Wednesday, April 14, 2004
More Historic Than You Think
I have to admit I was pleased to see one of my favorite baseball writers (who has been in a slump lately by my standards), was following the same game I was last night for basically the same reasons.
According to Neyer the Tigers 5-2 start is truly something new. I'm going to borrow a handy little chart he used in today's column to illustrate how the 20 worst teams of all-time by winning pct. fared in the opening week of the following season:
Record # of teams
0-7 1
1-6 1
2-5 11
3-4 6
4-3 0
5-2 1
6-1 0
7-0 0
As Neyer pointed out, Detroit is the only team (of the truly awful teams) in baseball history to bounce back in the infancy of the following season and given their fans a ray of life.
The story in baseball's first half last season was the Kansas City Royals resurgence. Right now, the Tigers are it. Other candidates would be St. Louis' performance at home; the Phillies performance overall; The Rocket's return to Texas; All Bonds All the Time; ... is there really anything else?
For my $$$, the Tigers are more intriguing than all of them. They have 1st and 2nd with 0 outs in the 1st with Pudge up.
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Kevin Brown won his 200th game today. In the previous game his new teammate Mike Mussina won his 200th game. I haven't read enough to be 100% positive, but I would bet that feat has never happened before: two teammates winning thier 200th (or 100th or 300th) in back-to-back starts.
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No Schilling on Friday night = Less juice for that game. Sorry, Fox. But Schilling would've been a major player in that prime-time theater, and I wish he was pitching.
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One of my favorite pitchers is working tonight against the Dodgers on national TV. I'll be sure to tune it at least for a few innings before my eyes shut for the night. I watched his start against San Fran last week, and he was his typical efficient self:
7 IP, 4 H, O R, 1 BB, 0 K, 96 pitches
---------
Carlos Pena just doubled in two. 3-0 Tigers.
---------
I have to admit I was pleased to see one of my favorite baseball writers (who has been in a slump lately by my standards), was following the same game I was last night for basically the same reasons.
According to Neyer the Tigers 5-2 start is truly something new. I'm going to borrow a handy little chart he used in today's column to illustrate how the 20 worst teams of all-time by winning pct. fared in the opening week of the following season:
Record # of teams
0-7 1
1-6 1
2-5 11
3-4 6
4-3 0
5-2 1
6-1 0
7-0 0
As Neyer pointed out, Detroit is the only team (of the truly awful teams) in baseball history to bounce back in the infancy of the following season and given their fans a ray of life.
The story in baseball's first half last season was the Kansas City Royals resurgence. Right now, the Tigers are it. Other candidates would be St. Louis' performance at home; the Phillies performance overall; The Rocket's return to Texas; All Bonds All the Time; ... is there really anything else?
For my $$$, the Tigers are more intriguing than all of them. They have 1st and 2nd with 0 outs in the 1st with Pudge up.
---------
Kevin Brown won his 200th game today. In the previous game his new teammate Mike Mussina won his 200th game. I haven't read enough to be 100% positive, but I would bet that feat has never happened before: two teammates winning thier 200th (or 100th or 300th) in back-to-back starts.
----------
No Schilling on Friday night = Less juice for that game. Sorry, Fox. But Schilling would've been a major player in that prime-time theater, and I wish he was pitching.
---------
One of my favorite pitchers is working tonight against the Dodgers on national TV. I'll be sure to tune it at least for a few innings before my eyes shut for the night. I watched his start against San Fran last week, and he was his typical efficient self:
7 IP, 4 H, O R, 1 BB, 0 K, 96 pitches
---------
Carlos Pena just doubled in two. 3-0 Tigers.
---------
