Scott Baker = Ace

I've noticed that my blog shows up near the top of the list for the google search 'scott baker ace'. Ironically, the post which triggers this high ranking is a questioning of his ability to be the ace of the staff.

There should no longer be any question about that. Consider his stats (with where he ranks in the AL in parentheses):

ERA: 3.45 (8th)
Winning %: .733 (4th, he was 11-4, and keep in mind that he could have easily won a few more games, considering he was on the tough end of three 1-0 games)
WHIP: 1.178 (5th)
Strikeouts to Walks: 3.36 (7th)

He also gave up just a .247 AVG, and strikes outs 7.4 per 9 innings - which puts him just outside top 10. I really look forward to watching him pitch a full season next year as the undisputed ace of the Twins' starting rotation. Sorry for doubting you, Light Rail.

Wow... Really?? I Mean, Really??

Twins general manager Bill Smith, on Livan Hernandez, who improved to 10-6 with a 5.29 earned-run average with Saturday's victory over Texas: "I'll take the (10) wins. Who do you want, a guy who's 10-15 with a 2.80 ERA or a guy who's 16-8 with a 7.00 ERA? I'll take the 16-8."

Source

 

Oh no Bill, not cool... I guess the saying goes 'I'd rather be lucky than good', but as a GM wouldn't you rather draft good, seeing as how it's a little bit more repeatable?

Let's put it this way. If I were to pitch in the major leagues, I'd understandably have a complete inability to get anyone out. I'd give up 96 runs in the first inning, and I'd only start people out when their arms were literally too tired to swing the bat. However, for the sake of this hypothesis, let's also say that my younger brother is toeing the rubber against me. He give up his 342 runs and then he starts walking people. The result is a thrilling 956-872 game, and I end up winning.

Now let's say that the very next day this happens. Scott Baker goes out and gives up 2 hits, one of which happens to be an unlucky home run. He loses because of his offense's innate disability to score runs behind him (this is actually the THIRD time he's lost 1-0 in this not-at-all-hypothetical-all-too-real world).

Who pitched a better game??

Exactly. Wins are overrated. A pitcher can pitch the game of his life, but unless the strikes out every single hitter, he's not in complete control of the outcome - and even then he still has to get some hitting behind him. Seeing how no one has ever done that, (not even Ron Necciai, though that one game was one of the greatest feats anyone has ever accomplished in sports), there has not been a single instance where a pitcher has won a game all by himself. A win is supposed to be a nice indicator of which pitcher pitched better on a given day, but it's a horribly flawed stat. I fear for the Twins, who seemingly have a GM who doesn't grasp that concept at all.

 

Coincidentally, Livan earns his own tag with this post. I'm kind of shocked he didn't already have one. His name has also been added to my computer's dictionary. Truly we live in harrowing times.

Regarding the Minnesota Twins Current Pitching Staff

So, after having calmed down a bit, I've thought over the Santana trade and come to the conclusion that...

Oh dear God... this means Scott Baker is our 'ace' pretty much by default...

Scott Baker... ace...

Just, wow...

Well, hope you prove me wrong, Scotty, but I have the feelign this could be a long season.

Almost Perfect

Yesterday night, after a pitiful first game of the scheduled doubleheader, Scott Baker went out and sat the first 24 batters he faced down without a single one getting on base. Then came a walk, then a hit, but still... one of the best games pitched in baseball this year. Scott was classy in his interview after the game, too.

My viewpoint on Baker had already changed quite a bit from when he was first brought back into the rotation (for the last time, we all assumed at the time, having had a couple of less-than-stellar trips up in previous years). He's pitching with a lot more confidence now, and it's starting to show.

I still have no idea how he gets away with some of his pitches. He's constantly pitching around the plate, which would seem to be sure death for a pitcher with is velocity, but he consistantly gets guys out, strikes out fair numbers, and has probably been our 2nd best pitcher since he caught fire.

This might be a lost season, but that was an awesome game.

---

Michigan 32, Applachian State 34

I'd be remiss to not mention one of the biggest sports upsets of any kind in recent memory. A top 25 team losing to a Divison I-AA?? I don't even follow College Football that much, but that kind of stuff makes you take notice.

Maybe not getting invited to last year's BCS Championship wasn't quite as much of a 'snub' as their fans thought. (Being even a casual Gophers fan, I have to enjoy this...)