The Schedule Planner: American League

by
August 9, 2018

I put out the NL Schedule Planner a couple days ago and today we have the American League. I ran some numbers to identify the best and worst offenses by handedness and perhaps this can offer some guidance for you down the stretch when selecting starters. I looked at wOBA for the year, last 30 days, and last 14 days, then weighted the three, and ranked the teams.

The recent samples are smaller and thus more volatile, but they also can reflect the changing dynamics of a team via injuries or trades. That said, I still weighted the season mark the most. This is just focused on handedness so be mindful of potential park factors that could also play a role. It’s sorted by division and record and then the scheduled teams are listed in order starting with Friday, August 10th.

The best use for these planners would be to focus on the arms in the spot start tiers or lower who are getting favorable or unfavorable schedules and leverage that in pick ups or drops… or trades if your league hasn’t hit the deadline yet. For example, the Blue Jays are going to face one Top 10 offense against righties in the next eight series so perhaps Marcus Stroman and Marco Estrada can get on track and Ryan Borucki could definitely stay hot, but then they get Cleveland (4), Boston (2), and New York (10) in a row starting September 6th so those same righties could be tough to trust in the playoffs for H2H leagues.

BOSTON RED SOX (80-34)

Red Sox
vL vR
at BAL x4 22 16
at PHI x2 19 17
TB x3 4 22
CLE x4 3 4
at TB x3 4 22
MIA x2 29 28
at CWS x4 24 19
at ATL x3 12 20
HOU x3 7 14
TOR x3 17 7
NYM x3 30 26
at NYY x3 2 10
at CLE x3 3 4
BAL x3 22 16
NYY x3 2 10

NEW YORK YANKEES (70-42)

Yankees
vL vR
TEX x4 5 11
NYM x1 30 26
TB x3 4 22
TOR x3 17 7
at MIA x2 29 28
at BAL x4 22 16
CWS x3 24 19
DET x4 21 29
at OAK x3 10 6
at SEA x3 23 23
at MIN x3 25 9
TOR x3 17 7
BOS x3 14 2
BAL x3 22 16
at TB x4 4 22
at BOS x3 14 2

TAMPA BAY RAYS (57-56)

Rays
vL vR
at TOR x3 17 7
at NYY x3 2 10
at BOS x3 14 2
KC x4 26 25
BOS x3 14 2
at ATL x2 12 20
at CLE x3 3 4
at TOR x3 17 7
BAL x3 22 16
CLE x3 3 4
at TEX x3 5 11
at TOR x4 17 7
NYY x4 2 10
TOR x3 17 7

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (51-61)

Blue Jays
vL vR
TB x3 4 22
at KC x4 26 25
at NYY x3 2 10
BAL x3 22 16
PHI x3 19 17
at BAL x3 22 16
at MIA x3 29 28
TB x3 4 22
CLE x4 3 4
at BOS x3 14 2
at NYY x3 2 10
at BAL x3 22 16
TB x4 4 22
HOU x3 7 14
at TB x3 4 22

BALTIMORE ORIOLES (35-79)

Orioles
vL vR
BOS x4 14 2
NYM x2 30 26
at CLE x3 3 4
at TOR x3 17 7
NYY x4 2 10
TOR x3 17 7
at KC x3 26 25
at SEA x3 23 23
at TB x3 4 22
OAK x3 10 6
CWS x3 24 19
TOR x3 17 7
at NYY x3 2 10
at BOS x3 14 2
HOU x4 7 14

CLEVELAND INDIANS 62-50

Indians
vL vR
at CWS x3 24 19
at CIN x3 9 13
BAL x3 22 16
at BOS x4 14 2
at KC x3 26 25
MIN x3 25 9
TB x3 4 22
KC x3 26 25
at TOR x4 17 7
at TB x3 4 22
DET x3 21 29
CWS x3 24 19
BOS x3 14 2
at CWS x3 24 19
at KC x4 26 25

MINNESOTA TWINS (53-59)

Twins
vL vR
at DET x3 21 29
PIT x2 16 12
DET x4 21 29
CWS x1 24 19
at CWS x2 24 19
OAK x4 10 6
at CLE x3 3 4
at TEX x3 5 11
at HOU x3 7 14
KC x3 26 25
NYY x3 2 10
at KC x4 26 25
at DET x3 21 29
at OAK x3 10 6
DET x4 21 29
CWS x4 24 19

DETROIT TIGERS (47-67)

Tigers
vL vR
MIN x3 25 9
CWS x3 24 19
at MIN x4 25 9
CHC x2 11 5
CWS x4 24 19
at KC x2 26 25
at NYY x4 2 10
at CWS x3 24 19
STL x3 6 24
HOU x3 7 14
at CLE x3 3 4
MIN x3 25 9
KC x4 26 25
at MIN x3 25 9
at MIL x3 15 15

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (41-72)

White Sox
vL vR
CLE x3 3 4
at DET x3 21 29
KC x3 26 25
at MIN x1 25 9
MIN x2 25 9
at DET x4 21 29
at NYY x3 2 10
BOS x4 14 2
DET x3 21 29
LAA x3 28 1
at KC x3 26 25
at BAL x3 22 16
at CLE x3 3 4
CHC x3 11 5
CLE x3 3 4
at MIN x4 25 9

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (34-79)

Royals
vL vR
STL x3 6 24
TOR x4 17 7
at CWS x3 24 19
at TB x4 4 22
CLE x3 3 4
DET x2 21 29
BAL x3 22 16
at CLE x3 3 4
at MIN x4 25 9
CWS x3 24 19
MIN x4 25 9
at PIT x3 16 12
at DET x4 21 29
at CIN x2 9 13
CLE x4 3 4

HOUSTON ASTROS (73-42)

Astros
vL vR
SEA x4 23 23
COL x2 1 21
at OAK x3 10 6
at SEA x3 23 23
at LAA x3 28 1
OAK x3 10 6
LAA x4 28 1
MIN x3 25 9
at BOS x3 14 2
at DET x3 21 29
ARI x3 13 18
SEA x3 23 23
LAA x3 28 1
at TOR x3 17 7
at BAL x4 22 16

OAKLAND ATHLETICS (68-47)

Athletics
vL vR
at LAA x3 28 1
SEA x3 23 23
HOU x3 7 14
TEX x3 5 11
at MIN x4 25 9
at HOU x3 7 14
SEA x4 23 23
NYY x3 2 10
TEX x3 5 11
at BAL x3 22 16
at TB x3 4 22
LAA x3 28 1
MIN x3 25 9
at SEA x3 23 23
at LAA x3 28 1

SEATTLE MARINERS (65-49)

Mariners
vL vR
at HOU x4 7 14
at OAK x3 10 6
LAD x3 27 3
HOU x3 7 14
at ARI x3 13 18
at SD x2 18 30
at OAK x4 10 6
BAL x3 22 16
NYY x3 2 10
SD x2 18 30
at LAA x4 28 1
at HOU x3 7 14
at TEX x3 5 11
OAK x3 10 6
TEX x4 5 11

LOS ANGELES ANGELS (57-58)

Angels
vL vR
OAK x3 10 6
at SD x3 18 30
at TEX x4 5 11
at ARI x2 13 18
HOU x3 7 14
COL x2 1 21
at HOU x4 7 14
at TEX x3 5 11
at CWS x3 24 19
TEX x3 5 11
SEA x4 23 23
at OAK x3 10 6
at HOU x3 7 14
TEX x3 5 11
OAK x3 10 6

TEXAS RANGERS (50-65)

Rangers
vL vR
at NYY x4 2 10
ARI x2 13 18
LAA x4 28 1
at OAK x3 10 6
at SF x3 20 27
LAD x2 27 3
MIN x3 25 9
LAA x3 28 1
at OAK x3 10 6
at LAA x3 28 1
at SD x3 18 30
TB x3 4 22
SEA x3 23 23
at LAA x3 28 1
at SEA x4 23 23





 

Paul is the Editor of Rotographs and Content Director for OOTP Perfect Team. Follow Paul on Twitter @sporer and on Twitch at sporer.

2 Comments
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pvalent
6 years ago

So confused, so what do the numbers mean. Is it Hitters rank against that handedness pitcher? Is a low number (high rank?) a good thing?

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Paul SporerFanGraphs Staff
6 years ago
Reply to  pvalent

I guess this was a big fail, my bad. I honestly thought it was pretty straightforward, but then I also figured the Toronto example would cover any issues in understanding.

The offenses are ranked 1-30 by wOBA taking season, last 30, last 14 and weighting them. Lower number means better offense.

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