Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

- The difference between first and last in the AL East is the road record. The home record for Baltimore is 17-14 and the home record for Tampa Bay is 16-14 (1/2 game difference). The difference in road records is huge. Baltimore is a league best 18-8 while Tampa Bay is a league worst 4-23 - thus Tampa Bay trails Baltimore by 15 games. Baltimore is the only team in the AL East with a winning road record. That's why they are in first.

- Danny Haren of the A's is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last two starts. Prior to this Haren was 1-7 with a 5.02 ERA. The big difference is control. In his last two starts Haren hasn't walked anyone while striking out 9. Before - he had 27 walks and 46 K's. If Haren can harness this control and Harden comes back and pitches the way he was pitching before he went on the DL and finally if Barry Zito continues his improvement - then it is probably too early to count out the A's as many people are doing. Huston Street looks like the real deal at closer and Eric Chavez is coming around. The A's need a big bat and Bill Beane isn't shy on pulling the trigger on a deal. Don't count out the A's yet.

- Let's take a look at Randy Johnson vs. Javier Vazquez

Johnson: 5-5 / 4.07 ERA / 84 IP / 73 K / 20 BB / 12 HR
Vazquez: 5-4 / 4.38 ERA / 78 IP / 69 K / 8 BB / 8 HR

Pretty even except you have to remember the salaries involved and the fact that the Diamondbacks also got Brad Halsey (4-3 and 3.48 ERA) plus a top prospect. Good deal for Arizona - bad deal for the Yankees.

- Nobody illustrates the power of Coors Field better than oufielder Matt Holliday. Here's his splits for this year:

Coors: .376 BA / 3 HR / 16 RBI / .417 OBP / .604 SLG / 27 G
Road: .213 BA / 1 HR / 7 RBI / .283 OBP / .281 SLG / 25 G

Holliday is a decent player for your fantasy baseball team if you only play him at home.