Playing the worst team in baseball can make you feel better than you really are. This is true but it was still nice to see us get the offense clicking. It started a little in Cleveland and Baltimore and it continued until Sunday, but thankfully the pitching bailed us out. Seeing many pitches in the middle of the plate should get your offense going, but we still have some worries.
Thoughts:
- I did not like splitting with Baltimore. We lost two close games to them and those are series' where you need to take 3 of 4.
- I still hate the extra innings rule where you start with a runner on 2nd base. I don't agree that a game can be lost (or won) by allowing a run to score without a hit, walk, balk, wild pitch or error! Sac and sac fly should not take a game away from one team or win a game for another. Isn't the idea to award a team for earning a victory and not just award one team a victory to end the game? I don't see any harm in ending the game as a tie after 9 10 or 11 innings. Do you think they would ever allow a playoff game to end that way? I would doubt it because it doesn't make you earn your run or victory. Some people say they love the excitement of it. Then, why not start every inning the same way? Shoot, why not start every inning with the bases loaded? Why, because it is a bad idea and doesn't make you earn your runs. Part of the beauty of baseball is that runs need to be earned (or given up by the poor fielding/pitching of the other team). Finally, why in America are we so afraid of a tie, especially if the issue is that you don't want extra innings to go on for so many more innings? If after 9 innings one team has not been better than the other, then a tie is fair. If you want to limit it to 1, 2 or 3 extra innings, I am fine with that too, but don't artificially try and break the tie. The only positive thing I will say is that it is fair, although being at home does give you a slight advantage to know what to play for.
- We really padded our stats on Detroit.
- I like Stanton batting 2nd. Outside of our slump, our lineup is really good, but it is not a great lineup for setting a lineup. What I mean is that we don't have good righty lefty matchups that make it hard for another manager. A righty who is tough on righties can slow us down. We have been forced to bat Hicks higher than he should be because we don't have a lefty stud to place in between Judge and Stanton. Putting Odor there is absurd to me. We are really hoping he steps up, mostly because he is a lefty, but so far he has an OPS of .642 and that is only because he has 4 HR's. This really needs to be a priority for us as it will transform our lineup. The other part is playing 81 games with the RF porch is what we need and Cashman has failed at that. Back to Stanton, just get your better hitters up more often. This is why I never liked leading off a fast guy who wasn't a good hitter. The idea is to get high on base guys in front of your power hitters (or better hitters).
- I have spoken about our hitting a lot because they have been putrid, but many of you have written saying that this team won't win anything with this team. I don't agree and still think we will win the division. Do we have some flaws, yes, but we are a good hitting team and we have hit terribly. Detroit may make us feel better, but better pitching we still have not hit well and that is a concern, however, we should hit it and we will get better.
- I have not spoken much about pitching because of our issues hitting, but our pitching has been really good. In fact, we have the lowest ERA in the AL (3.02) and why that doesn't tell the entire story of our weaker defense, when I look at other teams doing well in ERA our 12 unearned runs are in line with the other teams. The stat is not readily available without doing it yourself but runs allowed per game (earned or not) or per 9 innings would be a good stat. Of course, now with the silly extra-inning rule, more runs are scored than before...see how bad this is :-)
- Chapman continues to be fantastic - in 10 innings he has allowed 2 hits, 3 walks and struck out 24 batters while not allowing a run and a perfect 6-6 in save situations
- Our bullpen has been great so far with only Nick Nelson getting lit up and our lefties Justin Wilson and Lucas Luetge being mediocre/weak.
- Speaking of pen, I am not sure I liked the Tauchman trade for Wandy Peralta. He has been better against lefties, but he hasn't been very good in his career and he is 29. It is possible that he got better last year, but I have to see more of him before I decide, but with Gardner looking so old so quickly and Frazier just not getting it done, I felt we may need Tauchman. Now Tauchman wasn't doing anything for us either in his very limited play, but He has always hit well in the minors and when he played a lot in 2019 he was really good (.865 OPS). In the 2020 year in less than 100 AB's he was weak at a .648 OPS but he gave us solid defense. It should be noted that Tauchman is 30 also. I just think we need him more, but hopefully, Peralta has found himself.
- I like our starters, Cole, Kluber, German, Montgomery, Tallion and Garcia are fine by me.
Bring on Houston!
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