The Perfect Storm that is brewing in the American League

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jacktoast
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Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2018 1:01 pm
Location: Winona, Ms

The Perfect Storm that is brewing in the American League

Post by jacktoast »

There is a perfect storm brewing in the American League schedule. On the 17th, 18th and 19th of September the Oakland Athletics who are two games in front of third place Boston and Baltimore and four games behind first place Detroit will square off in Oakland in what is normally billed as a ''crucial series.''

First things first both teams must take care of business in the third game of their current series. Oakland will send right hander Glenn Frey (7-4 3.84 ERA) against cellar dwelling Minnesota and their luckless right hander Sam Betzel (0-9 6.21 ERA). Detroit will send left hander Kenny Rainwater (6-3 3.25 ERA) out to oppose Baltimore's Ed Santana (4-4 4.57.)

A win by Detroit and a loss by Oakland will insure Detroit of holding onto first place no matter how the big series turns out.

The statistical comparison of the two teams reveals two teams that are seemingly more evenly matched that some might think.

Detroit has won nine straight and Oakland five straight and both have won nine of their last ten.

Both are comparable defensively with identical .990 fielding percentages. Oakland and Detroit both have committed 24 errors.

However, since Detroit has the six leading base stealers and leads the AL with 144 stolen base and Oakland is near the bottom in that category with 34, the fact that Oakland catchers have thrown out just 61 of 90 base stealers (33%) to the Detroit catchers 32 of 60 (48.9%) might be a small point of interest.

Both have great bullpens headed by two All Stars with a league leading 18 saves; Angus Young of Oakland and Ray Gillespie of Detroit.

Both starting staffs are manned by All Stars; Bill Ardoin, and Rodger Hodgson and feature several others on the cusp of that status.

Tiger Catcher Dave Colborn, 2B Al Scarsella, and center fielder Matt Steiber are joined on the All Star team by the A's 3B Lee Rittennour, CF Eric Clapton and SS Keith Urban.

Five from each team.

Oakland and Detroit are both batting .263 as a team. Oakland has hit 67 homerun and Detroit 53. Detroit has scored 329 runs and Oakland has plated 326.

So pending the series you pick a winner.
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