The Astros are a fun team to watch these days. It's nice to have another Ted Freaking Williams hitting for us, too.
Interesting stuff on Berkman via Yahoo Sports. Any way you put it, the guy's playing in another league right now. Berkman tearing it up By Stephen Oh and Zach Rosenfield, AccuScore analysts, AccuScore.com After an above-average start to the season, Lance Berkman has put together one of the most productive nine-game stretches in the history of the game. Since May 1st, the Houston Astros first baseman has been flat out ridiculous batting .629, with an OBP of .682 with the team winning eight of nine games. AccuScore wanted to see just how rare this type of streak is and ran two simulations to see the odds of having 22 hits in 35 at-bats (as Berkman has done). The first simulation has a .297 hitter (Berkman’s average April 30) and the second simulation has a .382 hitter (Berkman’s average entering Monday). SIMULATION 22 HITS IN 35 ABs Berkman batting .297 5 in 100,000 Berkman batting .382 285 in 100,000 The simulations show just how amazing this streak is, with him duplicating the effort in under 1 percent of simulations. IMPACT ON HOUSTON WIN TOTAL Berkman’s impact can be felt beyond the Fantasy Baseball box scores and has had a direct impact on the Astros winning eight of their past nine. Berkman was playing well in April accounting for 1.89 runs per game (runs + RBI). However, since the start of May, he has accounted for an astounding 2.78 runs per game. MONTH R / GM RBIs / GM TOTAL April 0.96 0.93 1.89 May 1.56 1.22 2.78 In AccuScore simulations, the “extra” 0.9 runs per game translates to a roughly +12 percentage point improvement in simulation winning percentage per game. If you extrapolate that over nine games you have an additional 1.1 wins. In Houston’s eight wins during the streak the Astros have been blowing teams out with just two wins coming by one run. In these two wins, Berkman accounted for seven of the team’s 10 total runs either scoring them himself (R) or driving a run in (RBI). The combination of Berkman’s per game boost and the fact that he clearly accounted for two of Houston’s close wins indicates that his hot streak has helped Houston win at least three more games than it normally would have.
so... what is it about Valverde that impresses you guys...? sure.. he's picked up a few saves... he's lowered his ERA.. and gotten a few K's... perhaps I'm less aware than most of you.. on what makes a pitcher a good pitcher.. or perhaps i've just been spoiled.. but.. I'm not seeing anything special in any of his pitches.. and his fastball.. which he flows out there with such intense and slow theatrics.. gets clocked, more frequently, between 88-92mph.. and seems to be flat..
Hope Lance stays hot going into the game on Thursday. It would be very special to see the hottest hitter in the league go against arguably the league's hottest pitcher, Tim Lincecum: 5-1 with 1.61 ERA. WOW!!
It isn't arguable who the hottest pitcher in the league is and his name is not Tim Lincecum. It isn't Brandon Webb, either. His name is Cliff Lee and it isn't even close. He got Chaconed tonight after another 9 shutout innings but the dude is 6-0 with a 0.67 ERA. He has 44 Ks and only 4 BBs. He is 4-0 on the road with a 0.00 ERA. Amazingly, Lee was sent to the minors at one point last season.
MMP better be packed when they come home for games, I hate seeing that place half empty. They're playing their asses off right now.
Monday night will be an ESPN game. And it's the Cubs. So those tranplants will be there too. I hate Cub fans.
The numbers Lance are putting up are freakish even for video-game standards: .420 with Runners On Base .354 with 2 Strikes in the Count .468 since batting in the Cleanup spot (good call Coop) .470 as a Right-Handed Batter .367 as a Left-Handed Batter and finally .641(!) in the month of May
really? i remember saying that the first couple games he pitched but it was pointed out the gun was probably slow. since that time i'd say his fastball averages around 94 mph at least from what i see...
He didn't specify a league. MLB can be referred to as the league. Either way, it will be interesting to see what Lance does against Lincecum.
Don't forget rookie Edison Volquez, who's right behind him for Cincinnati: 5-1, 1.06 ERA, 52Ks in 42 innings. He has yet to give up more than 1 run in a game. The amazing thing about Lee is that he's given up 4 runs this season - and 3 were in one inning. In the other 50+ innings he's pitched, he's given up 1 run.
I am ecstatic over the way the team is playing, but I am worried about all the homeruns that Roy is giving up. He just doesn't look the same to me. DD
