Who’s the worst team in baseball? Right now without a doubt it’s the Milwaukee Brewers, who sit with a 4-17 record. That’s a .190 winning percentage, making them the only team in MLB with a sub-.200 mark. The next-worst club is the Cleveland Indians, who check in with a .316 winning percentage.
The Brewers were not expected to challenge for a playoff spot this year but no one saw them being this bad. ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicted them to go 78-84 and finish fourth in the five-team NL Central. This is more or less where everyone expected them to finish the year. Four of the five writers at CBS Sports predicted them to finish fourth in the division, too.
So, when might we have known that this wasn’t going to be the Brewers’ year? How about Opening Day, when they lost 10-0 Rockies. It’s never good to get spanked like that in the first game of the year. But what should have been the burning bush was the starting pitcher for the Rockies that day – Kyle Kendrick.
The Rockies were one of the teams allegedly involved in trade talks with the Mets this offseason for a starting pitcher. But apparently, the two clubs could not agree on a swap so Colorado opted to sign free agent pitcher Kendrick to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. Kendrick has made 30 or more starts four times in his career and his lowest ERA in those seasons was the 4.61 mark he put up in 2014.
Maybe the Rockies counted on that as a harbinger of good things to come.
Kendrick hurled seven shutout innings on Opening Day, did not walk a batter and fanned six. His career with the Rockies was off to a flying start. But once he started facing teams that were MLB quality, the results quickly cratered. In four starts since then, Kendrick has an 11.14 ERA with 11 BB and 12 Ks in 21 IP. He’s also allowed 8 HR in that span.
While there’s been no talk about removing Kendrick from the rotation, it’s a safe bet to think that the Rockies need pitching. Actually, that’s always a safe bet. It’s not easy to pitch in Coors Field, a fact made even more difficult when you insist on employing guys who were crappy at sea level.
Just something to keep in mind when thinking about potential future trades involving the Mets.
The Cleveland Indians has next to the worst record? Did SI and others (experts?), pick them to win the World Series?
Tom Verducci strikes again!
http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/03/27/si-mlb-preview-playoff-bracket-indians-world-series
Seriously, SI should vow never to pick Cleveland ever again.
1 down 1 to go.
Kendrick’s regression came after 1 start.
Now we are just waiting for Pelfrey to regress, who is still sporting a 2.25 ERA after 4 starts.
Pelfrey continues to defy reality!
Life is good for the Twins.
2 guys with strikeout rates under 5k/9 and walk rates near 3bb/9, yet ERAs under 3.
The Twins are this year’s version of the 2014 Brewers – the team that got off to a good start without any reason to expect it to last all year. They’re 11th in OPS yet 3rd in runs scored. They have by far the fewest pitcher strikeouts in the league and their defense is below average yet their staff has a league-average ERA.
They are 11 games over .500 after 1/3 of the season has played yet I think if you put the O/U line at 81 wins, it would be wise to take the under.
8 runs over 3.2 innings today.
Regression train is roaring!
Choo Choo. The regression train is back on track.
8 ER over 2+ innings.
ERA up to 3.81