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Prospectus Hit List for September 12



by Matthew Kory

Hit List for September 11 Hit List for September 13
Teams are ordered based on Adjusted Hit List Factor, a computer generated number, and the author isn't responsible for the order of the teams.

The A's get the save of the year, while the Angels win a made-up mascot contest. Clearly, the A's won the day.

RkTmWLW1W2W3HLFAHLFWin Div%Win WC%Playoff%1-Day 7-Day
1

81

60

79.9

76.8

77.6

.559

.579

10.6%

76.0%

86.6%

10.3%

27.4%

Jerry Blevins' save Tuesday -- entering a one-run game with runners at the corners, none out, cleanup hitter up -- is the fourth-highest leverage for a three-out save this year. But considering it was against the Angels, in September, let's call it the highest.
2

81

62

80.5

79.6

79.5

.560

.541

1.7%

97.4%

99.1%

-0.5%

8.0%

Just five hits and one walk for one of the National League's best offenses won't get it done most nights, and, what do you know, it didn't last night either.
3

80

62

75.7

74.2

73.1

.534

.514

97.0%

1.8%

98.8%

1.3%

4.7%

Madison Bumgarner hit a three-run homer. That pretty much sums up the Giants as a team right there; pitchers who go above and beyond and offense from unexpected places.
4

76

65

77.0

73.5

72.7

.530

.550

63.4%

1.3%

64.7%

-9.3%

3.3%

The White Sox started Dayan Viciedo at DH and he struck out three times in four at-bats. Clearly he was feeling pressure to perform. Said Viciedo, "I tried to strike out that fourth time, for Adam, but I couldn't. I just couldn't!"
5

77

65

77.7

80.1

81.7

.557

.577

1.0%

37.6%

38.6%

-8.2%

2.0%

The Angels' new mascot, Trouty the Trouty Trout just won the most valuable mascot competition despite being created right now.
6

70

72

73.8

73.7

73.5

.512

.492

0.1%

2.4%

2.5%

1.5%

1.9%

But, if the Diamondbacks trade Justin Upton who will go 0-for-3 from the fifth spot in the order?
7

71

71

74.4

74.1

71.3

.512

.492

0.0%

1.8%

1.8%

1.2%

1.3%

At 71-71 maybe it was too early to write off the Brewers. They're four games out with two teams to jump over.
8

71

71

70.1

72.8

72.9

.505

.485

0.0%

1.0%

1.0%

0.3%

1.0%

The Phillies may be at .500 again, but to grab a Wild Card spot they'll have to pass either the Cardinals or the Braves which [looks at standings] really? Only four games? Wow.
9

84

57

82.2

86.2

85.2

.599

.618

88.4%

11.5%

99.9%

0.2%

0.8%

If there is anyone on the Rangers deserving of MVP consideration it is not Josh Hamilton, but Adrian Beltre. And yes, I said "consideration," nothing more.
10

74

68

73.0

72.0

71.7

.512

.492

2.9%

16.5%

19.4%

0.8%

0.6%

Nick Punto with the Red Sox: .200/.301/.272. Nick Punto with the Dodgers: .154/.313/.154. Why did they want Nick Punto again?
11

86

57

80.7

78.7

76.2

.562

.543

100.0%

0.0%

100.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Current starting shortstop Wilson Valdez has three extra base hits in 166 plate appearances this season.
12

64

76

65.7

62.2

64.0

.457

.477

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Brandon Morrow has replaced his old 'giving up too many walks' problem with a 'giving up too many hits' problem. Let's see if anyone notices!
13

68

74

68.7

65.5

67.0

.474

.494

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

In 137 major league games, Jesus Montero has never successfully stolen a base. He's been caught twice though.
14

68

75

67.3

67.7

66.8

.472

.452

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Edinson Volquez walked six in six innings and got the win. This continued the trend of A) Volquez walking too many hitters, and B) Volquez getting the win more often than you'd think.
15

64

78

69.2

71.6

71.7

.487

.507

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

You've heard the phrase 'walked the ballpark.' Jon Lester tried to put that plan into action. Lester walked seven different hitters in 5 1/3 innings.
16

65

77

66.0

69.4

71.3

.478

.458

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

If the Mets beat Washington tonight by the score of 46-1 they'll still have a negative run differential.
17

59

83

61.0

63.2

63.0

.433

.453

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Every Royal had at least one hit but one. That's either just good old-fashioned midwestern hospitality or just good old-fashioned lousy pitching.
18

88

54

85.6

87.3

85.5

.610

.591

98.3%

1.7%

100.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Square these two thoughts: Rookies are supposed to wear down under the duress of the long major-league season. Bryce Harper is hitting .375/.468/.725 in September.
19

55

87

57.8

54.4

54.6

.391

.372

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Steve Clevenger had quite the day at the office. He struck out three times, made an error, and when he did walk, he came around and got thrown out at home plate.
20

63

80

61.3

63.0

63.9

.439

.419

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Sure the Marlins lost again, but Heath Bell pitched a clean ninth inning TRADEHIMNOW so that's something.
21

64

77

65.7

62.6

62.4

.452

.471

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

It will likely come as no surprise but the Royals have taken the fewest walks of any team in baseball. They're 20 behind the 29th place Cubs and 148 behind first-place Atlanta.
22

59

83

53.6

58.2

59.1

.405

.424

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Ubaldo Jimenez lost his 16th game. With 21 games remaining on Cleveland's schedule Jimenez has an outside shot at losing 20. At last, something for Indians fans to get excited about.
23

45

97

49.5

49.9

50.0

.342

.324

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Astros and Cubs are perfecting the idea of negative attendance.
24

57

84

61.3

57.9

57.8

.415

.396

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Rockies have never won the National League West and have only finished second three times in 20 years. They've had the same GM for 13 years. Maybe it's time for a change?
25

79

62

68.2

66.2

67.9

.499

.519

17.3%

24.7%

42.0%

13.6%

-0.5%

There are 22 games left on the Orioles schedule. Considering their entire season to date, who wants to bet against them going 20-2 the rest of the way? Joe Saunders can not be stopped!
26

79

62

80.0

80.2

81.2

.568

.588

67.5%

18.1%

85.6%

-1.6%

-2.1%

After the Yankees went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, manager Joe Girardi threw his famous binder down the hallway and yelled, "Next time just get a hit!"
27

72

69

70.5

70.5

68.4

.499

.479

0.0%

5.3%

5.3%

-1.4%

-6.7%

Since the trading deadline the Pirates are 13-24 and have lost 10 games in the standings.
28

75

67

79.8

80.2

77.9

.551

.531

0.0%

72.1%

72.1%

-3.2%

-10.8%

If the Cardinals went 1-for-14 with men in scoring position, how did they score four? A grounder into a force out, an error, a "soft" groundball, and a solo homer.
29

74

67

73.9

76.4

76.7

.534

.554

36.6%

1.6%

38.2%

10.3%

-11.5%

Austin Jackson's BABIP still "unsustainably high?" [checks] Yup. [goes about life as if nothing has happened]
30

77

64

79.5

80.2

81.7

.565

.584

15.2%

29.2%

44.4%

-15.3%

-19.4%

Every once in a while the Rays' decision to not field an offense comes back to bite them.