What Are The Mariners Thinking?
The Seattle Mariners’ offensive struggles have been well-documented. The Mariners have scored the fewest runs in baseball for each of the past two seasons and have ranked in the top half of the majors in that category just once since 2004. In 2011, Seattle put together a major-league worst .233/.292/.348 batting line as a team, somehow a step down from the .236/.298/.339 it posted in 2010. So when the Mariners shipped out pitcher Michael Pineda to acquire the New York Yankees’ top prospect in catcher Jesus Montero, their thinking of improving their offense makes sense. But by trading Pineda, Seattle is making a horrible mistake that it will regret for years to come.
Twenty-two year old pitchers who stand at six-foot-seven, can start and touch 100 miles per hour with their fastball do not come around very often. They are the ones who are almost always listed as untouchables when other teams call to make trades. Just those very characteristics make Pineda a potential superstar pitcher, one who figures to dominate the game for years to come. But in his rookie season last year, Pineda proved that he is already at that level.
Pineda possesses the arsenal of a pure power pitcher to match his size on the mound. His fastball was the fourth-quickest in all of baseball last season, averaging 94.7 mph, better than all pitchers not named Alexi Ogando (95.1), Justin Verlander (95.0) or David Price (94.9). A stomach-lurching slurve helped induce the most swings-and-misses of any pitcher in the majors at 11.8 percent of his pitches.
Those whiffs helped Pineda strike out 24.9 percent of opposing hitters, sixth-best in the majors and greater than Price, Yovani Gallardo, Cole Hamels, Jered Weaver and Chris Carpenter. Pineda wound up striking out 9.11 batters per nine innings, seventh-best in all of baseball and more than Verlander, Gio Gonzalez, C.C. Sabathia, Mat Latos, Felix Hernandez and Roy Halladay.
While power pitchers sometimes struggle with control, Pineda did not have that issue even as a rookie. He struck out 3.5 batters for every walk he issued, a mark better than Matt Cain, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum and Jon Lester.
Pineda’s electric fastball and plate-sweeping slurve also prevented many opposing hitters from making solid contact. Opponents hit just .209 against him in 2011, tied with Jeremy Hellickson as the fourth-best mark in baseball, behind only Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and Josh Beckett. Pineda’s ability to keep opposing teams off the bases helped him earn the eighth-best WHIP (1.10) in the American League, which ranked above Hellickson, C.J. Wilson and Trevor Cahill.
Montero may end up being a great player for the Mariners. He was ranked as the third-best prospect by Baseball America before the 2011 season and has hit .308/.366/.501 in five minor league seasons. But Pineda has already proven that he can be mentioned in the same breath as some of the very best pitchers in baseball. His strikeout numbers show that he will only continue to improve as he learns how to pitch and indicate he has the stuff to dominate the major leagues. The Mariners may be improving their offense with this deal, but trading a 22-year old talent like Pineda will be a move they regret for a long time.
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 8
Luke Jackson, Matt Castello and I kick off the show with our thoughts about Randy Edsall and Maryland football before moving to Mark Turgeon and Terps basketball. We then shift to the Capitals’ new coaching change, Week 12 in the NFL and some MLB Hot Stove.
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 7
Matt Castello and I lead off the show discussing the eight athletic teams cut by the University of Maryland before talking about the Week 11 in the NFL and baseball’s new realignment and postseason ventures. The due also debate whether Justin Verlander should have won the American League MVP Award and if Curt Schilling is a Hall of Famer in addition to ranking the top five starters of the last 20 years.
You can download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 6
Luke Jackson, Matt Castello and I bring on the Penn State’s Daily Collegian Joe McIntrye to talk about the Penn State situation and the feeling of students, alums and football players at Penn State. The trio then discuss the proposed elimination of six University of Maryland sports before discussing Week 10 in the NFL.
You can download our interview with Joe or listen to it by clicking below:
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 5
Luke Jackson, Matt Castello and I talk about Week 9 in the NFL. We each list our top ten quarterbacks in the game and then briefly discuss the Penn State situation regarding Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky before talking Maryland Terrapins basketball.
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 4
The Monday Night Madness podcast is back!
Luke Jackson, Matt Castello and I bring on Jay Jaffe of Baseball Prospectus to talk about the World Series. We also talk about Week 7 in the NFL and the opening part of the NHL season and how it has been affected by the NBA lockout.
Listen to our interview with Jay right here:
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
The Greatness of Albert Pujols
Babe Ruth. Reggie Jackson. Last night, Albert Pujols joined in on the company of those two legends.
Pujols because just the third player in World Series history to smack three home runs in a game. He went 5-for-6 with six runs batted in, becoming the second player in Fall Classic history with five hits, tying Paul Molitor’s 1982 Game 1 performance. His six-RBI night also tied for the most in World Series history with Bobby Richardson (1960 Game 3) and Hideki Matsui (2009 Game 6).
In addition to tying some elusive milestones all in one night, Pujols can also scribble his name alone on top of some records. He had 14 total bases yesterday, a new World Series record that had previously been shared by Ruth and Jackson with 12. Pujols also became the first player ever in a Fall Classic game to have as many as four hits, two home runs and five RBIs in one game. The fact that he was able to accumulate one more of each of those figures in a game makes this performance one of the greatest, if not the greatest, in World Series history.
The best postseason performers throughout history have been able duplicate, or ever raise their regular season numbers against the best competition when the lights shine brightest. Ruth was a career .342/.474/.690 batter in the regular season but hit .326/.467/.744 with 15 home runs and 33 RBIs in 41 career playoff games. Jackson, over his career, was a .262/.356/.490 hitter, but in the postseason, raised those numbers to .278/.358/.527 with 18 homers and 48 RBIs in 78 games. The modern-day Mr. October, Derek Jeter, is a career .313/.383/.449 batter in the regular season and in 152 career playoff games, has hit .307/.374/.465 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs.
Albert Pujols is already the closest modern-day batter to Ruth, Pujols being a career .320/.420/.617 hitter over his career. Pujols has hit more than 40 home runs in a season six times in his career, or one more time than he has finished with fewer than that standard. Since becoming a full-time position player in 1919, Ruth finished with 11 years of over 40 home runs compared to five full seasons of fewer than that number. Granted, Ruth played in 16 full seasons as a position player while Pujols, who is 31 years old, has played in 11 so far.
Pujols, though, has somehow raised his modern-day Ruthian numbers in the playoffs. Over 70 career postseason games, he is a .343/.444/.630 batter with 17 doubles, 18 home runs and 52 RBIs. If you take out his playoff numbers in his first two big league seasons at ages 21 and 22, respectively, Pujols is a .371 batter with a .445 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 45 RBIs over 57 games in the postseason. He is that rare breed who is somehow able to raise an already incredibly high-set bar in the playoffs when the lights shine brightest.
A couple months ago, I wrote that Albert Pujols was the greatest player we will ever see. His postseason performance, not only from his record-setting night in Game 3 of this year’s Fall Classic, is only adding to that legacy.
Top Strikers Get Together On Pitch As No. 3 Terps Clash With No. 24 Duke
As the Maryland men’s soccer team headed into the locker room for halftime in their match against Division II Adelphi Tuesday, the Terrapins found themselves in unfamiliar territory.
The Diamondback
Not only were they tied on the scoreboard at zero, but the Terps were outshot in a half, 4-3 by the Panthers, for just the second time all season. However, a more focused Maryland group emerged in the second half. The Terrapins outshot Adelphi 11-0 and used two goals from reserve forward Jake Pace in the 73rd and 74th minutes, respectively, to defeat the Panthers 2-0 in their final non-conference regular season game of the season. The goals were the first of Pace’s career. In helping to pitch Maryland’s seventh shutout of the season, freshman goalkeeper Keith Cardona earned his first career victory.
After a 2-1 loss in Charlottesville last week, Maryland (12-1-1, 3-1-0 ACC) resumes ACC play tonight against the Duke Blue Devils (7-4-1, 3-1-1). Duke has not been defeated in seven straight games, the Blue Devils’ best run since 2006. During that stretch, the Blue Devils are 6-0-1 and have outscored opponents 24-9, the most goals Duke has scored in a seven-game stretch since 2004. The Blue Devils are tied with North Carolina on top of the ACC standings to move into the College Soccer News poll for the first time since August. Duke is ranked No. 24 in the nation.
Tonight’s battle will feature two of the top strikers in the country. Duke’s Andrew Wenger leads the nation in both goals (15) and points (37). During the Blue Devils’ seven-game win streak, Wenger has scored 12 goals to go along with seven assists for 31 points. After a four-goal, one-assist performance in a pair of victories last week, he is was selected as the Disney Soccer/NSCAA, ACC and College Soccer News Men’s National Player of the Week. Wenger was also voted to the Soccer America Team of the Week for the second time this season.
The Diamondback
On the other side though, Maryland’s Casey Townsend is not far behind. Townsend has scored 12 goals for a total of 24 points this season, both of which rank second in the conference behind Wenger. However, while Wenger has accounted for 22 of Duke’s 29 goals, the Terps scoring attack is much more balanced. Townsend has accounted for 12 of Maryland’s 34 goals. John Stertzer is second on the Terrapins with nine goals and 21 points while Patrick Mullins has five goals for 12 points this year.
Here are some more notes for tonight’s game:
- This is the 70th matchup between Maryland and Duke. The Terrapins have a 44-22-3 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1949. However, both teams have five wins in the last 10 meetings with each other.
- Duke is 1-2-0 against Maryland under head coach John Kerr. The Blue Devils defeated the Terps in 2009 and have not lost consecutive regular season games to Maryland since 2006.
- With a 3-1-1 record in the ACC, Duke is off to its best start in conference play since 2006, which is the last time the Blue Devils captured the ACC title.
- This game features the top two offenses in the ACC. Maryland is averaging 2.43 goals per game to Duke’s 2.42. The Blue Devils’ 29 assists leads the ACC while the Terps are second with 28. Chris Tweed-Kent is tied for first on Duke with seven assists. Andrew Morales leads all ACC freshmen and is tied for 10th nationally with four assists. Sunny Jane leads Maryland with five assists.
- Duke has scored 15 goals against ACC opponents this year, the sixth-most by the Blue Devils in conference play all-time. The 2000 Blue Devils scored 19 goals against ACC foes, the most all-time by a Duke team.
- All four of Duke’s losses this season have come by one goal. The Blue Devils outshot each of their opponents in those games and have outshot all but three of its opponents this season.
- Duke is 5-1-1 in games in which they have scored first. The Blue Devils are 5-0 when leading at the half and 0-2 when trailing and 2-2-1 when tied.
- Duke has outscored their opponents by a 29-17 margin. They have 11 goals in the first half and 18 in the second half. The Blue Devils have scored at least one goal in the first half in six of their seven victories.
- Nick Palodichuk currently is tied for first among freshmen across the country with six goals and 15 points overall, both of which are second on the Blue Devils.
- Duke and Maryland have played two common opponent so far this season. Both teams earned wins over NC State and suffered losses to Virginia.
- The Terrapins are the fifth ranked team the Blue Devils have played this season. Duke is 0-3-1 and has been outscored 7-4 by ranked opponents.
- Maryland is 3-0 against ranked opponents this season. They have outshot ranked teams by a 46-20 margin. The Terps have outscored ranked opponents 14-2 this season. Against unranked teams, their margin is just 18-7.
- Maryland has outshot its opponents 244-122 this season, as well as outscoring them 34-10. The Terps have scored 15 goals in the first half and 17 in the second half, as well as two overtime goals.
- The Terrapins defense is surrendering just 0.71 goals per game, second in the ACC. They have allowed only 39 shots on goal all season. Maryland’s seven shutouts leads the ACC.
- The Terps are 9-0-0 at home this and have allowed just five goals at Ludwig Field. Maryland is averaging 3,808 fans per game.
You can listen to the action live on WMUC Sports at 6:45. Steve Goldstein will be on the call along with Luke Jackson.
NFL Picks Week 5
Here is my pick record on the season: 46-18
Last week: 12-4
Now, onto my picks for this week:
Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-1)
The pick: Philadelphia
Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) at Indianapolis Colts (0-4)
The pick: Kansas City
Arizona Cardinals (1-3) at Minnesota Vikings (0-4)
The pick: Minnesota
Seattle Seahawks (1-3) at New York Giants (3-1)
The pick: New York
Tennessee Titans (3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)
The pick: Pittsburgh
New Orleans Saints (3-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-3)
The pick: New Orleans
Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)
The pick: Cincinnati
Oakland Raiders (2-2) at Houston Texans (3-1)
The pick: Houston
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-1)
The pick: Tampa Bay
New York Jets (2-2) at New England Patriots (3-1)
The pick: New England
San Diego Chargers (3-1) at Denver Broncos (1-3)
The pick: San Diego
Green Bay Packers (4-0) at Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
The pick: Green Bay
Chicago Bears (2-2) at Detroit Lions (4-0)
The pick: Detroit
After Huge Win, No. 2 Terps Host Rutgers Tonight
After a week that saw the Maryland Terrapins men’s soccer team tie Seton Hall 0-0 and beat Virginia Tech 2-0, Maryland dropped from No. 1 in the rankings to No. 3, behind UConn and Creighton, respectively. Once they defeated Charlotte last Tuesday by a score of 3-1, the Terps prepared to host the No. 2 Blue Jays at Ludwig Field. Coming into the game, not only was Creighton undefeated with a record of 8-0-0, but the Blue Jays had also not even been scored upon.
The Terps made quick work to change that behind possibly the top forward in the nation. Casey Townsend (11) scored in the 14th minute in what ultimately proved to be the game-winner. Maryland’s defensive backline was stellar, holding Creighton without a shot until the 48th minute and posting their sixth shutout of the season.
The Terrapins (10-0-1, 3-0-0 in the ACC), now ranked second in the nation, are unbeaten in their first 11 games of the season for the first time since 1968, when the program won its first National Championship. They host Rutgers tonight (4-4-1) at Ludwig Field. Here are some notes for the game:
- Rutgers comes into tonight 1-3-1 in their last five matches. The No. 2 Terrapins are the third ranked team the Scarlet Knights will face this year. Rutgers dropped a 1-0 game on September 16 to No. 25 Iona and lost 2-0 to No. 9 Indiana two days later.
- Rutgers has scored as many goals (15) as the team as given up this year. Kene Eze (five goals) and Juan Pablo Correa (four goals) lead the Scarlet Knights in scoring.
- Tonight’s game will be the fourth meeting all-time between Maryland and Rutgers. The Terrapins hold a 2-1 series advantage.
- The Terps are coming off a week in which they defeated two ranked opponents in No. 12 Charlotte and No. 2 Creighton.
- Maryland has outscored its opponents by a 29-7 margin this year. Casey Townsend (22 points) leads the Terps with 11 goals. John Stertzer (17 points) has scored seven times while Patrick Mullins (12 points) is third on the team with five goals.
- The seven goals the Terrapins have given up are the fewest of any ACC team. They are allowing just 0.64 goals per game and have surrendered only 29 shots on goal all season.
- Maryland has outshot their opponents 193-85 this season.
- This is Maryland’s eighth home game of the season. The Terps are averaging 4,537 fans per game at Ludwig Field in 2011.
NFL Picks Week 4
Here is my pick record on the season: 34-14
Last week: 10-6
I’m in a major work crunch at school right now so I don’t have time to explain my picks, but here’s who I like in Week 4:
Carolina Panthers (1-2) at Chicago Bears (1-2)
The Pick: Chicago
Buffalo Bills (3-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
The Pick: Buffalo
Tennessee Titans (2-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-1)
The Pick: Tennessee
Detroit Lions (3-0) at Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
The Pick: Dallas
Minnesota Vikings (0-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)
The Pick: Minnesota
Washington Redskins (2-1) at St. Louis Rams (0-3)
The Pick: Washington
San Francisco 49ers (2-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)
The Pick: Philadelphia
New Orleans Saints (2-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
The Pick: New Orleans
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) at Houston Texans (2-1)
The Pick: Houston
New York Giants (2-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
The Pick: New York
Atlanta Falcons (1-2) at Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
The Pick: Atlanta
Denver Broncos (1-2) at Green Bay Packers (3-0)
The Pick: Green Bay
New England Patriots (2-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-1)
The Pick: New England
Miami Dolphins (0-3) at San Diego Chargers (2-1)
The Pick: San Diego
New York Jets (2-1) at Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
The Pick: Baltimore
Indianapolis Colts (0-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
The Pick: Tampa Bay
The Greatest Night In Baseball History
The very first Major League Baseball game was played on May 4, 1871 between the Cleveland Forest Cities and the Fort Wayne Kekiongas. A lot has changed in the national pastime in the 140 years, four months and 24 days since. Baseball has seen a number of odd and amazing things happen in the 51,281 days pass since then, but last night we may have witnessed the greatest night in baseball history.
The scene set at the beginning of the night was perfect. Two teams in each league tied for the last elusive playoff spot. Each league had one team (the Red Sox in the American League and the Braves in the National League) trying to stave off possibly the greatest collapses in baseball history while two others (the Rays in the AL and the Cardinals in the NL) looked to put the finishing touches on improbable comebacks.
The stories of how each team got here, into a tie on the final day of the season, are all very unique. On September 2, the Red Sox held a nine-game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL Wild Card race. No team in major league history had ever blown a nine-game lead in September. In the 25 games since September 2, the Red Sox gave up six runs or more in a game 18 times as Boston’s pitching staff surrendered an astounding 6.4 runs per game. Their starting pitchers compiled a 7.91 ERA over the last 19 games. The Red Sox would go 7-18 since September 2, falling into a tie for the AL Wild Card with Tampa Bay.
The Rays, despite vaulting nine games in the standings to catch Boston, had been on a rollercoaster ride in September. Tampa Bay was just 10-9 against every other team in baseball during the month. However, the Rays were able to make up ground so quickly because they dominated the Red Sox, winning six of seven games against Boston. By the time each team would play its final series of the year on September 26, Tampa Bay had vaulted itself into a tie atop the AL Wild Card standings.
On the National League side, the Braves were faltering in similar fashion to the Red Sox. Atlanta held an 8.5 game lead over St. Louis on September 5. However, since then, the Braves went 7-15, with 11 different pitchers taking a loss. During that stretch, Atlanta averaged only 3.09 runs per game and allowed 4.36 runs per game. Over the course of the season, those numbers were 3.96 and 3.73, respectively.
As Atlanta cooled off, the Cardinals began to catch fire. St. Louis’ run actually began a little bit earlier than the Braves’ collapse though, which allowed them to gain slightly more ground. On August 25, the Cardinals were 10.5 games behind Atlanta in the NL Wild Card race. In the 31 games since then though, St. Louis went 22-9, including a three-game sweep of the Braves from September 9 through 11. During that stretch, the Cardinals averaged 4.84 runs per game while surrendering just 3.84 runs per contest. With their 13-6 victory Tuesday over the Astros, St. Louis was finally able to erase the deficit and move into a tie atop the NL Wild Card leaders.
The final night of the season proved to be the final stop on the magical carpet ride the Rays and Cardinals had taken throughout September. However, for most of the night, it looked as if both of those teams would either not get the job done or be forced into a one-game playoff to decide their playoff faith the next day.
The Cardinals erased any chance of doubt early on by taking a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning. They would cruise to an 8-0 victory, the only game of the four teams tied for a Wild Card spot that lacked drama.
Meanwhile, after a Ryan Howard RBI-double in the top of the first for Philadelphia, the Braves responded by tying the game on a Chipper Jones sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the frame. In the bottom of the third, Dan Uggla gave Atlanta their first lead of the game with a two-run home run to left to make it 3-1. However, the Phillies began to inch closer as the late innings fell upon Turner Field. A Jack Wilson error in the top of the seventh allowed Raul Ibanez to score to make it 3-2.
The score would stay that way as Braves manager Freddi Gonzalez summoned Craig Kimbrel, who saved a rookie-record 46 games this year, into the game to close things out in the ninth. Kimbrel immediately allowed a single to Placido Polanco, who was pinch-run for by Pete Orr. After striking out Carlos Ruiz for the first out, Kimbrel committed the worst sin that a pitcher can make; giving out free passes to first base for batters. He walked pinch-hitter Ben Francisco and followed that up with the same result to Jimmy Rollins to load the bases with one out. The free passes allowed Chase Utley to hit a sacrific fly to left and just like that, Kimbrel blew his eighth save of the season as the Phillies tied the game at three.
The game would remain scoreless until the 13th, with Atlanta missing a golden opportunity to win with runners on the corners and two outs in the 12th. Scott Linebrink entered the game out of the Braves bullpen for the top half of the inning and made the same egregious mistakes as Kimbrel. After striking out Dominic Brown, Linebrink walked Brian Schneider. Rollins flied to center for the second out but then an Utley single pushed Schneider to third. With runners on the corners and two outs, the same situation the Braves failed to score with in the bottom of the 12th, Hunter Pence hit a weak line drive that found a hole in the right side of the infield to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.
Atlanta had one final opportunity to extend their season in the bottom frame of the 13th. However, with a runner on first and one out, Freddie Freeman grounded into a double play as the Braves’ season suddenly and shockingly ended. With five games to play, Atlanta had owned a three-game lead over St. Louis. In those five games, though, the Braves scored just seven runs, going 0-5. However, their bullpen implosion would not be the only one by a team on this night to put the finishing touches on a sinking season.
Over on the American League side, things could not have started off any better for the Red Sox. For just the third time in 15 games, the Red Sox would able to put a crooked number on the scoreboard before the opposing team, using a Dustin Pedroia single to take a 1-0 lead in the third. However, Boston coughed the lead right up on a two-run J.J. Hardy homer in the bottom half of the inning. The Red Sox continued to claw back though, scoring one in the fourth on a balk by Orioles pitcher Alfredo Simon and then using a Pedroia home run to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth.
As Boston was taking the lead and the reigns in the Wild Card race, Tampa Bay looked like their season would end because of their struggles against every other team besides the Red Sox. By the end of the fifth inning, the Yankees had a 7-0 lead and the Rays’ postseason hopes looked pretty much dead.
However, just like that though, a funny thing happened. It was almost as if the baseball gods intervened to suddenly change the fortunes of the games. As the Orioles and Red Sox stopped play for a rain delay, Tampa Bay suddenly began a miraculous comeback. With Boston watching from the locker room, the Rays got their first three men on base against Boone Logan in the bottom of the eighth. New York manager Joe Girardi decided to bring in Luis Ayala and Tampa Bay capitalized immediately. Sam Fuld walked score Johnny Damon to make it 7-1. Ayala hit Sean Rodriguez with a pitch to force in another run to make it 7-2 before striking out Desmond Jennings for the first out of the innings. B.J. Upton then hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3 with two outs and the Rays’ hottest hitter, Evan Longoria, coming to the plate. Suddenly, with two men on, a glimmer of hope appeared at the end of the tunnel for Tampa Bay. Longoria crushed a pitch over the fence in left field, and just like that the Rays were within one at 7-6. John Jaso singled before Ayala retired Damon to end the inning and stop the bleeding.
Tampa Bay was afforded one more shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to put their playoff destiny in their own hands. The Yankees’ new pitcher, Cory Wade, retired the first two hitters of the plate though, and suddenly the Rays were down to their final out. With light-hitting Sam Fuld due up next, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon made the curious decision of pinch-hitting Dan Johnson. Among non-pitchers with at least 50 plate appearances this year, Johnson (.119) had the lowest batting average this season of any hitter in baseball. However, be it the baseball gods or Maddon’s knowledge that since 2008, Johnson was 17-for-52 (.327) with eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 22 games against the Red Sox and Yankees and just . 20 for 168 (.119 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 56 games against the rest baseball, Johnson came through. Down to his final strike, Johnson crushed a ball over the fence in right field to miraculously tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Soon afterwards, the Red Sox and Orioles resumed play at Camden Yards. The Boston bullpen was able to keep Baltimore off the scoreboard in the seventh and the eighth and hand the ball to closer Jonathan Papelbon for the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead. Coming into this game, the Red Sox were 77-0 this season when leading after eight innings. Papelbon struck out the first two batters of the inning and the Red Sox were one out away from controlling their own destiny once again in the postseason hunt. However, fate kicked in against Boston. Chris Davis hit a double and then Nolan Reimold stepped to the plate. Papelbon pumped two fastballs by the bat of Reimold and Boston was just one strike away. However, Reimold smashed a ground-rule double into right to tie it at three. Robert Andino then digged into the box. It would be the last batter of the Red Sox’s miserable and depressing fall from grace. Andino lined a ball hard into left field. Charging hard was Carl Crawford, who slid feet first, but the ball clanked off his glove, scoring Reimold and sending Boston back into the clubhouse with a loss after leading in the eighth inning for the first time all season.
At this time, the Yankees and Rays had moved into the bottom of the 13th inning. Pitching for New York was Scott Proctor, who had throw 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball as Longoria stepped back into the box. With the eyes of a tormented Red Sox Nation now upon him, Longoria worked the count to 2-2. He then fouled off a pitch before lining a rocket down the left field line. The ball stayed fair and flew just over the fence as the Rays celebrated being the first team in baseball history to overcome a nine-game deficit to make the postseason. It was just the third time in Yankees history, and first since 1953, that New York blew a seven-run lead in the 8th inning or later. Like what happened to the Braves, it took one final bullpen collapse to be the final straw of the Red Sox’s season, finishing off the most epic collapse of all-time.
Boston did not win consecutive games since beating Oakland in a doubleheader on August 27. The Red Sox were 1-2 against Texas, 2-5 against Toronto, 1-6 against Tampa Bay, 2-5 against Baltimore and 1-4 against the Yankees in September, finishing 7-20 overall in the month. The 20 losses in September were the most by a Red Sox team in the month since 1952. The team with baseball’s third-highest payroll will be watching the playoffs from home for the second season in a row while the Rays, who own the major’s second-smallest payroll, will be going to the postseason for the third time in four years.
The night started with the potential to be magical, but it proved to be even better than that. The Rays were one strike away from losing. The Red Sox were one strike away from winning. But in each case, the opposite happened. The timing of the games and the simple brilliance of ninth-inning rallies, two teams’ bullpen collapses and a walk-off home run proved to be as dramatic as baseball can get. With so much on the line, seeing all of this was unbelievable. When the dust settled, the only word that could even come close to describing the enchantment of the cascade of events crashing down last night is this one: Amazing.
There have been 51,282 nights in baseball history. None of them were better and filled with more collective drama and magic than what we witnessed last night.
No. 3 Maryland Soccer Welcomes In Top-15 Opponent Charlotte
In their most lopsided game in all of 2010, the Maryland Terrapins dismantled the Virginia Tech Hokies on their home turf by a score of 7-0. However, after Virginia Tech, which had been picked in the preseason to finish in last in the ACC this season, beat then-No. 1 North Carolina September 10 in a 1-0 double overtime thriller, alarms went off that the No. 1 Maryland Terrapins could not take the Hokies lightly this time around.
Sure enough, the Terps did not come into Blacksburg too overconfident. After a frustrating 0-0 tie Tuesday at Seton Hall, Maryland got the ball to their top scorers early and often to create opportunities. While Virginia Tech goalie Kyle Renfro ultimately made eight saves, the Terrapins were able to find the back of the net twice to secure victory. John Stertzer headed in his sixth goal of the year in the 29th minute off a Kaoru Forbess free kick. In the 41st minute, Forbess sent a cross into the box that Casey Townsend netted for his ninth goal of the season to give the Terps a commanding 2-0 lead. Forbess now has three assists in the last four games after tallying just one in the first five matches of the year. Goalkeeper Will Swaim and Maryland’s backline were able to keep the Hokies off the scoreboard for their fifth shutout of the season as Maryland improved to 8-0-1 overall and 3-0-0 in the ACC. It is the first 3-0-0 start for the Terps in the ACC since 2003.
After spending last week away from Ludwig Field, the Terps (8-0-1, 3-0-0), now ranked third in the nation, host No. 12 Charlotte (7-1-0) in the first of two top-15 opponents the Terps will welcome to College Park this week. The 49ers are 2-0-0 against ACC opponents this season, having beaten then No. 10 Virginia 2-1 in overtime and Clemson 3-1. Here are some more notes for tonight’s game:
- The 49ers enter tonight’s game on a five-game winning streak. They have outscored their opponents 16-5 this season and have shutout their opponents four times in eight games.
- Charlotte boasts a very balanced scoring attack. Reigning Atlantic-10 Player of the Week Evan James leads the 49ers with four goals on the year. Jennings Rex is second on the team with three goals. Donnie Smith, Tyler Gibson and Isaac Caughrans have tallied two goals apiece.
- This game will mark the second meeting between the two schools. Maryland defeated Charlotte in 2008 in overtime by a score of 2-1.
- Over the last three seasons, the 49ers are 5-0-1 against the ACC, including a 2-0-0 record this year.
- Maryland is outscoring its opponents 25-6 this year. The Terps have allowed just one goal in the last three games.
- Of the six goals Maryland has allowed this season, five of them have come in the second half.
- Maryland is surrendering just 0.67 goals per contest. They have allowed only 21 shots on goal all season.
- The Terrapins are led on offense by Casey Townsend, who leads the team in both goals with nine and points with 18. Townsend had nine goals in all of 2010.
- John Stertzer is second on the Terps in scoring with six goals and three assists for 15 points. Patrick Mullins is third with five goals and one assist for 11 points. Sunny Jane leads Maryland in assists with five.
- The Terps have outshot their opponents 165-69 this year.
- This is Maryland’s sixth home game of the season. The Terps are averaging 4,643 fans per game at Ludwig Field in 2011.
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 3
I was on the airwaves by myself this week. Monday Night Madness began with discussion of both the American League and National League Wild Card races. I then discussed Week 3 in the NFL with the excitement surrounding the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions and why the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. The show wraps up with the decline of Maryland football.
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
NFL Picks Week 3
This is the first time I’m publicizing my weekly NFL picks. I have a 24-8 record on the season. Here are my picks for Week 3:
New England Patriots (2-0) at Buffalo Bills (2-0)
Three of the four teams in the AFC East have perfect records. That will change this weekend. The Bills have been the surprise team of the NFL this season, destroying the Chiefs 41-7 in Week 1 before a dramatic come from behind 38-35 win in their home opener against the Raiders last week. Buffalo leads the NFL in rushing, averaging 193 yards per game. They will need to be able to control the clock against New England’s lethal offense. The Patriots have the NFL’s top offense, accumulating 1,126 yards (563 yards per game), or 174 more than second-place Carolina. Tom Brady has been nearly unstoppable, throwing for over 400 yards in both games so far this year. He has 940 yards in total to go along with seven touchdowns and one interception for a 128 quarterback rating. The Bills will have to find a way to pressure Brady to pull off the upset.
The Pick: New England
San Francisco 49ers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
Both of these teams lost heartbreaking games last week to fall to 1-1. The 49ers have the NFL’s top rushing defense, surrendering only 54.5 yards per game on the ground. That matchup will be key because the Bengals will try to run the football with Cedric Benson (41 carries for 180 yards and a touchdown) to keep pressure off rookie quarterback Andy Dalton (37-for-53 for 413 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 105.7 rating). The Bengals defense has looked good so far this season against two relatively weak offenses, the Browns and Broncos. The 49ers have the NFL’s 31st-best offense statistically, averaging just 207.5 yards per game, so Cincinnati’s defense could be in for another good day. A Week 4 matchup against Buffalo will be the Bengals’ defense first true test of the season.
The Pick: Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins (0-2) at Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Miami’s offense ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in total yardage (397 yards per game), but the Dolphins are tied for 25th in points scored, averaging 18.5 per game. Miami has been able to move the ball well in between the 20s, but their inability to score touchdowns has cost them so far. Cleveland owns the second-best pass defense in the NFL, giving up just 165.5 yards per game through the air, and sixth-best total defense (289.5 yards per game) but it’s unclear yet if that’s because of the Browns’ talent or the weak offenses of their first two opponents, the Bengals and Colts. Offensively though, Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy (41-for-72 for 424 yards, three TDs, one INT and a 82.2 rating) may be able to go to the air early and often. The Dolphins talked all about how great their defense was in the offseason, but they have yet to back it up on the field. Miami has the NFL’s worst defense through the first two weeks of the season, allowing a staggering 483.5 yards per game.
The Pick: Miami
Denver Broncos (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)
The Titans looked awfully impressive against the Baltimore Ravens last week, winning 26-13 over a team that dominated the Steelers 35-7 in Week 1. Tennessee’s third-ranked defense has been absolutely nasty this year, surrendering just 276 yards per game, which is not good news for a struggling and injury-plagued Broncos offense that ranks 23rd in the league (314 yards per game). The return of running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd should help the Denver offense. Tennessee may only be a good running game away from being a surprise team. Chris Johnson is averaging just 2.3 yards per carry (33 rushes for 77 yards). He has yet to score a touchdown and his longest run of the season is only nine yards. Last year, he rushed for 4.3 yards per carry and had a long run of 76 yards.
The Pick: Tennessee
Detroit Lions (2-0) at Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
The Lions have certainly lived up to the hype as the NFL’s up-and-coming team through the first two weeks of the season. Detroit’s eighth-ranked offense is racking up 421 yards per game while its seventh-ranked defense is allowing just 291 yards and 11.5 points per game. The Lions are a young and exciting team that no one wants to play right now because its scary how good this team can become. Second-year defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh may already be the best defensive lineman in the NFL and quarterback Matthew Stafford (47-for-72 for 599 yards, seven TDs, two INTs and a 112 rating) to receiver Calvin Johnson (nine catches for 117 yards and four touchdowns) is rapidly becoming one of the top QB-WR duos in the NFL. The Vikings will have to attack Detroit’s secondary down the field to keep up with Detroit’s potent attack. Donovan McNabb has passed for just 267 through the first two games of the year, but if he can get the ball to receiver Percy Harvin (nine catches for 83 yards) in space, it will open things up for running back Adrian Peterson (41 rushes for 218 yards and two TDs). The Vikings may be 0-2, but they have lost both of their games by a total of 11 points.
The Pick: Detroit
Houston Texans (2-0) at New Orleans Saints (1-1)
There may not be a more exciting game to watch this week. This one features two of the best offensive attacks in the league so there should be no shortage of points. It is Houston’s first true test of the season for their top-ranked defense (271 yards per game) after easy wins against Indianapolis and Miami. It’s also where we find out just good the Texans really are. They are the perceived team to beat in the AFC South. If they pull off the upset in a very tough place to play on the road, people will start taking Houston seriously as contenders. Putting pressure on New Orleans’ fifth-ranked offense (421.5 yards per game) led by Drew Brees (58-for-86 for 689 yards, six TDs, no INTs and a 114.9 rating) is the key for Houston’s new 3-4 defense. If the Texans give Brees time to throw, he will spread it around to each of the weapons at his disposal. Nine different Saints have receptions this year.
The Pick: New Orleans
New York Giants (1-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
Michael Vick is expected to play Sunday after leaving Philadelphia’s Week 2 loss early to the Falcons last week with a concussion. That’s not good news for the Giants, who allowed Vick to accumulate 664 total yards of offense by himself in two meetings last year. New York is surrendering 283 yards per game through the air, which ranks 24th in the NFL, which also doesn’t bode well for them, considering the Giants haven’t exactly faced any juggernaut passing attack in the Redskins and Rams the first two weeks of the season. The Giants simply need more from Eli Manning (37-for-62 for 491 yards, two TDs, two INTs, 82.1 rating), but chances of that are slim against an Eagles secondary that features Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie.
The Pick: Philadelphia
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)
It will be a battle between two first-round quarterbacks in Carolina’s Cam Newton and Jacksonville’s Blaine Gabbert. Newton has far and away exceeded all expectations, throwing for 854 yards in his first two career NFL games, the most-ever for a rookie. However, Newton has thrown four picks compared to three touchdowns and that’s why the Panthers have a zero in the win column, despite losing both of their games by seven points. The rookie Gabbert saw his first career NFL action last week against the Jets, but was impressive against one of the top defenses in the NFL, finishing 5-for-6 for 52 yards. Carolina has allowed 295 yards per game through the air, 26th in the league, which should give Gabbert many more passing lanes to throw to than he saw against New York.
The Pick: Carolina
New York Jets (2-0) at Oakland Raiders (1-1)
This game begins a grueling three-week road trip for the Jets, who after playing in the Black Hole, have to travel to play Baltimore next week before heading up to New England for their annual rivalry with the Patriots. The Jets may find comfort in the fact that despite Oakland being one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, the Raiders defense has been awful so far, which could be the perfect cure for New York’s inconsistent offensive attack. Oakland’s 25th-ranked defense has allowed 395 yards per game through the first two weeks, and could be the perfect opportunity for the Jets to finally be able to get Shonn Greene (26 rushes for 75 yards and a TD) going. The Raiders will look to their fourth-ranked rushing attack featuring Darren McFadden (42 carries for 222 yards and a TD) to shorten the game, but the Jets defense, which looked phenomenal last week, will look to be aggressive in stopping that. With the best cornerback tandem in the NFL in Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, New York can certainly afford to send in extra blitzes to slow down McFadden.
The Pick: New York
Baltimore Ravens (1-1) at St. Louis Rams (0-2)
The Ravens are not as good their 35-7 victory Week 1 victory over the Steelers, but they are certainly not as bad as what they showed in a 26-13 loss last week to Tennessee. Simply chalk that loss up to being a little bit overconfident coming off a dominating victory over their arch-enemy. Baltimore is going to come out hungry to prove that they are more of the Super Bowl contender they showed in Week 1. The Ravens defense has been great against the run, fourth in the NFL, but horrendous against the pass, 28th in the league. Baltimore really needs to pressure the quarterback because its secondary has really struggled to this point without rookie corner Jimmy Smith. Look for the Ravens to be aggressive in sending blitzers at Sam Bradford (39-for-76 for 519 yards, one TD, no INTs and a 77.7 rating). Baltimore’s offensive gameplan should feature Ray Rice (32 carries for 150 yards and a TD), Ray Rice and more of Ray Rice. He has looked very dynamic through the first two weeks of the season, and facing the NFL’s worst-ranked run defense, could be in for a field day today.
The Pick: Baltimore
Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at San Diego Chargers (1-1)
Things have gotten real bad in Kansas City. They’ve lost three of their best players, Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki, to season-ending knee injuries. Adding insult to injury, the Chiefs have been outscored 89-10 through the first two games of the season. Things don’t look like they’ll get any better on the road today. The Chargers trot in their third-ranked offense, racking up 438.5 yards per game. Philip Rivers (62-for-88 for 713 yards, four TDs and four INTs for a 90.8 rating) is finally getting some help from the running game. Ryan Mathews is finally starting to live up to his first-round billing last year, having rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in 2011.
The Pick: San Diego
Green Bay Packers (2-0) at Chicago Bears (1-1)
Many people forget that it was the Bears who actually won the NFC North division last year. The NFL’s oldest rivalry resumes today at Soldier Field as both teams look to get their defenses performing back at an elite level. Green Bay has been absolutely awful defending the pass the first two weeks of the season, surrendering an NFL-worst 400 yards per game. Luckily for them, they have Aaron Rodgers (46-for-65 for 620 yards, five TDs and no INTs for a 126.4 rating), which is why the Packers are simply outscoring their opponents, racking up 36 points per game, to be 2-0. Meanwhile, the once-proud Chicago defense has surrendered 30 points to both the Saints and Falcons in each of the first two games of the season. It won’t get any easier today. The Bears need to run the ball more, as they are just 27th in the NFL in rushing despite Matt Forte averaging 4.5 yards per carry. It’s what they do best on offense and should help shorten the game and keep Jay Cutler (41-for-77 for 556 yards, three TDs, one INT and a 84.1 rating) upright.
The Pick: Green Bay
Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at Seattle Seahawks (0-2)
It’s one of the worst defenses in the game against the NFL’s worst offense through the first couple weeks of the season. The Cardinals could be 2-0 right now if not for their defense collapsing in a one-point loss to the Redskins last week. They are allowing 466 yards per game, which is good enough for 29th in the NFL. They may be able to solve some of their problems though against a Seahawks team that has gotten absolutely nothing going offensively. Seattle’s pathetic attack is averaging just 191.5 yards per game, 16 behind the 31st-ranked 49ers. The Seahawks have put up only 47.5 rushing yards per game, or seven less than the 31st-ranked Cowboys rushing offense is averaging. On the other side, maybe the Seahawks can find a rhythm offensively against the porous Arizona defense.
The Pick: Seattle
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)
After being outscored 44-20 in the first six quarters of the season, the Bucs got back to the ground-and-pound attack that won them 10 games last year. LeGarrette Blount (18 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns on the season) suddenly became the featured weapon and Tampa Bay came back to beat the Vikings 24-20. The Bucs should stick to what they do best today but the Falcons should also try a more run-oriented attack in this one. Tampa Bay is giving up 156 yards per game on the ground, second-worst in the NFL, while Falcons running back Michael Turner has plowed for 214 yards, 6.9 yards per carry, and a touchdown through the first two weeks. A win for the young Bucs will prove they are ready to build on their surprising 10-win 2010 campaign. However, a defense still learning may be what prevents Tampa Bay from knocking off one of the top offenses in the NFL.
The Pick: Atlanta
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Indianapolis Colts (0-2)
This game looked like a gem when it was scheduled. But that was before we learned Peyton Manning would be out for a large chunk, if not all of the 2011 season. In his absence the Colts have played pretty uninspiring football. Indianapolis has been outscored 61-26 through the first two games of the season. Meanwhile, the Steelers were able to bounce-back from a 35-7 Week 1 loss to the Ravens with a dominant 24-0 victory over the Seahawks last week, getting back to a more balanced approach offensively. The Steelers threw 31 passes against Seattle compared to 35 runs. Against Baltimore, Pittsburgh tossed 41 passes compared to just 16 rushes. Look for the physical Steelers to duplicate their Seattle gameplan by powering through the NFL’s 29th-ranked Colts rush defense.
The Pick: Pittsburgh
Washington Redskins (2-0) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
Monday Night Football this week features possibly the best historical rivalry in the NFL. After the Eagles’ loss last week, it is the Redskins who find themselves on top of the NFC East division. Washington has thrived behind Rex Grossman, of all quarterbacks. Grossman has passed for 596 yards, four touchdowns and two picks for a 90.6 rating. The Redskins will need to throw the ball to win, as Dallas has allowed only 59.5 rushing yards per game, second-best in the league. Offensively for the Cowboys, Tony Romo should play while running back Felix Jones and receiver Dez Bryant are question marks. Romo (43-for-69 for 687 yards, four TDs, one INT and a 108.8 rating) shook off a horrible Week 1 choke to the Jets and a punctured lung against the 49ers in Week 2 to lead Dallas to a come from behind 27-24 overtime victory. An interesting note coming into this game is that the Cowboys have both the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense and defense, while Washington ranks 11th in both offense and defense.
The Pick: Dallas
Justin Verlander’s Brilliance
Though just 28 years old, Justin Verlander has had plenty of ups and downs in his career. He has tossed two no-hitters in his career, more than Bob Gibson, Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux combined. Verlander led the majors in innings pitched (240) and strikeouts (269) in 2009 and tied for the league in wins with 19, but that was coming off a season in which he finished with 17 defeats, the most losses of any American League pitcher. In 2007, he had a .750 winning percentage, the best in the AL, but also hit 19 batters and threw 17 wild pitches, both of which were the worst in the majors. Everything has come together for him in 2011.
Instead of leading the league in losses, wild pitches and hit batsmen like he has in years past, Verlander’s 2011 season has him leading the majors in both wins (24), innings pitched (244), batting average against (.190), hits allowed per nine innings (6.1), WHIP (0.910) and strikeouts (244). If that wasn’t enough, he is also leading the American League with a 2.29 ERA, a 178 Adjusted ERA-Plus and .828 winning percentage. Just about the only categories Verlander doesn’t lead the league in are walks issued per nine innings, in which he is eighth in the AL with 2.07, and strikeout-to-walk ratio, where he is third with a 4.36 mark.
Another way of looking at his success is by going through each of his starts. Verlander has gone at least six innings and thrown no fewer than 104 pitches in each of his 33 starts. He has allowed four runs or more in an outing just four times all season.
Verlander has also had a number of purely dominant stretches this year. During one nine-start stint from May 29 through July 10, he went 8-1 with a 0.75 ERA and .182 batting average against in 72 innings while allowing 46 hits, walking 10 and striking out 74 batters. During that stretch, Verlander’s shortest outing was seven innings pitched. Only one pitcher has had that dominant of a stint this season. Cliff Lee’s current nine-start stretch since August 4, in which he is 6-1 with a 0.75 ERA and .198 BAA in 71.2 innings pitched while allowing 50 hits, walking 10 and striking out 74 hitters, is a run strikingly similar to that of Verlander’s in midseason.
The next stop for Justin Verlander is the postseason as the Detroit Tigers have clinched the AL Central division. During the 2006 playoffs, he made four starts, going 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.662 WHIP in 21.2 innings while allowing 26 hits, walking 10 and striking out 23. The Tigers were able to reach the World Series that year, but Verlander struggled mightily. His success in 2011 has given the Tigers hope of another World Series appearance. As the ace of Detroit’s staff, Verlander will make, if needed, at least two starts per series should the Tigers continue to advance. If the past is any indication, Verlander will learn from his playoff failures and turn them around into virtually unhittable outings this October.
Appreciating Mariano Rivera
How valuable is a closer really in today’s game? The game’s greatest of all-time, Mariano Rivera, has thrown more than 80 innings in a season exactly once in his career, when he tossed 80.2 in 2001. The best starting pitchers throw as many as three times that amount every season. Closers almost exclusively take the ball with the lead and for only one inning in a game. From 1969, when the save was first made a statistic, through 1985, one-inning saves made up just 21 percent of all saves. That number has progressed ever since to a record-high of 85.3 percent this season. How can a pitcher like Mariano Rivera be considered one of the greatest ever when starting pitchers throw as many as three-to-four times the amount of innings every season?
There have been too many times to count when we have heard an announcer say something along the lines of, “Joe Torre (or Girardi) is not going to wait any longer. He is bringing in Rivera right now.” In the era of one-inning closers, Mariano Rivera has defied common logic from managers. He has 116 career saves of more than one inning. Since 1994, when the era of the one-inning save began, Keith Foulke is next on the list with 55 saves of more than one inning.
Mariano Rivera has extinguished more rallies than any other reliever, most often when the stakes are highest, in the postseason. Opposing hitters possess a .176/.213/.229 batting line against Rivera in the playoffs. Fifty-eight of his 94 postseason appearances have been for longer than an inning. Thirty-three of them have been two innings or more. Of his 42 playoff saves, 31 of them have been longer than one inning. Countless times has Rivera come into a ballgame with the Yankees’ postseason lives on the line and countless times has he led them to survive another inning, another game, another series.
The New York Yankees have won four World Series championships since Rivera became their full-time closer in 1997. Without him waiting as a security blanket for the late-innings, when the pressure is highest, it’s impossible to know exactly how New York would have been affected, but there’s a chance that without Rivera, the Yankees might have won none of those titles. The ultimate goal of sport is to win, and Mariano Rivera, reliever or not, is as big a reason as any why the Yankees have been so successful in not only making the postseason, but winning championships.
Rivera not only has great statistics, but he completely dwarfs almost everyone in each pitching category. Obviously, he has 602 saves, the most all-time. The closest active pitcher to that would be Francisco Cordero, who is 279 saves behind him with 323. Another way of looking at it is Mariano Rivera has 86.4 percent more saves than anyone else. The greatest margin over the closest active player by anyone who broke a record at the time player in any category? That would be Walter Johnson, who when he broke the strikeouts record in 1921, had 57.5 percent more punch outs than Grover Cleveland Alexander, who was second amongst active pitchers.
Rivera has also thrown a total of 1,209 regular season innings in his career. He has faced 4,806 batters and allowed only 1,207 of them to reach base. He owns a career WHIP of 0.998. There have been only two pitchers in major league history to throw more than 1,000 innings and have a career WHIP below 1.00; one is Addie Joss (0.97), who last pitched in 1910 and the other is Big Ed Walsh (0.9996), who threw his final pitch in 1917. Including this season, Rivera has eight years with a WHIP below 1.00. Billy Wagner is the only other relief pitcher to accomplish that and Walter Johnson, who has nine seasons with a WHIP below 1.00, is the only pitcher in history to succeed that.
Mariano Rivera has also had 10 seasons in which he has finished with an ERA below 2.00. The next closest relievers to him (in seasons of 50 innings or more) are Wagner and Hoyt Wilhelm, who each had six such seasons. If Rivera can keep his current 1.98 ERA south of 2.00 for the final 10 games of the season, he would tie Johnson for the most seasons ever with an ERA below 2.00 with 11.
Even in more modern statistics, no one comes even close to Rivera. He has a career Adjusted ERA-Plus of 205. The average major league pitcher has an Adjusted ERA-Plus of 100, meaning over the course of his career, Rivera has been twice as good as the average pitcher. The closest to Rivera in career Adjusted ERA-Plus is Pedro Martinez, who has a career mark of 154. Only one active starting pitcher, Zack Greinke in 2009, has had a year in which they’ve been as good as Rivera has for his entire career. Rivera has compiled 12 seasons with an Adjusted ERA-Plus of at least 205. The only active closers who have had at least two seasons with an Adjusted ERA-Plus that good are Joe Nathan (five) and Jonathan Papelbon (three).
The conventional way to measure a closer’s value is by the save statistic. Mariano Rivera has reached the summit of that mark with 602 career saves. However, it’s Rivera’s postseason brilliance, his ability to defy age and the conventional wisdom of how to use closers and statistical dominance in almost every category that prove that relief pitchers can provide an incredible amount of value despite not pitching nearly as often as a starting pitcher. Mariano Rivera may not have started many games on the mound in his career, but his ability to finish them proves he has been just as valuable as any other starting pitcher during his career.
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 2
Luke Jackson and I begin the show by discussing the Major League Baseball pennant races before moving to Week Two of the NFL season. We close the show by discussing Maryland football and soccer.
You can also download the Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes or download the show by clicking here!
You can also listen to our brand-new USA-themed introduction by clicking below!
No. 1 Maryland Men’s Soccer vs. NC State Highlight Package
No. 1 Maryland men’s soccer beat NC State 3-1 Friday night. Click below to listen to my highlight package from the game:
Top-ranked Maryland Soccer Ekes Out Win At UMBC, Host NC State
Everything had fallen into place for Maryland men’s soccer coming into their match Tuesday at in-state opponent UMBC. The Terrapins had throttled Stanford, Radford and No.8 Boston College by a combined score of 10-1 the previous week. During that three-game stretch, the Terps allowed only one shot on goal while they had four different players score at least once. And with then-No. 1 North Carolina losing in double overtime to Virginia Tech, Maryland was voted as the top-ranked team in the country. All of the Terps’ good fortune almost came to a screeching half against an upset-minded and experienced UMBC squad.
The Retrievers were able to hold the Terrapins off the scoreboard in the first half, the first time since Maryland’s victory over West Virginia in the second game of the season that the Terps did not net a first-half goal. However, Maryland came out firing after halftime. Casey Townsend (46th minute) scored his sixth goal of the year just 23 seconds into the second half on a pass from Sunny Jane to give the Terps a 1-0 lead. However, like they would for the rest of the night, UMBC would have an answer. Just six minutes later, Pete Caringi notted things up at one. Townsend (7- 57th) responded with a goal off a corner kick to give Maryland the lead again.
umterps.com
In the 81st minute, Townsend (8) scored his third goal of the game for his second-career hat trick. With only about 10 minutes to play, Maryland owned what looked to be an insurmountable lead with the way the Terps defense had been playing all season long. However, the Retrievers, who had scored only two goals all season long prior to this match, were able to answer once more and stormed back as defender Sean Rothe scored in both the 83rd and 84th minutes to tie things up. The stunned Terrapins would take things to overtime.
At the very end of the first overtime, Maryland was offered a perfect chance to end the game and go back to College Park with a victory. John Stertzer, who had previously knocked home a penalty kick against West Virginia two weeks ago, teed up the ball for a PK after forward Patrick Mullins was fouled inside the box. Stertzer missed the kick, but was able to make up for it later. In the 104th minute, Stertzer (4) headed in the game-winner off a cross from Taylor Kemp to give Maryland a hard-fought 4-3 victory in a game in which not much went their way. The Terps improved to 6-0-0 for the first time since 2003.
Maryland will resume ACC play tonight as they host North Carolina State (2-1-2, 0-0-0) at Ludwig Field. It will be the Wolfpack’s first ACC match of the season. NC State went 1-5-2 in conference play last season. Here are some more notes from today’s game:
- The Wolfpack have already played two top-ten teams this season. They beat then No. 9 SMU 1-0 in overtime in the Duke/Nike Classic before losing to No. 8 UC Santa Barbara 1-0.
- NC State has outscored its opponents 4-2 this year. Ollie Kelly leads the team with two goals on the season.
- The Wolfpack boast a strong defense. Goalkeeper Fabian Otte has posted two shutouts this year and has made 14 saves to go along with his 0.36 goals against average.
- Maryland beat NC State 3-1 last year in College Park. The Terrapins are 44-20-6 all-time against the Wolfpack.
- After a two-goal effort against No. 8 Boston College, sophomore forward Patrick Mullins was named as the ACC Co-Player of the Week. Mullins is second on the Terps with five goals and is tied with Stertzer with 11 points, which is tied for second-most on the club.
- Casey Townsend posted his second-career hat trick Tuesday against UMBC, giving him a team-leading eight goals and 16 points on the year. The senior forward had nine goals all of last season.
- Maryland has outscored its opponents 20-5 this season. Stertzer is third on the team with four goals.
- Redshirt senior Will Swaim has started every game in goal for the Terps. He has posted three shutouts and a 0.81 goals against average.
- Maryland has averaged 4,732 fans per game at Ludwig Field in four matches this season.
Clayton Kershaw Continuing A Dodgers Legacy
It has been a mostly forgettable 2011 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition to team owner Frank McCourt declaring bankruptcy, the Dodgers have not been over .500 since they were 14-13 on April 29. They have been as many as 14 games below .500 and as far back as 14.5 games in the National League West. A recent stretch in which Los Angeles has gone 30-19 since July 23, which, at the very least, has moved the Dodgers back into respectability with the possibility of a winning record. They are currently 73-75, a full 13 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the West.
Only looking at the outside of the Dodgers’ season does not paint the full picture of how exactly this year has gone in Chavez Ravine. Sure, there are a lot of depressing scenes that come from this season. One of baseball’s most storied franchises is bankrupt. The Dodgers have mostly put a poor product out onto the field. But they also have a young pitcher who is on the verge of making history.
Clayton Kershaw had shown signs of filling his potential the past two seasons. Over 62 starts and one relief appearance, Kershaw was 21-18 with a 2.85 ERA and 1.202 WHIP in 375.1 innings of work. He struck out 9.5 batters, allowed only 6.7 hits but also walked 4.1 hitters per nine innings.
He has combined those signs of fulfilling his potential in 2009 and 2010, the electric stuff, high strikeout rate, low hit rate and ERA, with much more command and control of his pitches on the mound to become one of the game’s most dominant pitchers, an unfortunate reality for opposing hitters. Kershaw has lowered his walk rate this season to just 2.1 batters per nine innings to go along with his NL-leading 6.8 hits allowed per nine for a miniscule 0.983 WHIP, which is the third best in the majors. As a result, Kershaw is contending for the pitching Triple Crown. He has won 19 games, which is tied with Arizona’s Ian Kennedy for the most in the NL. Kershaw also leads the league in ERA (2.30) and strikeouts (236).
There have been seven different pitchers who have won the Triple Crown since 1966. The pitchers who have won this award since then- Steve Carlton, Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens (twice), Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Johan Santana and Jake Peavy – have combined for 1,641 wins and 22,561 strikeouts over 23,387.2 innings. They have won 23 Cy Young Awards and been named to 49 All-Star teams collectively. However, there is something to the Dodgers organization about the year 1966 that links Kershaw to part of a special piece of the team’s history.
Sandy Koufax won the pitching Triple Crown in 1966 by going 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 323 innings. It was his third Triple Crown award in four years. No pitcher has ever had a more dominant stretch. Unfortunately for the Dodgers and the game of baseball, Koufax was forced to retire after the 1966 season because of an arthritis condition in his left arm. It is a shame baseball was never able to see the staggering career numbers Koufax would have undoubtedly put up. With Koufax also went the historic Dodger teams that won four World Series titles and were anchored by Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. Los Angeles did not win another World Series championship until 1981.
Clayton Kershaw has given Dodgers fans something to celebrate in what has been a mostly dreary 2011 season. He has a chance to become a part of the Dodgers’ rich pitching history by having a legitimate shot to win the Triple Crown. He has a comfortable lead in strikeouts (24 more than second-place Tim Lincecum) but must break a tie with Kennedy for wins while fending off Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay in both that category (Halladay has 18 wins) and ERA (Halladay has a 2.34 ERA). If he can do so, his achievement will instantly connect him with a Dodgers pitching legend- Sandy Koufax.
Monday Night Madness Podcast No. 1
I do a weekly talk show with a friend of mine, Luke Jackson, on WMUC Sports every Monday from 7-9 p.m. This week, we interview Baltimore Sun Maryland Terrapins beat writer Jeff Barker. We then talked about Terps football, Week 1 in the NFL and the Major League Baseball pennant races.
To download and listen to our weekly podcast, click here.
To download and listen to our interview with Jeff Barker, click here.
Don’t forget you can also download our Monday Night Madness podcast on iTunes!
The Hit That Began America’s Healing
I was in fifth grade on the day of September 11, 2001. Like most fifth graders, the day of school began with thinking about how recess would go, what I would have for lunch, if I’d have any homework and when I could see my friends after school. It ended totally differently.
There is no other day of school in my life I can remember this vividly. My teacher, Mrs. Mains, asked the class if any of our parents worked in New York City. I raised my hand.
From a very young age, I recognized how special and how different New York was from every other city in the world. I would go to New York regularly with my dad. About three or four times per month, we would take the train into the city and I always remember the excitement of going there. I loved it.
We went for various reasons. Sometimes we went to see the New York Mets play. Mostly, though, we went because I was born with a cleft lip and palate, and that’s where my doctor was. After each trip to the doctor’s office, we would walk to the Second Avenue Deli. Even with all the people in the city, our waiter there knew our names. Those times were special and I will always cherish them because I got to spend them with my dad.
I remember being so excited to tell the class that my dad worked in the World Trade Center. Growing up, that was what I was most proud of. In the greatest city in the world, with all of its famous sites, my dad worked in one of the Twin Towers, the most famous set of buildings. I said the words “Twin Towers” to my teacher and her face turned to horror. I never will forget that look.
I am forever grateful that my father was not working in New York that day. But there are so many others that weren’t so lucky. Living in New Jersey with friends and family all over New York, I know people who had their families ripped apart. Their lives were totally changed that day and I know if it still affects me, it must still affect them.
I think with what happened, we learned how important sports were in our country’s slow return to normalcy. There was one baseball game that seemed begin the healing process for everyone.
The Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium on September 21, 2001, the first game played in New York City since that dreadful day. The crowd that night wasn’t sure how to act. The emotion was still pouring out of the city’s open wound.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Atlanta led by a score of 2-1 and brought in set-up man Steve Karsay, who got the first batter, Matt Lawton, to groundout to shortstop. Karsay then walked Edgardo Alfonzo and Desi Relaford immediately entered the game to pinch-run. The next batter was Mike Piazza. Piazza took strike one before launching the next pitch over the center field wall to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. It took just one simple swing of the bat to send Shea Stadium into a frenzy. The home run was a sign telling not just Mets fans, but the city of New York, that it was okay for the country to begin healing.
Mike Piazza smashed 427 homers during his 16-year career. None were more important than that one.
Cirovski Reaches 300 Wins, No. 2 Terps Host No.8 Boston College Tonight
The No. 2 Maryland Terrapins men’s soccer team was not at their best Sunday night. Facing an upset-minded Radford Highlanders team, a victory did not come easy, but the Terps earned one nonetheless.
“I thought that this could be a trap game after the three teams we played so far, but our guys came and responded quite well in the first half,” said head coach Sasho Cirovski.
Coming into Sunday night, Maryland had won convincingly over three brand-name schools – St. John’s, No. 17 West Virginia and Stanford. The Terps outscored their opponents 10-1. However, after goals from forwards Patrick Mullins (3- 20th minute) and Casey Townsend (4- 31st), Maryland was not able to simply use firepower to blowout another opponent. With freshman Kyle Roach starting for injured senior Alex Lee on the backline, the Terrapins (4-0-0) had to fend Radford off after Anthony Payne cut the lead in half in the 61st minute for the Highlanders (1-2-0).
“We haven’t had to manage a game at the end,” Cirovski said. “Today, I thought, we did that pretty well.”
The Terps’ ability to take control of the game late in the second half halted any thoughts of a Radford comeback and gave Cirovski his 300th career win, which places him 10th all-time among active Division I men’s soccer head coaches.
“I didn’t even know it until about three or four days ago when it was on the website,” Cirovski said when asked about the pressure of getting his 300th victory. “I would like to thank all of my former players and assistants who helped contribute and build this program. This is a collaborative team effort with all the great players, and the blood, sweat and tears and the coaches, what they’ve put in, it’s more of achievement for the program than it is for an individual coach.”
With Cirovski’s milestone out of the way, the Terps turn their attention towards ACC play. They host the eighth-ranked Boston College Eagles (4-0-0) tonight at rain-soaked Ludwig Field. The match will be Maryland’s first in conference play as they seek to defend their ACC Championship from last season.
“I really like this group,” said Cirovski. “They’re a fun group to coach. They’re very mature, very committed for such a young group and I think I’ve seen a lot of good things.”
Some notes for tonight’s game:
- Boston College is tied with Maryland and Virginia for the ACC lead in scoring. Each team is averaging three goals per game.
- Amit Aburmad, Kyle Bekker and Charlie Rugg have accounted for 10 of the Eagles’ 12 goals this year.
- The two teams tied 1-1 last season in a game played in Chestnut Hill. Maryland is 5-2-1 all-time against Boston College.
- Casey Townsend, John Stertzer and Patrick Mullins have combined for 10 of the Terps’ 12 goals this season.
- Maryland has outscored its opponents 12-2 on the year.
Crabcake Sports 