The Braves lost again tonight to fall 4 games under .500 and 7 games back in the division. Instead of getting depressed, I decided that I would look at some of the best and worst moments of the young season. Ten best individual games (position players only, sorted by WPA):
# Date Opp Player WPA Description
1 5/2 COL Giles 0.405 4-5, 2B, run scored, RBI
2 4/23 WAS Betemit 0.390 2-3, 3-run HR
3 4/14 SD Francoeur 0.389 3-4, HR, 2 runs scored
4 4/30 NYM Francoeur 0.357 4-5, HR, 2 runs, 5 RBI
5 5/2 COL A. Jones 0.314 2-4, run, 2 RBI
6 4/5 LA Langerhans 0.274 1-1, go-ahead RBI double
7 4/23 WAS Prado 0.273 1-2, 2 BB, run scored
8 4/13 PHI Francoeur 0.257 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI
9 4/7 SF LaRoche 0.241 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 runs scored
10 4/9 SF Renteria 0.225 2-4, 2B, RBI, run scored
Ten worst:
# Date Opp Player WPA Description
1 4/29 NYM A. Jones -0.311 0-3, BB, K, LOB
2 4/16 SD Orr -0.285 0-5, 3 K, 5 LOB
3 4/24 MIL Diaz -0.274 1-4, RBI, LOB
4 4/26 MIL Betemit -0.231 0-4, 2 K, 3 LOB
5 5/4 PHI Langerhans -0.201 0-3, K, 4 LOB
6 4/13 PHI Renteria -0.187 1-5, run, K, 2 LOB
7 4/17 NYM LaRoche -0.186 0-4, 2 K, LOB, E
8 4/10 PHI Francoeur -0.185 0-4, K, LOB
9 4/16 SD Francoeur -0.182 1-5, RBI, K, 2 LOB
10 4/24 MIL Francoeur -0.173 0-4, K, 3 LOB
Five best starting pitching performances (sorted by WPA):
# Date Opp Player WPA WPTP Description
1 4/19 NYM Hudson 0.677 1.059 CG, 3 H, 1 BB, ER, 6 K
2 4/15 SD Smoltz 0.593 0.964 CG, SHO, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K
3 5/1 COL Hudson 0.564 0.996 CG, SHO, 1 H, 3 BB, 5 K
4 4/16 SD Thomson 0.285 0.969 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 6 K
5 4/10 PHI Thomson 0.225 0.817 5 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 4 K
Five worst:
# Date Opp Player WPA WPTP Description
1 4/6 SF Sosa -0.463 -3.004 2.3 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 6 ER
2 4/8 SF Hudson -0.348 -3.954 4 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 6 ER
3 4/13 PHI Davies -0.343 -2.029 4.7, 9 H, 6 ER
4 4/5 LA Ramirez -0.340 -2.883 3 IP, 8 H, BB, 5 ER
5 4/4 LA Smoltz -0.294 -2.430 5 IP, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 ER
“Good” and “Bad” GamesLoosely defining “good” and “bad” as above .1 and below -.1 in game WPA, I have compiled a total of each player’s games that were distinctly helpful or hurtful to the Braves’ chances. “Positive” and “Negative” games are defined as above or below zero. This is by no means a scientific method of looking at the stats, but it’s interesting to see who has been the most consistent and in what direction. Here are the top 5 players by most “good” games (position players only, ranked by percentage, 15 games played requirement):
# Player Gms GG GG%
1 A. Jones 28 9 0.321
2 LaRoche 28 6 0.214
3 C. Jones 15 3 0.200
4 Betemit 23 4 0.174
5 Giles 25 4 0.160
Most “positive” games:
# Player Gms PG PG%
1 C. Jones 15 9 0.600
2 A. Jones 28 15 0.536
3 McCann 25 12 0.480
4 Giles 25 11 0.440
5 Betemit 23 10 0.435
Most “negative” games:
# Player Gms NG NG%
1 Orr 19 14 0.737
2 Diaz 18 13 0.722
3 Jordan 17 12 0.706
4 Francoeur 28 19 0.679
5 Renteria 19 12 0.632
Most “bad” games:
# Player Gms BG BG%
1 Francoeur 28 7 0.250
2 Giles 25 6 0.240
3 Renteria 19 3 0.158
4 Betemit 23 3 0.130
5 Langerhans 24 3 0.125
