Tim Lincecum‘s 2012 regular season was so poor that many folks believed he had to be hiding an injury. The speculation began in April, after just two rough starts that followed a rocky spring training, and intensified through June and July, as the Giants’ erstwhile ace lugged a 6.42 ERA into the All-Star Break. As far as I’ve heard, no injury was ever disclosed; Lincecum never missed a start, and his second half was passable, with a 3.83 ERA. But his final numbers remained unsightly enough — a 5.18 ERA despite a friendly home park — that I wondered:

“Was that the worst full year by a multi-award-winning pitcher?”

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It came a day late, but there was nothing short about Detroit’s sweeping victory. Max Scherzer supplied the latest stellar start, holding the befuddled Yankees hitless for 5 innings before departing in the 6th, while validating his MLB K-rate title by fanning 10 of the first 19 batters, nine of them swinging. As in the opening round, the Bengal bats broke out their one big inning in the clincher, spanking CC Sabathia to the funky beat of 6 runs on 11 hits in 3.2 IP.

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These are Carlos Beltran‘s career postseason stats, through game 2 of this NLCS:

You’ve seen those numbers before. But let’s have a little fun and project them out to 150 games, roughly a full year for an every-day player: Continue reading →

Is Bryce Harper pressing, or is it too soon to judge from 10 ABs (6 Ks)? Am I crotchety to be irked by headlines focused on Carlos Beltran’s 2 HRs, when the score was already 7-3 in the 6th before he got going? Do you, too, feel younger seeing Andy Pettitte on the mound with his cap pulled low? Who knew that Ichiro could breakdance? These and other matters are officially open for discussion!

Yankees 7, @Orioles 2: It was close all the way, and then it wasn’t. Jim Johnson, the MLB saves leader who had never allowed a HR to any current Yankee (127 PAs), hung a 2-0 pitch to Russell Martin leading off the 9th, and the dam burst, washing away all prior impressions of what had been a close-fought game. But some memories of exciting plays and interesting decisions seeped back the day after:

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Recently I made the “shocking” discovery that the AL and NL don’t have the same season WAR totals (on a per-team basis), even before interleague play. Of course I wondered why that is. After much verbal head-scratching on my part, Ed very kindly pointed out that the obvious answer I had been rejecting was, indeed, the answer:

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As the 1972 playoffs began, the bloom was off the League Championship Series. Born in ’69, the first six tilts had produced five sweeps and a 3-1 rout, and those who had opposed the newfangled divisions were feeling vindicated. But the ’72 affairs at last would show the concept’s up side: Both were full-length thrillers with momentum shifts, late rallies, daring moves, hard feelings and controversy, with 5 of 10 games settled by one run.

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Eye-opening play at the plate to limit Oakland’s damage in the 3rd: Rookie RF Avisail Garcia needed a perfect throw to nab Coco Crisp, and that’s just what he unleashed. It’s nice to hear Jim Kaat in the booth again, describing it as a “good baseball play” by all concerned — the decision to send Crisp, the way Garcia charged and delivered a one-hop throw that sat up nicely for Gerald Laird, and Crisp’s back-door slide that almost escaped the tag. Doug Fister backed it up with another called third strike to end what might have been a big inning.

Now let’s get that run back, Miggy!

First-ever postseason meeting between these “original-eight” clubs. The Reds copped the season series, 4-3, with consecutive CGs in June from Mike Leake and Mat Latos, who sports a 2.19 ERA in 11 starts against SF. But tonight, it’s the aces, Johnny Cueto (1.93 in 4 starts vs. SFG) and Matt Cain (3.54 in 10 starts vs. CIN).

No postseason shutout for Verlander this time, either.