Some general stat rundowns for the Rainiers:
Batting Stats:
Code:
Average: .284 (2nd)
OBP: .365 (2nd)
Slugging: .419 (6th)
OPS: .784 (5th)
Runs Scored: 453 (5th)
Hits: 759 (4th)
Extra-Base Hits: 212 (6th)
Home Runs: 57 (15th)
Walks: 344 (6th)
Strikeouts: 380 (11th)
Stolen Bases: 154 (4th)
Pitching Stats:
Code:
Team ERA: 3.84 (4th)
Starter ERA: 4.01 (6th)
Bullpen ERA: 2.97 (2nd)
Runs Allowed: 354 (6th)
Opp. Average: .255 (8th)
BABIP: .275 (7th)
HR Allowed: 79 (14th)
Walks: 282 (7th)
Strikeouts: 404 (7th)
Fielding Stats:
Code:
Errors: 63 (3rd)
Fielding%: .979 (T-4th)
Caught Stealing%: 29.0 (3rd)
Funny how your perceptions change when you look league-wide. My impression was that we were a terrible defensive team. The number of games we've lost due to truckloads of unearned runs really stick in my mind, but apparently we're on the receiving end of those gifts far more often. We turn out to be a pretty good defensive team by these admittedly flawed metrics. Other than that, we come in just about where I'd expect in most stats.
We're just not a power-hitting team. I knew that going in, and in fact, I built the team in the draft in just that way. Looking at the Rainiers' pre-sim history in the PBPL, it was never a slugging team, more a flood the bases and run sort of team, and I thought it'd be fun to continue that tradition. It's especially glaring how few home runs we've hit considering that the league leader in home runs, Denny Chambers, has just 18 homers less than we do as an entire team. Our stolen base ranking has dipped lately -- we've been in first place league wide for parts of the season, but we're still #1 in stolen base percentage, swiping 82.7% on the season. The teams in front of us are all in the 80s as well. While we don't hit many home runs at all, our doubles and triples are making up for some of that discrepancy, which is exactly what I'd hoped for.
Pitching-wise, our starters have been up and down. We looked a lot better before Ryan Carson hit his slump, but some very nice work from the supporting cast has helped weather some of those issues. Taking Bob Ford out of the closer's spot has not only helped the staff numbers, but it seems to have helped him quite a lot as well: he didn't allow a single run all of June and gave up just 2 hits and a walk in 8.1 innings of work.
Where are we deficient? Well, it's hard to argue too much with the results. We have the 2nd best record in the league, which would suggest we're not too deficient anywhere in particular. I'd like a little better work out of our starters. Ryan Carson is much better than what he's shown recently. We're lucky to have some outfield depth on the bench, with Tracy Jones out and prone to injury to boot. Speed and average are going to continue to carry this team. We have to concentrate on winning the division, since the race for the one wild card spot is going to be extremely muddled. Akron currently holds the lead in that regard with a 51-28 record, and after that we've got Baltimore and Buffalo tied atop the East with 50-29 records... which also happens to be Salt Lake's record. A 2-game cushion in the division is too close for my comfort, but it's better than being two games down.