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Post by bigjeep on Sept 21, 2024 19:24:29 GMT -5
I hate these midnight games!  |
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 19:34:50 GMT -5
The A’s send ex-Yankee and lefty J. P. Sears to the mound to try and event he series at a game apiece. He pitched in the series at the Stadium in April, so his career needs no recap. He’s been a reasonable back-of-the-rotation starter since then: 10-10 in 25 starts with an ERA of 4.41. On the season, Sears is 11-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 30 starts. In 169 2/3 innings, he’s allowed 159 hits, 85 runs, 80 earned, 24 HR, 44 BB and struck out 127. His WHIP for the season is a solid 1.196. Sears has alternated good and bad starts since mid-July; good ones against the Giants, the Rangers and the Astros, bad ones against the Brewers, the Marines, and most recently, he lost a game to the White Sox. But then, so did Luis Gil. This is his fifth career start against the Yanks; he’s done poorly in the first 4: 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA. In 21 1/3 innings, he’s allowed 22 hits, 15 runs, 13 earned, 5 HR, 8 BB and struck out 19. His WHIP against New York is a crummy 1.406, and the team’s quadruple slash line against Sears is .265/.330/.518/.848. His most recent start against them was easily his best: 6 innings of shutout ball, just 3 hits and 1 BB, striking out 7 for a no-decision in a 2-0 win for the A’s at the Stadium on April 22nd.
Repertoire: Sears is a 5-pitch lefty: 4-seamer, sweeper, change, sinker and slider. The 4-seam has better than average rise and run. The sweeper has average drops and below average break into righties. The change has drop average drop and above average tail away from righties. The sinker has below average drop and average tail. The slider less drop and much less than average break away from lefties. By run values, the 4-seam is a decent-sized minus, the change is a tiny plus, the sweeper is a small plus, the sinker is fairly decent sized plus, and the slider is a decent sized minus. His FB velocity is bottom 20% in MLB, and FB spin is bottom 10%, and his extension is slightly below average, as is his chase rate. His average exit velocity is right around MLB average, the barrel rate is quite high, the hard-hit rate is high, but less high than the barrel rate. His line drive rates is very low, the groundball rate is low, the flyball rate is fairly high, and the popup rare is a bit high. The swinging strike rate is low, the called strike rate is a bit less than average, so the CSW is also quite a bit lower than average; 9% lowest among 56 MLB qualified starting pitchers. In “luck” factors, the BABIP is a shade lower than average, the strand rate is below average, and the HR/FB rate is quite a bit lower than average. The luck factors therefor play in his favor, and his ERA estimators think his ERA should be about 4.55 rather than 4.24. The pitch mix this season: 4-seam averaging 92 about 37% of the time, sweeper 79 about 25%, change 84 about 19%, sinker 90 about 10% and slider 79-80 about 9%.
Playing the Name Game: Only 7 players in MLB history go by J.P. or in this case, JP (no punctuation, Sears is the only one of the seven who does this). The best pitcher is J.P Howell, a lefty who was mostly a reliever for the Royals, Rays, Dodger and Jays from 2006 through 2017. He had two years as an excellent set-up man for the Rays, even earning 17 saves closing for them during part of the 2009 season. After that year, he had torn labrum surgery and when he came back, he had lost some of his stuff, but was still able to carve out a career as a LOOGY (Left-handed One Out Guy), He had three straight terrific seasons for the Dodgers in that role from 2013 through 2015, 13-5, and a 1.97 ERA in 200 games and 155 innings combined. His career 8 bWAR is about 2.3 ahead of Sears, who should catch and pass Howell around 2026 if he can stay healthy. The best hitting J.P. is J.P. Crawford, who the Yanks just saw this past weekend. Crawford bWAR total is over 15, which included the 5.4 WAR season he had last year which got him a down ballot MVP vote, and a Gold Glove that he won in 2020. J.P. is the best of the three MLB players named Sears; the other two is an inconsequential first baseman/DH for the Twins and Padres in 2002-3 named Todd Sears, and a catcher named Ken Sears, who was one of Bill Dickey’s two backups for the 1943 champion Yankees, and played a small part of 1946 with the St. Louis Browns. Rollie Helmsley, who was the other backup to Dickey had a 19-year career as a catcher in the majors, making 5 All-Star teams, and was also the backup catcher of the 1932 Chicago Cubs team that was the victim of Babe Ruth’s called shot, and was swept by the Yanks. Helmsley didn’t start a game in the series, but was called upon as a pinch-hitter in games 1, 3, and 4, and struck out all 3 times. I wonder if any other player has every pinch hit three times in a World Series and struck out all three times…again, the weird information you can dig up just by looking at an ordinary player’s career….
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 19:35:18 GMT -5
Carlos Rodon starts for the Yanks, tying to get to four good starts in a row. He pitched 6 strong innings against the Rangers in a game the Yankee bullpen blew, the last blown save for Clay Holmes before he lost his job as closer. Next time out was a solid six against the Royals, with a couple of unearned runs keeping him from leaving with a lead. Last time it was a decent 5 1/3 against the Red Sox for t win. On the season, Rodon is 15-9 with a 4.12 ERA in 30 starts. He’s pitched 163 2/3 innings, second most in his career, allowing 148 hits, 79 runs, 75 earned, 29 HR, and 52 BB with 186 K’s. His WHIP on the season is a decent 1.222. As I mention each time he starts, he’s on multiple AL top 10 pitching lists, both good and bad, including tied for 4th in wins, 7th in K’s, 4th in K’s per 9 innings, but also 3rd in HR allowed, and 2nd most HR per 9 innings. Tonight’s start will leave him in 9-way tie for 2nd in the league in games started. It's also his eighth career start vs. Oakland, and he’s pitched well against them: 4-1 with a 2.68 ERA. In 43 2/3 innings, he’s allowed 32 hits, 13 runs (earned) 3 HR, 14 BB and 40 K’s. His WHIP against the A’s is an outstanding 1.053, and the Oakland team quadruple slash line against him is .199/.268/.298/.566. His last start against them was in the series at the Stadium in April, a 7-inning gem: just 1 hit, 2 BB, striking out 4 and allowing no runs. Unfortunately, the Yanks scored none off his opponent tonight, Sears, and they lost it after both of them left the game, 2-0.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 19:35:45 GMT -5
Yankees' lineup vs. Sears
1. Torres (2B) is 1-10 with a solo HR, 1 BB and 5 K
2. Soto (RF) is 0-3 with 1 K
3. Judge (CF) is 1-4 with a three-run HR, 2 BB (1 IBB), 1 K and 1 GIDP
4. Stanton (DH) is 2-7 with a solo HR, 2 K, and 1 GIDP
5. Dominguez (LF) has never faced Sears
6. Berti (3B) hasn’t face him either
7. Volpe (SS) is 2-8 with 2 K
8. Cabrera (1B) is 4-7 with 1 triple, 1 HR, and 2 RBI
9. Trevino (C) is 2-7
On the bench: Chisholm (3B) is 1-3 with 1 triple and 1 K; Rizzo (1B) is 2-8 with 2 K; Verdugo (LF) is 0-1 with 1 BB and 1 K
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A’s Lineup vs Cole: Gerrit Cole matches up with Ginn. Despite his vast advantage in experience, few of the A’s in the lineup and on the roster have ever faced Cole:
1. Butler (RF) has never faced Rodon
2. Rooker (DH) is 0-6 with 2 K
3. Langeliers (C) is 0-3 with 1 K
4. Bleday (CF) has never faced Rodon
5. Gelof (2B) is 0-3 with 1 K
6. Cameron (LF) is 0-3 with 1 BB and 1 K
7. Nevin (1B) is 1-4 with 1 double, 1 RBI and 1 HBP
8. Wilson (SS) has never faced Rodon
9. Allen (3B) is 2-5 with 1 BB and 1 K
On the Bench: Noda is 0-3 with 1 K; Schumann is 0-2 with 1 K
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 19:36:16 GMT -5
Yesterday: the Yanks and A’s played a tight game, it was 1-1 for 9 innings with the A’s scoring on a RBI single by Langeliers in the 4th, and Volpe tying it with a RBI single of his own in the 5th. In the 10th, with Dominguez the ghost-runner, Rizzo singled him to 3rd and he scored on whiff passed ball by Langeliers that moved Cabrera who pinch ran for Rizzo 2nd. Soto came off the bench on his sore knee and doubled to the corner in left to score Cabrera, and after Berti pinch ran for Soto, he scored on Volpe third single of the game. Weaver gave up a leadoff single by Bleday scoring the A’s ghost-runner Rooker, but then he struck out Langeliers, Brown and Gelof to nail down a 4-2 Yankee win. Cole threw his longest outing of the season, a superb 9 innings of 1-run ball for the win to get to 7-5 on the season, T.J. McFarland gave up the runs in the 10th, taking the loss, and dropping to 2-4. Weaver’s save was his 3rd since becoming the quasi-closer. The was the Yanks 10th in 14 games, their 90th win of the season, and pushed them back to 26 games over .500 at 90-64.
At Camden Yards, the Orioles got 2 in the 1st off of opener Holton, and 5 more off bulk inning follower Montero in 4 2/3 innings and coasted to a 7-1 win. Corbin Burnes threw 7 shutout innings for the second straight start, giving up just 3 hits an striking out 8 for the win, improving to 15-8 on the season. Holton took the loss, dropping to 7-2. The O’s hit 5 HRs, Santander got his 43rd, and Cowser and McCann hit 2 HRs each. Cowser now has 23; McCann has 7.
At the FetidDome™ in Tampa, Alexander and five Rays relievers combined on a 5 hit shutout for a 1-0 win over the Jays. Alexander didn’t make it through 5, so Kevin Kelly got the win in relief, getting to 4-2 on the season. Jose Berrios gave up 1 run in 6 innings for the hard-luck loss, dropping to 16-10. The only run of the game was a HR by Jonathan Aranda in the 6th
In another pitcher’s duel at Fenway, the game was 1-1 until the 12th when the Twins got 3 runs on RBI singles from Larnach, Wallner and Castro. The Red Sox got their ghost-runner home on grounder from Wong, but that was it: the Twins won 4-2, to take the lead for the last Wild Card again. Rookie starters Festa for the Twins and Fitts for the Sox both threw 5 strong innings for no-decisions; reliever Scott Blewett got his 1st major league win with a scoreless 11th for Minnesota. Griffin Jax was charged with the unearned ghost run, but retired the Sox 1-2-3 for his 10th save. Swingman Cooper Criswell gave up the 3 runs in the 12th to take the loss, dropping to 6-5
In other games of importance to the AL Wild Card chase…The Mariners got 6 strong innings from George Kirby and beat up on bulk follower Jack Leiter, who came into after DeGrom threw 3 solid innings and won going away 8-2 over the Rangers. Rojas hit a solo HR of DeGrom for his only run allowed, but the hero was star centerfielder Julio Rodriguez, who hit 2 HRs, knocking in 5. Kirby got the win to get to 13-11; Leiter took the loss and is now 0-3.
In yet another late-season pitcher’s duel, the Giants beat the Royals 2-1. Rookie Mason Black threw 5 2/3 shutout innings for the win, he’s now 1-4. Micheal Wacha gave up both runs in 5 2/3 innings, taking the loss to drop to 13-8. Doval was moved back to the closer’s role because Ryan Walker blew yesterday’s Giants loss, and gave up an unearned run, but locked down his 23rd save.
The Yanks stayed 4 games ahead of Baltimore the East lead; their Magic Number for the title is down to 5. The O’s are still the top Wild Card. The Royals are 2nd, but now, just 1 game up on the Twins, who hold the last Wild Card again. The Tigers are 1 game back of Minnesota, the Mariners are a game behind Detroit, the Sox and Rays are 4 behind Seattle with Tragic Numbers of 4 each; The Jays and Rangers are 3 back of them, with a TN down to 1.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 19:38:40 GMT -5
In games of import today/tonight:
The O’s rallied with 2 in the 9th to tie the Tigers at 4, but the Tigers got the 2 back in the 10th on a single by Greene and a sac fly by McKinstry to win 6-4. Brieske got the win in relief to get to 3-4, pitching both the 9th and the 10th; Cano took the loss to drop to 4-3.
The Rays eliminated the Jays from the playoff with a 3-2 win in the DisgustoDome™, Taj Bradley got the win, breaking a long losing streak, he’s now 7-11, Yariel Rodriguez lost again, he’s a miserable 1-7. Rasmussen got the save, his 1st since 2021
The Giants put the Royals playoff chances in further jeopardy with a 9-0 whitewash in KC. Rookie Landon Roupp threw 5 scoreless innings for the win, getting to 1-1; Brady Singer gave up 6 in 5 1/3, taking the loss to drop to 9-12. The Giants hit 5 home runs, a three run shot by Yastrzemski his 18th, 2 solo HRs by Wade, who now has 8 and 2 more solo HRs by Matt Chapman who has 26 this season.
The Twins and Red Sox were rained out.
Going into tonight’s game, the Yanks lead the O’s by 4 1/2 and the Magic Number for the East is down to 4. The O’s are still top seed for a Wild Card, the Royals lead over the Twins is down to 1/2 game; the Tigers are now just 1 game behind KC and 1/2 game back of Minnesota. Where the Mariners are depends on what they do with the Rangers, and that game is now 2-2 in the 5th.
And at 9:07 pm in the Coliseum, it’s Rodon vs. Sears.
My apologies...reality intruded, and I was unable to do The Saturday Leaders last night/today, so I'll get to that with a double edition of the Leaders and The Sunday Standings™ for tomorrow's game.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:04:46 GMT -5
M's take a 5-2 lead over the Rangers on RBI singles by Rodriguez, Raleigh and Arozarena in the top of the 6th. That game goes bottom 6th, 5-2, Seattle.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:06:44 GMT -5
A's take the field. Sears throwing his final warmups. Torres about ready to step in.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:08:06 GMT -5
Torres comes to the plate. Game underway...
FB outside, ball 1.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:09:23 GMT -5
Torres...
Curve hangs outside, 2-0
FB misses outside 3-4 inches, called a strike anyway, Langeliers moved the mitt, got the call, 0% on Gameday, very bad call.
FB outer 3rd, waist high, lined to left center for a leadoff single. Good start.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:12:13 GMT -5
Soto...
Takes a FB below and inside middle, 0-1
Squares to bunt, so I guess the knee is OK, bunts near home, Langeliers fields and fires to 2nd, but he picked it up in foul ground, 0-2 on Soto.
Curve way outside, 1-2
Slider well outside, knee high, no chase, 2-2
Slider 4-5 inches outside, he lays off, 3-2
Thigh high slider outer 3rd, lined to the right of center for a hit, Bleday right on it, so Torres stops at 2nd with nobody out.
Judge with a chance to do damage early on.
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Post by bigjeep on Sept 21, 2024 20:13:58 GMT -5
Good start!  |
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:14:05 GMT -5
Sinker misses low, inside corner, taken, 1-0
Change right down the middle, he pops it back foul. Sigh, 1-1
Takes a slider to the knees, near middle, 1-2
FB outside middle, and he misses again, late and under, fouling it off. Sigh.
FB inner 3rd above the waist, under it again, fouls it back. 3 good pitches to hit, nothing doing.
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Post by qwik3457bb on Sept 21, 2024 20:16:31 GMT -5
Slider cuts across the whole zone, finishes well inside, taken, 2-2
Good change low, but Judge gets a piece to stay alive.
Change tails outside, Judge lays off, crowd groans for no reason, missed by 3-4 inches, 3-2
Humps up to 94, but misses outside by 2-3 inches, waist high, Judge takes, ball 4
A great at bat, Jeff? No, not really. He fouled off 3 pitches he could've/should've hammered.
Bases loaded, nobody out for Stanton.
Langeliers goes out to settle down Sears.
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Post by presceo on Sept 21, 2024 20:18:13 GMT -5
ugh
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