GOG #32 - Red Sox at Oakland - UPDATED with answers

1) Red Sox 2 A’s 1
2) Yes (I think they light up Dice-K)
3)4IP 1K 3ER
4)Yes/No/No
5)No/2/4
6)3/Yes
7)13/3/1
8)Hitters
9)5/3
10)2nd game is highest scoring/Third is lowest scoring

1. Series outcome [3 points] A’s 2-1
   
2. The A’s have won 12 of the last 18, dating back to the start of the series against Pittsburgh. Over this stretch, they have averaged 5.5 runs scored per game (compared to an average of only 4.2 runs per game for the season as a whole). Does Oakland score a total of 15 or more runs in the three game series against Boston? [1 point] Yes
   
3. After a rehab start in Stockton, Dallas Braden is scheduled to be back pitching for Oakland on Tuesday. Predict his IP/K/ER [2 points each] 6 IP/4K/2ER
   
4. Clay Buchholz is also making his first start back from the DL. Does he last at least 6 innings? Does he strike out at least 4 Athletics? Does he give up a HR? [1 point each] No, yes, yes
   
5. Cust has homered in three out of his last four games, which is a welcome change from two HR in his first 42. Does he go deep in the series? How many games does he start at DH? How many times does he reach base in the series? [1/2/3 points for parts 1/2/3] Yes, 2, 5
   
6. Marco had a career year in 2009 by cutting way down on the number of swings he took and walking at a greatly increased rate. This year, his swing rate has come back up, driven by an increase in swings at pitches out of the strike zone. You might think this would lead to more strikeouts, but Scutaro is swinging and missing at fewer pitches than ever (1.9% swinging strikes), at striking out at nearly the lowest rate of his career (11.9% K’s). How many swinging strikes for Scutaro in the series? Does he strike out more than once? [3 points for part A, 1 point for part B] 3, yes
   
7. Kurt Suzuki owns a career .930 OPS against the Red Sox. Predict his PA/H/XBH for the series [2 points each] 12/4/2
   
8. Now that they are back at the .500 mark, the total Win Probability Added for the whole team should add up to exactly zero. It will surprise no one to hear that the A’s have done this with a large positive WPA contribution from their pitchers (+4.641 wins) and an equally large negative contribution from their hitters (-4.641… natch). In this series, to the A’s hitters or pitchers perform better by WPA? [2 points] Pitchers
   
9. Daniel Nava has provided critical reinforcement for the injured Boston outfield. Unfortunately, his solid .294/.381/.471 batting line is being held afloat almost entirely by a ridiculous .407 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP). Seriously, no one can hit .300 over the long run while striking out almost 30% of the time. How many balls does Nava put in play during the series? How many of those fall in for hits? [2 points each] 5,2
  
10. Which of the three games is the lowest scoring? Which is the highest scoring? [1 point each] Low: Game 1, High: Game 3

1. A’s 2 – 1 [3 points]
2. Does Oakland score a total of 15 or more runs in the three games? No [1 point]
3. Predict Sheet’s 6IP/3K/3ER [2 points each]
4. Does he last at least 6 innings? No/No/No [1 point each]
5. No/2/3 [1/2/3 points for parts 1/2/3]
6. 2/No [3 points for part A, 1 point for part B]
7. Predict Suzuki’s 12PA/3H/1XBH for the series [2 points each]
8. In this series, to the A’s hitters or pitchers perform better by WPA? Pitchers [2 points]
9. How many balls does Nava put in play during the series? 6 How many of those fall in for hits? 4 [2 points each]
10. Which of the three games is the lowest scoring? Tues Which is the highest scoring? Wed. [1 point each]

   1. Series outcome [3 points] 2-1 A’s
   2. The A’s have won 12 of the last 18, dating back to the start of the series against Pittsburgh. Over this stretch, they have averaged 5.5 runs scored per game (compared to an average of only 4.2 runs per game for the season as a whole). Does Oakland score a total of 15 or more runs in the three game series against Boston? [1 point] No
   3. After a rehab start in Stockton, Dallas Braden is scheduled to be back pitching for Oakland on Tuesday. Predict his IP/K/ER [2 points each] 5 IP, 4 K, 3 ER
   4. Clay Buchholz is also making his first start back from the DL. Does he last at least 6 innings? Does he strike out at least 4 Athletics? Does he give up a HR? [1 point each] no, yes, no
   5. Cust has homered in three out of his last four games, which is a welcome change from two HR in his first 42. Does he go deep in the series? How many games does he start at DH? How many times does he reach base in the series? [1/2/3 points for parts 1/2/3] no, 3, 5
   6. Marco had a career year in 2009 by cutting way down on the number of swings he took and walking at a greatly increased rate. This year, his swing rate has come back up, driven by an increase in swings at pitches out of the strike zone. You might think this would lead to more strikeouts, but Scutaro is swinging and missing at fewer pitches than ever (1.9% swinging strikes), at striking out at nearly the lowest rate of his career (11.9% K’s). How many swinging strikes for Scutaro in the series? Does he strike out more than once? [3 points for part A, 1 point for part B] 4 , yes</strong

 7. Kurt Suzuki owns a career .930 OPS against the Red Sox. Predict his PA/H/XBH for the series [2 points each] 12PA, 4 H, 1 XBH

8. Now that they are back at the .500 mark, the total Win Probability Added for the whole team should add up to exactly zero. It will surprise no one to hear that the A’s have done this with a large positive WPA contribution from their pitchers (+4.641 wins) and an equally large negative contribution from their hitters (-4.641… natch). In this series, to the A’s hitters or pitchers perform better by WPA? [2 points] Pitchers

 9. Daniel Nava has provided critical reinforcement for the injured Boston outfield. Unfortunately, his solid .294/.381/.471 batting line is being held afloat almost entirely by a ridiculous .407 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP). Seriously, no one can hit .300 over the long run while striking out almost 30% of the time. How many balls does Nava put in play during the series? How many of those fall in for hits? [2 points each] 8 balls in play, 3 hits

  10. Which of the three games is the lowest scoring? Which is the highest scoring? [1 point each] Lowest scoring: Game 1. Highest scoring: Game 2

1. A’s 2-1
2. No
3. 5 IP/3 K/2 ER
4. No, Yes, No
5. Yes, 2, 5
6. 4 swinging strikes (This means swinging AND missing, right?), Yes
7. 12 PA, 3 H, 0 XBH
8. Pitchers
9. 8 balls in play, 1 H
10. Game 3 lowest, Game 2 highest

1. 2-1 A’s
2. No
3. 6 IP/3 K/3 ER
4. Yes, yes, no
5. Yes, all three games, 6
6. 3, yes
7. 13 PA/4 H/2 XBH
8. Pitchers
9. 7, 3
10. Lowest – Game 3, highest – game 2

1. Series Outcome [3 points] 2-1 BoSox
2. Plating A’s [1point] No, Do Not Score 15 or More R
3. Dallas, Back from Rehab [2 points each, 6 total] 6 IP / 8 H / 4 ER
4. Clay Bucholz, Back from the DL [1 point each, 3 total] Yes, Lasts 6 IP / No, Doesn’t K 4 / No HR
5. Cust, Back from Wherever [1 point, 2 points, 3 points, 6 total] No HR / 2 Starts at DH / OB, 3
6. Scutaro, Swinging to Contact [3 points, 1 point, 4 total] 3 Swinging Strikes / No, Doesn’t K More than 1
7. Suzuki, Bashing the Sox [2 points each, 6 total] 12 PA / 3 H / 1 XBH
8. Hitters vs. Pitchers [2 points] Pitchers, Better WPA
9. Daniel Nava’s BABIP [2 points each, 4 total] 8 BIP / 2 H
10. Calling the Score [1 point each, 2 total] Tuesday, Highest Scoring / Wednesday, Lowest

   1. 2-1 Sox
   2. No
   3. 5/2/3
   4. All no.
   5. Yes, 2, 4
   6. 2, No
   7. 13/4/1
   8. Pitchers
   9. 8/3
  10. #3 lowest, #2 highest

The issue is that I needed to give the ASG a number for the scoring tool, so our Gog count is off by one.

1. A’s 3-0
2. Yes
3. 6/4/3
4. Yes, Yes, Yes
5. Yes, 3, 6
6. 3, Yes
7. 14/4/2
8. Hitters
9. 8/2
10. Lowest: #2. Highest: #1.

1. A’s 2-1
2. Surprisingly, yes.
3. 6IP/4K/2ER
4. yes/yes/no
5. yes/3/6
6. 5/yes
7. 15PA/5H/1XBH
8. pitchers
9. 8/3
10. Lowest: #3/Highest: #2

1. Series outcome [3 points] A’s 2-1
   
2. Does Oakland score a total of 15 or more runs in the three game series against Boston? [1 point] no
   
3. After a rehab start in Stockton, Dallas Braden is scheduled to be back pitching for Oakland on Tuesday. Predict his IP/K/ER [2 points each] 5 IP/3K/4ER
   
4. Clay Buchholz is also making his first start back from the DL. Does he last at least 6 innings? Does he strike out at least 4 Athletics? Does he give up a HR? [1 point each] yes, yes, no
   
5. Cust has homered in three out of his last four games, which is a welcome change from two HR in his first 42. Does he go deep in the series? How many games does he start at DH? How many times does he reach base in the series? [1/2/3 points for parts 1/2/3] No, 3, 4
   
6. How many swinging strikes for Scutaro in the series? Does he strike out more than once? [3 points for part A, 1 point for part B] 4, no
   
7. Kurt Suzuki owns a career .930 OPS against the Red Sox. Predict his PA/H/XBH for the series [2 points each] 12/4/1
   
side not - Kurt Suzuki could be the best MLB player named Kurt ever.

8. In this series, to the A’s hitters or pitchers perform better by WPA? [2 points] Pitchers
   
9. How many balls does Nava put in play during the series? How many of those fall in for hits? [2 points each] 5,1
  
10. Which of the three games is the lowest scoring? Which is the highest scoring? [1 point each] Low: Game 3, High: Game 2

1) 2-1 Sox
2) No
3) 5IP/3K/3ER
4) No/No/No
5) No/3/4
6) 3/yes
7) 10PA/5H/3XBH
8) pitchers
9) 6/3
10) Game 2/Game 1

1. 2-1 Red Sox
2. No
3. 5/3/3
4. Yes/Yes/No
5. No/3/5
6. 4/No
7. 13/4/1
8. Pitchers
9. 6/2
10. Low Game #3….High Game #2

1. Series outcome // 2-1 Oakland
2. The A’s have won 12 of the last 18, dating back to the start of the series against Pittsburgh. Over this stretch, they have averaged 5.5 runs scored per game (compared to an average of only 4.2 runs per game for the season as a whole). Does Oakland score a total of 15 or more runs in the three game series against Boston? // no
3. After a rehab start in Stockton, Dallas Braden is scheduled to be back pitching for Oakland on Tuesday. Predict his IP/K/ER // 6 IP, 4 K, 3 ER
4. Clay Buchholz is also making his first start back from the DL. Does he last at least 6 innings? Does he strike out at least 4 Athletics? Does he give up a HR? // yes, yes, no
5. Cust has homered in three out of his last four games, which is a welcome change from two HR in his first 42. Does he go deep in the series? How many games does he start at DH? How many times does he reach base in the series? // yes, 3, 5 times
6. Marco had a career year in 2009 by cutting way down on the number of swings he took and walking at a greatly increased rate. This year, his swing rate has come back up, driven by an increase in swings at pitches out of the strike zone. You might think this would lead to more strikeouts, but Scutaro is swinging and missing at fewer pitches than ever (1.9% swinging strikes), at striking out at nearly the lowest rate of his career (11.9% K’s). How many swinging strikes for Scutaro in the series? Does he strike out more than once? // 7 swinging strikes, yes
7. Kurt Suzuki owns a career .930 OPS against the Red Sox. Predict his PA/H/XBH for the series // 15 PA, 5 H, 1 XBH
8. Now that they are back at the .500 mark, the total Win Probability Added for the whole team should add up to exactly zero. It will surprise no one to hear that the A’s have done this with a large positive WPA contribution from their pitchers (+4.641 wins) and an equally large negative contribution from their hitters (-4.641… natch). In this series, to the A’s hitters or pitchers perform better by WPA? // pitchers are better
9. Daniel Nava has provided critical reinforcement for the injured Boston outfield. Unfortunately, his solid .294/.381/.471 batting line is being held afloat almost entirely by a ridiculous .407 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP). Seriously, no one can hit .300 over the long run while striking out almost 30% of the time. How many balls does Nava put in play during the series? How many of those fall in for hits? // 3 balls in play, 1 hit
10. Which of the three games is the lowest scoring? Which is the highest scoring? highest combined score in game 1, lowest combined score in game 3

I gotta get the next GOG up pronto!