2011 League Championship Series - Best Pitchers*

* according to Bill James' Game Score

And the WINNER is...

RANDY WOLF!

SHOCKER…yes, I am quite surprised, but it’s true. By a little more than a nose, yes. I need to give him a break, I suppose…I have been heckling the Wolfman a little more than usual these days.

Before we start this round of jousting, let’s review Bill James' Game Score real quick.

In case you didn't know, "Game Score" is a neat and easy and FUN way to look at a starting pitcher's line in a Box Score and apply a basic formula on the stats to come up with a fundamental 'score' that "determines the strength of a pitcher in any particular baseball game.

To determine a starting pitcher's game score:

1.Start with 50 points.
2.Add 1 point for each out recorded, so 3 points for every complete inning pitched.
3.Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th.
4.Add 1 point for each strikeout.
5.Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed.
6.Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed.
7.Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed.
8.Subtract 1 point for each walk.

The maximum possible score in a 9-inning game with no baserunners allowed is 114, but of course this is possible only if the starting pitcher goes nine innings, strikes out every single batter he faces, and faces no more than 3 batters per inning. The exception to this gets a little hairy mathematically, but is never impossible...because this is baseball.

FYI, the highest game score for a 9-inning game in the history of baseball happened on May 6, 1998, when Kerry "Kid K" Wood famously struck out 20 Astros at Wrigley Field. Yowsah, that Game Score was 105.

So I thought it would be a "hoot" to compile Game Score for all SP during the postseason; I started this at the close of the League Division Series; you can review the LDS results at this post. Now that the League Championship Series is over and we’re going to the WORLD SERIES...here are the LCS results, and the top 5 winners:

Randy Wolf (62) 10/13/11 MIL @ STL NLCS G4
Doug Fister (59) 10/11/11 TEX @ DET ALCS G3
Rick Porcello (54) 10/12/11 TEX @ DET ALCS G4
Max Scherzer (53) 10/10/11 DET @ TEX ALCS G2 - TIE
Matt Harrison (53) 10/12/11 TEX @ DET ALCS G4 - TIE

Quite a change, overall in the top 5 scores themselves, compared to the LDS top 5 (range was 84-72 in the LDS top 5). Right off the top of my head, I would imagine that one contributing factor in the difference in overall scores was more or less attributable to the ‘clinch pitching change’ tactic employed by each of the 4 teams playing in the series, particularly in those crucial Game 6 situations. In the LDS, 38 starting pitchers worked an average of 5.71 innings (or, more accurately in baseball math: 5.2 innings). In the LCS, 24 starting pitchers worked an average of 4.8 innings (again, 4.2 innings in baseball math). So this off-the-cuff theory could have some weight.

Another wacky reality: Randy Wolf had the lowest score among the 38 SP in the LDS. Uh-huh.

Other interesting notes I made, regarding the top 5:
Only 1 NL pitcher appeared in the top 5 (Wolf, at number 1)
The top 3 pitchers earned their scores at home (Wolf, Fister, Porcello)
3 of the top 5 (the bottom 3, in fact) earned “No Decisions” as SP
Of those 3, both teams were the Detroit Tigers and both times the Tigers lost the game
Only 1 SP in the top 5 saw his team advance to the World Series (Harrison)
No Cardinals pitchers made the top 5
Two of the top 5 scores were from SP in the same game (10/12/11 TEX @ DET ALCS G4)

In general (all 24 pitchers with starts in the LCS):
Lowest score – Max Scherzer (20) 10/15/11 DET @ TEX ALCS G6
Lowest score, 4 innings minimum – Jaime Garcia (26) 10/9/11 STL @ MIL NLCS G1
Lowest score by a winning pitcher – Zack Greinke (36) 10/9/11 STL @ MIL NLCS G1
Average Game Score by SP in the 2011 LDS: 41.41

I will now officially revoke my honorary Randy “ERA” Wolf nickname. Until next year.

For now…#HappyFlight

You can review my work on the spreadsheet on Google Docs.

I will continue to tally the Game Score for the World Series, and post the results when that FINAL phase of the postseason is over. Then we can look at a Postseason Sweepstakes review…who will win it all??

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10/16/11 St Louis Cardinals 12, Milwaukee Brewers 6

Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI
NLCS Game 6
STL wins the NLCS 4-2

Welcome to the David Freese Show, starring…David Freese! If NLCS Game 2 was “The Pujols Game,” then NLCS Game 6 has to go down in history as “The Freese Game.” There can be no question that even in the 7th inning, that NLCS MVP trophy was his, hands down. He was the Sultan of Hustle today, only a triple short of the cycle.



It was no small feat to defeat the Brewers at Miller Park for most NL teams this year, but the Cardinals had a winning record there during the regular season, and extended that record during the NLCS. Freese didn’t really come out of nowhere here, he’s been playing well recently, but in Pujolsian fashion he started his rally in the first inning; the table was set with 2 on and 2 outs, 1 run already on the board and Shaun Marcum already sweating like a Derek Lowe. A first pitch 3-run HR
Over the left-center field fence was a formidable statement, to say the least.

I had a hunch this would be a close game, but my hunch was deliberately tossed by Freese, Pujols, Allen Craig, and the rest of the Angry Birds. It wasn’t a collapse by the Brewers, no matter how you look at it…they rallied as hard as the best of us could. But the crowd at Miller Park’s eerie silence just got eerier as the game went on and the crooked numbers kept getting posted.

Of course, with pitching changes galore…there were sprinklings of fantastic pitching moments, but still burned into my brain was Jason Motte’s finish and, of course…the home runs. The most HR in the first 3 innings of a postseason game (3 HR for each team).

Jerry Hairston, Jr’s 15 minutes of baseball fame peaked with this outstanding hook slide in NLCS Game 4, a slide that would have made Wally Yonanime blush. It ended completely during the Brewers’ 3-error inning; Hairston was charged with 2 of the 3 during a single play. Now that’s a little more like the JHJr I recall from recent years.

In other news, Prince Fielder grounds out to Nick Punto in his final at-bat in a Brewers’ uniform. Albert Pujols, in a classy move, calls time when Fielder approaches the box for the crowd’s standing O.

Freese got the trophy, but Nick Punto is awarded with a Golden Sombrero, striking out 4 times in 4 AB. Still a #HappyFlight for the Cardinals, and the end of a great and most admirable run by the Brewers.




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10/10/11 St Louis Cardinals 12, Milwaukee Brewers 3

Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI
NLCS Game 2

It’s called #BabyMode.

After taking the first game of the NLCS, the Brewers get an unanticipated response from the Cardinals in this moderately lopsided display of offense…no surprise that the meat of it comes from the 2012 FA of the offseason, Mister Albert Pujols.

Don’t call him Alberta.



During the pregame show, Chris Rose, A.J. Pierzynski, and Eric “hair product” Karros discuss the need for adjustment Pujols needs to consider if he is to be a significant contributor to the Cardinals’ postseason success. I picture Albert in the batting cage all night (a la Tony Gwynn), trying to scientifically and systematically determine the source of his hitch and in the same manner of those cheezy 80s sports tearjerkers South Park spoofs on a regular basis, he finds his hitch, makes his adjustments, and after a hearty Bacon-Chocolate shake, buffers his resolve for Game 2. Because the Cardinals need to win tonight.

This sets the stage for “Whoppapalooza,” where the Cardinals rage into control of the game early on, with a table setting that is nothing less than a textbook opportunity for Pujols in the first inning; with 1 on and 1 out Pujols’ hitch vanishes and thus begins ”The Pujols Game,” where Albert plays 8 innings of 4-for-5, 5 RBI, 3 run scoring baseball…each of his 4 hits were for extra bases (10 total bases).

More Angry Bird madness ensues in the 7th inning, where the Cardinals touch RHP Kameron Loe for 6 back-to-back base hits, beginning with Pujols’ 1 out GRD and continuing with 5 consecutive singles for a 4-run inning before Loe gets the hook and is replaced by LaTroy Hawkins.

The funniest moment for me in the game actually started on September 7, when the Cardinals had begun their September run and the ever-pokeworthy Nyjer Morgan taunted the team boldy with these direct comments (spelling not corrected at the Editor’s preference):

Where still n 1st and I hope those crying birds injoy watching tha Crew in tha Playoffs!!! Aaaaahhhhh!!! ... Alberta couldn't see Plush if she had her gloves on!!! Wat was she thinking running afta Plush!!! She never been n tha ring!!! ...

Fast forward to the blastitudinous 7th inning, when Yadier Molina punched a single to right-center, scoring Matt Holliday and bring the Cards to a 9-2 lead over the Brewers with only 1 out and 0-for-3 David Freese on-deck. We see Molina on first, grinning from ear to ear, as he brings his fists up to his face and twists them into a “crybaby” demonstration…it’s called #BabyMode, a direct response to the media-adored Brewers’ #BeastMode celebrations.
I hope Morgan, the crying sud, “injoys” watching the Angry Birds in the WORLD SERIES. Just another reminder that some athletes are really better off at just shutting up and playing the game.



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10/1/11 Arizona Diamondbacks 1, Milwaukee Brewers 4

Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI
NLDS Game 1

You can count on it, Yovani Gallardo is pretty good at pitching.

The postseason begins as the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks take on the also surprising (but certainly less surprising) Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, where visiting teams tend to fall. Ian Kennedy is a great pitcher, but Gallardo…whoa. Even after a shaky start to his season, he is pitching like Yovani Gallardo when it matters the most: Right here, right now.



Ryan Braun has a great game (3-for-4, 2H, 3 total bases, 2 runs scored, 1 broken bat, 1 flyout), but most fans are used to hearing this. His stunning outfield assist that caught Willie Bloomquist at home with Jonathan Lucroy waiting was very impressive, but I’m still rubbing my eyes at Jerry Hairston, Jr. I hear myself and others saying “well, looks like the real Jerry Hairston, Jr. came to play baseball” and that’s kind of an understatement. His 15 minutes of baseball fame are here, right now. He made two very distinctive defensive plays at 3B, the second of which was a ginormous charge for a 5-3 groundout by Justin Upton.

Gallardo, on the other hand, throws a tidy gem in the process, 8IP, 4H, one R (earned on an 8th inning HR by Brian Roberts), 8K and a BB. And as usual, he looks like he’s about to yawn the entire time.

John Axford earns a save on a 3-up, 3-down inning of work…he pitched for the “closer cycle” with a flyout, a groundout, and a strikeout. And the moustache is looking very outrageous and phenomenal these days.




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6/14/11 Milwaukee Brewers 4, Chicago Cubs 5

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 1 of 4


Yes…the face of a kid, the bat of a BADASS….

Great performances in baseball don’t grow on trees, and while it was difficult last year for some of us to see the forest of potential that is Starlin Castro, here’s yet another gem in this idyllically dismal Cubs season where Castro does something that ordinarily, we would expect, but at the same time are overjoyed to see: a young Cub starting to really show his stuff, and in the realm of clutch hitting, yet…



Oh, the Brewers…they of the stolid NL Central runaway hero projection for 2011. I’m still not discounting the Cardinals and their surprise stock in the race, but for now, this year’s Brewers are this year’s Brewers and while the Cubs are mired in the “oh geez we are x games under 500” swamp of self-pity, the Brewers are in town for a brutal 4-game series for which the Cubs have little chance for hope of a sweep, let alone a series win, while they’ve been unable to do so for even bad teams in the division as well as in the league.

The pitching matchup pretty much sealed this deep, regretful sigh of despair as potential-ace-turned-liability Randy Wells faces last year’s surprise-turned-ace Yovani Gallardo.

As the events unfold, Wells serves the basis for Milwaukee’s early lead and by the time he exits at the end of the 7th inning, Gallardo has allowed only one run (earned) and has seen Wells leave in the 6th with the Brewers ahead of the Cubs 3-1. Brewers reliever Marco Estrada comes in and you can almost hear yourself saying: “now is the time for us to capitalize on the bullpen entering the game.” At least I heard myself saying that, as I do every time a Cubs starter leaves the game behind in the score. The opposing starting pitcher can’t be stopped, let’s key into some timely hitting and show these guys ‘what for’…and today, I got my wish!

And better yet…extra innings!! But not for long…the Cubs 10th starts with the game tied at 4 and a leadoff Tony Campana single-turned-double due to his intense speed; Fukudome’s timely sac bunt moves Campana to 3rd. Once he’s here, all the Cubs need is another timely base hit and the game is over.

Castro does it, Campana crosses home plate in seconds, and a walk-off single gives the Cubs the first win in the 4-game series. Go CUBS.

4/24/11 Omaha Storm Chasers 7, Nashville Sounds 3

Greer Stadium, Nashville, TN
Game 2 of 4

Who ever thought that a pick-up basketball game would ever be so…controversial…


PHOTO CREDIT: Gage Matthews

I had this date on my calendar since I heard the news. Nothing says “Fate” in Baseball like a AAA matchup between a former pitching star in rehab (did I just write that?) for the team he got recently traded to, amid some fan-scandal, pitching against the team he was traded from…pencil in the opposing starting pitcher as a former starting pitcher for the team the rehab star pitcher is pitching for now…ugh…

That didn’t flow as well as the intro to a Star Wars movie, but it is what it is…

Funny thing is, I had hoped to see the Omaha Storm Chasers during one of their visits to Nashville to play the sounds (and still do), and this series was one I originally shot down as ‘too soon in the season, too busy at home’ for me to make the 3-hour trip for. Not a horrible move in doing so, but it would have been GREAT to have been at this game.

Next best thing to being there…listening on the radio! And even better than that, knowing someone who went and took FANTASTIC photos at the game!! Gage Matthews (on Twitter he’s @MinnesotaRoyal) was there and was kind enough to allow me to use some of his work as a visual companion to my scoresheets and ingratiating sense of urgency to post a game recap. Thanks, bro!!

You can check out ALL of Gage’s wonderful photos, way too many to post here, and some much better than what you are looking at, on his flickr photostream. Gage is a swell guy who is currently located in Nashville, and is a regular contributor at the exceptional Kings of Kauffman Kansas City Royals blog...



The story of this game ends with “Greinke leaves after 2.2 innings due to a limit in pitch count after giving up 3 hits and 2 ER” but there’s really more to it than that. Greinke was actually very good, as was Tim Dillard in relief. Too often it’s heard that ‘this pitcher did well but made a mistake when he left this ball hanging (or whatever) to this batter’…this was an email comment on a recent episode of the Up and In Baseball Prospectus Podcast, and I couldn’t agree with Goldstein and Parks more when the fact of the matter is: Hitters can be good at hitting baseballs, just the same as Pitchers can be good at throwing baseballs. This game is a very good example of how a couple of very good pitchers did a very good job but were simply bested by hitters who were doing just a bit better than they were.

The Sounds started off proving this fact to Jeff Suppan, right away in the 1st inning, as Brendan Katin knocked a 2-run HR with 2 outs to take the early lead in the game. After that, it was all Omaha, buddy.

It wasn’t Mike Moustakas or Eric Hosmer who were the ‘big’ heroes today…sure, Hosmer had an RBI on a SAC fly (gee, that’s not really sexy) and Clint Robinson went 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored and a great lead-off double in the 8th inning, but the real hitters in the game were David Lough, Lorenzo Cain, Gregor Blanco, and Manny Pina. Especially David Lough…


It now occurs to me, I haven’t been paying enough attention to David Lough.

After holding a 5-2 lead for 3 innings, the Storm Chasers added icing to the cake with a 2-run 8th inning. The Sounds threatened against recently demoted Kanekoa Texeira in the bottom of the 9th but Caleb Gindl stranded 2 to end the inning and the game with only one additional run scored.

It was a victory for Royals fans who wanted to see Greinke choke for the Brewers, and who wanted to see former Brewer Suppan do well against this squad. It was really a victory for Royals fans who are enjoying the way these fellas are playing, from low A to AAA, and what kind of future the organization is looking at. It’s kind of easy now to kinda dismiss the ‘hype’ a little, but the hype is real…the Royals are real.

I listened to the game on KOIL AM 1180, called by Mark Nasser (who is very good, by the way) and Brett Pawlak. Don Money was ejected in the bottom of the 8th inning for arguing a call in favor of a checked swing by Irving Falu that occurred in the bottom of the 8th. At the end of this game, Omaha had won their 7th straight game; and the Sounds had dropped 5 of their 6 games against the Storm Chasers.

But, hey…enough of my warbling…let’s check out some of these great shots by Gage Matthews!!

Gregor Blanco


Eric Hosmer, Lance Zawadzki, a trainer, and Mike Moustakas


Eric Hosmer…he has the ball


Eric Hosmer…he throws the ball


Mike Montgomery and future Royals Superstar Vin Mazzaro*

* this comment in reference to a historic event that occurred during the 3rd week of May, a few weeks after this game…

Zack Greinke runs his laps before the game


Greinke warms up


Jeff Suppan warming up



Greinke takes the mound to start the 1st inning

Yes, I think the hair was a very bizarre touch…


Lorenzo Cain at bat


Eric Hosmer looks like a bad a$$, ALL the time…


Suppan on the mound


Hosmer is holding Mat Gamel…or is it Taylor Green?...in the 1st inning


Zack Greinke is pretty good at Pitchers Fielding…he made 2 very good assists during his brief period of work…this is among my favorite photos in this group

…this is among my favorite photos in this group

Lorenzo Cain races around 2B on his screaming triple to CF in the 2nd inning…the beginning of the end of Greinke’s outing

Cain slides into 3B as Taylor Green is ready for the throw (not in time)


Don Money takes the ball from Greinke as George Kottaras looks on…adios, Zack


Clint Robinson looks (and swings) like a tough guy


MOOOOOOOOSE…Mike Moustakas, yeah!


Tim Dillard, one of my favorite pitchers in the Brewers’ organization, found out how good the Storm Chasers are at putting his balls into play


George Kottaras scoops a ball in the dirt from Dillard


Kevin Pucetas on the mound


Mike Moustakas, dip in his cheek, waiting for…waiting for what?!?

Gage used this photo as his profile pic on Twitter…I love this shot!

Kanekoa Texeira warms up, he’s a minor leaguer now


Storm Chasers WIN!!!


ALL PHOTOS BY: Gage Matthews
…thanks again for letting me use them in this post, hope to see you at Greer this season for a Yazoo and a mega-chili dog!!!

4/9/11 Chicago Cubs 0, Milwaukee Brewers 6

Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI
Game 2 of 3



After striking out 12 batters in his first outing as a Cub, yet giving up a career-high 12 hits, Matt Garza returns to face Chris Narveson in Milwaukee. Being very much under the Cubs microscope (of course, his performance NOW will dictate when we’ll see another World Series), Garza finds himself consistent with his previous outing, where his Ks equal his hits…only this time around he gets to bring something new home with him: his first decision as a Cub, one that starts with the letter “L”…



Yes, Garza is still very forgiving to opposing teams regarding contact. You’re going to hear the “switching from AL to NL dilemma” come up quite a bit, but in my opinion we should have no fears…I expect Garza to, at a minimum, perform just as inconsistently as Carlos Zambrano does today. Maybe a little bit better. In this game, not only is this true, but the following is also true: Chris Narveson needs an ERA, and the 2-3-4 Brewers hitters LOVE Matt Garza.

Prince Fielder has never hit 3 consecutive doubles in a game before in his life. He did today. He also managed to do this every time Ryan Braun, at least, was on base.

It’s also true that the 1-6 hitters in the Cubs lineup managed to get a hit off of Narveson, but those hits were lost like tears in rain.

My oh my, how Sean Green has developed as a relief pitcher. His side-arm delivery is deadly these days, pitching a very solid inning with goose-eggs across the line (2 groundouts and a flyout).

Jeff Samardzija, by comparison, walked in a run after walking 4 of 6 batters in the 8th. He also allowed Garlos Gomez to steal 2 bases in the same at bat. As usual, when the Cubs melt down…they do it LARGE.

Go CUBS