Orioles vs Tigers/KC (Wild Card series)

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, e16bball said:

Don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything quite like this. Detroit’s most used hitters and pitchers since August 1:

 

Of their 7 most utilized hitters, the lowest BABIP is .328. All 7 of those marks would rank in the top 25 in baseball over the course of the full season, and 5 of them would be squarely in the top 10.

Predictably, they’re mostly getting vastly better results than their contact quality would expect. Comparing expected stats to actual, you have Vierling (actual BA 27 points higher than xBA), McKinstry (+26), Meadows (+20), Carpenter (+19), and Torkelson (+10) all hitting at least 10 points better than their expected average. That is, as one might be inclined to say, outrageous fortune.

On top of that, all 8 of their most used pitchers are also (roughly) outpitching their peripherals. Brieske, Hanifee, Holton, and even Foley are all getting results that massively exceed what the metrics expect their performance has warranted. 

In short, this is a team that is playing pretty well, but they’re also getting extremely lucky. In theory, that should be a good thing for us, as their likely opponent next week. But there’s no real reason why this remarkable run of charmed results would just instantly stop because the playoffs have started — so I guess it’s in the eye of the beholder.

Sounds too much like the 2014 Royals for my liking. 

[Uli2001]

7 hours ago, OrioleintheATL said:

100% Detroit.  I laugh at anyone who wants to see KC instead.   Anyone saying they'd rather play KC can only be becuase Detroit has been hot since the All-star break.  That's it.  But.....if you choose that as your argument, then you are excusing them or sucking for ALL of their play before the ASB.  

 

So help me here, if you want KC instead, what part of KC looks weaker:

KC team batting avg  for an entire season is .250.  Detroit's is .235 for the season so...........

KC has hit more HR's, KC team OPS is .714, Detroit is .686; KC better slugging, KC averages more runs, KC has stolen 85% more bases so..........

Detroit has a slightly better team ERA and a slightly better team WHIP.  KC has two STUD starters, Detroit has one and then smoke and mirrors, opener/bulk pitcher clown show that will catch up with them in the playofs or really in any game where they don't get completely fortunate and have it work perfectly (rarely).

Yes, they beat us 4 out of the recent six games but having watched every minute of all of them, it easily could have been 4-2 or better in our favor.   KC has alot more talent and is defintely the tougher out.

 

 

Now do since the ASB. Detroit has been the best team in the AL since then.