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« The Cardinals struggles against lefties are growing | Main | Sanchez Shouldn't Count on Sox Chasing Soft Stuff »
Monday
Oct142013

Two Games of LCS Pitching

The pitching in these League Championship Series has been remarkable and worth taking a deeper look.
2013 LCS pitching through two games
IP PA P/PA AB H XBH HR BB K AVG BABIP WHAV ERA WHIP
1. St. Louis Cardinals 22.0 85 4.09 76 14 3 0 7 24 .184 .269 .026 0.82 0.955
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 20.1 74 3.89 67 9 3 0 6 18 .134 .180 .000 1.33 0.738
3. Detroit Tigers 17.0 69 4.43 59 8 3 1 9 32 .136 .269 .017 2.65 1.000
4. Boston Red Sox 18.0 78 3.65 70 17 8 2 5 13 .243 .273 .072 3.00 1.222

Two broad strokes:
  • The Dodgers are one unlucky team, but the Cardinals are also pitching brilliantly.
  • The most significant number that might explain why Boston is tied in their LCS can be seen as they continue to do what they do best: work the pitcher. Their 4.43 pitches per plate appearance is significantly greater than any of the other three teams.

Let's go deeper by looking at the starting pitching

Clearly the Cardinals and Dodgers starters have been outstanding, but the Tigers starters have been even better. As we progress in this postseason, it would be fair to say that the Red Sox starters are the weakest of the four teams and the team's greatest weakness.
2013 LCS Starting pitching through two games
IP PA P/PA AB H XBH HR BB K AVG BABIP WHAV ERA WHIP
1. Detroit Tigers 13.0 50 4.48 41 2 1 0 8 25 .049 .125 .000 0.69 0.769
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 14.0 48 3.67 45 6 3 0 2 15 .133 .194 .000 1.29 0.571
3. St. Louis Cardinals 12.1 53 3.91 49 11 2 0 3 13 .224 .306 .041 1.42 1.105
4. Boston Red Sox 12.0 53 3.60 49 14 6 2 1 10 .286 .324 .083 4.50 1.250
2013 LCS Starters through two games
IP PA P/PA AB H XBH HR BB K AVG BABIP WHAV ERA WHIP
1. Anibal Sanchez (DET) 6.0 25 4.64 19 0 0 0 6 12 .000 .000 .000 0.00 1.000
2. Clayton Kershaw (LAD) 6.0 20 3.60 18 2 2 0 1 5 .111 .143 .000 0.00 0.500
3. Michael Wacha (STL) 6.1 26 4.31 25 5 1 0 1 8 .200 .294 .080 0.00 0.900
4. Max Scherzer (DET) 7.0 25 4.32 22 2 1 0 2 13 .091 .222 .000 1.29 0.571
5. Jon Lester (BOS) 6.0 27 4.04 24 6 1 0 1 4 .250 .300 .125 1.42 1.105
6. Zack Greinke (LAD) 8.0 28 3.71 27 4 1 0 1 10 .148 .235 .000 2.25 0.625
7. Joe Kelly (STL) 6.0 27 3.52 24 6 1 0 2 5 .250 .316 .000 3.00 1.333
8. Clay Buchholz (BOS) 5.1 26 3.15 25 8 5 2 0 6 .320 .353 .042 7.94 1.412

Let's go even deeper by looking at the bullpens

Tigers fans instead of bemoaning the fact that you are leaving Boston tied 1-1, you need to feel really happy you got out of Dodge with a win. The Red Sox have lit up the Detroit bullpen, barely escaping with a win in Game 1 and you saw what happened in Game 2.
2013 LCS Bullpen pitching through two games
IP PA P/PA AB H XBH HR BB K AVG BABIP WHAV ERA WHIP
1. Boston Red Sox 6.0 25 3.76 21 3 2 0 4 3 .143 .167 .048 0.00 1.167
2. St. Louis Cardinals 9.1 32 4.41 27 3 1 0 4 11 .111 .188 .000 0.00 0.750
3. Los Angeles Dodgers 6.0 26 4.31 22 3 0 0 4 3 .136 .158 .000 1.42 1.105
4. Detroit Tigers 4.0 19 4.32 18 6 2 1 1 7 .333 .500 .056 9.00 1.750
 

It's not just one Tigers reliever, it's all of them

You have to wonder if Jim Leyland is going to have the phone removed from the dugout
2013 LCS Tigers relief pitching through two games
IP PA P/PA AB H XBH HR BB K AVG BABIP WHAV ERA WHIP
1. Al Alburquerque 1.1 5 4.00 5 1 0 0 0 3 .200 .500 .000 6.75 0.750
2. Joaquin Benoit 1.1 6 5.00 6 2 1 1 0 2 .333 .333 .000 6.75 1.500
3. Jose Veras 1.0 4 2.50 4 1 1 0 0 2 .250 .500 .000 9.00 1.000
4. Drew Smyly 0.1 2 6.50 1 0 0 0 1 0 .000 .000 .000 27.00 3.000
5. Rick Porcello 0.0 2 4.50 2 2 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 .500 - -

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