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Not really germane to this post, Spec, but I tried to post the following in the shoutbox and it wouldn't take. So I put it here:
I was looking over team and player stats this morning, and maybe I'm just too optimistic, but I was pretty darned encouraged. As a pitching staff, we rank 3rd in the AL in xFIP, the best indicator of how the staff will do going forward. We are 8th in FIP, and when it comes to pitching, all indications are that we are only going to get better, and could get REALLY better.
The hitting isn't so hot, but looking behind the numbers, I think we've had quite a bit of bad luck this season. We are 6th in walks, and 8th in isolated slugging. So we are hitting the ball hard and working the walks to get on base. But our BABIP is next to the bottom at .281 (Toronto is at .280 - we may pass them up). League average BABIP is .297. Imagine if we were league average in BABIP this season. Again, I see nowhere to go but up here as well. We have horrible baserunning and defensive problems, but we are well on the way to fixing both. I see no reason why we can't see dramatic improvements next season. Frankly, I don't think we realize just how good we are. I see Oakland leading the league, and all I think about is how much be beat up on them all season. I don't feel inferior to them, talent wise, at all.