https://theathletic.com/3296605/2022/05/06/2022-reds-1962-mets-1899-spiders/
Stark: Weird and Wild, Reds channel their inner 1962 Mets, 1899 Spiders edition
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7 — Their rotation has an 8.91 ERA! As recently as 2020, the Reds’ rotation had the lowest opponent average and fourth-best ERA (3.50) in the major leagues. However … we should probably mention it isn’t 2020 anymore.
So 25 games into this season, this edition of the Reds’ rotation has somehow allowed 99 earned runs in 100 innings (and 102 runs altogether). The Dodgers’ rotation hasn’t even allowed 30 yet. Needless to say, we’re back into historic territory.
• Highest ERA by any team’s rotation, according to Baseball-Reference, since earned runs became an official stat in each league in 1913: 6.64, by Felipe Lira’s 1996 Tigers.
• NL record in that span: 6.34, by Leo Sweetland’s 1930 Phillies.
So even if these Reds were able to spend the next 137 games lowering that ERA
by two runs a game, they’d still have the highest ERA by any rotation ever!
8 — Their ERA in their losses is 10.82! It’s one thing to lose a lot. It’s another to get bludgeoned a lot. Is it safe to say these Reds have carved out that bludgeon niche, too?
In their 22 losses, they’re allowing nearly 11 earned runs a game. And yep, that would be yet another record. Hap Collard and the rest of the 1930 Phillies hold that one, with an 8.48 ERA in their losses, according to Baseball-Reference. Good thing these Reds don’t have to pitch at Baker Bowl!
9 — They’re walking more than five batters a game! Hey, has anyone in Cincinnati spotted the strike zone?
Hunter Strickland hasn’t. He’s got a 7/13 strikeouts-to-walks ratio working.
Vladimir Gutierrez hasn’t. He’s at 13/17 K/BB. But this is an epidemic that’s bigger than them on a staff that’s sitting at 5.14 walks per nine innings, and headed for one of the worst walk rates in history.
Only five staffs in modern AL/NL history have averaged five walks per nine innings or worse. The most recent team to accomplish that did it
71 years ago! That was Stubby Overmire’s 1951 Browns (5.3 per nine). The distinguished record holders: Squiz Pillion’s 1915 A’s, who walked 5.5 per nine innings over a century ago. Is it possible this is all umpire Angel Hernandez’s fault?
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