Baseball Sabermetrics: The Windy City’s Best Magnum Start Value (MSV)

Sale: June 2015 (with White Sox)

6/3 @ Texas Rangers: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB’s, 0 ER: 3.0 (W, Sox win 9-2)

6/8 vs Houston Astros: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER 1 E: 5.5 (W, Sox win 3-1)

6/14: @ Tampa Bay Rays: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 3 BB’s, 2 ER: DNQ            (L, Sox lose 2-1)

6/19: vs Texas Rangers: 8 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER: 5.5 (ND, Sox lose 2-1)

6/24: @ Minnesota Twins: 6.2 IP, 9 H, 1 BB, 5 ER: DNQ (L, Sox lose 6-5)

6/30: @ St. Louis Cardinals: 8 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 1 ER: 4.75 (ND, Sox win 2-1)

Monthly Magnum Total (MMT): 18.75

*Monthly Magnum Average (MMA): 3.13

*always round MSV scores to the hundredths place.

Now, let’s take an in-depth look at Sale’s month. In each of the starts that he qualified for MSV, he never personally took the loss. Only once did the Sox lose themselves, however that occurred in a 2-1 defeat to the Rangers. Sale did his part, going eight scoreless innings before handing the ball to closer David Robertson.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, Robertson allowed a two-run single to Mitch Moreland which put the Rangers on top. Had the Sox offense done their part in all four outings where Sale was credited with a Magnum Start, it is likely both he and the Sox would have run the table.

Meanwhile, even though Sale went 6.2 innings versus Tampa Bay and Minnesota respectively, the Sox fell each time. He fanned ten or more every trip to the hill in June, however did not protect the bullpen at an elite level.

This is another aspect MSV was created for: elite pitchers who don’t give up runs, not to mention go deep into games. Chris Sale is an elite pitcher, don’t get me wrong, however it is critical in today’s game to avoid using the pen as much as possible.