MLB Playoffs: Stats you may have missed
It is a long MLB season. As we look at the teams in the MLB playoffs, there are a number of statistics that stand out that have gone unreported or at least under-reported.
With the regular season extended by a day due to a pair of game 163’s, the MLB playoffs atmosphere has already kicked in. We know all the teams that will participate in the games starting Tuesday, but there are some very interesting statistics with MLB playoffs teams that have slipped under the radar.
These aren’t just random bench players who happened to hit .400 for 20 at bats or some obscure thing like a team hitting .350 while wearing white jerseys, red hats, and blue pants on a Tuesday playing between 3-5 PM Eastern in the sun. These are statistics that are viable and important stats that could impact the MLB playoffs at some point.
Sooooooo close
While many focused away from the Red Sox as they clearly were no longer going to challenge the all-time wins record. They got a franchise record, but outside a blurb in a Buster Olney blog, few talked about the fact that Alex Cora nearly took a record for rookie managers.
Coming into 2018, only 3 managers won 100 games in their first season at the helm. In 2018, that number was nearly doubled as Alex Cora and Aaron Boone both won 100 games.
Cora’s total is what ended up being the number of note. In 1961, Raph Houk took over an absolutely dominant New York Yankees team that was about to witness an incredible home run chase and coast to a 4-1 World Series victory as six hitters clubbed at least 20 home runs. Houk would total 109 wins.
Cora entered the Red Sox series at New York on September 18th with 12 games left and needing just 7 wins in those last 12 games to set the record. Heck, even a .500 final dozen would give Cora a tie. Instead, the Red Sox would fall short even of that mark, going 5-7 over their final dozen games, giving Cora 108 victories and a firm hold on #2 on the rookie manager win list.
Not the Bronx Bombers?
Many heard about the Yankees pursuit of the overall team home run record, but another big thing mentioned was the amount of individual players on the Yankees that had hit 20+ home runs. Consistently discussion circled around how the Yankees were closing in on a record number of players to hit 20+ home runs.
For their organization, the Yankees did have the most 20= home run hitters, with 7 this year, one more than the 1961 team that was mentioned earlier that had 6. The only thing is, they didn’t even lead the league this year.
No, the top team in players with 20+ homers was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had 7 players hit the total, tying them with 6 other teams for the most players on one team to top 20 in MLB history.
The Yankees did use the contributions of arguably their second-half MVP Luke Voit to set a new standard in players with double-digit home runs, however. The Yankees had 12 players eclipse double-digit home runs wearing pinstripes in 2018, and that is a record.
Cleveland will lean heavily on a lefty reliever, but not the one you think
The Indians have by far the worst bullpen of any team in the MLB playoffs. In fact, it’s not even close. Per, Fangraphs’ team rankings, The Cleveland Indians bullpen produced the 27th most fWAR of any team in baseball. That’s bad enough.
That’s 10 places worse than the next-closest playoff team. It’s 18 spots below the next-lowest bullpen from an American League representative in the MLB playoffs. To say the Indians are behind the 8-ball in the bullpen in the 2018 MLB playoffs is putting it quite lightly.
Many have penned stories discussing the importance of impending free agent Andrew Miller and how his absence has influenced the Indians. Instead, the Indians have really only had one guy on their roster all season that’s been a quality contributor out of the bullpen, and his work this postseason will be vital.
No, it’s not Brad Hand either. Hand was acquired at midseason, and he and Cody Allen have seemingly become a closer pairing. The guy I’m talking about is Oliver Perez.
You know Oliver Perez, right? The wild lefty that was once one of the most promising arms in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization has developed into a lights-out LOOGY. This season in 51 appearances and 32 1/3 innings, Perez has posted a 1.39 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 7/43 BB/K ratio.
The A’s just don’t move
Marcus Semien finished the season with 14 stolen bases and 15 home runs in a very solid year that also included 35 doubles. For the Oakland Athletics, he was also their Usain Bolt.
The Oakland Athletics had 9 players with at least 250 plate appearances on the season and 10 players who had at least 70 appearances on the year. Semien was the only member of those 10 players who stole more than 2 bases on the year.
The starting lineup that is the dominant one for the A’s as they’ve finished the year does feature Ramon Laureano, who has stolen 7 bases in 48 games, but he’s been a recent phenomenon for the Athletics, though one that will definitely impact their MLB playoffs chances with his incredible defense.
In fact, Earl Weaver would love this A’s team. They have the major league home run leader in Khris Davis, along with four other players who hit 20 or more home runs. Five Oakland hitters had 30 or more doubles. Of course, much like their steals number, the push wasn’t exactly there on triples.
Matt Chapman led the regulars in triples with 6. Semien was the only other player who made 70 or more appearances that had multiple triples, and he had 2 on the season.
The A’s are a dangerous lineup, but if they need a stolen base this year in the MLB playoffs, they could be in trouble.
Next. Mauer could be one of many MLB exits after 2018. dark
Hopefully, you enjoyed these MLB playoffs statistical oddities as much as we enjoyed putting them together!