ESPN.com presents Stats & Info http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/ 60 en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 10:21:32 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Terry Francona returns to Boston on Thursday as manager of the Cleveland Indians to begin a four-game series against his former team. Francona managed the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships (2004 and 2007), the first of which broke an 86-year championship drought. This will be his first time back at Fenway Park as an opposing manager since being let go. This isn’t the first time “Tito” has managed against the Sox at Fenway, however.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65934/francona-versatile-indians-return-to-boston Thu, 23 May 2013 11:23:48 EDT 65934 Manny Machado has had a better start to his career than Mike Trout or Bryce Harper.Hiroki Kuroda takes the hill for the New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday Night Baseball (ESPN, 7 ET). Kuroda is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against the Orioles (including the postseason), all coming since he joined the Yankees. He’s pitched at least seven innings in each of those outings and thrown a pitch in the ninth inning in three of them.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65923/yankees-have-ace-up-sleeve-in-kuroda Wed, 22 May 2013 16:24:18 EDT 65923 Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Brian Urlacher retired after 13 NFL seasons. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and the Bears' all-time leading tackler, according to the team.Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher has announced his retirement after 13 NFL seasons. He’s one of four players in NFL history with 40 sacks and 20 interceptions (sacks became an official statistic in 1982). 40 Sacks and 20 Int - NFL History He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and the all-time leading tackler in Bears history (according to the team).]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65906/urlacher-always-in-the-middle-for-the-bears Wed, 22 May 2013 15:01:12 EDT 65906 Mike Trout hadn’t had a signature moment in 2013, the kind that he had regularly in 2012, until Tuesday night. Trout became the sixth-youngest player to hit for the cycle, notching a single, double, triple and home run in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. Let’s run through our collection of notes on Trout’s big day. The history The Elias Sports Bureau tells us that Trout is the youngest American League player to hit for the cycle, and the youngest player with one in either league since another phenom, Cesar Cedeno of the Houston Astros, hit for the cycle at age 21 in 1972.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65889/trout-aims-high-by-looking-low Wed, 22 May 2013 01:59:23 EDT 65889 The three pitchers with the best ERAs in baseball took the mound on Monday night, and the one who was most dominant was neither Clayton Kershaw nor Shelby Miller, but Arizona Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin. Let’s run through some of the highlights of Corbin’s performance, which was unusually good from both a historical and statistical perspective. The accolades Corbin threw a three-hit complete game with 10 strikeouts. He is the third visiting pitcher to throw a nine-inning complete game at Coors Field with 10 or more strikeouts, and the first since 1998.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65868/corbin-dominates-colorado Tue, 21 May 2013 00:51:35 EDT 65868 AP Photo/Carlos OsorioWhy hasn't a significant decrease in fastball velocity hurt CC Sabathia in 2013?With 10 wins in 15 starts, CC Sabathia has the second-most victories at Camden Yards among visiting pitchers -- only teammate Andy Pettitte (16-4) has more. The Baltimore Orioles won’t dodge Pettitte -- who is on the disabled list -- when they start a three-game series with the New York Yankees, but on Monday (7 ET on ESPN and WatchESPN) the O’s will face Sabathia.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65851/sabathia-buckles-down-after-first-inning Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:12 EDT 65851 The 2013 college football season could showcase one of the best college quarterback classes ever. Here are five reasons why: 1. BEST TEAMS IN 2012 RETURN THEIR QUARTERBACKS Each of the top six teams in last season’s final AP poll returns its leading passer. The last time that happened was entering the 1982 season. That 1982 group led to the famed 1983 NFL draft class that boasted six quarterbacks chosen in the first round -- including Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65717/qbs-the-story-in-college-football-this-fall Mon, 20 May 2013 09:26:48 EDT 65717 Our weekly review of interesting and notable stats you might have missed. Give Me Five Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals went 5-for-5, with 5 RBI, in Monday's 11-4 victory against the Los Angeles Angels. And he had that big game without going deep. Butler's RBI came on two doubles and a single. Butler was the first player to have five hits and five driven in since Josh Hamilton's four-homer game last season. And in franchise history, only one other Royal had reached five-and-five in the same game: Kevin Seitzer (6-for-6, 2 HR, 7 RBI) against the Red Sox on August 2, 1987.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65803/kernels-a-week-of-perfect-fives Sun, 19 May 2013 19:39:16 EDT 65803 Stephen Dunn/Getty Images The Spurs made a franchise-record 14 three-pointers and limited Zach Randolph to two points. The San Antonio Spurs didn't yield a point to Zach Randolph until there was 9:26 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. By that point, the Spurs already had an 18-point lead. So it went for Randolph, who entered the game leading the Memphis Grizzlies in scoring this postseason with 19.7 points per game. Randolph finished with two points, a playoff career low in games where he played at least 10 minutes.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65771/spurs-limit-touches-to-make-z-bo-a-no-go Sun, 19 May 2013 18:39:20 EDT 65771 AP photo/Jae HongDerek Holland has been very sharp this season, with the help of a nifty slider. Sunday's matchup between the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers features a pair of starting pitchers with a common bond. Rangers starter Derek Holland and Tigers starter Doug Fister are the two pitchers who have been very successful at limiting opposing damage. They also have pitched inside the most of any starters in the game this season. Holland has done so by significantly increasing the use of one of his primary pitches.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/65763/looking-inside-key-for-holland-fister Sat, 18 May 2013 23:27:44 EDT 65763