Oakland Romp is Tribute to Parity in 2017

Could the 1927 Browns have done to the 1927 Yankees what the 2017 A’s just did to the 2017 Astros? Nor likely. – Talent parity is far better today.

Astros*Notes

The A’s did it, finishing the 4-game, first-time ever, series sweep of the Astros by 10-2, producing some tabs worthy of a baseball house of horrors

For the A’s: 4 wins in 4 tries; 41 runs on 51 hits – and 11 homers!

A’s 11 HR in 4-Game Series vs. Astros, Sep. 8-10, 2017

HR#/G#	INN	BATTER	B L/R	RUNS	0UTS	PITCHER	T L/R
1/1	2^nd	Matt Chapman	BR	2	1	Collin McHugh	TR
2/1	3^rd	Matt Joyce	BL	1	0	Collin McHugh	TR
3/1	7^TH	Marcus Semien	BR	4	0	Luke Gregerson	TR
4/1	9^th	Boog Powell	BL	1	0	Ben Giles	TR
5/3	6^TH	Matt Olson	BL	2	0	Brad Peacock	TR
6/3	7^TH	Chad Pinder	BR	1	2	Chris Devenski	TR
7/3	8^TH	Chad Pinder	BR	3	2	Michael Feliz	TR
8/4	5^TH	Matt Chapman	BR	1	0	Dallas Keuchel	TL
9/4	7^TH	Ryan Healy	BR	2	1	Francis Martes	TR
10/4	8^th	Boog Powell	BL	2	2	Luke Gregerson	TR
11/4	8^TH	Matt Olson	BL	2	2	Tony Sipp	TL

Two Basic Observations from the Chart’s Data:

(There are many others there, simply awaiting your own excavations.)

1.) 7 of of the 11 HR were yielded by relievers;

2.) 21 of the 41 total runs scored by the A’s came on these charted long balls;

One Overlayed Subjective Observation:

This series screams at the overall parity of talent that spreads today from MLB’s alleged best to worst teams. The 1927 St. Louis Browns never could have done this kind of job in a series with the 1927 New York Yankees if you had spotted them four strikes and four outs per inning. The talent simply was not there within the Browns to get the job done. Assuming that to be true, it does make it easier for a new ownership of a failed performance franchise today to sell the idea to fans that a quick return to serious competition is both possible and probable – with good management and money thrown at the identified solutions. Back in the 1920s, clubs like the A’s did what the old Browns and Senators also actually did. They survived by selling their best players, simply to pay the rent and light bills.

The Damage Tab to the Juice that Squeezed from Houston Strong/Verlander:

Plans for purchasing the Buffalo Bayou Bridge at the foot of Main and painting it orange and deep blue in honor of the 2017 World Series Champions, the Houston Astros, have been put on serious hold.

Three Positive Getaway Thoughts:

The Astros will not lose today. Monday is a day off;
No matter what, as always, the sun will come up tomorrow, just as it did today, as long as our personal time is not up; and,
The hope for something beautiful is the future’s gift to the present.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST STANDINGS

THRU GAMES OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

RANK	AL WEST	W	L	PCT.	GB
1	ASTROS	86	57	.601
2	ANGELS	73	70	.510	13.0
3	RANGERS	71	71	.500	14.5
4	MARINERS	71	72	.497	15.0
5	ATHLETICS	63	80	.441	23

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AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST GAME SCORES

THRU GAMES OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

ATHLETICS 10 – ASTROS 2

YANKEES 16 – RANGERS 7

ANGELS 5 – MARINERS 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

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BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	BA
1	JOSE ALTUVE	HOU	538	189	38	4	23	.351
2	ERIC HOSMER	KC	534	175	27	1	24	.328
3	AVISAIL GARCIA	CWS	447	144	22	4	16	.322
4	JOSH REDDICK	HOU	441	139	30	3	13	.315
NR*	CARLOS CORREA	HOU	532	164	48	6	25	.307
5	JOSE RAMERIZ	CLE	529	162	47	6	25	.306
6	ELVIS ANDRUS	TEX	569	174	41	4	20	.306
7	JONATHAN SCHOOP	BAL	548	167	33	0	31	.305
8	JJOE MAUER	MIN	458	139	32	1	6	.303
9	JOSE ABREU	CWS	550	166	37	5	31	.302
10	JEAN SEGURA	SEA	470	141	28	2	9	.300

RANK	OTHER TOP 40 ASTROS	TEAM	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	BA
13	MARWIN GONZALEZ	HOU	404	119	28	0	21	.295
15	GEORGE SPRINGER	HOU	482	141	25	0	31	.293
20	YULI GURRIEL	HOU	473	136	36	1	17	.288
22	ALEX BREGMAN	HOU	490	139	34	5	16	.284

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS TEMPORARILY REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

Tags: Oakland Romp is Tribute to Parity in 2017

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4 Responses to “Oakland Romp is Tribute to Parity in 2017”

Larry Dierker Says:
September 11, 2017 at 4:47 pm | Reply
Most home runs are hit off fat pitches, not low breaking balls or fastballs up and in and low and away. In my opinion, it comes down to one “C” — Command. Command of one’s mental and emotional state and the strike zone. If you don’t have command today’s hitters will hit home runs. And, oftentimes they will hit them with men on base who have walked because you don’t have command. Shitcan the radar guns! Velocity is a hood ornament. The steering wheel is the thing.
- Tom Hunter Says:
  September 11, 2017 at 9:12 pm | Reply
  “Shitcan the radar guns! Velocity is a hood ornament. The steering wheel is the thing.”
  
  Great line, Larry. I hope you don’t mind if I steal it in my friendly arguments with friends here in Denver about the importance of command over speed. I’ll even preface it with “As Larry Dierker says . . .”
Bruce Biundo Says:
September 11, 2017 at 8:38 pm | Reply
Did you send this in response to my message? I received this earlier and responded with what I thought was a humorous comment. Bruce
- Bill McCurdy Says:
  September 11, 2017 at 11:48 pm | Reply
  What Bruce Biundo said to me by e-mail was quite fitting:
  
  “I was thinking more poor play by defensive backs giving up too many easy touchdowns.” – Bruce Biundo.
  
  Bruce – I just came in from being away from these keys for most of the day. To see your comment here first in the future, please leave it here first as your own comment. If you send it to me as an e-mail, no matter how early I get it, it cannot go public until I see it and then decide to post it.
  
  E-mail is for personal communication. A direct post here is for public comment. You are not the only one who has mistaken the two – and that’s why I’m responding here to your public inquiry.
  
  Thanks!