14K for Sanchez tonight...hopefully Braves win the next two

 

Make that 17 strikeouts

Make that 17 strikeouts

 

Hope Leyland leaves him in to try and tie the record. Even at 122 pitches...

Trying to get Rondon acclimated, used him for the 9th instead.

 

With the concerns about Verlander and Scherzer not throwing as hard, the extended post-season, Leyland's not going to chance it.

Sanchez did have a chance at 20. I'm surprised Leyland didn't try to have him do it in the 9th.

These damn postponements are getting ridiculous. Indians and Royals rained out Friday, they'll play one on Saturday, and then a doubleheader Sunday. Royals just played 2 in Boston last Sunday...

These damn postponements are getting ridiculous. Indians and Royals rained out Friday, they'll play one on Saturday, and then a doubleheader Sunday. Royals just played 2 in Boston last Sunday...

 

 

 

 

 

Just looking at the records, pretty easy to determine that the Central is going to be a weak division again.

Just looking at the records, pretty easy to determine that the Central is going to be a weak division again.

 

Or competitive...

 

The AL East is 16-16 against the Central, The West is 9-10 against the Central. There are weaker teams in the West that will get rolled on by the likes of Texas.

The M's and Astros are the outliers there.

 

And MOST don't expect the Angels to stay near the bottom.

 

 

With the AL Central, we're still not sure what the Royals, Twins, White Sox or Indians will do over the course of a 162 game season.

Three of those teams need to prove themselves to gain any believers nationally, and the Sox still don't have many believers nationally after the 2012 season.

 

How many of those teams would you take the "over" bet on them winning 82 or more games this year? Maybe the Royals would be the popular choice right now, but most bettors would probably skip that wager.

 

 

Luis Mendoza is now relieving? That's a break for the Sox.

He's still the #5 starter, they just had so many off days they were able to skip him in the rotation. I guess he's had issues with grip and command in the colder weather. Then Davis had a pretty s***ty outing and Mendoza came on in relief.

 

Ervin Santana throws 7 scoreless against the Indians. It's a small sample size, but since his first start at Chicago, he's been impressive...

 

 

v. Twins: 8 innings, 8 hits, 1 run, 1 earned, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

v. Jays: 8 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

@ Red Sox: 7 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts

v. Indians: 7 innings, 6 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts

Just looking at the records, pretty easy to determine that the Central is going to be a weak division again.

 

Well, let's see...

 

KC 12-8, on pace for 97 wins

Det 12-10, on pace for 88 wins, and that includes them already going out west for a 4-5 trip

 

It's not easy to determine anything with this division. But I don't think the AL Central is any more strong or weak than the other two divisions at this point.

 

We'll see where the records are at the end of May. Get about 1/3 of the season in the books to get a better grasp on the divisions.

Well, let's see...

 

KC 12-8, on pace for 97 wins

Det 12-10, on pace for 88 wins, and that includes them already going out west for a 4-5 trip

 

It's not easy to determine anything with this division. But I don't think the AL Central is any more strong or weak than the other two divisions at this point.

 

We'll see where the records are at the end of May. Get about 1/3 of the season in the books to get a better grasp on the divisions.

 

KC is not winning 97 games.

KC is not winning 97 games.

 

Did I say they were?

Well, let's see...

 

KC 12-8, on pace for 97 wins

Det 12-10, on pace for 88 wins, and that includes them already going out west for a 4-5 trip

 

It's not easy to determine anything with this division. But I don't think the AL Central is any more strong or weak than the other two divisions at this point.

 

We'll see where the records are at the end of May. Get about 1/3 of the season in the books to get a better grasp on the divisions.

 

Well if you're going "on pace" every other division leader would be on pace to finish with a better record than KC. And some of the second and third place teams would as well since they all have better records than most AL Central teams.

Well if you're going "on pace" every other division leader would be on pace to finish with a better record than KC. And some of the second and third place teams would as well since they all have better records than most AL Central teams.

 

It's just very early to know that the AL central will be considered weak. There may be three weak teams, but two 90 game winners.

 

These are the standings I look at until mid-August when the unbalanced schedule kicks in.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings/_/group/5

It's just very early to know that the AL central will be considered weak. There may be three weak teams, but two 90 game winners.

 

These are the standings I look at until mid-August when the unbalanced schedule kicks in.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings/_/group/5

 

They're the weakest basically every year. It's never too early to make that prediction.

They're the weakest basically every year. It's never too early to make that prediction.

 

All divisions are weak. And pointless.

And another Tigers quality start. If they get their bullpen figured out, 100 wins isn't out of the question.

MLB Transactionist ‏@MLBTransactions 33m

 

DETROIT TIGERS: Placed pitcher Phil Coke on the 15-day disabled list; recalled pitcher Jose Ortega from Toledo (IL).

And another Tigers quality start. If they get their bullpen figured out, 100 wins isn't out of the question.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if they are 8-10 games up by June

Royals may get weathered out the next three days. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sox were playing a doubleheader on Sunday or Monday.

should have built a roof over Kaufmann Stadium!!

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Anibal Sanchez threw 115 pitches today (40ish in the first inning). he threw 122 in his last start. During the Twins series, all the starters went over 110 (Scherzer 115, Verlander 114). Seems early for Leyland to let his starters throw so much, but I guess with that leaky bullpen you do what you gotta do.

should have built a roof over Kaufmann Stadium!!

-

 

Anibal Sanchez threw 115 pitches today (40ish in the first inning). he threw 122 in his last start. During the Twins series, all the starters went over 110 (Scherzer 115, Verlander 114). Seems early for Leyland to let his starters throw so much, but I guess with that leaky bullpen you do what you gotta do.

 

Their middle relievers and set-up guys aren't so bad at all (haven't looked at stats recently, Villarreal was the one struggling the most in the beginning, and Benoit making adjustments to pitching at the end), you often hear them called a "bad bullpen," but 90% of this is the uncertainty at the end of pen with Papa Grande/Rondon.

Edited May 1, 201312 yr by caulfield12

should have built a roof over Kaufmann Stadium!!

-

 

Anibal Sanchez threw 115 pitches today (40ish in the first inning). he threw 122 in his last start. During the Twins series, all the starters went over 110 (Scherzer 115, Verlander 114). Seems early for Leyland to let his starters throw so much, but I guess with that leaky bullpen you do what you gotta do.

 

welcome to the Jim Leyland school of managing. Dusty Baker was a student.

Pretty important series this weekend for the White Sox and Royals. Match-ups are Guthrie/Santiago, Davis/Axelrod, and Shields/Quintana. Meanwhile, Detroit goes to Houston for 4 and Minnesota goes to Cleveland for 3.

 

The weather around here has been bulls***. Snow in April, freezing rain in May. It's hot (88), cold, rainy, and snowy all in the last 2-3 weeks...