The most impressive thing about the start to this season is the smoking run differential. 32/11. There may be a few questions at the back of the rotation and in the pen, but this offense has gotten out of the gate firing on almost all cylinders.

But here's something to think about--the Mets and the Braves have pretty favorable run differentials (22/13 and 23/14 respectively) as well, though neither has been nearly as potent offensively as the Phillies. The Marlins, by contrast while .500 are 14/21, scoring only one more run than the Nats, and they didn't face Halladay.

Early season stats are way cool. Here's the Phils OPSs right now:

Rollins -- 1.391

Polanco -- 1.466

Utley -- 1.259

Howard -- 1.279

Werth -- .900

Rauuuuullll -- .800

Ruiz -- .897

Victorino -- .311

smitty wrote:Early season stats are way cool. Here's the Phils OPSs right now:
...great numbahs....and then....

Victorino -- .311

hula, per my newly adopted sig line, is due for one hellacious breakout. In fact you all may want to back about 26" off your monitors come gametime

I think the amazing thing at the beginnig of this season is that the #2 team in runs scored in MLB - behind the Phillies - is the Athletics (27). We were all making fun of their lineup on Monday.

Lidge rocked pitching for Clearwater tonight.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phil ... debut.html

Numbers in rehab appearances are perhaps even less meaningful than in Spring Training.

Depends on what number he was hitting on the radar gun. ek said that wasn't so good in the game thread. Not sure where he got that from.

Even that isn't necessarily that important. One of the things that rehab starts are for is building strength back up; it's understandable that a player wouldn't be at full strength early in his rehab stint. If it were his last tuneup appearance prior to rejoining the big club that would be another thing entirely.

Peanut and PoPo the first Phillies since 1900 to have 2+ hits in the first 5 games of the season according to my ESPN ScoreCenter App

slugsrbad wrote:Peanut and PoPo the first Phillies since 1900 to have 2+ hits in the first 5 games of the season according to my ESPN ScoreCenter App

Yeah, and now both are hitless today. Thanks a lot.

TenuredVulture wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:Peanut and PoPo the first Phillies since 1900 to have 2+ hits in the first 5 games of the season according to my ESPN ScoreCenter App

Yeah, and now both are hitless today. Thanks a lot.

I blame the iPhone

slugsrbad wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:Peanut and PoPo the first Phillies since 1900 to have 2+ hits in the first 5 games of the season according to my ESPN ScoreCenter App

Yeah, and now both are hitless today. Thanks a lot.

I blame the iPhone

you'll do no such thing and make it out alive

Barry Jive wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:Peanut and PoPo the first Phillies since 1900 to have 2+ hits in the first 5 games of the season according to my ESPN ScoreCenter App

Yeah, and now both are hitless today. Thanks a lot.

I blame the iPhone

you'll do no such thing and make it out alive

I'm pretty sure I can find an app for that.

ek wrote:lidge hit 91-92 on the gun last night according to cholly

Supposed to be pitching again tomorrow.

TenuredVulture wrote:The most impressive thing about the start to this season is the smoking run differential. 32/11. There may be a few questions at the back of the rotation and in the pen, but this offense has gotten out of the gate firing on almost all cylinders.

But here's something to think about--the Mets and the Braves have pretty favorable run differentials (22/13 and 23/14 respectively) as well, though neither has been nearly as potent offensively as the Phillies. The Marlins, by contrast while .500 are 14/21, scoring only one more run than the Nats, and they didn't face Halladay.

It helps when you face two suck-ass teams

For statheads, Fangraphs has expanded its fielding stats section for each player to include RZR (formerly of Harball times) and +/- Runs Saved (John Dewan/BIS). Pretty cool

If you are already familiar with +/-, the results on Fangraphs are going to look a little different. I guess because they converted the +/- from "plays" to "runs," and also broke it down into categories

All in Runs Above Average:

rSB – Stolen Base Runs Saved (Catchers/Pitchers)
rBU – Bunt Runs Saved (1B/3B)
rGDP – Double Play Runs Saved (2B/SS)
rARM – Outfield Arms Runs Saved
rHR – HR Saving Catch Runs Saved
rPM – Plus Minus Runs Saved
DRS – Total Defensive Runs Saved

They also added 1B scoops under the standard fielding tab

joe table wrote:For statheads, Fangraphs has expanded its fielding stats section for each player to include RZR (formerly of Harball times) and +/- Runs Saved (John Dewan/BIS). Pretty cool

If you are already familiar with +/-, the results on Fangraphs are going to look a little different. I guess because they converted the +/- from "plays" to "runs," and also broke it down into categories

All in Runs Above Average:

rSB – Stolen Base Runs Saved (Catchers/Pitchers)
rBU – Bunt Runs Saved (1B/3B)
rGDP – Double Play Runs Saved (2B/SS)
rARM – Outfield Arms Runs Saved
rHR – HR Saving Catch Runs Saved
rPM – Plus Minus Runs Saved
DRS – Total Defensive Runs Saved

They also added 1B scoops under the standard fielding tab

if you're looking for the 'equivalent' of UZR, then you would look at DRS.

Ed I'm going to start putting together a Phillies vs. Nationals thread.

Our robot is slacking.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, but it seems that defensive metrics are like trying to evaluate hitters based on how they swing the bat.

There are a couple of weird things on the categories for RS, for example only assigning DP runs to middle guys. There are plenty of instances where a 1B or 3B makes a great pickup and quick feed to turn the DP, which several of their counterparts would not, and the execution of the play doesn't have much to do with the actual turn. I am sure they count those for corner guys in the plus minus runs, but seems weird not to give them extra credit for DPs, like the system does for the middle guys

Also I'm not really comfortable with SBRs above or below average with catchers. SBs are often completely a consequence of the pitcher. If they wanted to add in some specific criteria, like only counting attempts where the pitcher was slidestepping or taking out steals on first movement with a LHP, then I think the stat could have more meaning