Monday, May 24, 2010

May 22-23, Cubs @ Texas WPA Recaps (Games 43 & 44)

May 22: Cubs 5, Rangers 4

Cubs' MVP: Randy Wells (.307 WPA)
On Saturday Randy Wells was pretty darn good, pitching into the ninth inning and only allowing three earned runs. He did give up two home runs in the fourth inning but was superb after that, retiring 14 of the last 16 batters he faced. Wells' FIP and xFIP this season stand at a very healthy 3.32 and 3.35, respectively. He's ready for the bullpen.

Rangers' MVP: Nelson Cruz (.196 WPA)
Nelson Cruz continued his beastly season, going 2-3 with an RBI single and a solo home run. This year Cruz has a .478 wOBA and is OPSing 1.154.

True story: at an Iowa Cubs game in 2008, Nelson Cruz hit an opposite field home run directly at my friend Kevin because Kevin told him to. He also wanted Cruz to point directly at him while he was rounding the bases. Cruz didn't point during his home run trot, but he did when he returned to right field in the bottom half of the inning. Later in the game he hit a mammoth home run to left. That one was all his idea though. I swear this happened.

Cubs' LVP: Aramis Ramirez (-.156 WPA)
It's getting to the point where I can almost copy and paste this daily. In the second inning with a man on second and nobody out, Ramirez popped out in foul territory to Justin Smoak. This would be the offensive highlight of Ramirez's day. He struck out in his next four at bats, including in the bottom of the 10th with the bases loaded. If hitting baseballs were sex, Aramis Ramirez has been neutered.

Rangers' LVP: Darren O'Day (-.388 WPA)
Darren O'Day has been a decent reliever for the Rangers this year, with a 1.02 WHIP and a .219 BAA. He was anything but on Saturday, coughing up the  lead in the 10th and giving up hits to all three batters he faced.

Biggest Hit of the Game
Tyler Colvin leads off the 10th inning with a double (.169 WPA)

Biggest Out of the Game
Sean Marshall strikes out Matt Treanor looking with two men on to end the ninth inning (-.117 WPA)

May 23: Cubs 5, Rangers 4

Cubs' MVP: Sean Marshall (.305 WPA)
Marshall retired Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded to end the seventh inning, then pitched an uneventfuly eighth with two strikeouts to get the ball to Marmol in the ninth.

Rangers' MVP: Michael Young (.270 WPA)
Young supplied most of the Rangers' offense, hitting a two-run home run off Silva in the third then adding an RBI double in the seventh to cut the Cubs' lead to one.

Cubs' LVP: Bob Howry (-.112 WPA)
Gas Can Howry didn't waste much time getting his first LVP as a Cub this season. Nursing a two run lead, he gave up an RBI double to the first batter he faced. He did get a huge out in getting Ian Kinsler to pop up on the infield, but overall Bob Howry did the most to damage the Cubs' chances of winning.

Rangers' LVP: C.J. Wilson (-.255 WPA)
Wilson got knocked around a bit, giving up five runs and allowing 10 baserunners in 5.2 innings.

Biggest Hit of the Game:
Michael Young's double off Bob Howry

Biggest Out of the Game:
Ian Kinsler's pop out in the next at-bat.

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