Does the Brewers pitching staff need to hit more opposing batters?
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Ron Roenicke (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Recently I read a posting by a Facebook friend where he was answering a question others had posed to him about why the Brewers were struggling. He went on to say that he thought the Brewers pitching staff was not pitching inside enough. As a former teammate of mine and a professional pitcher who had a brief stint in the majors, he has, in my mind, credibility in his analysis. It was an interesting post to read.
It got me thinking: Should the Brewers pitchers be pitching inside more to opposing batters? And… did my friend’s theory have any statistical validity?
Because his hypothesis focused on the current team under manager Ron Roenicke, I decided to look at the numbers from Roenicke’s two-plus years as Brewers skipper. Specifically, I looked at how many opposing batters Brewers pitchers had hit since Roenicke took over the team in 2011. The findings were very interesting:
* Since 2011 (and including games this year through June 20), the Brewers rank 30th in the majors (dead last) with the fewest numbers of opposing batters hit by their pitching staff with 79. The closest team to the Brewers are the Angels with 93. At the other end of the scale were the Boston Red Sox whose pitching staff had plunked 177 batters in that same timeframe.
* Since 2011, Brewers batters had been hit 179 times, first in the majors. That’s a difference of 100 when compared to how many batters the Brewers pitching staff had hit. Let that sink in a little… the Brewers batters have been hit 179 times; the pitchers have hit 79 batters.
* The difference of 100 batters (179 Brewers batters hit; 79 batters hit by the Brewers pitching staff) is the largest differential in the majors. The closest team to the Brewers are the Red Sox; their pitchers have hit 177 batters and their batters have been hit by opposing pitchers 120 times, a difference of 57.
* Looking just at 2013, the numbers are again similar. The Brewers pitching staff has hit 15 batters, ranking 28th in the league. Brewers batters have been hit 33 times, ranking third in the league. The difference of 18 is the highest in the majors.
* In looking at the teams that rank in the top three in most batters hit this year by their pitching staff (Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Arizona), those teams have a combined 126-89 record (a .586 winning percentage). The three teams ranking in the bottom three of most batters hit by their pitchers this season (Seattle, San Diego and Milwaukee) have a combined record of 98-120 (a .450 winning percentage).
So what do the numbers tell? Should the Brewers pitching staff be pitching inside more often?
Me, I’m not sure what the pitching staff should do. But my friend’s theory sure has the support of the numbers.
What do you think?
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Would a 100-win season guarantee a World Series trip for Nationals?
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
The Washington Nationals top the majors with 77 wins (through games of August 22). They are 30 games over .500 and just need to go 23-15 to finish with 100 wins this season. They are currently on pace to win 101 games this season.
In looking at the history of major league baseball, how “magical” has the 100-win season been for teams? Better stated, does a 100 or more win season equate to success in the post-season? Let’s take a look back to 1903 when MLB had its first World Series.
* Since 1903, there have been 93 teams that won 100 or more games in a season. The last 100-win team was last season when the Phillies went 102-60.
* Of those 93, 62 went on to the World Series that year. Thirty-four 100-win (or more) teams won the World Series that same season.
* In 1969, MLB went to two divisions in each league. From 1903-68, 47 teams had 100 or more wins in a season. Of those 47, 24 won the World Series that year. From 1969 to 2011, 46 teams won 100 or more games in a season; only ten of those 45 won the World Series that year.
* Since 1980, 31 teams have won 100 or more games. Four won the World Series, seven lost in the World Series, eight lost in the league championship series, nine lost in the league divisional series, and two teams (San Francisco 103 wins in 1993 and Baltimore 100 wins in 1980) did not even make the playoffs in the year they won 100 or more games.
* Since 2000, 14 teams have won 100 or more games. Only one team won the World Series, two lost in the World Series, three lost in the league championship series and eight lost in the league divisional series.
Following are the franchises that have won 100 or more games in the most seasons.
Team 100 or more win seasons
New York Yankees 19
Oakland/Philadelphia A’s 10
St. Louis Cardinals 8
San Francisco/NY Giants 7
Atlanta/Milwaukee/Boston Braves 6
Did you know? These current franchises have never had a season with 100 or more wins: Colorado, Florida, Milwaukee, San Diego, Washington, Tampa Bay, Texas and Toronto. Will the Nationals come off this list?
Here’s a quick trivia question: Can you name the last team to win 100 or more games in a season and win the World Series that year?
The New York Yankees won 103 games in 2009 and won the World Series that season. Prior to that, the 1998 New York Yankees won 114 games and the title. The last National League team to win 100 or more games in a season and the World Series that year were the 1986 Mets who won 108 games.
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Ryan Braun: Celebrating the 5th anniversary of his first career HR!
Ryan Braun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published daily focusing on stats that go beyond the numbers.
This weekend many of us will be celebrating Memorial Day and the contributions of the countless men and women who served our country and fought for our freedom.
Brewers fans this weekend also have something else to celebrate. Today, May 26, 2012, is the fifth anniversary of Ryan Braun‘s first career home run. On May 26, 2007, Braun hit a solo HR off Padres pitcher Justin Germano in the third inning in San Diego.
In honor of the fifth anniversary of Braun’s first round-tripper, here’s a few stats regarding the 174 homers Braun has hit up to this point in what many Brewers fans hope will be a long career with the club.
* Braun was hitting second in the order when he hit his first career home run. It is the only time that he has hit an HR while batting second in the order. He has hit 163 from the third spot, nine from the clean-up spot, and one from the eighth spot in the order.
* Braun has hit most of his home runs in the first three innings (72). He has 62 four-baggers in innings four through six, and 40 HRs from the seventh inning on.
* Braun has hit 101 home runs when he has seen three or less pitches. He has 73 home runs when he has seen four or more pitches in an at-bat.
* Braun has hit the most home runs (64) when the Brewers are behind in the game. He has hit 62 when the Brewers are ahead and has hit 48 when the game is tied.
* He has 92 HRs at Miller Park and 82 in away games.
* When it comes to strikes in the count, Braun’s home run stroke has been most successful with one strike. He has 68 homers with one strike in the count; 57 home runs with two strikes in the count; and 49 four-baggers when there are no strikes in the count. When it comes to balls in the count, Braun has hit more HRs when there are no balls in the count (59). He has 48 home runs with one ball in the count; 47 home runs with two balls in the count; and 20 long balls with three balls in the count.
* Braun has 64 home runs with no outs in the inning… 56 home runs with one out in the inning… 54 home runs with two outs in the inning.
* Braun has hit the most home runs in July (35). Other monthly HR counts: March (1), April (29), May (27), June (26), August (26), September (28), October (2).
* Braun’s 173rd home run was on May 21 when he hit a two-run homer in the 8th inning against the Giants to tie the score at 3-3. It was the 12th time in his career that he has hit a home run in the 7th inning or later to tie the score or put the Brewers ahead in the game.
* Of the 15 National League teams, Braun has hit the fewest home runs against the New York Mets (2). He has hit the most HRs against the Houston Astros (24).
Research Source: baseball-reference.com
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Can NFL teams win by scoring less than 10 points in a game?
The Colts have won 8 games since 1987 when they scored under 10 points... Image via Wikipedia
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday with a bonus “SIX STATS…” posting every Friday.
Since the beginning of the 1987 NFL season (the last 25 NFL seasons) there have been 73 occasions when a team has won a game by scoring less than 10 points. In this season, it has happened only once: the Cleveland Browns defeated the Seattle Seahawks 6-3 on October 23.
Following are the number of games each NFL team has won since 1987 when they scored less than 10 points.
8 games: Indianapolis
5 games: Buffalo, Cleveland
4 games: New England, Oakland, Pittsburgh
3 games: Detroit, Green Bay, Jacksonville, New York Giants, New York Jets, Washington
2 games: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
1 game: Arizona, Baltimore, Carolina, Kansas City, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia
0 games: Cincinnati, Houston, San Diego, St. Louis
Note: Of the four teams with o, the Chargers did win a game in 1986 with less than 10 points; the Rams won a 1979 playoff game with less than 10 points; and Cincinnati and Houston have never won a game when they scored less than 10 points.
BONUS: The New York Giants were 6-2 at the halfway point of the NFL season, giving them eight straight years they have been above .500 at the halfway point… the longest current streak in the NFL. Following are the teams that have the longest active streaks of seasons above .500 at the halfway point.
8 seasons: New York Giants
6 seasons: New England
5 seasons: Pittsburgh
4 seasons: Atlanta
3 seasons: New Orleans
2 seasons: Baltimore, Chicago, Green Bay, New York Jets
Will the Patriots make a little history Sunday night? They hope not!
Image via Wikipedia
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday with a bonus “SIX STATS…” published every Friday.
The New England Patriots on Sunday night against the New York Jets will try to prevent something that hasn’t happened to them since 2002… losing three consecutive games in a season.
The last time New England lost three straight games in a season was 2002 when they lost consecutive games to San Diego, Miami, Green Bay and Denver. They then defeated Buffalo on November 3 to end the streak. Since then, they have lost two straight on four occasions, but have not lost a third straight since October 2002.
Fourteen NFL teams have already lost three consecutive games this season with Cleveland and Tampa Bay going into play this Sunday with two-game losing streaks and a chance to lose three straight in 2011.
Following is a list of the last time each of the 32 NFL teams lost three consecutive games in a season.
2002: New England
2007: Atlanta
2008: Green Bay
2009: Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, New York Giants, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay
2010: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, San Francisco, Tennessee
2011:: Arizona, Carolina, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Miami, Minnesota, New York Jets, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington
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