500 team
A Rollercoaster Season: The Wild Swings of a Baseball Team
Baseball season is a rollercoaster ride, full of unpredictable ups and downs. Whether a team is considered good or bad, they are bound to experience these wild swings throughout the season. However, there is one type of team that is especially familiar with this phenomenon – the .500 team. Despite ending the season with an even record, these teams rarely feel like they truly belong in the middle of the pack.
to be good because they’re probably not
A Wild Ride: The Struggles and Triumphs of a .500 Baseball Team
Baseball is a game of ups and downs, and this holds true for both good and bad teams. But for a team that hovers around a .500 record, the wild swings can be even more extreme. Rarely does a .500 team actually feel like a .500 team, unless you’ve been through it before.
But as a writer, I feel fortunate to be covering the St. Louis Cardinals at this moment. They have just come off back-to-back series wins against two of the top teams in the National League. And now, as they face the struggling Colorado Rockies, I can’t help but feel optimistic.
A Rocky Road Ahead?
Yes, the Cardinals did lose a series to the Rockies just a few weeks ago. But let’s cut them some slack. Coors Field is a tough place to play, especially when your starting pitching is struggling. And let’s not forget, the Rockies may have a dismal season overall, but they are still a formidable opponent at home.
However, when it comes to playing on the road, the Rockies have historically not fared well. And this year is no exception. In fact, their offense has been downright abysmal.
A Team in Turmoil
When I look at the Rockies’ team offense on Fangraphs, I am shocked by what I see. Out of all the players listed in order of fWAR, there are several names missing. It turns out, there is a second page, and on it are 16 players who have been below replacement level this season. That’s right, 16 players who have gotten at least 30 plate appearances and have been below replacement level.
One of the worst offenders is Michael Toglia, who has a -2 fWAR on the year. And he’s not alone. Brenton Doyle, who had a breakout season last year, has also struggled this year with a 64 wRC+. It seems that for Rockies fans, it’s hard to trust anyone who seems to be good, because they may not be as good as they seem.
