With July upon us, it’s time for BBRT’s monthly reflection on the MLB season to date. Let’s start with a look at who stands where. If the season were to end today, the play- off teams would be:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Division Leaders: Blue Jays, Tigers and A’s – no change since May 31.
Wild Cards: Angels and Mariners – as of May 31, the WC leaders were the Angels and Yankees. The Mariners moved passed the Yankees into the WC spot thanks to an 18-10 June (while the Yankees went 12-15).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Division Leaders: Braves, Brewers and Dodgers – The Braves and Brewers held their spots, while the Dodgers moved from 7 ½ games out to the West Division lead (posting a 19-10 June record, while the Giants went 10-17).
Wild Cards: The Giants and Nationals. A June slump dropped the Giants from the division lead to a WC spot, while the Nationals’ 18-11 June enabled them to overtake the Cardinals (15-13 for the month). *Note: You can find the complete standings through June 30 and each team’s June record at end of this post.
Teamwork
Lots to celebrate in Oakland
June’s Hottest Teams The AL’s hottest teams in June came primarily from the West Division: the Oakland A’s had the best June record in all of MLB (17-8/.654), which was bad news for the Seattle Mariners (18-10/.643 and Los Angeles Angels (15-10/.600), who also played .600 ball for the month. The only other AL team to top .600 for June was the Royals, who finished the month at 17-10/.630. The AL East, which boasts three of the AL’s top five opening day payrolls, faded during June, with only the Baltimore Orioles playing above .500 (16-12/.571) for the month. Texas had the AL’s worst June record at 9-17/.346.
In the NL, the Brewers, Dodgers and Reds tied for the best June results (18-10/.643). The Central Division – home to the Brewers and Reds – was MLB’s toughest; with every team finishing above .500 and the Pirates joining Milwaukee and Cincinnati above .600 (17-10/.630). The only other NL team above .600 in June was the Nationals, who finished at 17-11/.607. The NL’s worst June Swoon? The Rockies at 8-20/.286.
Rays’ Hurlers Team Up to Break Single Month Strikeout Record
The Tampa Bay Rays’ pitchers were missing bats in June – recording 287 whiffs (in 259 innings), the most ever for any MLB team in a single month (the Cubs had held the record – 286 – set in August of 2002). For the month, nine members of the Ray’s staff averaged at least one strikeout per inning. Contributing for the Rays:
- Starters: David Price (54 Ks/39 2/3 IP); Erik Bedard (34 Ks/31 IP); Jake Ordozzi (34 Ks/30 IP); Chris Archer (31 Ks/37 IP); Alex Cobb (29 Ks/33 2/3 IP); Alex Colome (3Ks/5 2/3 IP).
- Relievers: Brad Boxberger (23 Ks/13 1/3 IP); Jake McGee (16 Ks/11 2/3 IP); Grant Balfour (15 Ks/12 1/3 IP); Joel Peralta (15 Ks/11 IP); Cesar Ramos (12 Ks/12 IP); Kirby Yates (12 Ks/9 2/3 IP); Juan Oviedo (8 Ks/11 IP); Josh Lueke (1K/1 IP).
The Rays, by the way, took the record chase right down to the wire. Brad Boxberger notched the record-breaking strikeout (versus Ichiro Suzuki) in the bottom of the twelfth inning of a June 30 4-3 win over the Yankees. It was Boxberger’s only whiff in two innings of work that game.
Playing .600 Ball for the Season
Through June, only two teams are playing .600 or better baseball – the Oakland A’s (51-31/.622) and the “no-longer-surprising” Milwaukee Brewers (51-33/.607). The AL Rays and NL Diamondbacks are tied for the worst record in MLB (35-49/.417).
If you’re talking bang-for-the-buck, the A’s are baseball’s biggest bargain – boasting MLB’s best record (as well as the most runs scored at 422 and third-fewest runs given up at 288), with the fourth-lowest opening day payroll (in the AL, only the Astros have a lower payroll than the A’s).
2014’s biggest disappointment?
Perhaps the biggest disappointment – in terms of payroll versus performance are the last-place Phillies (36-46), with MLB’s third-highest (and the NL’s second-highest) opening day payroll and the fourth-place Red Sox (38-45) with MLB’s fifth-highest (AL’s third-highest) opening day payroll.
Other Team Notes
- The Colorado Rockies, with a 36-47 record, have scored the second most runs in MLB this season (418). They have, however, also given up the most runs (436). Gotta love that mountain air.
- Only two teams have reached 100 home runs through June, and they are both in the AL East (Toronto 108, Baltimore 100). Colorado leads the NL with 98 round trippers. The Jays boast six players in double digits for long balls: Edwin Encarnacion (25), Jose Bautista (15), Brett Lawrie (12), Juan Francisco (12), Melky Cabrera (11), Colby Rasmus (11).
- The Dodgers, led by Dee Gordon with 40 steals, top MLB in that category with 81 through June. Houston, led by Jose Altuve with 37 thefts, leads the AL with 70 steals. Both league leaders are second basemen. The A’s lead the major leagues in stolen base proficiency at 84 percent (48 steals in 57 attempts), followed closely by the NL Nationals at 83 percent (44 for 53).
- Washington lays claim to MLB’s lowest team ERA through June at 3.07. Oakland has the AL’s lowest mark at 3.19. Key contributors for the Nationals include starters Jordan Zimmerman (6-4/2.95), Tanner Roark (7-5/2.98) and Doug Fister (6-2/2.83). The bullpen has also pitched in, featuring a quartet of hurlers with at least 25 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.00 or less: Drew Storen (1.03/26 1/3 IP); Rafael Soriano (1.09/33 IP); Aaron Barrett (1.93/28 IP); and Tyler Clippard (2.00/36 IP). The A’s boast two starters with ERAs under 3.00 – Scott Kazmir (9-3/2.61) and Jesse Chavez (6-4/2.98) – and a trio of workhorse relievers (127 2/3 IP among them): Daniel Otero (2.10/51 1/3 IP); Francisco Abad (2.20/32 2/3IP); and Lucas Gregerson (2.27/43 2/3 IP).
Individual Achievements
Clayton Kershaw – A Remarkable Month
The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw had a remarkable June, leading MLB in wins (6-0), ERA (0.82), strikeouts (61 K’s in 44 innings) – and even tossing a no-hitter. Kershaw’s outings for the month:
Date IP H R BB SO
June 2 – CHW (5-2 win) 8 4 2 0 9
June 8 – @COL (6-1 win) 5 3 1 0 9
June 13 – ARZ (4-3 win) 7 8 1 1 7
June 18 – COL (8-0 win) 9 0 0 0 15
June 24 – @KC (2-0 win) 8 6 0 1 9
June 29 – STL (6-0 win) 7 5 0 2 13
Dodgers’ ace dominated in June.
On June 18th, Kershaw put the exclamation point on his blazing June, tossing the second no-hitter of the season in an 8-0 win over the Rockies. It was also the second 2014 no-hitter by a Dodgers’ pitcher (Josh Beckett no-hit the Phillies on May 25), and the 22nd in Dodger franchise history (the most of any franchise). The only base runner in the no-no was Drew Stubbs – safe on an error by LA shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
Kershaw struck out a career-best 15 batters in the no-hitter – tying the record for strikeouts in a no-hitter by a southpaw. (Lefty Warren Spahn, tossing his first no-hitter on September 16, 1960 – at age 39 – struck out 15 and walked two in beating the Phillies 4-0.) Only right-hander Nolan Ryan logged more strikeouts in a no-hitter (17 in 1973 and 16 in 1991). Kershaw’s 15 Ks were also the most ever in a no-hitter with no walks.
Another West Coast No-No
Just seven days after Kershaw’s no-hitter, the Giants’ Tim Lincecum no-hit the Padres in San Francisco. Lincecum walked just one (Padres’ third baseman Chase Headley, with one out in the second inning) and struck out six in the 4-0 victory. Lincecum became only the second pitcher to throw two no-hitters versus the same team. (He no-hit the Padres on July 18, 2013 – walking four and striking out 13 in a 9-0 win.) The other hurler with multiple no-hitters against the same team is the Cleveland Naps’ Addie Joss, who no-hit the White Sox on October 2, 1908 and April 20, 1910. (Both no hitters were 1-0 wins, with the 1908 no-no being a perfect game.) Lincecum also became just the 27th pitcher to toss multiple no-hitters; a list led by Nolan Ryan with seven no-hit performances.
Jose Altuve Leads the MLB June Hit Parade
Altuve topped .400 in June and flashed some leather.
Houston Astros’ 2B Jose Altuve raked MLB pitching in June, compiling a .411 average for the month (39 for 45) and moving into the AL batting lead with a season mark of .344.
Over in the NL, Troy Tulowitzki continued to hold his batting lead at .353 – after posting a June average of .354.
A look at the home/away splits of the two batting leaders is interesting. Altuve’s numbers are relatively balanced. Through June 30, he hit .347 at home and .341 on the road. Tulowitzki clearly prefers home cooking –and the Rocky Mountain air – with his numbers through June showing .447 at home and .266 on the road.
June and Season Home Run/RBI Leaders
White Sox rookie 1B Jose Abreu led all of MLB with 10 June home runs, while putting up a .313-10-22 line. Next on the June power list was Baltimore CF Adam Jones with nine June homers (.348-9-20).
Over in the NL, Phillies’ RF Marlon Byrd, Pirates’ CF Andrew McCutchen and Reds’ 3B Todd Frazier each notched eight June home runs.
Abreu’s ten June home runs moved him into a three-way tie for the AL and MLB lead at 25 homers on the season. The other co-leaders are Baltimore LF Nelson Cruz (.281-25-66) and Toronto 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.278-25-65). The NL leader in round trippers (through June) is Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton with 21 (.313-21-60).
Two NLers sit atop the RBI list for June with 25 runs plated during the month: Rockies’ 1B Justin Morneau (.327-3-25) and Pirates’ CF Andrew McCutchen (.343-8-25). Leaders on the season (through June) are Baltimore LF Nelson Cruz with 66 driven in (.281-25-66) in the AL and Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton in the NL (.313-21-60).
June and Season Pitching Leaders
As noted earlier, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw dominated in the month of June, recording MLB’s most wins (6-0), most strikeouts (61) and lowest ERA (0.82). In the AL, June saw seven pitchers tie with four wins for the month, with the Orioles’ Bud Norris and the Angels’ Garrett Richards managing their four victories without a loss. Richards also took the June ERA crown at 1.05, while the Rangers’ Yu Darvish led in strikeouts with 57 in 43 innings.
For the season, the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka leads the AL and MLB in wins (11-3); while the Reds’ Alfredo Simon (10-3) , Cardinal’s Adam Wainwright (10-4) and Dodgers’ Zack Greinke (10-4) share the NL lead. MLB’s lowest ERA goes to the Red’s Johnny Cueto at 1.88, while Tanaka has the lowest AL ERA at 2.10. Strikeout leaders through June are Tampa Bay’s David Price in the AL (144 in 124 innings pitched) and, in the NL, the Nationals’ Steven Strasburg (123 in 104 2/3 innings).
Oddities
Trending – Pitchers as Pinch Hitters
Just a few more reasons why BBRT hates the DH – and a further argument against the “pitchers can’t hit” point of view. On June 16th, the Cubs and Marlins went into the 13th inning at Miami tied 4-4. With two outs in the top of the inning and the Cubs’ LF Junior Lake on first – after a single – Cubs’ reliever Carlos Villaneuva was slated to bat. Cubs’ manager Rick Renteria, running short of players, called upon pitcher Travis Wood (a .250 hitter) as a pinch-hitter. Wood delivered a double down the left field line to score Lake with what proved to be the winning run.
Just six days later, in the American League (which benefits on offense from the DH), a pitcher was again called upon to save a game (at the plate, not on the mound) in extra innings. With the Oakland A’s down 7-6 to the Red Sox with two outs in the bottom of the tenth, A’s manager Bob Melvin called upon pitcher (closer) Sean Doolittle to pinch hit for pitcher Fernando Abad. Unlike Wood, Doolittle did not come through, making the final out on a ground out to second.
Pitchers coming off the bench to hit in late innings – trending? On May 27, with Milwaukee and Baltimore tied at six with two out in the bottom of the tenth, the Orioles intentionally walked Brewers’ 1B Mark Reynolds to get to pitcher Francisco Rodriguez. Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke went to the bench for a pinch hitter – pitcher Yovani Gallardo – who proceeded to lash a game-winning, walk-off, RBI double to deep left center.
Trending – Walk-Off Grand Slams
On June 30, Tigers’ LF Rajai Davis hit a walk-off grand slam as Detroit topped Oakland 5-4 at Comerica Park. It was the second walk-off grand slam in June and the fifth of the season (the single-season record for MLB is eight). Here are 2014’s other walk-off, four-run blasts: April 5, by Mets’ 1B Ike Davis, as New York topped the Reds 6-3; April 18, by the Marlin’s RF Giancarlo Stanton, as Miami bested Seattle 8-4; April 25, by White Sox’ 1B Jose Abreu, as the Sox beat Tampa Bay 9-6; June 19, by Indians’ DH Nick Swisher, as Cleveland topped the Angels 5-3.
The nice thing about walk-off grand slams – they all come in front of the home town fans.
One-hitter Leads to a Loss
On June 4, Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter Francisco Liriano and a trio of relievers threw a one-hitter against the Padres in San Diego. The only Padre hit was a first-inning bunt single by number-two hitter, SS Evereth Cabrera. The Padres, in fact, didn’t get a ball out of the infield until the final out of the eighth inning. Still, the Padres managed to defeat the Pirates and Liriano 3-2.
How did they do it? How about with a total of nine walks, one hit batsman and one Pirate error?
The scoring went like this. In the first inning, Liriano walked lead-off hitter RF Chris Denorfria, who stole second base and then took third on Cabrera’s bunt base hit. Denorfia then scored on a short sacrifice fly, handled by Pirates’ 2B Josh Harrison. Liriano then hit 3B Chase Headley with a pitch, moving Cabrera to second. Padres’ 1B Tommy Medica next hit a slow hopper to Liriano, who threw to 2B Josh Harrison for the force. Harrison attempted to complete the double play, throwing wildly to first, with Cabrera scoring on the error.
The third San Diego run came in the bottom of the fourth. Medica led off with a walk, Liriano struck out CF Cameron Maybin and got Ike Davis on a soft grounder back to the mound – with Medica moving to second. Liriano then intentionally walked 2B Jace Peterson to bring up P Ian Kennedy – who also walked, loading the bases. Liriano walked Denorfia to force in the final run of the game. The Pirates scored their two runs on seven hits, including four singles, a double, a triple and a McCutchen home run.
Just Like Little League – Moving Those Pitchers Around
On June 9, with the Astros up 4-3 on the Diamondbacks (in Arizona), Houston left-handed reliever Tony Sipp came on to start the bottom of the seventh inning and retired Arizona, giving up just one walk. Sipp came back out for the eighth and opened the inning by fanning left-handed hitting Diamondbacks’ RF Gerardo Parra. This brought right-handed, power hitting 1B Paul Goldschmidt to the plate. Houston manager Bo Porter brought in right-handed reliever Jerome Williams to face Goldschmidt, but with left-handed hitting C Miguel Montero on deck, he didn’t want to give up a favorable lefty-lefty match up. So, Porter sent Sipp to right field, moved RF Alex Pressley to left field and pulled LF Robbie Grossman. The best laid plans don’t always go as expected – Williams walked Goldschmidt. Then Porter got back into the act, returning Sipp to the mound (to face lefty Montero, whom he fanned), moving Presley from left field back to right field and bringing in Marwan Gonzalez to play left. After Sipp fanned Montero, he was replaced on the mound by Kyle Farnsworth, who struck out Diamondbacks’ 3B Martin Prado to end the inning. The P-RF-P move apparently paid off, as the Astros held on to win.
Just six days later, it was nearly déjà vu all over again. This time, the Astros were at home, trailing Tampa Bay 4-3 in the eighth. Sipp came on to relieve Jerome Williams (with one run in and runners on second and third with one out). Sipp got left-handed hitter RF Kevin Kiermaier on a fielder’s choice (2B-C). Then with right-handed power-hitting 3B Evan Longoria coming up, Porter brought in righty Josh Zeid to pitch, moving Sipp to left field and pulling LF Robbie Grossman. Sipp returned to the mound in the top of the ninth, with Presley taking left field, and sandwiched a fly out and a strikeout around a single before again being relieved by Farnsworth, who fanned pinch hitter Sean Rodriguez to end the inning. Seeing a pattern here?
Brotherly Love can be Powerful
On June 24, B.J. and Justin Upton tied an MLB record when the brothers both homered for the Braves in a 3-2 win over the Astros. It was the fourth time they homered in the same game as teammates – tying Vladimir and Wilton Guerrero and Jason and Jeremy Giambi for that distinction. It looks like they’ll have plenty of time as Braves’ teammates to take sole possession of the record – and they may need it.
Last season, the Upton brothers roared out of the gate – homering in three of the first 20 games they played together. Then, however, there was a 217-game, 14-month, dry spell. Hopefully, the wait for the fifth game in which they go deep as teammates will not be as long.
Standings as of June 30
AL EAST
TEAM W L PCT GB (June)
Toronto 45 39 .536 (12-15)
Baltimore 43 39 .537 1.0 (16-12)
NY Yankees 41 40 .506 4.5 (12-15)
Boston 38 45 .458 6.5 (12-16)
Tampa Bay 36 49 .424 9.5 (13-16)
AL CENTRAL
Detroit 45 34 .570 (14-13)
Kansas City 43 39 .491 3.5 (17-10)
Cleveland 39 43 .473 7.5 (13-13)
Chicago WS 39 44 .470 6.5 (11-18)
Minnesota 26 30 .464 8.0 (12-16)
AL WEST
Oakland 51 31 .622 (17-9)
LA Angels 45 35 .563 5.0 (15-10)
Seattle 45 38 .542 6.5 (18-10)
Texas 37 45 .451 14.0 (9-17)
Houston 36 48 .429 16.0 (12-13)
NL EAST
Atlanta 45 38 .542 (15-13)
Washington 44 38 .519 0.5 (17-11)
Miami 39 43 .476 5.5 (11-16)
NY Mets 37 46 .446 8.0 (11-17)
Philadelphia 36 46 .439 8.5 (12-17)
NL CENTRAL
Milwaukee 51 33 .607 (18-10)
St. Louis 44 39 .530 6.5 (14-13)
Cincinnati 43 39 .524 7.0 (18-10)
Pittsburgh 42 40 .453 8.0 (17-10)
Chicago Cubs 35 46 .365 14.5 (15-13)
NL WEST
LA Dodgers 48 37 .565 (18-10)
San Francisco 46 36 .519 0.5 (10-16)
Colorado 36 47 .434 11.0 (8-20)
San Diego 36 47 .455 11.0 (10-17)
Arizona 35 49 .404 12.5 (12-14)
