Tuesday, November 18, 2014

2014 World Series Wrap-Up - Cook County vs. Metropolis

The 2014 Brassball World Series is in the books, with Metropolis taking its second crown in three years, having defeated Cook County four games to one. Let's take a look at some of the numbers that combined to give Metropolis the win.
  • The main story was the Metropolis pitching. Or maybe it was the lack of Cook County hitting. The Avengers held the Maulers to a .140 batting average, a .215 on base percentage and a shocking .166 slugging percentage.
  • Cook County had just two extra base hits in 173 plate appearances - Michael Cuddyer's game winning home run in Game Four and an Evan Longoria double to tie Game Two in the seventh inning.
  • Metropolis collected 19 extra base hits in the five games, four homers, 14 doubles and a Jayson Werth triple. The Maulers had just 22 total hits (4.1/game), exactly half of the Avengers' 44.
  • The Avengers traded for Clay Buchholz before the season to compliment Stephen Strasburg and Kyle Lohse. Instead, he became the team ace (12-4 2.45 ERA) during the season and the MVP of the World Series, after going 1-0 0.77 ERA with just five hits allowed in 11 2/3 innings.
  • Mid-season pickup Michael Cuddyer is the one Mauler that held his own. He hit .429/.500/.643 with three of the team's seven RBIs, all of which came on his home run.
  • The Avengers hit a combined .244/.306/.400, which was obviously much better than the Maulers. It was, however, a big drop off from their regular season results of .283/.353/.491. Their team OPS was .844 in the regular season and .706 in the World Series. Cook County dropped from .790 during the season to just .381 in the series.
  • The Metropolis bullpen was very good during the series, with a 2.21 ERA in 20 1/3 innings. Their starters were even better, with a sparkling 0.98 ERA in 27 2/3 innings.
  • Cook County's pitchers were pretty balanced - the starters had a 2.68 ERA and the relievers had a 2.81 ERA.
  • Chris Sale deserved better than his 0-1 record. He went 10+ innings in Game Two, allowing just one earned run, three hits and four walks (two were intentional), while striking out 14 Avenger hitters. That got him the loss in the game and his 137 pitches meant he couldn't start Game Five on short rest. He didn't get the chance to start Game Six.
  • Avenger closer Craig Kimbrel threw four wild pitches during the season. He threw two in Game Five alone.
  • Jose Reyes had two successful sacrifice bunts in the series. That is two more than Metropolis even attempted all season.
  • The Maulers issued 11 intentional walks during the regular season. They issued four in the series - two to Andrew McCutchen, one each to Jayson Werth and Chris Davis.
  • Adam Jones hit third for four of the five games and killed more rallies than he helped. He had four base hits (all singles) and grounded into three double plays.
  • Metropolis catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is a free agent the Avengers should try to keep. He went .364/.364/.727 for a 1.091 OPS in the Series. He had an even 1.000 OPS in the playoffs as a whole. 
  • Mauler ace Max Scherzer struck out 17 batters in his two starts and just 12 innings pitched.
  • Avenger reliever Caleb Thielbar was in the running for series MVP before his rough Game Five. Through the first four games, he was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and just two hits allowed in seven innings of relief.
  • Metropolis dealt for infielder Ramiro Pena at the trade deadline, but he got into just one playoff game as a pinch hitter, and struck out. Does he get a World Series ring?
  • Mauler rookie Christian Yelich hit .373/.432/.485 during the season but got only four at bats during the World Series (1-4 with three K's)
  • Only one Mauler - Cuddyer (of course) - had more than three total bases in the series.
  • Shin Soo Choo goes into free agency after a 1-16 effort in the series. He did have three walks and a hit by pitch, so his .250 OBP was quite a bit better than his .063 batting average.
  • The Mauler bats were obviously cold all series, but they did just fine in the clutch, with a 1.059 OPS in 13 clutch at bats, producing six of the team's seven runs.
  • The Avengers, on the other hand, were terrible in the clutch, with a .405 OPS in 22 clutch at bats. They also went 0-7 with three strikeouts with the bases loaded.
  • Robinson Cano struggled out of the leadoff spot for Metropolis, going .200/.200/.280 in 25 at bats. 
  • Cook County's pinch hitters weren't any better than their starters. The team was 0-5 when coming off the bench, with Ryan Raburn accounting for three of those chances.
  • In five games and 17 at bats, the Maulers ninth-place hitters were a perfect .000/.000/.000.
  • In the Series, Metropolis averaged 3.0 runs a game and gave up 1.6 to Cook County. In their seven games against each other during the regular season, both teams averaged 4.0.
Primary Player Statistics For 2014 Metropolis Avengers Totals

NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E
B.Harper          .385   3  13   2   5  0  0  0   2   1   4  0  0  0   0  0  0
J.Saltalamacchia  .364   3  11   1   4  1  0  1   2   0   2  0  0  1   0  0  0
C.Quentin         .286   5  21   1   6  2  0  1   2   0   5  0  0  1   0  0  0
A.McCutchen       .273   5  22   2   6  4  0  0   3   3   4  0  0  1   1  0  0
C.Davis           .273   4  11   1   3  1  0  0   0   4   6  1  0  0   0  0  0
J.Werth           .235   5  17   1   4  1  1  0   1   5   5  0  0  0   0  0  0
J.Bautista        .211   5  19   2   4  3  0  1   1   1   8  0  0  0   0  0  1
R.Cano            .200   5  25   2   5  2  0  0   1   0   7  0  0  0   0  0  1
M.Wieters         .200   3  10   2   2  0  0  0   0   0   2  0  0  1   0  0  0
J.Reyes           .176   5  17   1   3  0  0  1   2   1   5  0  2  0   0  0  0
J.Satin           .167   2   6   0   1  0  0  0   0   0   3  0  0  0   0  0  0
Y.Cespedes        .125   2   8   0   1  0  0  0   0   0   2  0  0  1   0  0  0
D.Freese          ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
R.Pena            ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
ALL PITCHERS      ----   5   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
----------------- ---- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- -- --
TEAM TOTALS       .244     180      44     1     14      53     2      1     2
                         5      15     14     4      15      1     5      0


Misc/Sabermetric Statistics For 2014 Metropolis Avengers 

NAME               OB%  SLUG   SB%    RC  RC/27 TOTAVG   OPS ISOPW   TB  AB/HR
J.Bautista        .250  .526  ----   2.6   4.62   .733  .776  .316   10  19.00
R.Cano            .200  .280  ----   1.4   1.89   .350  .480  .080    7   ----
Y.Cespedes        .125  .125  ----    .0    .00   .125  .250  .000    1   ----
C.Davis           .500  .364  ----   2.5   8.51  1.125  .864  .091    4   ----
D.Freese          ----  ----  ----    --    ---   ----  .000  ----    0   ----
B.Harper          .429  .385  ----   2.3   7.61   .750  .813  .000    5   ----
A.McCutchen       .360  .455 1.000   3.4   5.48   .824  .815  .182   10   ----
R.Pena            ----  ----  ----    --    ---   ----  .000  ----    0   ----
C.Quentin         .286  .524  ----   2.6   4.42   .688  .810  .238   11  21.00
J.Reyes           .222  .353  ----   1.5   2.46   .500  .575  .176    6  17.00
J.Saltalamacchia  .364  .727  ----   2.2   7.36  1.000 1.091  .364    8  11.00
J.Satin           .167  .167  ----    .2    .90   .200  .333  .000    1   ----
J.Werth           .409  .412  ----   3.3   6.83   .923  .821  .176    7   ----
M.Wieters         .200  .200  ----    .2    .60   .222  .400  .000    2   ----
ALL PITCHERS      ----  ----  ----    --    ---   ----  .000  ----    0   ----
---------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- ----- ---- ------
TEAM TOTALS       .306       1.000         4.02         .706         72
                        .400        21.3          .631        .156       45.00



NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO
S.Strasburg       0.00  0  0  ----   1  1  0  0  0   6.0   1   0   0  0   2   2
C.Kimbrel         0.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  1   3.1   1   0   0  0   1   8
N.Vincent         0.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  0   2.0   0   0   0  0   0   3
C.Buchholz        0.77  1  0 1.000   2  2  0  0  0  11.2   5   1   1  0   4  10
C.Thielbar        1.17  2  0 1.000   4  0  0  0  0   7.2   4   1   1  0   3   5
K.Lohse           1.80  0  0  ----   1  1  0  0  0   5.0   3   1   1  0   0   4
J.Masterson       1.80  1  0 1.000   1  1  0  0  0   5.0   5   1   1  0   0   7
K.Jansen          4.91  0  1  .000   3  0  0  0  0   7.1   3   4   4  1   3   8
R.Choate          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
A.Chapman         ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
A.Ogando          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
Team                                          0                   +0
----------------- ---- -- -- ----- --- -- -- -- -- ----- --- --- --- -- --- ---
TEAM TOTALS       1.50     1         5     0     1        22       8     13
                        4     .800      5     0     48.0       8      1      47



NAME              OPPAV  H/9 BB/9 SO/9 HR/9 RNSUP  IR ISP IRS IRSC% SO/BB WHIP
C.Buchholz         .135  3.9  3.1  7.7  0.0  3.00   0   0   0  ----  2.50 0.77
A.Chapman          ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
R.Choate           ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
K.Jansen           .125  3.7  3.7  9.8  1.2   ---   0   0   0  ----  2.67 0.82
C.Kimbrel          .091  2.7  2.7 21.6  0.0   ---   3   2   1  .333  8.00 0.60
K.Lohse            .167  5.4  0.0  7.2  0.0  2.00   0   0   0  ----   --- 0.60
J.Masterson        .263  9.0  0.0 12.6  0.0  5.00   0   0   0  ----   --- 1.00
A.Ogando           ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
S.Strasburg        .059  1.5  3.0  3.0  0.0  2.00   0   0   0  ----  1.00 0.50
C.Thielbar         .160  4.7  3.5  5.9  0.0   ---   1   0   0  .000  1.67 0.91
N.Vincent          .000  0.0  0.0 13.5  0.0   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- 0.00
ALL NON-PITCHERS   ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
----------------- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- --- --- --- ----- ----- ----
TEAM TOTALS        .140       2.4       0.2         4       1        3.62
                         4.1       8.8       3.00       2      .250       0.73




Primary Player Statistics For 2014 Cook County Maulers Totals

NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E
R.Davis           .500   2   2   1   1  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   2  0  0
M.Cuddyer         .429   4  14   3   6  0  0  1   3   2   3  0  0  1   0  0  0
V.Martinez        .250   2   4   0   1  0  0  0   1   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0
C.Yelich          .250   1   4   0   1  0  0  0   0   0   3  0  0  0   0  0  0
D.Ortiz           .176   5  17   1   3  0  0  0   1   2   2  0  0  0   0  0  0
A.Jones           .158   5  19   0   3  0  0  0   0   0   6  0  1  3   0  0  0
J.Hardy           .125   5  16   1   2  0  0  0   0   1   2  0  0  0   0  0  0
R.Raburn          .125   5   8   0   1  0  0  0   0   2   3  0  0  0   0  0  0
E.Longoria        .111   5  18   0   2  1  0  0   1   1   6  0  0  2   0  0  2
P.Fielder         .063   5  16   0   1  0  0  0   1   1   8  1  0  1   0  0  0
S.Choo            .063   5  16   2   1  0  0  0   0   3   6  1  0  0   0  0  0
D.Lemahieu        .000   4  10   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   2  0  0  0   0  0  0
D.Murphy          .000   2   1   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0
W.Ramos           .000   3   9   0   0  0  0  0   0   1   4  0  0  0   0  0  0
R.Martin          .000   3   3   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
ALL PITCHERS      ----   5   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
----------------- ---- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- -- --
TEAM TOTALS       .140     157      22     0      7      47     1      2     2
                         5       8      1     1      13      2     7      0



Misc/Sabermetric Statistics For 2014 Cook County Maulers Totals

NAME               OB%  SLUG   SB%    RC  RC/27 TOTAVG   OPS ISOPW   TB  AB/HR
S.Choo            .250  .063  ----    .5    .92   .333  .313  .000    1   ----
M.Cuddyer         .500  .643  ----   4.2  12.50  1.222 1.143  .214    9  14.00
R.Davis           .500  .500 1.000   1.0  27.54  3.000 1.000  .000    1   ----
P.Fielder         .167  .063  ----    .2    .29   .188  .229  .000    1   ----
J.Hardy           .176  .125  ----    .4    .77   .214  .301  .000    2   ----
A.Jones           .158  .158  ----    .0    .00   .158  .316  .000    3   ----
D.Lemahieu        .000  .000  ----    .0    .00   .000  .000  .000    0   ----
E.Longoria        .158  .167  ----    .2    .26   .222  .325  .056    3   ----
R.Martin          .000  .000  ----    .0    .00   .000  .000  .000    0   ----
V.Martinez        .250  .250  ----    .3   2.25   .333  .500  .000    1   ----
D.Murphy          .000  .000  ----    .0    .00   .000  .000  .000    0   ----
D.Ortiz           .263  .176  ----    .9   1.79   .357  .440  .000    3   ----
R.Raburn          .300  .125  ----    .5   1.76   .429  .425  .000    1   ----
W.Ramos           .100  .000  ----    .0    .08   .111  .100  .000    0   ----
C.Yelich          .250  .250  ----    .3   2.25   .333  .500  .000    1   ----
ALL PITCHERS      ----  ----  ----    --    ---   ----  .000  ----    0   ----
---------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- ----- ---- ------
TEAM TOTALS       .215       1.000         1.03         .381         26
                        .166         5.5          .303        .025      157.00




NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO
D.Robertson       0.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  0   3.0   1   0   0  0   0   3
L.Avilan          0.00  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  0   3.2   5   0   0  0   1   5
C.Sale            0.90  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0  10.0   3   2   1  0   4  14
T.Clippard        1.80  1  0 1.000   3  0  0  0  0   5.0   4   1   1  0   0   4
M.Scherzer        2.25  0  0  ----   2  2  0  0  0  12.0  11   3   3  1   5  17
C.Hamels          5.40  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0   5.0   4   3   3  2   1   3
T.Roark           5.40  0  1  .000   3  0  0  0  0   1.2   4   1   1  0   2   0
J.Zimmermann      5.40  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0   5.0   7   3   3  1   0   5
J.Henderson       6.75  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  1   1.1   1   1   1  0   2   0
T.Watson          9.00  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   1.0   4   1   1  0   0   2
B.Cecil           ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
Team                                          0                   +0
----------------- ---- -- -- ----- --- -- -- -- -- ----- --- --- --- -- --- ---
TEAM TOTALS       2.64     4         5     0     1        44      14     15
                        1     .200      5     0     47.2      15      4      53

NAME              OPPAV  H/9 BB/9 SO/9 HR/9 RNSUP  IR ISP IRS IRSC% SO/BB WHIP
L.Avilan           .313 12.3  2.5 12.3  0.0   ---   2   1   0  .000  5.00 1.64
B.Cecil            ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
B.Chen             ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
T.Clippard         .250  7.2  0.0  7.2  0.0   ---   2   1   0  .000   --- 0.80
C.Hamels           .211  7.2  1.8  5.4  3.6  1.00   0   0   0  ----  3.00 1.00
J.Henderson        .200  6.8 13.5  0.0  0.0   ---   1   0   0  .000   .00 2.25
T.Roark            .571 21.6 10.8  0.0  0.0   ---   2   0   1  .500   .00 3.60
D.Robertson        .100  3.0  0.0  9.0  0.0   ---   3   2   1  .333   --- 0.33
C.Sale             .094  2.7  3.6 12.6  0.0  1.00   0   0   0  ----  3.50 0.70
M.Scherzer         .239  8.3  3.8 12.8  0.8  2.50   0   0   0  ----  3.40 1.33
T.Watson           .571 36.0  0.0 18.0  0.0   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- 4.00
J.Zimmermann       .318 12.6  0.0  9.0  1.8  1.00   0   0   0  ----   --- 1.40
ALL NON-PITCHERS   ----  ---  ---  ---  ---   ---   0   0   0  ----   --- ----
----------------- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- --- --- --- ----- ----- ----
TEAM TOTALS        .244       2.8       0.8        10       2        3.53
                         8.3      10.0       1.60       4      .200       1.24
 

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