Here’s your morning
baseball briefing for Wednesday September 25, 2013:
News &
Notes: The Detroit Tigers clinched a playoff spot with their win
against Minnesota, but not the American League Central Division yet. The last remaining playoff spot in either league is the wildcard in the American League, with Clevaland, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the New York Yankees still alive.
St. Louis rookie pitcher Michael Wacha lost a no-hitter with
two outs in the ninth inning when Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit
an infield single.
Tuesday Scores:
Walk-Off Win
Streak:
4 The Atlanta Braves and
Cleveland Indians walked-off winners on Tuesday. Jason Giambi delivered a pinch-hit two-run
home run for Cleveland to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Longest Winning
Streak - 5 Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians
Longest Losing
Streak -
11 Houston Astros
League
Leaders
American League
Batting
Average- .347 Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Home Runs
- 52
Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
RBI - 137 Miguel Cabrera,
Detroit Tigers
Pitching Wins –
20 Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
Strikeouts - 269
Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
E.R.A. - 2.64
Anibal Sanchez, Detroit, Bartolo Colon, Oakland
National League
Batting
Average- .335 Michael Cuddyer, 1B, Colorado Rockies
Home Runs
- 36
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
RBI - 124
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
Pitching Wins –
19 Jordan Zimmerman, Washington
Nationals
Strikeouts – 224 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
E.R.A. - 1.88 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
MVP
Watch
American
League: Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers
Yesterday: 1-2 with a home run, RBI, 2 runs scored, and a walk
Season: .317, 29 HRs, 90 RBI
On pace for: .317, 30 HRs, 93
RBI
National
League: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
Yesterday: 1-4 with a home run and RBI
Season: .304, 36 HRs, 124 RBI
On pace for: .303, 37 HRs, 128 RBI
Cy
Young Watch
American
League: Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Yesterday: 7 IP, 5 hits, 1
runs and 9 K’s in a win vs. Toronto
Season: 16-7,
174 K’s and a 3.62 ERA
On pace for: 16-7, 180 K’s and a 3.62 ERA
National
League: Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals
Yesterday: 7 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs and 6 K’s in a loss vs.
St. Louis
Season: 11-8,
192 K’s and a 3.36 ERA
On pace for: 11-8,
201 K’s and a 3.33 ERA
History
1995 World
Series – Cleveland Indians vs. Atlanta Braves
The Cleveland Indians made their first World Series
appearance in 41 years (lost to the New York Giants in 1954) squaring off
against the Atlanta Braves in a highly anticipated and contested matchup. Cleveland boasted the American League’s best record,
and as a team led the league in batting average, home runs, runs scored, and
stolen bases, while also achieving the very difficult task of leading the
league in earned run average. Atlanta meanwhile
fielded arguably the greatest starting rotation in baseball history with Greg
Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery. Baseball’s two best teams by far played for
baseball immortality.
Atlanta had home field advantage in Game 1, and their ace Greg
Maddux pitched a complete-game two-hitter in the 3-2 win. Tom Glavine came back the next day in Game 2
and pitched seven strong innings in their 4-3 win, and Atlanta held a 2-0
series lead as the teams resumed in Cleveland.
So far, top pitching dominated top hitting.
The Indians won Game 3 in Cleveland 7-6 in 11 thrilling innings
when future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray singled home the winning run. Atlanta rallied in Game 4 for a 5-2 victory
behind pitcher Steve Avery and outfielder David Justice, who broke a 2-2 tie in
the seventh with two-run single, and just like that the Braves took a 3-1
series lead.
Greg Maddux took the mound for Atlanta in Game 5 hoping to
clinch the series, but opposing veteran pitcher Orel Hershiser limited the
Braves the two runs in eight innings, and Cleveland won 5-4, and the series
shifted back to Atlanta with them trailing 3-2.
Game 6 was the Tom Glavine show as the star Braves pitcher
tossed a one-hitter through eight innings as Atlanta won 1-0 to capture their
third World Series title in franchise history (1914 in Boston, and 1957 in Milwaukee),
and first in Atlanta (and first and only major championship in any sport for
Atlanta), making them the first franchise to win three titles in three
different cities. David Justice provided
the only run with a sixth inning home run.
Atlanta Wins
4-2
For
the series, Atlanta outscored Cleveland 23-19 and outhit them 47-35. Hall of Famers included for the Braves: none;
and for the Indians: first baseman Eddie Murray.
Tomorrow: 1996
World Series – New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves
Trivia
Today’s
Question: In the shortened 1995 season (144 games instead of 162 due
to the players strike that carried over from 1994), what Cleveland Indians’
player became the first batter in major league history to hit 50 home runs and
50 doubles in a season?
Yesterday’s
Question: What year did a player’s
strike threaten to cancel the World Series before the season was salvaged and
the two leagues agreed to a playoff between the first half of the season leader
would play the second half leader, with the winner advancing to the World
Series?
Answer: 1981
House
Bet
Today: Over/Under
1 walk-off win for Wednesday’s
games.
Yesterday: Over/Under combined 15
strikeouts/walks given up by Texas pitcher Yu Darvish vs. Houston.
Result: Under. Darvish combined for 13 strikeouts (9) and walks (4).
Standings
| American League | National League | |||||||||
| EAST | W | L | GB | STRK | EAST | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| x-Boston | 95 | 63 | - | Lost 1 | x-Atlanta | 93 | 64 | - | Won 1 | |
| Tampa Bay | 88 | 69 | 6.5 | Won 5 | Washington | 84 | 74 | 9.5 | Lost 2 | |
| NY Yankees | 82 | 75 | 12.5 | Lost 2 | NY Mets | 72 | 85 | 21 | Won 1 | |
| Baltimore | 81 | 76 | 13.5 | Lost 6 | Philadelphia | 72 | 85 | 21 | Won 1 | |
| Toronto | 72 | 85 | 22.5 | Won 1 | Miami | 58 | 100 | 35.5 | Lost 1 | |
| CENTRAL | W | L | GB | STRK | CENTRAL | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| z-Detroit | 92 | 66 | - | Won 1 | z-St. Louis | 93 | 65 | - | Won 2 | |
| Cleveland | 87 | 70 | 4.5 | Won 5 | z-Pittsburgh | 91 | 67 | 2 | Won 2 | |
| Kansas City | 83 | 74 | 8.5 | Lost 1 | z-Cincinnati | 90 | 68 | 3 | Lost 1 | |
| Minnesota | 66 | 91 | 25.5 | Lost 1 | Milwaukee | 70 | 87 | 22.5 | Lost 1 | |
| Chicago Sox | 62 | 95 | 29.5 | Lost 1 | Chicago Cubs | 65 | 93 | 28 | Lost 3 | |
| WEST | W | L | GB | STRK | WEST | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| x-Oakland | 94 | 64 | - | Lost 1 | x-LA Dodgers | 91 | 66 | - | Won 3 | |
| Texas | 86 | 71 | 7.5 | Won 2 | Arizona | 80 | 77 | 11 | Won 1 | |
| LA Angels | 77 | 80 | 16.5 | Won 1 | San Diego | 73 | 84 | 18 | Lost 1 | |
| Seattle | 69 | 89 | 25 | Won 1 | San Francisco | 72 | 85 | 19 | Lost 1 | |
| Houston | 51 | 107 | 43 | Lost 11 | Colorado | 72 | 86 | 19.5 | Won 1 | |
Schedule – Wednesday September 25
Probable pitchers in parentheses, with my picks to win
highlighted.
Yesterday’s Picks: 14-1 Season:
985-746
Times EST
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