Pinstripe Mug Half Full or Half Empty?

[Max Power]

Hope this is not too Yankee-centric, but, it has been on my mind this season and would welcome some thoughts.

BTW, I hate how everything is something-centric these days and can't believe that I'm actually using it!

Anywho..........

The Yankees have 37 wins as of this AM. Not many teams can make that claim. So, I guess that's a good thing. Now, they have also lost 21 games so far this year too.

Here's the issue - - EIGHT of those TWENTY ONE losses have been one-run losses. That's over one-third of their losses.

The Q at hand: What does this mean?
Does it mean that they're pretty darn good in that they're just getting beat? Or, does it mean that they have some problem which is costing them games that they probably should have won? Thoughts?

[moose]

Originally posted by Max Power
The Q at hand: What does this mean?
Does it mean that they're pretty darn good in that they're just getting beat? Or, does it mean that they have some problem which is costing them games that they probably should have won? Thoughts?

many thoughts. one answer that could account for some of the problem:

Mariano. He's just being hit more. I don't have the stats in front of me (read: too lazy to check), but i'd imagine his era/WHIP are way up this year.

may not be him, may just be guys getting used to that deceptive delivery.

actually, steve, they probably just don't have "heart" and don't "give it 110%" because they don't "know how to win"
(by the way, can I start <bleeping out> clichees? )

[poorme]

well, how many one-run victories have they had?

[Max Power]

Originally posted by poorme
well, how many one-run victories have they had?

Looking real quick, I think it's only 6 out of 37. But, I'm not sure what that means either?

[ChrisCary]

Mariano, Mendoza.

[poorme]

Originally posted by Max Power


Looking real quick, I think it's only 6 out of 37. But, I'm not sure what that means either?

Well, simply, if they had lost 10 one-run games and won none, you could conclude that they are coming up short in close games. Perhaps bullpen problems. Since they are relatively even, I don't think it means anything.

[Duque]

Funny thing is - Rivera has a 0.97 WHIP, .187 BA against, and a 1.82 ERA - after last night's loss.

It's not him - Mendoza's inconsistency has been a real problem, and Stanton too.

[Max Power]

Originally posted by poorme
Since they are relatively even, I don't think it means anything.

16% or the wins v. 38% of the losses is relatively even?

[hmrsf]

I know a thing or two about 1 run loses (many, many, many years of watching them). I have found that "if you live by the homer you die by the homer."

Usually, 1 run loses coincides with tons LOB. If you have too many "power hitters" you lose the ability have that 2 out magic.

Not to turn this thread into a Ray Sanchez rah-rah! thread but the big difference between this year and last year is the ability to have timely hitting, which means a well placed single with 2 outs. Some would call that an empty average hitter. I call it gold.

Teams that win the 1 run games, get on base, advance the runner.....and refuse to let runs die on the vine because of 2 outs.

Poor fielding ends up giving the opposing team extra outs. I don't know about your team but mine always pays for it.

We can go down the line and look at pitching but I feel "out management" is key, IMHO.

[KCBOOMER]

You are worrying about a problem that doesn't exist. You are winning 5 out of every eight ball games.

[Max Power]

Originally posted by KCBOOMER
You are worrying about a problem that doesn't exist. You are winning 5 out of every eight ball games.

Yankee fan lament Boomer. Your team has 37 wins and you want to know why they don't have 41. It comes with the membership card.

[Craig S.]

I think it's too early to think of their record in one-run games as a real trend. If we were two-thirds of the way through the season and the same held true, then it would probably be something to take more seriously. All they need is a good stretch in close ball games, and that record will be forgotten.

As a Jays fan, I feel really bad for you. You have to suffer through all those one-run losses, while our team is behind so often and so quickly that it's not in the least stressful.

[Max Power]

Believe it or not, as a fan, the blow out losses are easier to take than the 1-run jobs, most of the time.

[TGwynn19]

I think Bill James did a study that stated one-run winning % is more of a matter of luck than anything. I think he looked at a decade worth of teams and compared their overall winning % to that of their one run winning %. There was no correlation. I will go look through a few of my books and see if I can find it.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by Max Power
Believe it or not, as a fan, the blow out losses are easier to take than the 1-run jobs, most of the time.

True, but I'm just tired of any losses at this point. So stop complaining about the Yankees, and go watch all those World Series videos.

I get to watch Justin Miller pitch tonight. You know, the guy who'd be lucky to catch on in the Yankees' pen? Do I sound jealous yet?