Quantcast

Prospectus Hit List for July 11



by Matt Sussman

Hit List for July 7 Hit List for July 15
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.

All of these jokes are stars, except the Adam Duvall one.

RkTmWLW1W2W3HLFAHLFWin Div%Win WC%Playoff%1-Day7-Day
1

53

35

58.3

62.2

60.6

.620

.615

94.0%

4.3%

98.3%

0.7%

-0.9%

It takes extreme skill to win just five games in four weeks and still have the best run differential in baseball by 34 runs.
2

54

36

56.5

59.3

58.5

.593

.588

88.2%

8.8%

97.1%

0.9%

1.1%

Daniel Murphy is the first National with over 200 bases in the first half. Roll in Expos history and you can include Vlad Guerrero and Andres Galarraga. What they all have in common is that you didn't think any three would be that good this year. Maybe Vlad.
3

52

36

52.4

52.2

51.3

.577

.582

90.7%

4.5%

95.2%

-0.2%

-0.6%

It's been eight days since the 14-game winning streak ended and Cleveland has yet to start another 14-game winning streak. The New Titletown is getting antsy, guys.
4

51

40

51.6

56.5

56.2

.581

.576

29.5%

53.7%

83.1%

3.3%

0.1%

Kenta Maeda threw under 100 pitches and struck out 13 batters against the Padres yesterday. Only one other start met that criteria this season; it was Alex Wood, also against the Padres.
5

51

40

53.3

54.5

55.1

.559

.564

41.0%

33.8%

74.8%

4.0%

20.6%

Josh Donaldson is the first Blue Jay to score 80 runs in the first half since ... [FILE NOT FOUND]
6

49

38

49.6

52.7

53.0

.553

.558

35.6%

34.5%

70.1%

4.3%

14.1%

Aaron Hill should be a useful infielder for a Red Sox team that could use depth at the position, but 75 percent of the reason the Red Sox acquired him is because he sounded like the location of a famous Revolutionary War battle.
7

57

33

52.8

52.8

52.2

.555

.550

70.5%

24.6%

95.2%

0.7%

5.6%

Madison Bumgarner: "I would have had that no-hitter if it weren't for that base hit."
Jake Peavy: "Same."
8

46

42

53.0

55.6

55.2

.553

.548

4.6%

34.3%

38.9%

3.4%

-7.5%

Yadier Molina had the day off yesterday, so anything positive he did literally did not show up in the box score.
9

48

41

47.7

46.7

45.4

.538

.543

21.6%

25.6%

47.2%

3.5%

7.1%

Since 2013, the Astros have 428 more strikeouts than any other American League team. As a point of reference, Tony Gwynn had 434 strikeouts in his career.
10

45

43

49.3

47.3

46.6

.529

.534

11.4%

15.8%

27.2%

3.5%

-14.9%

Felix Hernandez made his first minor league appearance in 12 years, gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Clearly that was nerves. It's tough to perform well in the dim lights of Everett, Washington.
11

47

41

46.4

47.7

47.6

.539

.534

8.2%

38.1%

46.3%

-7.7%

-8.2%

Not many pitchers have had good luck reviving baseball careers after thoracic outlet syndrome, but ex-Met Chris Young did it, so if Matt Harvey can overcome it, then this is great news for the Royals.
12

51

36

47.6

45.5

45.4

.508

.513

21.1%

32.0%

53.1%

1.3%

6.9%

Remember when Hyun Soo Kim was thisclose to being released before Opening Day? This is why spring training should be burned to the earth and replaced with a month of playing in bouncy houses.
13

45

43

43.8

44.6

44.6

.504

.509

4.6%

15.8%

20.4%

-3.7%

-9.2%

Anibal Sanchez is the first Tiger to record 10 losses in the first half since 2003, Mike Maroth (who went onto lose 20 games) had 13. Not surprisingly, two other Tigers also had at least a dozen L's.
14

54

36

46.6

42.3

42.6

.503

.508

67.0%

14.9%

81.9%

-5.5%

-8.5%

The Rangers tied a franchise record with 54 first-half wins. The first year the franchise played in Texas, they also had 54 wins ... total.
15

45

43

42.7

41.3

41.5

.499

.504

2.9%

10.7%

13.6%

-6.2%

-7.7%

Carlos Rodon hurt himself walking up the dugout steps which means he'll miss one start, but this will give him more time to perfect his one-man Chevy-Chase-As-Gerald-Ford routine.
16

44

44

40.4

42.4

42.4

.497

.502

2.3%

5.2%

7.5%

0.7%

0.9%

Now that Derek Jeter is finally married, the most eligible Yankee single is now whatever is left of Mark Teixeira's offense.
17

47

41

44.1

46.0

45.7

.502

.497

3.6%

21.1%

24.7%

4.4%

4.5%

Just 10 more hits until Ichiro reaches 3,000 North American base hits and floats majestically into the heavens as a free soul. Related: just 2,243 more for Giancarlo!
18

46

43

45.2

42.5

43.6

.499

.494

1.4%

14.2%

15.6%

-5.0%

6.1%

Goal for Andrew McCutchen's second half: not have an OPS comparable to Jordy Mercer's. Goal for Jordy Mercer's second half: trying to figure out that song from that one Volkswagen commercial. You know the one.
19

34

54

36.1

40.1

41.7

.481

.486

0.0%

0.0%

0.1%

-0.0%

-0.7%

A "ray" in mathematical terms is a line that begins at some point on a plane and continues in one direction indefinitely. The Rays have lost 22 of their last 25, so that one works.
20

45

43

41.1

41.3

42.3

.470

.475

1.8%

7.1%

8.8%

-1.5%

-7.9%

Brooks Pounders (265 pounds) is so large it's entirely possible -- and extremely likely -- he's three children in a baseball suit, each named Brook Pounder.
21

40

48

42.7

44.5

44.2

.474

.469

0.0%

0.6%

0.6%

-0.5%

-0.4%

If the Braves and Rangers can build new ballparks, then the Rockies can establish one too, but this time underneath a mountain. You're all going to love Mile Deep Stadium.
22

38

52

39.6

41.0

42.5

.463

.458

0.0%

0.1%

0.1%

-0.1%

-0.5%

Jake Lamb may not have been voted into the All-Star Game, but quite honestly that's mutton to be ashamed about.
23

37

52

42.5

38.5

38.4

.447

.452

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

-0.1%

-0.0%

Yunel Escobar was ejected for mocking an umpire when he drew a home plate in the infield dirt. All good art is always criticized at first. Infield dirt art, however, is usually raked over and forgotten.
24

32

56

37.1

38.2

37.4

.446

.451

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Twins average under 4.5 runs per game. In seven game against the Rangers, they have scored 8.9 per game. If you ask me, I like the Twins over the Rangers in the playoffs, but maybe the Rangers in a shorter series.
25

38

51

37.3

35.2

34.5

.438

.443

0.0%

0.1%

0.1%

-0.0%

0.0%

The A's are one of three teams with nine players with at least 10 doubles, yet one of seven teams that have nobody with 20 doubles. This stat is as interesting as the A's season thus far.
26

38

49

35.5

33.7

33.9

.437

.432

0.0%

0.1%

0.1%

-0.1%

-0.1%

Junior Guerra (1.07 WHIP in 13 starts) flew so far under the radar in the first half, the military is cloning him for rescue missions.
27

38

51

39.6

35.5

35.8

.437

.432

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

-0.0%

0.0%

Looks like San Diego is ready to host the All-Star events this week after several rigorous weeks of Bing-ing "what do All-Stars eat."
28

42

48

35.4

34.1

34.2

.419

.415

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

-0.0%

0.1%

It's been a long and strange first half for the Phillies, but nothing will top the time Ryan Howard bent time and space and convinced the other manager to intentionally walk him.
29

31

58

32.7

34.1

35.1

.391

.386

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Jeff Francoeur continuing to hold down a starting position is proof positive that no amount of statistical analysis will be able to override the power of a major league smile.
30

32

57

30.2

25.1

26.0

.380

.375

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Adam Duvall had eight career major league home runs entering this season, so yeah, he's probably winning the Home Run Derby.