All-Star Game: Which team’s pitching staffs have performed best, worst?
Texas Rangers logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published daily that focuses on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Texas Rangers skipper Ron Washington, who will be managing the American League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, has eight of his Texas players as members of the A.L. squad. When it comes time to make pitching changes, however, he may want to think twice before inserting one of his three hurlers on the squad, Matt Harrison, Joe Nathan or Yu Darvish.
The Rangers have the worst ERA of pitchers who have thrown in the All-Star Game since 2000. Rangers hurlers have given up five earned runs in 2.2 innings of work for a 16.88 ERA. The A.L. lost last year’s game, 5-1, and Texas pitcher C.J. Wilson was credited with the loss after giving up three earned runs in an inning of work.
Considering that the Tampa Bay staff has a 0.00 in five innings of work since 2000, Washington may want to call upon the Ray’s David Price or Fernando Rodney for a little work on Tuesday.
On the National League side, the Colorado Rockies have the best ERA at 0.00 in nine innings of work. The Washington Nationals have the worst ERA at 9.00, but it should be noted that the only two N.L. victories since 2000 have been won by pitchers from the Nationals… Tyler Clippard last year, and Matt Capps in 2010. Both pitchers worked only one-third of an inning in their victories.
Following are the ERAs of each team’s pitching staffs in the All-Star Game since 2000.
National League, ERA (innings pitched)
Colorado 0.00 (7)
Pittsburgh 0.00 (1.1)
Milwaukee 0.96 (9.1)
Arizona 1.59 (11.1)
San Francisco 2.45 (7.1)
St. Louis 2.57 (7)
Philadelphia 2.70 (10)
Atlanta 3.24 (8.1)
Chicago 3.86 (7)
Cincinnati 4.50 (4)
L.A. Dodgers 5.14 (14)
Miami 7.20 (5)
N.Y. Mets 8.31 (4.1)
Houston 8.53 (6.1)
San Diego 8.64 (8.1)
Washington 9.00 (2)
American League, ERA (innings pitched)
Tampa Bay 0.00 (5)
Kansas City 0.00 (2.2)
Boston 0.82 (11)
N.Y. Yankees 1.17 (15.1)
Minnesota 2.00 (9)
L.A. Angels 2.16 (8.1)
Detroit 2.57 (7)
Chicago 2.61 (10.1)
Baltimore 3.00 (3)
Oakland 3.75 (12)
Seattle 6.08 (13.1)
Toronto 6.10 (10.1)
Cleveland 7.20 (5)
Texas 16.88 (2.2)
The Yankees have had the most appearances by their pitchers in the All-Star Game since 2000 with 16. The Dodgers pitching staff has made 14 appearances, most in the N.L. Following are the number of All-Star Game appearances by each team’s pitchers since 2000.
16: N.Y. Yankees
14: L.A. Dodgers
13: Seattle
11: Oakland
10: San Diego, Minnesota, L.A. Angels
9: Atlanta, Milwaukee, Arizona, Boston
8: Philadelphia, Toronto, Chicago White Sox
7: Houston
6: Chicago Cubs, St. Louis, San Francisco, Detroit
5: N.Y. Mets, Cleveland
4: Washington, Cincinnati, Colorado, Tampa Bay
3: Miami, Baltimore, Texas
2: Pittsburgh, Kansas City
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Which MLB team (if any) will lose 100 games this season?
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published multiple times weekly focusing on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Houston Astros logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Last season the Houston Astros were the only team to lose 100 or more games in the majors. It was, however, the first time in the team’s history that they lost over 100 games in a season since they began playing in the National League in 1962.
The 2011 MLB season was the fourth consecutive year that at least one team lost 100 or more games. In the past 30 seasons, we have had 33 different teams lose 100 or more games; there have been 10 seasons since 1982 where no team has lost 100 or more games in a season.
Here’s a look at each of the 30 MLB teams and the last time they lost 100 or more games in a season.
Team, Last season they lost 100+ games (losses that year)
St. Louis… 1908(105)
New York Yankees… 1912(102)
Los Angeles Angels… (Have never lost 100+; franchise began in 1961)
Philadelphia… 1961(107)
Boston…1965(100)
Chicago Cubs… 1966(103)
Chicago White Sox… 1970(106)
Texas… 1973(105)
Oakland… 1979(108)
Toronto… 1979(109)
Cincinnati… 1982(101)
Minnesota… 1982(102)
San Francisco… 1985(100)
Atlanta… 1988(106)
Baltimore… 1988(107)
Cleveland… 1991(105)
Colorado… (Have never lost 100+; franchise began in 1993)
New York Mets… 1993(103)
San Diego… 1993(101)
Miami… 1998(108)
Milwaukee… 2002(106)
Detroit… 2003(119)
Arizona… 2004(111)
Kansas City… 2006(100)
Tampa Bay… 2006(101)
Washington… 2009(103)
Pittsburgh… 2010(105)
Seattle… 2010(101)
Houston… 2011(106)
So what are the chances of the Astros having a “better” season in 2012? Of the 30 teams that lost 100 or more games in a season from 1982-2011 and then played a full compliment of games the next season (162 games) 26 of those 30 teams lost fewer games the following season. Only five of those teams also lost 100 or more games the following season. Here’s a snaphot look at the six teams that lost 100 or more games in the past 30 seasons that had the biggest improvement the next season. (Note: Five of the 30 teams actually had a winning record the year after they lost 100+ games)
Team, 100+loss season, next year, difference
Baltimore… 107 losses in 1988; 75 losses in 1989 = 32-loss difference
Detroit… 119 losses in 2003; 90 losses in 2004 = 29-loss difference
Arizona… 111 losses in 2004; 85 losses in 2005 = 26-loss difference
Detroit… 109 losses in 1996; 83 losses in 1997 = 26-loss difference
Cleveland… 102 losses in 1985; 78 losses in 1986 = 24-loss difference
Seattle… 101 losses in 2008; 77 losses in 2009 = 24-loss difference
Which team is most likely to join the 100-loss club this season? Since 1982, the average team to lose 100 or more games in a season lost 89.4 games the previous season. Last season, the Colorado Rockies were the only team to lose 89 games. If they were to lose 100 or more games in 2012, it would be the first time in their history.
20-game winners: Will the drought continue for these teams?
Image by Thomas Hawk via Flickr
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday
Just under half of the major league teams (14 of the 30 teams) have not had a 20-game winning pitcher on their staff in this century. Two teams, Colorado and Tampa Bay, have never had a 20-game winner. Of those teams that have had a 20-game winner in their franchise’s history, two teams, San Diego and Washington (previously Montreal) have not had a 20-game winner since 1978.
Following are the teams that have the longest drought since their last 20-game winner.
Team Last 20-game winner year, pitcher
San Diego 1978-Gaylord Perry
Washington* 1978-Ross Grimsley
Baltimore 1984-Mike Boddicker
Milwaukee 1986-Teddy Higuera
Cincinnati 1988-Danny Jackson
Kansas City 1989-Bret Saberhagen
LA Dodgers 1990-Ramon Martinez
NY Mets 1990-Frank Viola
Pittsburgh 1991-John Smiley
Detroit 1991-Bill Gullickson
Colorado 1993-Never had a 20-game winner
San Francisco 1993-Bill Swift/John Burkett
Tampa Bay 1998-Never had a 20-game winner
Texas 1998-Rick Helling
* Previously Montreal
Note: With less than 60 games to go in the current season, it looks like most of the teams above will go another year without a 20-game winner. The Tigers, however, with Justin Verlander‘s 14 wins and going for number 15 today, have a good chance to give Detroit its first 20-game winner since Gullickson in 1991. Outside chances for this year include the Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw-12 wins), Brewers (Yovani Gallardo-12 wins) and Pirates (Kevin Correia-12 wins).
‘Home Sweet Home’ on the diamond
The New York Yankees went 52-29 in 2010 at Yankee Stadium giving them their 19th straight season with a winning record at home, longest streak in the major leagues. Topping the National League are the St. Louis Cardinals who have had a winning record at home for 11 straight seasons.
Following are the teams that have the longest current winning seasons at their home park.
Team Consecutive winnings seasons at home
New York Yankees 19
St. Louis Cardinals 11
Philadelphia Phillies 8
Sports Stats 'on Tapp' 