A Grain of Salt

March 31, 2009 | mriehn | Comments 1

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by Michael Riehn
Whiteyball Staff

Spring Training

Does your perception match reality when it comes to Spring Training?  A quick look at the statistics this morning made me a little surprised at what I found.  I read quite a bit about spring training, but usually only take a glancing view of the statistics.  Mostly this is because Spring Training stats don’t necessarily add up to a good season, but partly because I feel I get good coverage reading about the Cardinals on a daily basis.

How would you do?  Take a few minutes to answer the following Spring Training Trivia questions and see how many you get right (answers are after the jump):

Let’s play Cardinal Spring Training Trivia!

Questions:
1.  Who is leading the Cardinals in on base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS)?
2.  Which player is leading the team in on base percentage with a minimum 35 AB?
3.  Who has a better OPS (On base percentage plus slugging percentage); Colby Rasmus or Chris Duncan?
4.  Who leads the Cardinal pitchers in strikeouts?
5.  Which Cardinal has given up 7 home runs?
6.  What relief pitcher has pitched 10 1/3 innings with an  ERA of 0.87?
7.  Kyle McClellan has a Spring ERA of 9.00.  What is his record?
8.  Joe Thurston, Brian Barden and Brendan Ryan are all fighting for the last spot on the team  Who has the worst OPS?
9.  Aside from Khalil Greene’s ridiculous spring (.418 BA, .438 OBP, .552 SLG), what hitter is running a close second for the ‘Cardinals MVP’ during Spring Training?
10.  Which two pitchers lead the team in losses (tied with 2)

Answers after the jump:

Now let’s see how many you get right.

Answers:
1.  Technically this is Allen Craig.  He hit .444/.531/.667 before being sent down (with only 27 at bats).

2.  Khalil Greene has an OBP of .438 (He had a .260 OBP last year)

3.  Colby Rasmus has a better OPS.  Rasmus (.795 OPS), Chris Duncan (.777 OPS).
Perception has been that Chris Duncan has hit well this spring.  After a fast start, he has cooled off considerably, while Rasmus has been hot.  I’ve been beating the drum that Rasmus should start the season in the minors.  While I still see a ton of merit in this, I have to admit that he has outplayed Duncan this spring and has earned a starting spot.  (I still think he should start the season in the minors if he is going to be a bench player, but that is another argument.)

4.  Joel Piniero has 20 K’s and 4 BBs with a 1.44 ERA.  (he had 81 K’s in 148 2/3 IP last year)

5.  Kyle Loshe, who has otherwise been pretty good (4.56 ERA isn’t bad when you’re given up 2.45 HR/9)

6.  I would have thought this low ERA belonged to Jason Motte (He has been almost as good with a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 IP with 15K/1 BB and 4/4 on saves), but instead it is Josh Kinney (0.87 ERA, 10 1/3 IP, 11 K 4 BB, 2/2 saves)

7.  Amazingly, Kyle McClellan is 3-0 with that 9.00 ERA

8.  Brendan Ryan has a .627 OPS, but Thurston is not far behind with a .674 mark.  Brian Barden is hitting .385/ .442/ .538.  Brendan Ryan is hitting .273/ .294/ .333 and Joe Thurston is hitting .250/ .333/ .341.  Barden is hitting the best (by far) but is likely going to begin the season in the minors because Ryan is out of options and Thurston hits left handed.

9.  Rick Ankiel is hitting .346/ .422/ .538, is leading the team with 3 HR and is tied for second (with Rasmus) with 11 walks

10.  Adam Wainwright and Trevor Miller have 2 losses

Complete Spring Training Stats

Photo Courtesy of Dustin Mattison

Filed Under: Baseball • Spring Training

Tags: Cardinal Spring Training Trivia • Spring Training Statistics