Chasing 50-50 051618

This is the seventh year of my Chasing 50-50 segment. It started six seasons ago as we followed Matt Kemp the Dodgers in his self proclaimed attempt to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. The 2018 season enters week seven and we'll check out those with the power\speed combo. As long as he is playing Kemp will always be part of this.

Matt Kemp

This week: 0 HR, 0 SB
This season he is hitting .306/.346/.484 with 5 HR, 17 RBI, 13 R, 0 SB in 39 games

Games Dodgers played: 41

Home Runs: 5  --- Projected Home Runs: 20

Steals: 0 --- Projected Steals: 0


Mike Trout

This week: 0 HR, 1 SB

This season he is hitting .306/.449/.633 with 12 HR, 25 RBI, 34 R, 8 SB in 42 games

Games Angels played: 42

Home Runs: 12  --- Projected Home Runs: 46

Steals: 8 --- Projected Steals: 31


AJ Pollock

This week: 0 HR, 1 SB

This season he is hitting .293/.349/.620 with 11 HR, 33 RBI, 23 R, 9 SB in 40 games

Games Diamondbacks played: 42

Home Runs: 11  --- Projected Home Runs: 42

Steals: 9 --- Projected Steals: 34


Francisco Lindor

This week: 3 HR, 0 SB

This season he is hitting .316/.394/.608 with 12 HR, 26 RBI, 35 R, 5 SB in 41 games

Games Indians played: 41

Home Runs: 12  --- Projected Home Runs: 47

Steals: 5 --- Projected Steals: 20


Tim Anderson

This week: 1 HR, 0 SB

This season he is hitting .239/.299/.430 with 7 HR, 11 RBI, 17 R, 10 SB in 38 games

Games White Sox played: 38

Home Runs: 7  --- Projected Home Runs: 30

Steals: 10 --- Projected Steals: 43


Starling Marte

This week: 1 HR, 1 SB

This season he is hitting .308/.366/.503 with 6 HR, 19 RBI, 30 R, 10 SB in 41 games

Games Pirates played: 41

Home Runs: 6  --- Projected Home Runs: 24

Steals: 10 --- Projected Steals: 40


Tommy Pham

This week: 2 HR, 0 SB

This season he is hitting .308/.420/.533 with 7 HR, 17 RBI, 28 R, 7 SB in 35 games

Games Cardinals played: 39

Home Runs: 7  --- Projected Home Runs: 29

Steals: 7 --- Projected Steals: 29

Ghost of 62 051518

The reference in the title is the 1962 Mets who are regarded as the worst of the Modern Era for all teams after 1900. The team finished 40-120 and 60.5 games back. For the season the team hit .240/.318/.361 and scored 617 runs which was 3.8 per game. The team ERA was 5.04 and they gave up 948 runs or 5.9 per game.

This is the fifth year of this series where each week I will check in on the MLB teams with the worst win-loss records and how they measure up to 1962. Last year I placed the cut off as teams that have won less than 45 percent of their games. The nine teams entering week seven are the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays.

The White Sox are 10-27, 8.5 games back and 2-8 over their last ten games. That projects to 44-118. The team is hitting .242/.310/.414 and have scored 147 which is 4.0 per game. Their team ERA is 5.35 and have given up 214 runs or 5.8 per game.

The Orioles are 13-28, 15.5 games back and 5-5 over their last ten games. That projects to 51-111. The team is hitting .236/.301/.405 and have scored 173 which is 4.2 per game. Their team ERA is 5.08 and have given up 229 runs or 5.6 per game.

The Royals are 13-28, 7.5 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 51-111. The team is hitting .259/.322/.394 and have scored 165 which is 4.0 per game. Their team ERA is 5.46 and have given up 235 runs or 5.7 per game.

The Reds are 14-28, 11.0 games back and 6-4 over their last ten games. That projects to 54-108. The team is hitting .247/.325/.386 and have scored 175 which is 4.2 per game. Their team ERA is 4.83 and have given up 214 runs or 5.1 per game.

The Marlins are 14-26, 11.0 games back and 3-7 over their last ten games. That projects to 57-105. The team is hitting .227/.297/.337 and have scored 138 which is 3.5 per game. Their team ERA is 5.12 and have given up 216 runs or 5.4 per game.

The Padres are 16-27, 9.0 games back and 5-5 over their last ten games. That projects to 60-102. The team is hitting .227/.299/.363 and have scored 160 which is 3.7 per game. Their team ERA is 4.27 and have given up 208 runs or 4.8 per game.

The Rangers are 16-26, 9.5 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 62-100. The team is hitting .229/.228/.392 and have scored 163 which is 3.9 per game. Their team ERA is 4.84 and have given up 224 runs or 5.3 per game.

The Dodgers are 16-24, 7.5 games back and 3-7 over their last ten games. That projects to 65-97. The team is hitting .239/.320/.387 and have scored 171 which is 4.3 per game. Their team ERA is 3.97 and have given up 172 runs or 4.3 per game.

The Rays are 17-22, 10.5 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 71-91. The team is hitting .261/.330/.397 and have scored 164 which is 4.2 per game. Their team ERA is 4.57 and have given up 186 runs or 4.8 per game.

Chasing 50-50 050918

This is the seventh year of my Chasing 50-50 segment. It started six seasons ago as we followed Matt Kemp the Dodgers in his self proclaimed attempt to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. The 2018 season enters week six and we'll check out those with the power\speed combo. As long as he is playing Kemp will always be part of this.

Matt Kemp

This week: 1 HR, 0 SB
This season he is hitting .353/.385/.569 with 5 HR, 17 RBI, 13 R, 0 SB in 33 games

Games Dodgers played: 35

Home Runs: 5  --- Projected Home Runs: 23

Steals: 0 --- Projected Steals: 0


Mike Trout

This week: 2 HR, 2 SB

This season he is hitting .328/.453/.703 with 12 HR, 24 RBI, 30 R, 7 SB in 35 games

Games Angels played: 35

Home Runs: 12  --- Projected Home Runs: 56

Steals: 7 --- Projected Steals: 32


AJ Pollock

This week: 1 HR, 1 SB

This season he is hitting .308/.361/.677 with 11 HR, 31 RBI, 23 R, 8 SB in 34 games

Games Diamondbacks played: 35

Home Runs: 11  --- Projected Home Runs: 51

Steals: 8 --- Projected Steals: 37


Francisco Lindor

This week: 5 HR, 0 SB

This season he is hitting .289/.354/.544 with 9 HR, 21 RBI, 27 R, 5 SB in 35 games

Games Indians played: 35

Home Runs: 9  --- Projected Home Runs: 42

Steals: 5 --- Projected Steals: 23


Tim Anderson

This week: 2 HR, 2 SB

This season he is hitting .254/.299/.444 with 6 HR, 9 RBI, 15 R, 10 SB in 33 games

Games White Sox played: 33

Home Runs: 6  --- Projected Home Runs: 29

Steals: 10 --- Projected Steals: 49


Starling Marte

This week: 2 HR, 1 SB

This season he is hitting .291/.357/.475 with 5 HR, 17 RBI, 25 R, 9 SB in 36 games

Games Pirates played: 36

Home Runs: 5  --- Projected Home Runs: 23

Steals: 9 --- Projected Steals: 41


Tommy Pham

This week: 1 HR, 2 SB

This season he is hitting .323/.442/.535 with 5 HR, 14 RBI, 24 R, 7 SB in 30 games

Games Cardinals played: 34

Home Runs: 5  --- Projected Home Runs: 24

Steals: 7 --- Projected Steals: 33

Ghost of 62 050818

The reference in the title is the 1962 Mets who are regarded as the worst of the Modern Era for all teams after 1900. The team finished 40-120 and 60.5 games back. For the season the team hit .240/.318/.361 and scored 617 runs which was 3.8 per game. The team ERA was 5.04 and they gave up 948 runs or 5.9 per game.

This is the fifth year of this series where each week I will check in on the MLB teams with the worst win-loss records and how they measure up to 1962. This is the first segment of the 2018 season as the cellar dwellers established themselves well before the All-Star break. Last year I placed the cut off as teams that have won less than 45 percent of their games. The nine teams entering week six are the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers. That is a record number for a week. 

The Reds are 8-27, 13.0 games back and 3-7 over their last ten games. That projects to 37-125. The team is hitting .239/.322/.367 and have scored 139 which is 4.0 per game. Their team ERA is 5.32 and have given up 192 runs or 5.5 per game.

The Orioles are 8-26, 17.0 games back and 2-8 over their last ten games. That projects to 38-124. The team is hitting .220/.288/.362 and have scored 115 which is 3.4 per game. Their team ERA is 4.95 and have given up 187 runs or 5.5 per game.

The White Sox are 9-23, 7.0 games back and 3-7 over their last ten games. That projects to 46-116. The team is hitting .242/.309/.413 and have scored 125 which is 3.9 per game. Their team ERA is 5.08 and have given up 176 runs or 5.5 per game.

The Royals are 11-23, 6.0 games back and 6-4 over their last ten games. That projects to 52-110. The team is hitting .249/.316/.377 and have scored 126 which is 3.7 per game. Their team ERA is 5.05 and have given up 184 runs or 5.4 per game.

The Padres are 13-23, 11.0 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 58-104. The team is hitting .229/.301/.372 and have scored 141 which is 3.9 per game. Their team ERA is 4.48 and have given up 182 runs or 5.1 per game.

The Rangers are 14-23, 8.5 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 61-101. The team is hitting .233/.302/.398 and have scored 151 which is 4.1 per game. Their team ERA is 4.96 and have given up 201 runs or 5.4 per game.

The Marlins are 13-21, 6.5 games back and 6-4 over their last ten games. That projects to 62-100. The team is hitting .225/.295/.327 and have scored 115 which is 3.4 per game. Their team ERA is 4.79 and have given up 173 runs or 5.1 per game.

The Tigers are 14-20, 3.0 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 67-95. The team is hitting .259/.318/.410 and have scored 148 which is 4.4 per game. Their team ERA is 4.21 and have given up 158 runs or 4.6 per game.

The Dodgers are 15-19, 8.0 games back and 4-6 over their last ten games. That projects to 71-91. The team is hitting .244/.325/.394 and have scored 151 which is 4.4 per game. Their team ERA is 3.83 and have given up 141 runs or 4.1 per game.

update 050818

Decided to come back in a limited capacity. Do miss the daily grind but unable to devote to that right now. Will revive a couple weekly segments.

Albert Pujols reaches 3000 hit milestone

Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels reached the 3000 hit milestone in a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on May 4, 2018. For the game he was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, 1 R and 1 BB while hitting fourth and playing first base. Pujols became the 32nd player to reach the milestone in the fifth inning with a single off Mike Leake. He added another single in the ninth to move past Roberto Clemente on the hit chart. 

Over 18 MLB seasons with the Angels and Cardinals he has hit .304/.385/.560 with 620 HR, 1937 RBI, 1738 R, 110 SB in 2606 games. He has 928 hits with the Angels after 2073 with the Cardinals. The accomplishment also puts him in the exclusive 3000 hit/600 HR club with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez. He was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round in 1999. Pujols turned 38 on January 16.