Sports Stats 'on Tapp'

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Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.

When a major league team goes through a rough stretch in their schedule, it’s sure nice to play a few games against a team that they have beaten with regularity. These “slump-buster” matchups can reverse a losing streak real quick.

It seems as though the Brewers have found their “slump-buster” in the form of the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates. The Brewers have won three of five from the Pirates this season. Last year the Brew Crew won 11 of the 15 games; and in 2011, the Brewers were 12-3 against the Bucs.

Since 2010, the Brewers have won 39 of the 53 games played against Pittsburgh, a .736 winning percentage.

That is not, however, the most dominating matchup over the past three-plus seasons that we’ve seen in the majors. The Chicago White Sox hold that distinction with a very dominating 26-5 record against the Seattle Mariners since 2010 ( a .839 winning percentage).

Here’s a look at the most dominating matchups in the majors since 2010 (a minimum of 20 games played in head-to-head games since 2010 to qualify for this list).

Dominate matchups since 2010

Chicago White Sox 26-6 (.839) over Seattle

Philadelphia 17-4 (.810) over Colorado

Arizona 16-4 (.800) over Houston

Texas 19-5 (.792) over Houston

Los Angeles Dodgers 19-6 (.760) over Pittsburgh

Milwaukee 39-14 (.736) over Pittsburgh

Philadelphia 16-6 (.727) over San Diego

Toronto 16-6 (.727) over Minnesota

New York Yankees 18-7 (.720) over Cleveland

San Francisco 18-7 (.720) over Houston

Texas 18-7 (.720) over Cleveland

Cincinnati 40-16 (.714) over Chicago Cubs

Tampa Bay 17-7 (.708) over Minnesota

Atlanta 40-17 (.702) over Miami

Philadelphia 14-6 (.700) over Milwaukee

Looking at the Brewers all-time record against opponents, you might think that they have the best all-time record against the Pirates. The Brewers are 137-102 (.573 winning percentage) against Pittsburgh, which ranks second in their head-to-head records. The Brewers have their best head-to-head record against the Toronto Blue Jays since 1969. The Brewers have won 160 and lost 116 against Toronto, a .580 winning percentage. Third on the list are the Texas Rangers; the Brewers are 184-157 (a .540 winning percentage) against the Rangers all-time.

Stats Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

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Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.

There isn’t much good to say about the Milwaukee Brewers recent four games against the St. Louis Cardinals, so let’s look at something positive: the batting prowess of Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura.

Gomez is leading the National League in batting with a .368 batting average. (Trivia question: Can you name the last Milwaukee Brewers player to win a batting crown? Answer at the end of the column.) Teammate Segura is sitting in fourth place in the batting race with a .333 average. If you would have said that two Brewers would be in the Top 5 of the N .L. batting race in early May, chances are Gomez and Segura probably would not have the been the two players you would have suspected.

The season is a long ways from being complete, but let’s dream a little. If Gomez and Segura should end the season in the Top 5 of the batting race, they would be the first Brewers teammates in the Top 5 since 1991 when Willie Randolph (.327, third place) and Paul Molitor (.325, fifth place) finished in the Top 5. Other Brewers teammates to finish in the league batting Top 5 at the end of a season: 1984 (Robin Yount .331, second place; Cecil Cooper .313, fifth place) and 1973 (George Scott (.306, second place) and Davey May (.303, fifth place).

Let’s expand the parameters a little; here’s a look at the Brewers teammates who finished in the Top 10 of the league batting race in a season.

Season, teammates

2009: Ryan Braun (.320, seventh place) and Felipe Lopez (.310, ninth place)
1991: Willie Randolph (.327, third place) and Paul Molitor (.325, fifth place)
1989: Robin Yount (.318, fourth place) and Molitor (.315, sixth place)
1988: Molitor (.312, fifth place) and Yount (.306, tenth place)
1987: Molitor (.353, second place) and Yount (.312, tenth place)
1983: Ted Simmons (.308, ninth place) and Yount (.308, tenth place)
1982: Yount (.331, second place), Cecil Cooper (.313, fifth place) and Molitor (.302, tenth place)
1979: Molitor (.322, sixth place) and Sixto Lezcano (.321, seventh place)
1973: George Scott (.306, second place) and Davey May (.303, fifth place)

Trivia answer: The Brewers have never had a batting champion. They have, however, had five players who finished runner-up in the batting race: George Scott (1973), Cecil Cooper (1980), Robin Yount (1982), Paul Molitor (1987) and Ryan Braun (2011).

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.

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The Boston Red Sox had the most victories in the majors at the end of April with 18. They became the 12th team since 2000 to have 18 or more victories as of April 30.

So based on the other 11 teams that won 18-plus games through April 30, what might this mean for the Red Sox and their hopes for a post-season appearance at the end of this season?

Before we answer that question, here’s a look at the 12 teams that had 18-plus win through April 30 since 2000.

Team, Season, wins
Boston, 2013, 18
Cleveland, 2011, 18
Philadelphia, 2011, 18
Arizona, 2008, 20
Los Angeles Angels, 2008, 18
New York Yankees, 2003, 21
San Francisco, 2003, 19
Boston, 2003, 18
Seattle, 2002, 18
Seattle, 2001, 20
Minnesota, 2001, 18
Atlanta, 2000, 18

So how well did these teams (other than the 2013 Red Sox) perform by the end of those seasons:

* Ten of the 11 finished the season above .500.

* Seven of the 11 made the playoffs.

* Eight of the 11 won 90-plus games that season.

* Five of the 11 won 110-plus games that season.

* Three of the 11 played in their league championship series (Boston and New York Yankees in 2003 and Seattle in 2001)

* Only one (the 2003 Yankees) played in the World Series that season.

* The 11 teams ended that season with an average record of 96-66.

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp

Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog written with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.

 Tim Hudson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Hudson is the third active pitcher to have 200-plus wins. Andy Pettitte has won 248 games; Roy Halladay is one victory ahead of Hudson with 201.
• Of all the pitchers with 200-plus wins, Hudson is tied with Pettitte with the fewest number of complete games, 25.
• Of the 90 pitchers with 200-plus wins, Hudson has the third fewest losses with 105. Pedro Martinez had only 100 losses with his 219 wins, and Halladay has 103 losses with his 201 wins.
• Hudson is one of only 11 200-game winners to have never had a save in his career.
• Fourteen of the 90 pitchers with 200-plus wins have a winning percentage of .630 or better. Hudson is among that group with a 200-105 record for a .656 winning percentage. That ranks him seventh on the list. In fact, all three of the active pitchers (Pettitte, Halladay and Hudson) with 200 or more wins have winning percentages better than .630.