One of my favorite stats is the Jamesian game score, wherein you put a numerical value on a pitcher K's walks, innings pitched, etc., then add it all up in an effort to put some kind of number upon a pitcher's effort for the day.
Flawed but noble, is what I say.
And from there, the concept of the tough loss, where you get the quality start but lose, or the cheap win, where you don't get the QS but manage to win anyway, are just a wink of the statistician's eye away.
Anyway, frequent contributor Bill Gilbert sent this along the other day, and I thought others might find it as interesting as I did:
| Name | Avg. Game Score | Starts | Team W-L in Starts | 50+ Game Scores |
Cheap Wins | Tough Losses | Hi GS |
Low GS |
| Roger Clemens | 63.5 | 32 | 15 - 17 | 28 - 4 | 1 | 5 | 87 | 26 |
| Andy Pettitte | 60.5 | 33 | 20 - 13 | 26 - 7 | 2 | 5 | 80 | 20 |
| Roy Oswalt | 56.9 | 35 | 22 - 13 | 23 - 12 | 3 | 5 | 86 | 15 |
| Brandon Backe | 47.8 | 25 | 14 - 10 - 1 | 12 - 13 | 1 | 0 | 83 | 11 |
| Wandy Rodriguez | 45.9 | 22 | 12 - 10 | 10 - 12 | 4 | 3 | 70 | 6 |
| Ezequiel Astacio | 43.6 | 14 | 6 - 8 | 6 - 8 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 0 |
| Brandon Duckworth | 25.0 | 2 | 0 - 2 | 0 - 2 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 10 |
| Total/Avg. | 54.5 | 163 | 89 - 73 - 1 | 105-58 | 11 | 19 | 87 | 0 |
I'm sure we all knew about Wandy's cheap wins, but did you find it as surprising as I did to see that he had three tough losses?
It might be heard to convince Roger Clemens, but maybe some things do even out over time. . . .