AL Central Watch

[grandy]

Record-wise, the AL Central isn't looking completely terrible against other divisions.

 

[grandy]

Updated

Minnesota beats Texas, Texas is now on a 5-game losing streak

 

[biggunsbob]

Right after the all star game the White Sox have 16 of the next 19 games on the road. The Tigers have 12 of the next 19 games on the road and the Indians have 16 of the first 23 on the road..Hopefully we can make up some decent ground then..

 

[grandy]

Waiting for the conclusion of the Jays-Sox game. If the Jays hold their lead, the Tigers will be 3.5 back at the break and half a game behind the Indians.

The 5-2 stretch wasn't a total waste for the Tigers, they may not have gained much ground, if any, in the central but they are now 2 games back of a wild card spot.

 

[grandy]

I will also be posting my best and worst AL Central players of the first half.

 

[manchild98]

Standings at the All Star Break

Sox 47-38
Indians 44-41 3 GB
Tigers 44-42 3.5 GB
Royals 37-47 9.5 GB
Twins 36-48 10.5 GB

Tigers are 2 games out of the wild card and trail 4 teams.

 

[grandy]

Alright, here's my best and worst of the AL Central for the first half of 2012 (based on players who had significant playing time).

Best Hitter
Austin Jackson (Tigers) - 64 G, 289 PA, 9 HR, 38 RBI, .332 AVG, .408 OBP, .545 SLG, .953 OPS, .409 wOBA, 160 wRC+, 4.0 WAR

Best Hitter - Runner Up
Paul Konerko (White Sox) - 77 G, 322 PA, 14 HR, 42 RBI, .329 AVG, .404 OBP, .528 SLG, .932 OPS, .399 wOBA, 151 wRC+, 2.2 WAR

Best Starter
Justin Verlander (Tigers) - 18 GS (9-5), 132.2 IP, 4.27 K/BB, 5.8% BB%, 24.8% K%, 2.58 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, .198 OppAVG, 3.31 xFIP, 3.8 WAR

Best Starter - Runner Up
Chris Sale (White Sox) - 15 GS (10-2), 102.2 IP, 3.92 K/BB, 6.3% BB%, 24.7% K%, 2.19 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, .197 OppAVG, 3.24 xFIP, 3.5 WAR

Best Reliever
Chris Perez (Indians) - 33 G, 24/26 Sv/SvO, 32.1 IP, 5.00 K/BB, 5.5% BB%, 25.0% K%, 3.34 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, .227 OppAVG, 3.26 xFIP, 1.1 WAR

Best Reliever - Runner Up
Joaquin Benoit (Tigers) - 40 G, 1/1 Sv/SvO, 20 Holds, 40 IP, 3.40 K/BB, 9.2% BB%, 31.1% K%, 2.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, .208 OppAVG, 3.03 xFIP, 0.9 WAR



Worst Hitter
Brennan Boesch (Tigers) - 79 G, 318 PA, 8 HR, 31 RBI, .243 AVG, .277 OBP, .365 SLG, .642 OPS, .279 wOBA, 71 wRC+, -1.4 WAR

Worst Starter
Ubaldo Jimenez (Indians) - 17 GS (8-7), 102 IP, 1.33 K/BB, 12.9% BB%, 17.1% K%, 4.50 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, .247 OppAVG, 5.07 xFIP, 0.1 WAR

Worst Reliever
Jeff Gray (Twins) - 34 G (5-0, somehow), 1 Hold, 36.2 IP, 1.13 K/BB, 9.8% BB%, 11.0% K%, 3.93 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .253 OppAVG, 5.03 xFIP, -0.2 WAR

Valverde was a very close 2nd.

Feel free to post your own and/or disagree (I did not feel particularly good about posting my best relievers, mainly due to the small amount of innings pitched).

Some of these numbers may be off a few. Fangraphs has not updated yet (I did use their live numbers for players that did play today) and any Twins players posted have yet to play today.

 

[tomdalton22]

Brutal start to the 2nd half.
@ Balt
4 vs LAA
3 vs Sox
3 @ Cle
3 @ Tor
3@ Bos
3 vs Cle
4 vs NYY

28 game in a row vs teams currently at or above .500

 

[thehippo73]

Brutal start to the 2nd half.
@ Balt
4 vs LAA
3 vs Sox
3 @ Cle
3 @ Tor
3@ Bos
3 vs Cle
4 vs NYY

28 game in a row vs teams currently at or above .500

A little misleading since every team in the AL except KC, Minny and Seattle are at or above .500

I agree it look like a tough stretch. This will go a long ways in determining if the Tigers can win the division.

 

[tomdalton22]

A little misleading since every team in the AL except KC, Minny and Seattle are at or above .500

I agree it look like a tough stretch. This will go a long ways in determining if the Tigers can win the division.

I didn't realize that many teams were at or above .500. Odd

 

[grandy]

Regular season play resumes tonight.

Chicago is in KC for the only divisional match-up of the weekend.

Cleveland heads off to Toronto

Detroit is in Baltimore

Minnesota is hosting Brandon Inge and the As

 

[biggunsbob]

Chicago has 16 of the next 19 on the road.. They have 10 away then a fast 3 game home stand and then 6 away again... Hopefully we can make up some ground...

 

[tomdalton22]

Chicago has 16 of the next 19 on the road.. They have 10 away then a fast 3 game home stand and then 6 away again... Hopefully we can make up some ground...

but 9 of those 19 are against MN and KC

 

[jas5lf]

Regular season play resumes tonight.

Minnesota is hosting Brandon Inge and the As

What an honor for the Twins.

 

[manchild98]

We're 8-2 over our last 10 games but we were only able to gain one game a piece on the Sox and Indians.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.freep.com/article/201207...-second-half?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Detroit Tigers
Tough teams await Tigers in second half.
from the freep

The Tigers are set to play their next 28 games against teams currently .500 or better. Of the Tigers' remaining 75 games, 56 are against clubs at or above .500.

 

[Mitchrapp]

We're 8-2 over our last 10 games but we were only able to gain one game a piece on the Sox and Indians.

Better than losing ground.

 

[grandy]

We're 8-2 over our last 10 games but we were only able to gain one game a piece on the Sox and Indians.

8-2 has actually been great for them, 0.5 back of a wild card spot.

 

[grandy]

Rejoice everyone, the Tigers have found their way into 2nd place...the first time since May 18th.

 

[grandy]

Detroit moves a game closer to 1st
Cleveland is sticking around half a game back of us
KC is having a terrible month
Apparently Minnesota took their 5-game losing streak frustration out on Baltimore tonight