Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
October 07, 2007
Playoffs Today

It's "No Tomorrow Day" for the LDS. If the Red Sox and Indians win there's no baseball until Thursday.

The Angels send Jered Weaver to the mound against Curt Schilling in an effort to salvage their season. One thing working in their favor is the best home field advantage in baseball. With a 54-27 record, they were two games better than the Yankees. (Interestingly the four AL playoff teams held the top four home records in the majors, and so far are undefeated at home.) The Angels great record comes from being good on both sides of the ball. They scored 98 more runs at home than on the road, and allowed 42 fewer. Weaver gave up a few more hits and runs at home, but still managed a 7-3 record in Anaheim. Weaver tends to get hit in the middle innings. Oppents hit a combined .327 in the fourth and fifth inning.

Schilling has pitched very well in Anaheim throughout his career, going 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA. In fact, his start there this season was his first loss and the only game in which he allowed more than two runs. Schilling control was great over his last six regular season starts. He walked just four in 38 2/3 innings while striking out twenty two. Since the Angels neither walk nor strike out a lot, the current version of Schilling should be a good match against them.

Jake Westbrook and Roger Clemens battle in the Bronx this evening. Westbrook was one of many Cleveland pitchers knocked around by the Yankees this season. He gave up five home runs to the Yankees in just 8 2/3 innings. He only allowed thirteen all season! (The White Sox also hit five off Westbrook, but in 30 innings of work.)

Clemens performed much better at Yankee Stadium than on the road this season. In New York, Roger posted a 3.29 ERA vs. a 5.17 mark on the road. For some reason, he walked fewer at home.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 02:30 PM | League Division Series | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Do the TV announcers for this Red Sox at Angels game really know baseball. First they talk of Friday's Sox 9th inning & Lugo leading off with hit and Pedroia hitting a "force-out" to get Lugo to 2nd.
Then they say Schilling knows that he has to throw a strike to Guerrero to get him out. Guerrero, with his long arms, is known as the most nortorious bad-ball hitter in baseball. Wouldn't Schilling be making Guerrero perhaps overextend for a bad ball. He walked. Then they said Schilling spent 18 years in this league. Curt spent most of his career with the NL Astros, Phils, & Ariz. Don't these announcers prepare?

Posted by: Bob S at October 7, 2007 04:45 PM
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