/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51334601/475417844.0.jpg)
So Carlos Martinez has not tweeted anything from his Twitter account in a few weeks, which makes this writer terribly sad for a few reasons: one because his tweets are a source of joy in this cold, heartless world and two because I rely on the sweet, sweet content. Tsunamy Thursday is not Tsunamy Thursday without the Tsunamy. Otherwise, it is just... well, Thursday.
The good thing is that with El Gallo, there is always something to discuss, whether it is his social media use, his philanthropic endeavors, or his pitching. Today we shall focus on that last one.
Carlos Martinez has two seasons as a full-time starter under his metaphorical belt. In these two seasons he has pitched some beauts. Here are the top three by game score, a metric devised by Bill James to determine the performance of a starting pitcher in any particular baseball game.
(The calculation is surprisingly simple:
Start with 50 points.
Add one point for each out recorded, so three points for every complete inning pitched.
Add two points for each inning completed after the fourth.
Add one point for each strikeout.
Subtract two points for each hit allowed.
Subtract four points for each earned run allowed.
Subtract two points for each unearned run allowed.
Subtract one point for each walk.
The maximum score possible is 114.)
T-3. 79 (April 26, 2016)
The Cardinals faced off against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Carlos pitched eight shutout innings with four strikeouts, one walk and allowed only three hits.
This is the only video of Carlos I could find from this game for some reason...
T-3. 79 (May 30, 2016)
By traditional metrics, this game appears to be a better pitched one by Carlos. He pitched eight shutout innings against the Brewers, striking out eight, walking one, and allowing only five hits. It is unfortunate he had to wear that hideous uniform the whole time, but such is life.
1. 80 (May 31, 2015)
This game was a special game for many reasons. On May 31, 2014 Oscar Taveras made his debut, hitting a home run in the rain that many of us will never forget. On May 31, 2015, the Cardinals honored Taveras with a touching tribute that had the young pitcher wearing his friend’s uniform number in tears. During the game, Carlos pitched seven scoreless, with eight strikeouts, three walks, and one hit.
what else is going on in baseball...
- Dodgers, Nats set for winner-take-all Game 5 | MLB.com
- Dodgers Nationals NLDS Game 5 what to watch | MLB.com
- Nationals Max Scherzer to start Game 5 of NLDS | nationals.com
- Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper is ready for his close-up | Washington Nationals | ESPN
- The History of Clayton Kershaw’s Postseason Bullpens | FanGraphs Baseball
- Clayton Kershaw's reputation nearly cost the Dodgers the NLDS | SBNation.com
- Jays, Indians look evenly matched in ALCS | MLB.com
- The Shared, Exploitable Weakness of Toronto’s Pitching Staff | FanGraphs Baseball
- Toronto’s Advantage Against Cleveland | FanGraphs Baseball
- The Underrated Part of the Indians’ Offense | FanGraphs Baseball
- Best Game 5s in Division Series history | MLB.com
- Are these photos of baseball players sleeping or crashing into walls? |SBNation.com
what the cardinals are up to...
- Projecting the Cardinals' starting pitchers | Sports | stltoday.com
- Outside looking in: Trevor Rosenthal | Sports | stltoday.com
- Still a mystery: Jaime Garcia | Sports | stltoday.com
- Offseason Question: What Should the Cardinals Do With Brandon Moss? | 101Sports.com
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
the nl central
- Talented young stars carry Cubs to new heights | cubs.com
- Javier Baez, the Chicago Cubs, and the Value of Versatility | FanGraphs Baseball
- That Was the Week of Javier Baez | FanGraphs Baseball
- Cubs-pedia -- Everything you need to know about the Lovable Losers | ESPN
- Chicago Cubs lessons from NLDS victory over San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs Blog | ESPN