Here's an interesting "pinch hit" from one of our regular readers. Gerry takes a lighthearted look at some of the first-half numbers.
Stats, Stats and more Stats
by Gerry McDonald
Some notes from the Jays statistics at ESPN.COM, at the halfway point. Many of these stats will not be surprising to the ZLC, but the degree to which the Jays vary from other teams, in some categories, was surprising to me.
Team Pitching and Defense
Jays team ERA, at 4.82, ranks 9th in the AL.
The Jays have conceded more runs (434) than every team except Tampa Bay (441) and Texas (516). Can A-Rod pitch?
How are the Jays 9th in ERA but 12th in runs allowed? The Jays have given up 47 unearned runs, the most in the AL. Other generous teams are Tampa Bay (40 unearned runs) and Detroit (43).
The Jays have made 65 errors. Cleveland and Detroit are the worst at 67. The Jays might be unlucky in that many of their errors turn into runs.
Offsetting this is the Jays' Zone Rating, which is tied for fifth in the league. So the Jays' fielders do get to a lot of balls, they just make more errors when they get there.
The Jays have allowed 100 opposition HR's. Only Texas is worse.
The Jays have a 1.37 ground ball/fly ball ratio, the most extreme to ground balls in the AL. Four other teams are in the 1.30's. Therefore infield defense is more important to the Jays than for other teams.
Seattle is the most extreme Fly Ball team at 0.97. Anaheim is close at 0.98.
Toronto and Texas have issued 28 IBB's. Next on the list are Oakland and Tampa Bay at 20. Tosca playing the percentages? Or running scared?
Toronto pitchers have not committed a balk yet this year (Boston and Yankees are also at zero). This comment ensures a balk call this week.
Jays have allowed the most stolen bases in the AL this year (65). The Jays have the worst caught stealing ratio at .22. Seattle (.42) and Cleveland (.40) are the best. Incidently, Josh Bard's reward is a trip to AAA so Victor Martinez can get his major league shot.
Team Offense
Jays OBP at .360 is second to Boston (.366)
Jays SLG at .489 is second to Boston (.498)
Detroit's OBP and SLG are .288 and .342 respectively.
Jays batters have 545 strikeouts, the most in the league. Not the sabermetric way? JP would not be happy with this.
Jays are second in runs scored, but look at the range...
Boston 511
Toronto 503
Yankees 452
Seattle 405
The three AL East teams are in their own class. Toronto and Boston are 25% ahead of all others, except the Yankees.
Jays have 12 stolen bases. Oakland is next with 19. Third lowest are the White Sox and Rangers with 31 each. This supports the Jays red light system, as discussed on Batter's Box earlier this year.
Jays have been caught 14 times. They are the only team with a negative differential. The next lowest differential is Oakland at 19-7, for a +12 difference.
Jays have only 4 sacrifice hits. The next lowest are the Yankees at 10. This is extreme avoidance of the sacrifice. Are the Jays trying to go one better than Oakland?
Jays have been HPB 45 times, well ahead of KC and Texas at 36.
The leaders in intentional base on balls received are Boston with 34, the Yankees with 31, and Oakland with 29. The Jays are middle of the pack with 19. This suggests the Jays hitters don't have the respect of the league yet.
Individual
Roy Halladay has given up 17 HR's. Tied for second at 11 are three pitchers. Know who? Answers are below.
More walks than K's? - Creek and Davis
K/9 IP greater than 9? Escobar 9.67 and Lopez 9.06
Who is the most extreme ground ball pitcher on the Jays staff? If you guess Jeff Tam you are second with a ratio of 1.64. The leader's ratio is 1.85. Answer below.
The Jays most extreme flyball pitcher has a ratio of only 0.54. Sturtze, Lopez and Davis are in the 0.90's. Know who? Answer below.
Jays errors leaders? Woodward (15), Hudson (9), Hinske (7), Delgado (6)
Catchers ERA (non judgemental) Myers 4.12; Wilson 5.80, offset by errors, Myers (6) Wilson (1)
Catcher SB % - Myers 30% ; Wilson 17%
More walks than K's as a hitter - Stewart 24/23
Not Blue Jay material? (BB/K <.33) Phelps 22:70; Werth 1:18; Wilson 16:49
Lowest OPS with > 100 AB's - Hinske .689; Bordick .697
SB leader - O-Dog with 4 (caught 2). Worst - Johnson 0 for 3
Answers:
11 HR's - Hendrickson, Sturtze and Politte
Most extreme GB pitcher is Halladay. It is a little odd that Doc has given up the most HR's. I guess he needs to keep the ball down. What would his ERA be if he played with a slow grass infield? Skydome probably hurts him. I did not have a chance to run his ERA on grass fields for the last year. Anyone?
The flyball pitcher is Politte. If Cliff comes into the game, Tosca better have his best outfield out there.
Stats, Stats and more Stats
by Gerry McDonald
Some notes from the Jays statistics at ESPN.COM, at the halfway point. Many of these stats will not be surprising to the ZLC, but the degree to which the Jays vary from other teams, in some categories, was surprising to me.
Team Pitching and Defense
Jays team ERA, at 4.82, ranks 9th in the AL.
The Jays have conceded more runs (434) than every team except Tampa Bay (441) and Texas (516). Can A-Rod pitch?
How are the Jays 9th in ERA but 12th in runs allowed? The Jays have given up 47 unearned runs, the most in the AL. Other generous teams are Tampa Bay (40 unearned runs) and Detroit (43).
The Jays have made 65 errors. Cleveland and Detroit are the worst at 67. The Jays might be unlucky in that many of their errors turn into runs.
Offsetting this is the Jays' Zone Rating, which is tied for fifth in the league. So the Jays' fielders do get to a lot of balls, they just make more errors when they get there.
The Jays have allowed 100 opposition HR's. Only Texas is worse.
The Jays have a 1.37 ground ball/fly ball ratio, the most extreme to ground balls in the AL. Four other teams are in the 1.30's. Therefore infield defense is more important to the Jays than for other teams.
Seattle is the most extreme Fly Ball team at 0.97. Anaheim is close at 0.98.
Toronto and Texas have issued 28 IBB's. Next on the list are Oakland and Tampa Bay at 20. Tosca playing the percentages? Or running scared?
Toronto pitchers have not committed a balk yet this year (Boston and Yankees are also at zero). This comment ensures a balk call this week.
Jays have allowed the most stolen bases in the AL this year (65). The Jays have the worst caught stealing ratio at .22. Seattle (.42) and Cleveland (.40) are the best. Incidently, Josh Bard's reward is a trip to AAA so Victor Martinez can get his major league shot.
Team Offense
Jays OBP at .360 is second to Boston (.366)
Jays SLG at .489 is second to Boston (.498)
Detroit's OBP and SLG are .288 and .342 respectively.
Jays batters have 545 strikeouts, the most in the league. Not the sabermetric way? JP would not be happy with this.
Jays are second in runs scored, but look at the range...
Boston 511
Toronto 503
Yankees 452
Seattle 405
The three AL East teams are in their own class. Toronto and Boston are 25% ahead of all others, except the Yankees.
Jays have 12 stolen bases. Oakland is next with 19. Third lowest are the White Sox and Rangers with 31 each. This supports the Jays red light system, as discussed on Batter's Box earlier this year.
Jays have been caught 14 times. They are the only team with a negative differential. The next lowest differential is Oakland at 19-7, for a +12 difference.
Jays have only 4 sacrifice hits. The next lowest are the Yankees at 10. This is extreme avoidance of the sacrifice. Are the Jays trying to go one better than Oakland?
Jays have been HPB 45 times, well ahead of KC and Texas at 36.
The leaders in intentional base on balls received are Boston with 34, the Yankees with 31, and Oakland with 29. The Jays are middle of the pack with 19. This suggests the Jays hitters don't have the respect of the league yet.
Individual
Roy Halladay has given up 17 HR's. Tied for second at 11 are three pitchers. Know who? Answers are below.
More walks than K's? - Creek and Davis
K/9 IP greater than 9? Escobar 9.67 and Lopez 9.06
Who is the most extreme ground ball pitcher on the Jays staff? If you guess Jeff Tam you are second with a ratio of 1.64. The leader's ratio is 1.85. Answer below.
The Jays most extreme flyball pitcher has a ratio of only 0.54. Sturtze, Lopez and Davis are in the 0.90's. Know who? Answer below.
Jays errors leaders? Woodward (15), Hudson (9), Hinske (7), Delgado (6)
Catchers ERA (non judgemental) Myers 4.12; Wilson 5.80, offset by errors, Myers (6) Wilson (1)
Catcher SB % - Myers 30% ; Wilson 17%
More walks than K's as a hitter - Stewart 24/23
Not Blue Jay material? (BB/K <.33) Phelps 22:70; Werth 1:18; Wilson 16:49
Lowest OPS with > 100 AB's - Hinske .689; Bordick .697
SB leader - O-Dog with 4 (caught 2). Worst - Johnson 0 for 3
Answers:
11 HR's - Hendrickson, Sturtze and Politte
Most extreme GB pitcher is Halladay. It is a little odd that Doc has given up the most HR's. I guess he needs to keep the ball down. What would his ERA be if he played with a slow grass infield? Skydome probably hurts him. I did not have a chance to run his ERA on grass fields for the last year. Anyone?
The flyball pitcher is Politte. If Cliff comes into the game, Tosca better have his best outfield out there.
