's a soft toss, you can do some serious damage.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Speaking of serious damage, Josh Beckett! As an Indians fan and a long-time Beckett hater, this has been a great game.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Throwing a bat is much worse than those offenses, though. Even if it's a soft toss, you can do some serious damage.

I'm not suggesting he should get off light. He should get 20 games to a month.

[mike546 0]

What is it with the Yanks and Mark Hendrickson? The guy is beaten up by every team in baseball but somehow went 3-0 against us last year and is dominating them tonight.

[Guest NYankees]

Yankees love to make scrub pitchers look like Cy Young. Just look at last nights game for example. With that being said, the Yankees have the bases loaded for Giambi with one out.