Yahoo Contributor Network Link: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8343329/a_decadelong_tale_of_two_teams.html?cat=14
After the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees concluded their most recent series on early Monday morning, the two teams hit an important date in the season: August 8, 2011. Since the 2001 season, the team that is in first place in the American League Eastern Division beginning the day on August 8 has finished first 8 out of 10 times.
This season, the Red Sox (70 wins) and Yankees (69) have the most combined win total (139) on this date in the past 10 years. The Yankees have previously had 69 wins in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010 on August 8. However, the Red Sox have not had 70 wins at this date in the previous 10 seasons.
AL East Division Standings - before games on August 8
2001 : NYY 68-46 BOS 64-49
2002 : NYY 71-42 BOS 66-47
2003 : NYY 70-43 BOS 67-48
2004 : NYY 71-39 BOS 60-49
2005* : BOS 64-47 NYY 60-50
2006 : NYY 66-43 BOS 65-46
2007 : BOS 69-45 NYY 63-51
2008 : TB 69-46 BOS 66-50 NYY 63-53
2009 : NYY 68-42 BOS 62-47
2010 : NYY 69-41 TB 67-44 BOS 63-49
2011 : BOS 70-43 NYY 69-44
(Final AL East Champion in bold)
As you can plainly see, it has mostly been a two-team race over the past 10 years in the AL East; and this season is no different. On August 8, both teams have had 60 or more wins in all 10 years. The memorable 2004 season had the Red Sox down to the Yankees by 10.5 games on 8/8/2004, the greatest deficit on 8/8 in the past 10 years.
With 49 games remaining in the 2011 regular season, it should be a tight race to the finish line. The current separation between the Red Sox and Yankees, 1 game, is the closest the two rivals have been in the last 10 years on this date. While history says that the Red Sox will take the division, we should all hang on for a fantastic finish .
*In 2005, the Yankees and Red Sox finished the season with the same record (95-67). The Yankees won the tiebreaker to take the division.
(Sources: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/index.jsp)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Derby Depression
Yahoo Contributor Network Link: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8343315/home_run_derby_depression.html?cat=14
Perennially, the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby is the most exciting event of the summer. While all the other professional sports are not in season, the MLB takes center stage and presents their best players during the 2011 All-Star Weekend. As the All-Star Game itself becomes less and less enjoyable as more players decline their invitations, the Home Run Derby steps up to the plate as the most electrifying MLB spectacle of the mid-summer celebration.
Unfortunately, players seem to hurt their swing by participating in the derby. Every year, some of the participants experience an extreme offensive drop off after the derby. Even a few players endure injuries soon after. For example, after playing 13 games since the All-Star break, Rickie Weeks severely sprained his left ankle and is out for approximately a month. Last year, Hanley Ramirez played 86 of the Marlins' 88 games in the first half of the season, but missed 18 games after the All-Star break due to an elbow injury. And in 2009, Nelson Cruz missed 27 games in the second half of the season after only missing 7 in the first half. Also, in 2009, Carlos Pena played 88 of 89 first half games and then missed 26 of 73 after the derby. Injuries can significantly hurt a team because these power hitters are very hard to find and extremely difficult to replace.
In previous years, the Home Run Derby has statistically hurt players much more than it has helped. In 2008 itself, four of the eight derby participants had significant depletions in their hitting after the derby. Lance Berkman went from having a first half of .347 AVG/.443 OBP/.653 SLG to a second half of .259/.384/.436. 2008 Derby winner Justin Morneau and Dan Uggla also had their struggles. After the All-Star break, they both fell off by more than .050 in batting average, .040 in on-base percentage, .200 in slugging percentage and .13 in home runs per game from their first half statistics. Chase Utley did not fair too well either with regard to home runs. He had 25 HR in 94 games (.27 per game) before the derby; however, afterward, he had only 8 in 65 games (.12 HR per game). What could be the worst incidents of 'Derby Depression' are Bobby Abreu in 2005 and Brandon Inge in 2009. Abreu dropped from 18 HR and .307/.428/.526 in the first half to 6 HR and .260/.376/.411 in the second half after winning the derby with the best single derby HR total (41). Inge was even worse: a first half of 21 HR and .268/.360/.515 to a second half of 6 HR and .186/.260/.281.
These horrendous collapses from Home Run Derby hitters are even apparent in the limited number of games since the All-Star break this year. Before Rickie Weeks went down with his injury in the second half, he was hitting .217/.308/.413 after a first half of .278/.351/.486. In addition, Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Matt Holliday and Jose Bautista are all experiencing falls in their HR numbers after the derby. Gonzalez has 1 HR in 15 games since the break (0.07 HR per game) after having 19 in 87 games (0.22 per game). Ortiz has 1 HR in 13 games and neither Matt Holliday nor Jose Bautista has any HR since the derby. Obviously, these players do have two months to turn around their power numbers in the second half of the season, but as of right now, the Home Run Derby is affecting all of them.
Being an exhibition event, the Home Run Derby should be an enjoyable experience for both fans and players. Unfortunately, players are somewhat reluctant to participate because of the consequences to their hitting. The majority of hitters reformulate their swing during the derby in order to hit as many home runs as they can. Therefore, they must readjust to normal pitching after the 3-day All-Star break, which includes the derby. This awkward situation presents the 'Derby Dilemma,' in which a good or even great home run hitter must decide whether to risk his second half power numbers by being a part of the Home Run Derby.
*All statistics are official as of games before Monday, August 1
(Sources: http://www.baseball-reference.com/)
Perennially, the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby is the most exciting event of the summer. While all the other professional sports are not in season, the MLB takes center stage and presents their best players during the 2011 All-Star Weekend. As the All-Star Game itself becomes less and less enjoyable as more players decline their invitations, the Home Run Derby steps up to the plate as the most electrifying MLB spectacle of the mid-summer celebration.
Unfortunately, players seem to hurt their swing by participating in the derby. Every year, some of the participants experience an extreme offensive drop off after the derby. Even a few players endure injuries soon after. For example, after playing 13 games since the All-Star break, Rickie Weeks severely sprained his left ankle and is out for approximately a month. Last year, Hanley Ramirez played 86 of the Marlins' 88 games in the first half of the season, but missed 18 games after the All-Star break due to an elbow injury. And in 2009, Nelson Cruz missed 27 games in the second half of the season after only missing 7 in the first half. Also, in 2009, Carlos Pena played 88 of 89 first half games and then missed 26 of 73 after the derby. Injuries can significantly hurt a team because these power hitters are very hard to find and extremely difficult to replace.
In previous years, the Home Run Derby has statistically hurt players much more than it has helped. In 2008 itself, four of the eight derby participants had significant depletions in their hitting after the derby. Lance Berkman went from having a first half of .347 AVG/.443 OBP/.653 SLG to a second half of .259/.384/.436. 2008 Derby winner Justin Morneau and Dan Uggla also had their struggles. After the All-Star break, they both fell off by more than .050 in batting average, .040 in on-base percentage, .200 in slugging percentage and .13 in home runs per game from their first half statistics. Chase Utley did not fair too well either with regard to home runs. He had 25 HR in 94 games (.27 per game) before the derby; however, afterward, he had only 8 in 65 games (.12 HR per game). What could be the worst incidents of 'Derby Depression' are Bobby Abreu in 2005 and Brandon Inge in 2009. Abreu dropped from 18 HR and .307/.428/.526 in the first half to 6 HR and .260/.376/.411 in the second half after winning the derby with the best single derby HR total (41). Inge was even worse: a first half of 21 HR and .268/.360/.515 to a second half of 6 HR and .186/.260/.281.
These horrendous collapses from Home Run Derby hitters are even apparent in the limited number of games since the All-Star break this year. Before Rickie Weeks went down with his injury in the second half, he was hitting .217/.308/.413 after a first half of .278/.351/.486. In addition, Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Matt Holliday and Jose Bautista are all experiencing falls in their HR numbers after the derby. Gonzalez has 1 HR in 15 games since the break (0.07 HR per game) after having 19 in 87 games (0.22 per game). Ortiz has 1 HR in 13 games and neither Matt Holliday nor Jose Bautista has any HR since the derby. Obviously, these players do have two months to turn around their power numbers in the second half of the season, but as of right now, the Home Run Derby is affecting all of them.
Being an exhibition event, the Home Run Derby should be an enjoyable experience for both fans and players. Unfortunately, players are somewhat reluctant to participate because of the consequences to their hitting. The majority of hitters reformulate their swing during the derby in order to hit as many home runs as they can. Therefore, they must readjust to normal pitching after the 3-day All-Star break, which includes the derby. This awkward situation presents the 'Derby Dilemma,' in which a good or even great home run hitter must decide whether to risk his second half power numbers by being a part of the Home Run Derby.
*All statistics are official as of games before Monday, August 1
(Sources: http://www.baseball-reference.com/)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Major League Lack of Muscle
Yahoo Contributor Network Link: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8329153/major_league_lack_of_muscle.html?cat=14
On Sunday, July 17, the Red Sox and Rays displayed the lack of hitting that Major League Baseball has been suffering from for the last few years. For some players, the reason could be the lack of performing enhancing substances; others say that the pitchers as a whole have caught up to the batters. No matter the cause, the extra-inning affair served as a microcosm for the monumental fall of MLB's high octane offenses.
Most offenses now have to resort to the National League-type of 'small ball' strategy. This is becoming mandatory because arguably the most exciting part of the game, the home run (0.89 per game in 2011), is unfortunately at its lowest since 1993. Even with 96 outs to work with, neither the Red Sox nor the Rays could muster a home run during Sunday's game. Through all 16 innings, the two ball clubs put up just a total of 8 hits. Thus far in 2011, the MLB has an overall batting average of .252 with 8.58 hits per game, both of which are the lowest averages for the league since 1972.
On the other hand, creating runs with speed and moving runners over is becoming more prevalent throughout the MLB. Stolen bases per game (0.68) are the most since 1999. Stolen bases have been on the rise for almost a decade now. In 2003, the MLB had only 0.53 per game. Therefore, more speedsters will find their ways into MLB lineups since young power hitters are becoming scarcer by the day.
If there's one lesson to take away from Sunday night's game between Boston and Tampa Bay, this could be it: the two teams combined for 2 stolen bases. That is 2 more than the number of home runs and 1 more than the number of total runs scored.
*All statistics are official as of games before Friday, July 22
(Sources: http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/bat.shtml)
On Sunday, July 17, the Red Sox and Rays displayed the lack of hitting that Major League Baseball has been suffering from for the last few years. For some players, the reason could be the lack of performing enhancing substances; others say that the pitchers as a whole have caught up to the batters. No matter the cause, the extra-inning affair served as a microcosm for the monumental fall of MLB's high octane offenses.
Most offenses now have to resort to the National League-type of 'small ball' strategy. This is becoming mandatory because arguably the most exciting part of the game, the home run (0.89 per game in 2011), is unfortunately at its lowest since 1993. Even with 96 outs to work with, neither the Red Sox nor the Rays could muster a home run during Sunday's game. Through all 16 innings, the two ball clubs put up just a total of 8 hits. Thus far in 2011, the MLB has an overall batting average of .252 with 8.58 hits per game, both of which are the lowest averages for the league since 1972.
On the other hand, creating runs with speed and moving runners over is becoming more prevalent throughout the MLB. Stolen bases per game (0.68) are the most since 1999. Stolen bases have been on the rise for almost a decade now. In 2003, the MLB had only 0.53 per game. Therefore, more speedsters will find their ways into MLB lineups since young power hitters are becoming scarcer by the day.
If there's one lesson to take away from Sunday night's game between Boston and Tampa Bay, this could be it: the two teams combined for 2 stolen bases. That is 2 more than the number of home runs and 1 more than the number of total runs scored.
*All statistics are official as of games before Friday, July 22
(Sources: http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/bat.shtml)
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