9/13/11: Red Sox 18, Blue Jays 6

Box Score

If you were to analyze the pool of baseball fans in America, at both ends of the spectrum you’d notice two extremes: the old school fan who shuns statistics and relies more on intuition and first-hand experiences, and the quantitative SABR type who embraces statistics and scoffs at the gut feeling approach to baseball analysis. I probably lean towards the latter. However, there’s one thing that the SABR extremists sometimes fail to recognize: sometimes it’s OK to be irrationally sentimental. After all, we’re spending our time obsessing over men who are paid vast fortunes to hit leather balls with wooden sticks, which is a very irrational act in itself.

Therefore, I think it’s OK to throw some props towards Tim Wakefield this morning. We don’t have to pretend that he’s having a good year, or that he pitched well last night, or that the win statistic is very meaningful. For better or for worse, milestones like this one are meaningful to most observers, and that alone makes them important.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Dustin Pedroia (4 for 5, 2 HRs, 4 runs, 5 RBI, 29.5% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Brandon Morrow (5 runs allowed in 5.1 innings, -41.9% WPA)

1. With the bases loaded and two outs in the 1st, Toronto first baseman David Cooper scoops up a routine grounder hit by Josh Reddick, and air-mails the ball over the pitcher covering first. Two runs score on the error. (16.0% WPA)
2. Jacoby Ellsbury hits a solo HR with 2 outs in the 4th (12.9% WPA).
3. Dustin Pedroia immediately follows Ellsbury’s HR with one of his own (12.7% WPA).

“Panic is unbecoming.”

- Larry Lucchino, Red Sox CEO

No Responses to “The Eighth Time’s a Charm: Wake Notches Elusive Win #200”

1. Lauren says:

   9/14/2011 at 11:29 am

   Such a great game!
2. Sommer says:

   9/14/2011 at 11:36 am

   :o)