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Prospectus Hit List for May 15



by Matthew Kory

Hit List for May 14 Hit List for May 16
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.

San Diego achieves something special!

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

22

14

21.2

19.9

19.2

.572

.552

37.9%

23.5%

61.4%

2.6%

2.3%

This is the fifth year Dan Uggla's one-act play, "Spinning Like a Top Between Good and Only Okay" is performing nightly at ballparks around the nation.
2

16

19

18.1

18.6

17.7

.503

.523

23.4%

33.3%

56.7%

2.3%

-0.6%

David Ortiz' OPS against left-handed pitching from 2008 to present: .741, .716, .599, .989, 1.139.
3

20

15

19.5

19.6

18.9

.557

.577

58.7%

24.9%

83.6%

2.2%

5.5%

Raul Ibanez was hurt by a pitch last night. We don't root for anyone to get hurt here at Hit List, but we do acknowledge that sometimes a player can best help his team from the safe distance of the disabled list, SSS .543 slugging percentage or not.
4

24

11

21.6

21.7

21.7

.636

.617

24.4%

7.8%

32.2%

2.2%

12.8%

Ian Kennedy was so intent on brushing Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw back that he walked him. So Kershaw returned the favor two innings later.
5

17

19

17.9

17.3

18.3

.489

.469

36.7%

24.1%

60.7%

2.1%

2.9%

In win, Blanton baffles Astros, coaches, scouts, analysts, statisticians, physicists, pitching experts, reporters, own mother, and guy by the bathroom in a nice restaurant.
6

15

20

14.3

14.6

14.8

.419

.400

20.1%

34.5%

54.5%

1.8%

3.0%

Sure, a Brewers team with playoff expectations is in last place, but that doesn't make them any different than the Angels, Red Sox, or Phillies.
7

17

18

16.6

15.6

14.8

.457

.477

64.6%

10.9%

75.5%

1.7%

5.3%

Luke Putkonen blew the lead and gave up three runs in a third of an inning. His name is almost the solution for him. "Put Cone In!" "Who is Cone?" "I don't care. Anybody but this guy!"
8

18

17

17.4

17.4

17.5

.502

.482

20.2%

21.7%

41.9%

1.0%

1.7%

Some criticized the Marlins for not signing Albert Pujols, relegating themselves to Gaby Sanchez at first base. Sanchez' OPS: 550. Pujols' OPS: 510. Now we know: there was no right answer.
9

20

15

15.9

16.0

17.7

.497

.477

2.8%

6.6%

9.3%

0.8%

-0.1%

David Wright is the only player on the Mets with 50 at-bats and a slugging percentage above .430.
10

19

17

17.3

16.1

16.3

.476

.496

0.0%

1.3%

1.4%

0.5%

0.4%

Which is stranger, that Josh Reddick is hitting .289/.340/.549 or that Ryan Sweeney, the guy they traded for him, is hitting .333/.364/.468.
11

17

18

14.7

13.7

15.0

.431

.411

0.3%

1.3%

1.5%

0.4%

0.2%

The Pirates became the last team to reach 100 runs scored. This is subject to change should one of the players score the little known negative run by going backwards around the bases.
12

23

13

25.5

26.3

26.0

.700

.717

82.7%

14.1%

96.8%

0.3%

0.4%

Forget that the Rangers have outscored every team in baseball thus far, and focus on the fact that they've allowed the fewest runs in the American League. OK, now remember the first thing. Impressive, huh?
13

14

20

14.6

14.0

13.8

.415

.435

0.3%

0.3%

0.6%

0.2%

-0.0%

Fortune from a Kansas City-area Chinese buffet: The wise man pays no attention to his young pitcher's arm pain.
14

10

25

10.6

11.7

11.9

.316

.333

0.6%

0.4%

1.0%

0.2%

-0.1%

You know how they say any team can beat a pennant winner on a given night? The Twins are any team, but it isn't a given night.
15

22

14

19.3

18.3

17.5

.535

.555

0.8%

2.8%

3.5%

0.2%

-0.9%

The Orioles lead all of baseball in grounding into double plays. Buck Showalter's extra double play practice during spring training has paid off.
16

19

17

19.7

18.5

17.6

.520

.540

1.3%

4.9%

6.2%

0.2%

-0.3%

Brandon Morrow's no-hitter through four became a lots-of-runners through five.
17

15

20

15.4

16.9

19.2

.476

.456

0.3%

2.2%

2.5%

0.1%

-0.1%

Instead of signing Albert Pujols, Cubs GM Theo Epstein simply trapped his soul in a zip-lock baggie, distilled it into a liquid, and then injected it into lifetime minor leaguer Bryan LaHair. That's how you save $300 million.
18

15

20

17.7

16.6

17.6

.478

.458

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Is it possible the Houston Astros are not as bad as we all thought they were? It is now officially possible that it's possible.
19

16

21

17.0

16.7

16.4

.446

.466

0.1%

0.7%

0.7%

0.0%

0.2%

Mariners hitters have been hit by a pitch twice this season. Twenty-eight different hitters have been hit more, including Kelly Shoppach who has been hit four times in 49 plate appearances.
20

13

21

15.3

13.1

14.3

.410

.390

8.8%

3.5%

12.3%

-0.2%

-1.9%

A foul ball by Dexter Fowler (should have seen that coming, huh?) struck Troy Tulowitzki in the leg, forcing Tulowitzki to leave the game. Go back and watch the video if you're curious what a $157 million foul ball looks like.
21

18

17

17.0

17.6

18.2

.506

.486

34.5%

7.4%

41.9%

-0.2%

-4.2%

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford has a .573 OPS, has struck out 21 times to five walks and hasn't stolen a base but has been caught twice. This is called a "bad start."
22

15

21

16.2

17.4

19.7

.474

.455

23.6%

6.8%

30.4%

-0.7%

-4.2%

You'd think the Diamondbacks' problem would be scoring, but no. Well, yes, but maybe more pressingly only the Mets, Rockies, and Brewers have given up more runs.
23

18

16

17.7

15.3

16.1

.494

.474

13.5%

30.4%

43.9%

-0.9%

-1.9%

Joey Votto hit no home runs yesterday but, thanks to the three he hit Sunday, the world continued to rotate on its axis.
24

17

19

18.1

19.0

18.7

.506

.526

9.8%

8.1%

17.9%

-0.9%

0.3%

Gordon Beckham is not related to David Beckham in any way except that he can bend pitches around his bat.
25

12

24

14.1

13.5

15.2

.381

.362

8.6%

3.7%

12.3%

-1.2%

-2.0%

Trivia buffs, make a mental note: Bryce Harper's first homer came off the Padres. It's nice when an organization that can't win a World Series takes it upon themselves to help others achieve their dreams.
26

22

14

19.6

19.3

19.0

.554

.574

15.8%

30.0%

45.8%

-1.3%

-1.2%

Luke Scott may be sporting a lackluster .292 OBP, but at some undetermined but nearby point in time his facial hair will swallow his face. So that's something to look forward to.
27

15

21

15.9

16.0

14.1

.424

.443

17.2%

52.8%

70.0%

-2.1%

-5.3%

The Angels bullpen has the fewest strikeouts (60) of any bullpen in baseball. Maybe Albert Pujols can help.
28

20

15

23.8

24.6

23.7

.658

.640

65.8%

21.6%

87.4%

-2.9%

-1.9%

Is there an organization that turns a scrap heap into above-average players better than the Cardinals? A report that Busch Stadium is made from old shopping bags, discarded cardboard fruit boxes, and used gum wouldn't be surprising.
29

19

16

16.0

17.4

15.9

.488

.508

24.7%

15.6%

40.2%

-3.6%

-3.6%

Fact 1: Johnny Damon was not in the lineup. Fact 2: The Indians won. Coincidence? Probably yes!
30

22

13

19.8

22.7

22.5

.621

.602

2.5%

4.9%

7.4%

-4.9%

-6.6%

As Bryce Harper crossed home plate after hitting his first major league home run, he stopped, put his head back, and double-pointed at himself. OK, he didn't really do any of that. But he should have.