The Hardball Times

THT Daily: Playoff contrasts

by Matthew Carruth
September 19, 2007

Major League News for September 19
Today’s Links
Player News
Yesterday’s Results
Today’s Games
Standings
Game of the Day

You can always find the most recent THT Daily at http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/content/thtdaily/

THT Links

Coming soon.

Player News
Player Headlines are courtesy of Rotoworld

Despite issuing his first two walks since July, Greg Maddux beat the Pirates on Tuesday by allowing three runs in five innings. It was a sloppy outing for Maddux, who lost his walkless streak after 59 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits, including four straight with two outs in the two-run first, and he issued a wild pitch. Still, Maddux picked up win No. 13, a mark he's reached 20 years in a row. That breaks a tie with Cy Young, who did it 19 straight seasons.

Micah Owings pitched a two-hitter in the Diamondbacks' 5-0 win over the Giants on Tuesday. Owings had his last turn skipped after pitching just 5 2/3 innings in his first two starts of September. The apparently rejuvenated right-hander excelled tonight, even if it was against a pretty brutal lineup. He walked one and struck out four while throwing 101 pitches. The Diamondbacks have Thursday and Monday off, so it's unclear what they'll do with Owings now. They won't have to start him again until the final weekend, but they might want to use him before then.

Ben Sheets left Tuesday's game with tightness in his left hamstring, and the Brewers said his status would be evaluated Wednesday. If it was something he could have pitched through, he should have stayed in tonight. That it wasn't means there's a real chance he'll miss his start Sunday. Claudio Vargas or Chris Capuano would fill in.

Since the right-hander is up to 215 innings this season, the Rays have decided to shut down James Shields, effective immediately. This is quite a surprise. We thought Scott Kazmir might get shut down, but he'll make two more starts and be limited to 100 pitches in both. J.P. Howell is going to start Wednesday in place of Shields, who finishes his breakthrough year 12-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 184/36 K/BB ratio.

Orlando Hernandez, who has a bunion on his sore right foot, is expected to where a boot for another seven to 10 days. The hope is that El Duque will return to make one regular-season start. If he's not ready by the end of next week, the Mets may have to go with Oliver Perez as their fourth starter should they make it to the postseason.

Bartolo Colon, who returned from an elbow injury last week, is being scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday because of back soreness. "Yesterday he threw on flat ground and it felt a little looser, but it just hasn't recovered to a point where we would want him to go out there," manager Mike Scioscia said. "So we'll give him a little extra time and see how he comes out of the treatment these next three or four days and let this thing run its course. Hopefully he'll get a chance to start next week." It'd be hard to include him in the postseason rotation unless he really impresses next week. Ervin Santana will fill in Wednesday against the Rays.

Albert Pujols was a late scratch Tuesday due to a strained left calf muscle. Miguel Cairo replaced him, with Scott Spiezio going from third base to first. Pujols is viewed as day-to-day.

Alexei Ramirez, who led the Cuban league in homers this year, has left Cuba and hopes to play in MLB next year after establishing residency in the Dominican Republic. Ramirez apparently left Cuba legally, as his wife is a Domincan citizen. If everything goes smoothly, perhaps he'll be able to sign with a team this winter. Ramirez has experience at second base, shortstop and in center field. Cuban players have tended to disappoint in the majors, but Ramirez has the talent to play regularly.

Yesterday’s Results
American League
NYA    12  BAL     0    (Recap and Boxscore)
TOR     4  BOS     3    (Recap and Boxscore)
CLE     7  DET     4    (Recap and Boxscore)
KC      3  CHA     2    (Recap and Boxscore)
MIN     4  TEX     2    (Recap and Boxscore)
LAA     2  TB      1    (Recap and Boxscore)
SEA     8  OAK     7    (Recap and Boxscore)

National League
ATL     4  FLA     3    (Recap and Boxscore)
WAS     9  NYN     8    (Recap and Boxscore)
CIN     5  CHN     2    (Recap and Boxscore)
MIL     9  HOU     1    (Recap and Boxscore)
PHI     7  STL     4    (Recap and Boxscore)
ARI     5  SF      0    (Recap and Boxscore)
COL     9  LAN     8    (Recap and Boxscore)
COL     3  LAN     1    (Recap and Boxscore)
SD      5  PIT     3    (Recap and Boxscore)
You can download a compact version of yesterday's boxscores from Heater Magazine.

First Inning's Major and Minor League Daily Reports:
{embed="pageblocks/FirstInning_Team_Lookup"}

Today’s Games
National League
 ---------------
 New York Mets at Washington Nationals, 7:05 PM
  (R) Mike Pelfrey (2-7) vs. (L) Matt Chico (5-8)
 Florida Marlins at Atlanta Braves, 7:35 PM
  (R) Daniel Barone (1-2) vs. (L) Chuck James (10-10)
 Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 PM
  (R) Tom Shearn (3-0) vs. (L) Ted Lilly (15-7)
 Milwaukee Brewers at Houston Astros, 8:05 PM
  (R) Dave Bush (11-10) vs. (R) Juan Gutierrez (1-1)
 Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals, 8:10 PM
  (L) Jamie Moyer (13-11) vs. (R) Adam Wainwright (13-11)
 Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies, 8:35 PM
  (R) Brad Penny (16-4) vs. (R) Josh Fogg (9-9)
 San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks, 9:40 PM
  (L) Barry Zito (9-12) vs. (L) Doug Davis (13-12)
 Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres, 10:05 PM
  (R) Ian Snell (9-12) vs. (R) Chris Young (9-7)
 
 American League
 ---------------
 Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians, 12:05 PM
  (L) Nate Robertson (8-11) vs. (L) CC Sabathia (17-7)
 Tampa Bay Devil Rays at LA Angels of Anaheim, 3:35 PM
  (L) JP Howell (1-4) vs. (R) Ervin Santana (6-13)
 Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics, 3:35 PM
  (R) Felix Hernandez (12-7) vs. (L) Dan Meyer (0-1)
 Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, 7:05 PM
  (L) Brian Burres (6-5) vs. (L) Andy Pettitte (13-8)
 Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 PM
  (R) Clay Buchholz (3-0) vs. (R) Jesse Litsch (5-9)
 Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, 8:10 PM
  (R) Vicente Padilla (6-9) vs. (R) Matt Garza (3-6)
 Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals, 8:10 PM
  (R) Jose Contreras (9-16) vs. (R) Brian Bannister (12-8)

Standings
The graphics next to each team are called "sparklines.” They depict each team’s performance over the last month. Each "up" bar is a victory and a "down" bar is a loss. There are horizontal lines for home games and red bars represent games decided by two runs or less. "PWins" is short for Projected Wins, based on each team’s Run Differential, and is often a better measure of a team’s true strength. Other team graphs and stats can be found on our Team Page.
American League East        Pwins  Diff
BOS     90  62 .592    0.0   95    -5    sparkline graph
NYA     87  64 .576    2.5   92    -5    sparkline graph
TOR     76  75 .503   13.5   80    -4    sparkline graph
BAL     64  86 .427   25.0   65    -1    sparkline graph
TB      63  89 .414   27.0   63     0    sparkline graph
American League Central     
CLE     89  62 .589    0.0   85     4    sparkline graph
DET     83  69 .546    6.5   83     0    sparkline graph
MIN     74  77 .490   15.0   76    -2    sparkline graph
KC      65  85 .433   23.5   70    -5    sparkline graph
CHA     65  86 .430   24.0   60     5    sparkline graph
American League West        
LAA     89  62 .589    0.0   86     3    sparkline graph
SEA     80  70 .533    8.5   73     7    sparkline graph
OAK     74  79 .484   16.0   76    -2    sparkline graph
TEX     70  81 .464   19.0   72    -2    sparkline graph


National League East        Pwins  Diff
NYN     83  67 .553    0.0   81     2    sparkline graph
PHI     82  69 .543    1.5   81     1    sparkline graph
ATL     78  73 .517    5.5   82    -4    sparkline graph
WAS     68  83 .450   15.5   65     3    sparkline graph
FLA     65  86 .430   18.5   67    -2    sparkline graph
National League Central     
CHN     79  73 .520    0.0   81    -2    sparkline graph
MIL     78  72 .520    0.0   77     1    sparkline graph
STL     70  80 .467    8.0   66     4    sparkline graph
CIN     69  82 .457    9.5   70    -1    sparkline graph
PIT     66  85 .437   12.5   67    -1    sparkline graph
HOU     65  86 .430   13.5   64     1    sparkline graph
National League West        
ARI     85  67 .559    0.0   74    11    sparkline graph
SD      83  67 .553    1.0   83     0    sparkline graph
COL     79  72 .523    5.5   82    -3    sparkline graph
LAN     79  72 .523    5.5   79     0    sparkline graph
SF      67  84 .444   17.5   72    -5    sparkline graph


Wildcard Standings
American League             
NYA     87  64 .576    0.0
DET     83  69 .546    4.5
SEA     80  70 .533    6.5
TOR     76  75 .503   11.0
MIN     74  77 .490   13.0
National League             
SD      83  67 .553    0.0
PHI     82  69 .543    1.5
LAN     79  72 .523    4.5
COL     79  72 .523    4.5
ATL     78  73 .517    5.5

Game of the Day
It took fourteen innings and twenty pitchers, but the Phillies prevailed over the Cardinals to move within a game and a half of first place in the National League East. The Cardinals set a league record by using eleven pitchers in the game.
PHILADELPHIA (7) VS ST LOUIS (4) - FINAL IN 14 INNINGS 

PHILADELPHIA           ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
J Rollins ss            7  0  1  0   0  3   1  .295
C Utley 2b              6  2  2  0   1  1   0  .333
P Burrell lf            4  0  1  0   1  2   1  .263
 M Bourn pr-lf          1  1  0  0   0  0   1  .270
R Howard 1b             5  0  0  0   2  3   3  .259
A Rowand cf             4  1  0  0   3  0   0  .313
G Dobbs 3b              3  1  0  1   2  0   0  .278
 B Myers p              0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 d-W Helms ph           1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .250
 J Mesa p               0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 e-R Barajas ph         1  1  1  1   0  0   0  .230
 C Condrey p            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
J Werth rf              6  1  2  3   1  2   6  .320
C Ruiz c                4  0  1  1   1  0   3  .257
 C Roberson pr          0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .296
 C Coste c              1  0  0  0   0  0   1  .300
C Hamels p              1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .133
 a-P LaForest ph        1  0  0  0   0  0   2  .323
 J Durbin p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .263
 b-S Victorino ph       1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .283
 G Geary p              0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 J Romero p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 c-T Iguchi ph          1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .309
 T Gordon p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 A Nunez 3b             2  0  0  0   0  1   1  .237

Totals                 49  7  8  6  11 15  19

a-grounded to pitcher for C Hamels in the 4th;  b-grounded to second for J 
Durbin in the 6th;  c-struck out swinging for J Romero in the 9th;  d-struck 
out swinging for B Myers in the 12th;  e-singled to center for J Mesa in the 
14th.

BATTING: 2B - C Utley (46, T Wellemeyer). 3B - J Werth 2 (3, K Wells, K 
Jimenez). S - M Bourn. SF - C Ruiz. RBI - G Dobbs (53), J Werth 3 (44), C Ruiz 
(52), R Barajas (10). 2-out RBI - G Dobbs, R Barajas, J Werth 2. Runners left 
in scoring position, 2 out - P LaForest 2, J Rollins 1, C Coste 1, J Werth 2, C 
Ruiz 2, M Bourn 1. Team LOB - 13. 
 
BASERUNNING: SB - J Werth 2 (7, 2nd base off K Wells/Y Molina, 3rd base off K 
Wells/Y Molina), C Ruiz (5, 2nd base off K Wells/Y Molina), J Rollins (37, 2nd 
base off T Percival/K Stinnett), C Roberson (2, 2nd base off B Falkenborg/K 
Stinnett). 
 
ST LOUIS               ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
S Taguchi lf            3  1  1  0   0  0   1  .290
 R Springer p           0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 R Flores p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 a-A Wainwright ph      1  0  1  0   0  0   0  .291
 An Reyes pr            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .077
 R Franklin p           0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .500
 J Isringhausen p       0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 b-D Eckstein ph        1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .298
 T Percival p           0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 R Branyan 1b           1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .197
B Ryan ss               1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .308
 A Miles 2b             4  1  2  0   1  0   1  .299
M Cairo 3b              6  0  3  1   0  0   1  .243
S Spiezio 1b            4  1  1  1   0  0   5  .262
 B Falkenborg p         0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 c-A Pujols ph          0  0  0  0   1  0   0  .321
 J Pineiro pr           0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .077
 M Maroth p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .200
 K Jimenez p            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
R Ankiel cf             6  1  1  0   0  2   4  .282
Y Molina c              2  0  0  1   0  0   0  .276
 K Stinnett c           4  0  0  0   0  3   1  .194
S Schumaker rf-lf       6  0  1  1   0  1   0  .309
T Wellemeyer p          1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .083
 T Johnson p            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 K Wells p              1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .327
 R Ludwick rf           4  0  1  0   0  0   1  .248
B Barden 2b-ss          5  0  0  0   1  2   1  .154

Totals                 50  4 11  4   3 10  15

a-singled to left for R Flores in the 7th;  b-popped out to shortstop for J 
Isringhausen in the 10th;  c-walked for B Falkenborg in the 13th.

BATTING: 2B - R Ankiel (7, C Hamels). SF - S Spiezio. RBI - Y Molina (39), S 
Schumaker (15), M Cairo (5), S Spiezio (29). Runners left in scoring position, 
2 out - S Spiezio 1, R Ankiel 1. Team LOB - 8. 
 
BASERUNNING: CS - R Ludwick (3, 2nd base by T Gordon/C Ruiz). 
 
FIELDING: E - A Miles (14, throw). PB - K Stinnett. 
 
----------------------------------------------------
    PHILADELPHIA    - 100 002 000 100 03  --   7
    ST LOUIS        - 021 000 000 100 00  --   4
----------------------------------------------------

PHILADELPHIA                 ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
C Hamels                      3       5   3   3   1   2   0   3.59
J Durbin                      2       1   0   0   1   1   0   6.25
G Geary                       2       2   0   0   0   1   0   4.35
J Romero                      1       0   0   0   0   1   0   1.59
T Gordon                      1       1   0   0   0   1   0   5.29
B Myers (B, 3)                2       2   1   1   0   2   0   4.57
J Mesa (W, 1-2)               2       0   0   0   1   2   0   5.79
C Condrey (S, 1)              1       0   0   0   0   0   0   5.36

ST LOUIS                     ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
T Wellemeyer                  2       1   1   1   3   2   0   3.59
T Johnson                     1       0   0   0   0   1   0   3.44
K Wells                       2 1/3   1   2   2   4   1   0   5.80
R Springer (B, 1)             1 1/3   0   0   0   1   2   0   2.18
R Flores                        1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   4.53
R Franklin                    2       0   0   0   0   2   0   2.49
J Isringhausen                1       1   1   0   2   1   0   2.21
T Percival                    1       1   0   0   0   0   0   2.00
B Falkenborg                  2       1   0   0   0   4   0   4.40
M Maroth (L, 0-5)               2/3   2   3   3   1   1   0  11.25
K Jimenez                       1/3   1   0   0   0   0   0   7.22

IBB - R Howard (by J Isringhausen), A Rowand (by M Maroth). Pitches-strikes: 
C Hamels 54-35; J Durbin 28-14; G Geary 27-20; J Romero 17-10; T Gordon 12-11; 
B Myers 28-18; J Mesa 34-22; C Condrey 9-6; T Wellemeyer 45-25; T Johnson 9-5; 
K Wells 52-27; R Springer 25-16; R Flores 3-3; R Franklin 24-17; J Isringhausen 
31-16; T Percival 23-14; B Falkenborg 31-20; M Maroth 22-11; K Jimenez 7-5. 
Ground balls-fly balls: C Hamels 2-4; J Durbin 3-2; G Geary 1-4; J Romero 2-0; 
T Gordon 1-0; B Myers 1-3; J Mesa 3-1; C Condrey 3-0; T Wellemeyer 3-1; T 
Johnson 0-2; K Wells 5-1; R Springer 1-1; R Flores 0-0; R Franklin 3-1; J 
Isringhausen 1-2; T Percival 1-2; B Falkenborg 1-1; M Maroth 1-0; K Jimenez 
0-1. Batters faced: C Hamels 14; J Durbin 8; G Geary 8; J Romero 3; T Gordon 3; 
B Myers 8; J Mesa 7; C Condrey 3; T Wellemeyer 10; T Johnson 3; K Wells 12; R 
Springer 5; R Flores 1; R Franklin 6; J Isringhausen 7; T Percival 4; B 
Falkenborg 7; M Maroth 5; K Jimenez 2. 
 
UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Ed Montague. 2B--Jerry Layne. 3B--Bill 
Miller. 

T--5:04. Att--42,170. 
Weather: 86 degrees, clear. Wind: 11 mph, right to left.

The following graph tracks the game's Win Probability, courtesy of Fan Graphs. You can also view live WPA graphs at Fangraphs during any ballgame all season long.

image

Access THT’s stats here…
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Matthew Carruth is an editor for The Hardball Times. He welcomes any and all sorts of communication at his email.