Thursday, October 06, 2011
Division Series thoughts, 10/6
Posted by Shlomo SprungIt appears that some things hold true no matter the sample size. During the regular season, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored 400 runs at home, the second-highest total in the National League behind only Colorado. Away from the Chase Field aircraft carrier, Arizona scored just 331 runs, ninth in the Senior Circuit.
Through four games of the Snakes' NLDS series against the Brewers, this run-scoring disparity is again holding true. Granted, Arizona faced worse Milwaukee pitching in Games Three and Four, but the season-long trend is continuing for the D-backs.
Diamondbacks R Slash Line HR SB XBH Postseason Home 18 .343/.410/.586 5 3 7 Postseason Away 5 .212/.278/.424 4 2 6
Shifting gears to the deciding Game Five in the ALDS between the Yankees and Tigers, Detroit is getting really good production from its part-time players, while the team's stars are relatively foundering over the first four games.
The dynamic combination of Brandon Inge, Don Kelly, Magglio Ordonez and Ryan Raburn have gone a combined 11-for-26, for a .423 average.
The Tigers' power nexus of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Alex Avila are a combined 6-for-38 in the division series, or a .158 average.
While Jhonny Peralta and Delmon Young are having strong series with the bat, Austin Jackson has just one hit against his former team in 12 at-bats. For the Tigers to defeat the Yankees and Ivan Nova on Thursday in the Bronx, Jim Leyland's powerful offensive trio is going to have to perform a whole lot better than it has over the first four games.
Not to quibble, but Jackson did get a hit on Tuesday.