Who Were the Most Productive Offensive Players in 2014?

Numerous methods have been devised to measure offensive performance.  The most common are batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average.  Since none of these averages provides a complete picture by itself, a more comprehensive measure of offensive performance is useful.  Such a measure would include the following elements: The ability to get on base. The […]

Triple Milestones–2014

Offensive production in the major leagues continued to decline in 2014. The number of home runs per game decreased in 2014 and batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average dropped to the lowest levels in over 20 years. Year Runs/Game HR/Game BAvg OBA SLG OPS Triple Milestone Hittters 1990 8.51 1.58 .258 .324  .386 .710 […]

2014 World Series Observations

We will probably never see another World Series pitching performance like we saw with Madison Bumgarner this year.   Even If the Royals win the World Series, Bumgarner of the Giants should be the MVP. (written after game 6).   Every great pitcher has an occasional bad game (ask Clayton Kershaw).  I thought Bumgarner was […]

Astros Finish 2014 Season with 70 Wins

The Houston Astros compiled a record of 70-92 in 2014, an improvement of 19 games over their record in 2013.  Only the Los Angeles Angels with a 20 game improvement did better, and the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox won only one more game than the Astros in 2014.  But it could have […]

Is the .300 Hitter a Vanishing Breed?

In the year 2000, 26 players hit for both power and average to reach the Triple Crown milestones of 30 home runs, 100 RBIs and a batting average of .300.  In 2013, only three players reached all three milestones and in mid-season in 2014, three were on target for all three and six more were […]

Astros Fire Manager after Posting Winning Month in August

In the final game in August, the Houston Astros rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Texas Rangers, 3-2 to post a record of 15-14 for the month, matching their previous best month in May.  The next day, Manager Bo Porter was fired by General Manager, Jeff Luhnow, […]

Astro’s Take One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

While there were a couple of bright spots for the Houston Astros in July, the dismal record of 8-17 is only part of the story.  The Astros had the first pick in the 2014 first-year player draft and they selected Brady Aiken, a highly regarded high school pitcher from California.  However, they were unable to sign him […]

Where Have All the Hitters Gone?

With major league teams reaching the season’s mid-point by playing their 81st game of the season, it’s a good time to take a look at hitters that are on target for the triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs and pitchers on target for 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and […]

Astros Remain Competitive in June

After posting their first winning month in May since September, 2010, the Astros didn’t quite duplicate the feat in June with a 12-15 record.  The strong finish in May carried over to the beginning of June as the team started the month with a record of 7-5, including a streak of winning or splitting 7 […]

Did the Astros Turn the Corner in May?

Led by George Springer, Jose Altuve, Dallas Keuchel and Chad Qualls, the Houston Astros posted a record of 15-14 in May, their first winning full month since September, 2010.  Included was a 7-game winning streak in which the Astros outscored the opposition 39-12.  The first 6 games in the streak were started by 6 different […]

How Bad Were the Astros in April

How bad are the Astros?  The numbers tell the story. April BAVG OBP SLG OPS W-L ERA 2011 .267 .311 .386 .707 10-17 5.06 2012 .257 .330 .376 .706 9-14 4.09 2013 .256 .314 .411 .725 7-19 5.55 2014 .210 .252 .358 .639 9-19 4.87 A comparison of the April performance with the last three […]

Astros Should Show Some Improvement in 2014

At the end of the 2012 season, I put together a rather bold projection for the next three years as the Astros struggled for respectability.  I projected an improvement in 2013 to 60 wins, which did not happen followed by 70 wins in 2014.  With only 51 wins in 2013, winning 70 in 2014 appears […]

Who Were the Most Productive Offensive Players in 2013?

Numerous methods have been devised to measure offensive performance.  The most common are batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average.  Since none of these averages provides a complete picture by itself, a more comprehensive measure of offensive performance is useful.  Such a measure would include the following elements: The ability to get on base. The […]

Analyzing the 2014 Hall of Fame Vote

The Baseball Writers Association of America elected 3 players to the Hall of Fame this year, Greg Maddux (97.2%), Tom Glavine (91.9%) and Frank Thomas (83.7%).  It was the largest class since 1999 when Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount were elected.  In addition, a veterans committee earlier elected managers, Bobby Cox, Tony Larussa […]

Rating the 2014 Hall of Fame Candidates Based on Win Shares

One of the first items of business in baseball each year is the announcement of players elected to the Hall of Fame.  This leads to lots of speculation and a little analysis prior to the announcement which is scheduled for January 8, 2014. Many systems exist for evaluating player performance.  One such system, the Win […]

Triple Milestones 2013

This is the final examination of players who during the 2013 season achieved the triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in 2013.Offensive production in the major leagues was down in 2013.  The number of runs and home runs per game both decreased in 2013 after a slight increase […]

Astros Finish Worst Year in Club History

The Astros finished the season with a 15-game losing streak, capping off the worst year in their 52-year history.  The 51-111 record continues a streak of three straight years with the worst record in the team’s history and also the worst record in the major leagues. Can it get any worse?  Astro fans, or what’s left of […]

Triple Milestone Targets 2013

With four weeks to go, only two players are on target for triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs but six others are close.  Only one pitcher is on target for the milestones of 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA less than 3.00.  No other pitchers are close. […]

Astros Show Some Signs of Improvement in August

Before finishing the month of August with a disappointing five game losing streak, the Astros had shown some signs of being competitive.  Though the team’s record in the month was only 8-21, the Astros led in 22 of their 29 games.  That they only won 7 of these games pinpoints the team’s most glaring of […]

Astros Hit Bottom in July

The Astros picked up their first July win on July 3 and closed out the month with an 11-0 win over Baltimore on July 31.  However, they only won four games in between resulting in a 6-18 record for the month, the worst in the major leagues. The Astro finished the month with a record […]

Mid Season Triple Milestones

With most teams reaching the season mid-point by playing their 81st game of the season last weekend, its time to take a look at players that are on target for the triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs and pitchers on target for 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an […]

Astros Show Some Improvement in June

The Astros entered the final weekend of the month of June with a 12-12 record and a chance to have their first winning month in years.  However, they were swept at home by the Los Angeles Angels and finished 12-15 for the month. The month started on a positive note as the Astros won their […]

Astros Finish Strong in May

The Astros finished the month of May with 3 straight wins, all on the road and extended the streak to 5 by winning their first two games in June.  However this wasn’t enough to offset their poor performance earlier in the month which included a 6 game losing streak.  Their record in May of 10-18 […]

Astros Off to Rough Start in April

The first month for the Astros in the American League was not a good one.  There were a few bright spots such as a 9-1 win in Yankee Stadium and taking two series from the Seattle Mariners but the Astros were on the losing end in most of the other games, finishing with a record […]

Who Were the Most Productive Offensive Players in 2012?

Numerous methods have been devised to measure offensive performance.  The most common are batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average.  Since none of these averages provides a complete picture by itself, a more comprehensive measure of offensive performance is useful.  Such a measure would include the following elements: 1. The ability to get on base. […]

Analyzing the 2013 Hall of Fame Vote

For the first time since 1996, the Baseball Writers Association of America did not elect any players to the Hall of Fame.  Craig Biggio, in his first year on the ballot, led the voting with 68.2% of the vote.  This is higher than Barry Larkin and Ryne Sandberg received in their first year on the […]

Rating the 2013 Hall of Fame Candidates Based on Win Shares

One of the first items of business in baseball each year is the announcement of players elected to the Hall of Fame.  This leads to lots of speculation and a little analysis prior to the announcement which is scheduled for January 9, 2013. Many systems exist for evaluating player performance.  One such system, the Win […]

Triple Milestones 2012

Offensive production in the major leagues was mixed in 2012.  The number of runs and home runs per game both increased in 2012 after reaching 20-year lows in 2011.  Batting average was the same as in 2011 but on-base average dropped to .319, the lowest figure since the 1980s.  However slugging average increased from .399 […]

World Series 2012 Observations

With the success that Marco Scutaro has had with his short stroke, will other hitters follow suit? Not likely. Chicks still dig the long ball. If Lasagna is nature’s perfect food (according to Garfield) then Matt Cain is nature’s perfect pitcher. Durable, no wasted motion, works quickly and commands his pitches. For the third straight […]

Two Weeks to Go for Triple Milestones

With two weeks to go in the season, five batters are on track to achieve the triple Milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs.  Two others are close.  Two pitchers are on target for the milestones of an ERA under 3.00, 20 wins and 200 strikeouts and two others are […]

Tracking Triple Milestones – 2012

With the season nearing the halfway point, it’s a good time to check  on hitters that are on target for the triple milestones of a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs and which pitchers are on a pace for 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. Since pitchers have recorded […]

A New Beginning for Astros in April

While the Astros 9-14 record in April was a disappointment, it was better than the last 2 Aprils and there were some encouraging signs.  The Astros outscored their opposition104-100 which should have equated to a record of about 12-11. It is still too soon to determine if young players like Jose Altuve, J.D.Martinez, Jordan Schafer, […]

Analyzing the 2012 Hall of Fame Vote

Barry Larkin was the only player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers this year.  Larkin received votes from 86.4% of the writers, well above the 75% required for election.  Larkin picked up 134 more votes this year, his third year on the ballot.  With a relatively thin incoming class of […]

Who Were the Most Productive Offensive Players in 2011?

Numerous methods have been devised to measure offensive performance.  The most common are batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average.  Since none of these averages provides a complete picture by itself, a more comprehensive measure of offensive performance is useful.  Such a measure would include the following elements: The ability to get on base. The […]

Rating the 2012 Hall of Fame Candidates Based on Win Shares

One of the first items of business in baseball each year is the announcement of players elected to the Hall of Fame.  This leads to lots of speculation and a little analysis prior to the announcement which is scheduled forJanuary 9, 2012. Many systems exist for evaluating player performance.  One such system, the Win Shares […]

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