Prospectus Hit List for August 29
Hit List for August 27
Hit List for September 3
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.
| Rk |  Tm | W | L | W1 | W2 | W3 | HLF | AHLF | Win Div% | Win WC% | Playoff% | 1-Day | 7-Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 80 | 53 | 77.7 | 81.8 | 81.2 | .603 | .622 | 70.4% | 29.5% | 99.9% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Already two games over last season’s 78 wins, Mike Scioscia is stoking the killer spirit by instituting a paid pregame nap. | |||||||||||||
| 2 |  | 55 | 78 | 55.4 | 56.4 | 56.2 | .419 | .400 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| While the Diamondbacks lead baseball in triples, it should be noted that MLB.com doesn’t record the number of times a player was thrown out trying to grit a double into a triple. | |||||||||||||
| 3 |  | 70 | 64 | 70.1 | 68.7 | 68.7 | .518 | .498 | 6.2% | 40.0% | 46.2% | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Poor Jonny Venters is on course to get his own surgery. | |||||||||||||
| 4 |  | 76 | 56 | 73.3 | 72.2 | 72.5 | .557 | .577 | 96.8% | 1.1% | 97.9% | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| Adam Jones' steal of home consisted of a throw through on a steal of second and a dropped return throw. A mistake undone by greater incompetence: the Orioles season in microcosm. | |||||||||||||
| 5 |  | 58 | 75 | 58.5 | 59.5 | 60.3 | .444 | .464 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| The Red Sox have grounded into 118 double plays or, as the kids call ‘em, 118 playsplays. Man, kids are so stupid nowadays. | |||||||||||||
| 6 |  | 60 | 73 | 58.8 | 58.4 | 58.1 | .442 | .462 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| Jose Abreu is the best number 79 in White Sox history. He’s also got no competition, but if he wanted some he could drop down six and kick Tony Phillips’ butt. | |||||||||||||
| 7 |  | 59 | 74 | 60.8 | 66.2 | 66.1 | .474 | .454 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | -0.0% | 0.0% |
| Will the Cubs sign Jon Lester? The Mythbusters investigate by blowing up a mobile home! | |||||||||||||
| 8 |  | 65 | 69 | 68.2 | 63.9 | 64.7 | .488 | .468 | 0.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Despite two singles and two walks, Billy Hamilton only stole one base. He’s such a tease. | |||||||||||||
| 9 |  | 68 | 64 | 68.0 | 68.3 | 67.1 | .514 | .534 | 3.8% | 5.6% | 9.4% | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| The Indians did to the White Sox exactly what Indian people have done with white socks throughout history: put them on their feet and wear them until they are used up and then discard them. Historical burn! | |||||||||||||
| 10 |  | 53 | 80 | 59.2 | 60.9 | 58.1 | .432 | .413 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Remember when Charlie Blackmon was awesome? Ah, three months ago, we hardly knew ye… | |||||||||||||
| 11 |  | 72 | 60 | 69.1 | 71.2 | 70.3 | .535 | .555 | 44.4% | 23.5% | 68.0% | 9.8% | -1.1% |
| The Yankees had nine consecutive hits off David Price who, somewhere around six, probably figured ‘what the heck, I’m riding this train and seein' where it goes.’ | |||||||||||||
| 12 |  | 57 | 78 | 57.8 | 57.0 | 58.8 | .427 | .447 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Can the Astros still sign Brady Aiken? Sure, if he feels like spending next summer selling cotton candy and cracker jack! | |||||||||||||
| 13 |  | 74 | 59 | 69.7 | 63.7 | 64.5 | .511 | .531 | 51.7% | 21.0% | 72.8% | -8.0% | -0.8% |
| The Royals have struck out less than any team in baseball, and 125 fewer times than the second place A’s. Like my little league coach said, just hit it and these stupid kids will mess it up. He wasn’t a very nice coach. | |||||||||||||
| 14 |  | 76 | 58 | 73.3 | 76.6 | 74.8 | .561 | .541 | 87.3% | 11.9% | 99.2% | -0.0% | 2.2% |
| MLB.com says Clayton Kershaw’s latest win “didn’t come easy.” He struck out 10 against two walks and allowed one run in eight innings. Kershaw is not only having an amazing season, he’s redefining phrases. | |||||||||||||
| 15 |  | 65 | 67 | 63.0 | 62.9 | 62.5 | .480 | .460 | 0.2% | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.5% | -1.9% |
| Giancarlo Stanton has scored 83 runs and driven in 97. The Marlins have scored 538. | |||||||||||||
| 16 |  | 73 | 60 | 70.7 | 69.7 | 69.4 | .532 | .512 | 52.4% | 30.3% | 82.6% | -2.2% | -7.7% |
| The Brewers have seen the fewest pitches in baseball, just 18,274, which is the same number of times I’ve looked at the standings this season, seen the Brewers in first, and thought “No way!” | |||||||||||||
| 17 |  | 59 | 74 | 62.8 | 62.1 | 61.8 | .462 | .482 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| What is your name? What day is it? Is the light on in this room? Is scoring six runs off Bruce Chen an accomplishment? Ah ha! I knew it! | |||||||||||||
| 18 |  | 69 | 63 | 63.0 | 62.7 | 63.0 | .488 | .508 | 2.7% | 5.6% | 8.4% | -2.9% | 3.6% |
| When Stephen Drew re-signs with Boston next season his .538 OPS with the Yankees will make more sense. | |||||||||||||
| 19 |  | 62 | 72 | 65.6 | 61.2 | 61.5 | .467 | .447 | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| You’d think the Mariners could use a pinch-hitter, but it looks like the Mets aren’t going to trade Bartolo Colon. | |||||||||||||
| 20 |  | 78 | 55 | 84.3 | 83.0 | 82.5 | .616 | .635 | 29.3% | 70.1% | 99.4% | -0.3% | 0.5% |
| Josh Donaldson’s season might not be enough to put him in the MVP conversation unless the voters consider a little-noted clause about the “awesomeness” of a player’s hairstyle. | |||||||||||||
| 21 |  | 61 | 72 | 59.3 | 59.2 | 60.3 | .451 | .431 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| The Phillies will owe Cliff Lee $37.5 million next season whether he pitches or not, so you have about a year and a month to wear that Cliff Lee t-shirt, Phillies fans. | |||||||||||||
| 22 |  | 69 | 64 | 67.7 | 69.5 | 70.5 | .520 | .500 | 7.1% | 23.3% | 30.3% | -4.0% | 8.5% |
| Normally, winning a series against St. Louis would be huge now, but they’re not in first place. GET DOWN, MILWAUKEE! BAD TEAM! VERY BAD! | |||||||||||||
| 23 |  | 62 | 70 | 63.6 | 59.7 | 60.1 | .465 | .445 | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| Yangervis Solarte went from Yankee Stadium to Petco Park and his OPS went up 28 points. The only logical explanation: Now freed from John Sterling’s singing, he can really shine. | |||||||||||||
| 24 |  | 72 | 60 | 78.2 | 75.9 | 75.2 | .571 | .590 | 0.3% | 42.4% | 42.7% | -2.2% | 1.6% |
| Eddie Vedder, Jack White, and Paul Simon took in a Mariners game recently. Nice try, but the team hasn’t made it until you see Magic Johnson in a field box. | |||||||||||||
| 25 |  | 71 | 62 | 71.5 | 73.1 | 72.5 | .538 | .519 | 12.7% | 60.6% | 73.3% | 2.6% | 6.9% |
| Tim Lincecum To The Bullpen Street was brought to you today by the letter L and by the number 4.64. That’s a decimal! Ha ha! | |||||||||||||
| 26 |  | 71 | 61 | 64.6 | 68.5 | 68.3 | .516 | .496 | 40.4% | 26.7% | 67.2% | -2.2% | -10.3% |
| The Cardinals have been hit by a major-league-leading 69 pitches. How funny would it be if they were consecutive? | |||||||||||||
| 27 |  | 65 | 69 | 68.8 | 73.6 | 73.5 | .524 | .544 | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% | -0.3% | -0.9% |
| The Tigers are 2-3 when David Price pitches while the Rays are 2-3 on days he pitches for Detroit. | |||||||||||||
| 28 |  | 52 | 81 | 52.4 | 49.9 | 52.0 | .388 | .407 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Texas leads baseball in getting caught stealing because baseball is all about achievement. | |||||||||||||
| 29 |  | 67 | 66 | 66.3 | 66.6 | 66.1 | .500 | .520 | 0.4% | 0.9% | 1.3% | -0.1% | -4.0% |
| Marcus Stroman is as good as people said he was! Sadly, so are the Blue Jays. | |||||||||||||
| 30 |  | 75 | 57 | 77.6 | 76.7 | 75.8 | .578 | .558 | 93.6% | 4.4% | 98.0% | -0.3% | -0.9% |
| Dear Nats, that was fun and all but it’s football season now so we’ll check back in after the Super Bowl. Hope things turn out well! Love, DC | |||||||||||||
It's Friday, Friday, gotta chuckle on Friday.