Just the Stats: Back at it Again

The following statistics are completely true pieces of information. Use them at your own risk. Results may vary.

Derek Jeter’s Monumental Defensive Downfall

Days before Derek Jeter’s #2 hangs in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium forever, let’s take a look at the sabermetric community’s posterchild for defensive inability. This also may be the first time that the disclaimer to start Just the Stats is actually required. Use this piece of information carefully, as it will probably fall on deaf ears. In all of Jeter’s glory as a New York Yankee – five World Series championships, 3,465 hits, Rookie of the Year, five Gold Gloves, among other accolades – his one downfall has been his defense. Consider that in 2005, when he won his second Gold Glove at shortstop, Jeter actually cost the Yankees 27 runs. His -27 Defensive Runs Saved are the fourth-lowest by a shortstop in MLB history – and he won a Gold Glove. Seeing is not always believing, folks.

The Two Greatest Words in Sports – Game Seven
It’s everything you could ever hope for. Bigger than the first six since it’s do-or-die. Bigger than an NFL playoff game since six battles have come and gone. The Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks square off in the first Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and there’s one path for the Oilers to upset the top team in the Pacific – score early and often, something they had no problem doing in Game 6. Five first-period tallies upped the Oilers’ total to 12 first-period goals, tops in the NHL in the postseason. Combine that with the Ducks’ 13 goals allowed in the first frame, and the recipe for success is there. Even if you take away the five-goal barrage to open Game 6, the Ducks would still be tied for the playoff lead in first-period goals allowed.

An Appropriate Time to Revel in Randy Johnson’s Excellence
On the day after the 16-year anniversary of his 20-strikeout performance (which doesn’t even officially count, since the game went to extra innings, despite him pitching 9.0 innings), it’s worth reminding every one of Randy Johnson’s Baseball-Reference page. As a Red Sox fan, I have to side with Pedro Martinez for Greatest Pitcher of My Lifetime. But just look at the bold on Johnson’s page. A four-year stretch from 1999-2002 saw him record 1,417 strikeouts. Three of those years, he threw at least eight complete games. He’s thrown the 38th-most innings all-time (4,135.1), which is even higher when you consider that half the pitchers ahead of him pitched prior to World War II. And every time you bring up Randy Johnson, you have to bring up the poor bird that got obliterated by one of his fastballs.

Matt Tardiff is the resident stathead at Chin Music Pod and is proud of the game he struck out nine in a high school varsity baseball game. So what if he allowed eight runs? They were all unearned. For more trips to the glory days, follow @StatTardiff and like ChinMusicPod.com on Facebook.