10 Numbers for the ALDS: Rays vs. Rangers

As the start of the postseason approaches, Big League Stew's Alex Remington will take a look at the statistics that might make a difference in each series. First up is the first-round rematch between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, which begins today. 1.1 The average number of homers per nine innings given up by Rangers pitching, tied for second-most in the American League. The Rays are hardly the most homer-happy team in the playoffs, with just 172 homers as a team, compared to 210 for the Rangers (and 222 for the Yankees), but the Rangers can't afford their pitchers to give up too many Dan Johnson moments. 61 percent The quality start percentage for both the Rays and the Rangers, tied for the third-best in baseball, behind only the Phillies and Giants. 6.1 The number of at-bats per strikeout for the Rangers, making them the hardest team to strike out in all of baseball. That's all the more impressive considering that they had the second-most homers in all of ba...