The New York Times has a fancy live graphic showing how much money the Dodgers are bleeding on the disabled list, through which you’ll find that only one team has more players on the DL: the New York Yankees.
So why are the Yankees (24-14) in first place in their division while the Dodgers (15-22) are in last?
You can find stats that differentiate the two teams, though you might be surprised how similar they are in some respects.
The Dodger offense has an adjusted OPS of 99, according to Baseball-Reference.com, while the Yankees’ is 98.
Los Angeles ranks 29th in OPS with runners in scoring position, but New York only ranks 27th. The Dodgers actually have a higher batting average in those situations.
The Dodgers have 20 quality starts in 37 games; the Yankees 22 in 38.
Opponents have a .711 OPS against Dodger starting pitching, better than the .724 allowed by the Yankees.
All that being said, you can also find spots where the Yankees have outshone the Dodgers, such as relief pitching. In general, the Yankees are sixth in the majors in ERA, while the Dodgers are 20th.
But I’m not sure you can actually explain why there is such a gap between the two teams, or be sure that it would continue.
• 2013 Dodger runs scored vs. runs allowed: -0.92
• 2013 Yankee runs scored vs. runs allowed: +0.66
You glance at the Dodgers, and they just awful. Awful. Since sweeping Pittsburgh in the first week of the season, Los Angeles is 3-13 against teams that currently have winning records.
Could it possibly be Joe Girardi, pushing all the right levers in such a way that the Yankees win despite their uneven statistical profile underneath the runs? Could it be that the Yankees have just been luckier? Is the best theory that of Michael Schur, passed along by Joe Posnanski: that the Yankees are “a magical species, not unlike house elves?”
Is the entire season going to resemble the first quarter? The answer to that, I believe, is no.
* * *
Nationals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CLVIII: Kershawo, Pioneers
Anonymous
Injuries. In game managing. Brandon League. Clutch hitting. An 0-5 #3 starter. Karma. All of the above? Only some of these can be addressed quickly; others need time to work out.
But we still have the best home unis in baseball despite getting seeded #6 in the ESPN uniform ranking!
Ike's Baseball
why is mattingly sticking with League… again? … time to give it to Kenley
KT
I have no idea who the Yankees sold their souls to but we need a little of that magic…how about we sell a few of the non-needed individuals ( you all know who they are) just to get us through these tough times. If we are going to keep them around we might as well put them to good use.
On another note I have less than 3 hours before I got to get ready to go to tonight’s game. I won’t be posting so all of you have a good night and here is to us winning!!
Timothy Myung
I’m willing to wager the Yankees have a better fielding percentage than us. Our defense is horrid
Anonymous
Not sure on the percentages, but Yanks have 17 errors to our 28 (Snakes, only 9!).
Linkmeister
No power hitting from Kemp and Ethier has to be added to the mix.
Anonymous
Yanks, as well, have been playing some pretty tough teams up to this point, with only TOR and HOU having losing records.
Anonymous
While I’m sure this helps the “Hire Girardi, not Mattingly” crowd in both cites, it sure looks to me like Yankees pitching is the difference. Which is what you’d expect with three Dodger starters on their DL chart. Makes me miss Kuroda.
Anonymous
Hiroka is amazing. He has an ERA+ 132 with the Yanks.
Anonymous
Can’t agree with so many poor decisions the non-signing of Kuroda, while not a good decision, is not one of the poorer. Uribe, League’s unnecessarily generous 3 yr contract, Ramon Hernandez, 3 yrs total $33 million to Lilly when he was 3 months from 35-these from just the current roster
Anonymous
My thought is colored by the notion that it was a no-brainer in his lap for a guy who was the #2 in the rotation.
Anonymous
Jon, I think you just gave Mattingly a vote of confidence. Those are scary things to get.
Anonymous
Have you all seen the line-up with Kemp 2nd and Gordon 8th?
Anonymous
A Willa Cather reference! How can we go wrong? (Don’t answer that.) Like KT, I’m going to the game tonight. I’ll be wearing my original Dodger Thoughts T-shirt, and hoping for the best.
Anonymous
When Ryu grounded out without the bases loaded on Sat Vinny said we were 4 for 30. Don’t know what we are right now but that sounded atrocious. Wonder what the yanks are hitting in those situations.?
Anonymous
Starting tonight’s game, the Yankees were 6 for 29 with the bases loaded.
Anonymous
They’re out hitting us!
Are we still 4 for 30?
Anonymous
last 3 starts for AA- Lee 5 walks in 3 2/3, Reed 5 walks in 3 2/3, Santiago 6 walks in 4
Anonymous
Gonna listen to the first 3 innings on my mlb app before I conk out. Go Dodgers!
Linkmeister
That’s yesterday’s Gameday link. Here’s today’s: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_14_wasmlb_lanmlb_1
And why is UFC fighting on Prime Ticket rather than the Dodgers? Why, oh cable company, why?
Anonymous
Pleased we escaped with 0 that half innings
Anonymous
Did Vin just say that Adrian Beltre was on deck?
Anonymous
KKK Kershaw!
Anonymous
Adrian trying a little bit too much on that one.
Anonymous
Andre!!!!!
Anonymous
Haren falling apart a bit here
Anonymous
And Kershaw just gets better.
Anonymous
Old friend F.P Santangelo is the Nat’s TV color guy.
Anonymous
Not an old friend. Borderline acquaintance at most.
Anonymous
In any event, he does a good job. Not a homer and does his homework.
Anonymous
But more a Gnat than a Dodger.
Anonymous
I predict 15 K’s before Clayton is done
Anonymous
We have to make him work more than 9 pitches for the 3 outs
Anonymous
Yes, he is not doing too shabby tonight.
Anonymous
Let’s shock the Kid and give him some runs to work with!
Anonymous
Gotta hand it to the pen?
Anonymous
Not quite yet.
Anonymous
Thank goodness!
Anonymous
Kid K batted so we have to assume he starts the 9th.
Anonymous
Fast game!
Anonymous
Big grin from the Kid.
Anonymous
Another grin.
Anonymous
Standing ovation!
Anonymous
Darn!
Anonymous
NO!!!! Let the Kid finish!
Anonymous
I don’t think it was wise to let Kershaw throw more than 130 pitches. The lack of a reliable closer prompted that. Is that Kershaw’s most pitches ever?
Anonymous
Can’t fault the move, especially since it is Kenley. (plus, maybe he is being annointed)
Anonymous
Totally agree, Scooplew. Afraid there’s too much Joe Torre influence on Mattingly’s pitching decisions.
Anonymous
He threw 122 in April 2011. Next game he was taken out after 5 innings and 88 pitches, giving up 4 earned runs.
Anonymous
Oops, Jon found a later game in 2011 with more pitches.
Anonymous
Ahhh! Please let this be the right decision!
Anonymous
One more strike!
Anonymous
Happy Happy Happy!
Anonymous
Yay’nn
Jon Weisman
NPUT