Back on Top: A Tale Of Two Scott Bakers

When diagnosing the many problems of the 2009 Minnesota Twins, a combined team ERA of 4.76 is especially tough to swallow. It's actually quite hard to wrap your head around how bad the majority of the Twins' pitching staff must be, considering they boast three relievers with ERAs under 3.00. But then there's Scott Baker, an enigma in every sense of the word. His 4.47 ERA is above-average on the team, but still quite hideous compared to other "aces" in the league. How does a pitcher who has won his last six decisions (with a 3.10 ERA during that stretch) not have more attractive statistics? Truth is, Baker has pitched brilliantly as of late, but his results aren't the kind you see in a box score. Baker's first nine starts this year were nothing short of disastrous. The stats being thrown around by irked fans and concerned bloggers were not pretty: a 2-6 record, 6.32 ERA, .821 opposing OPS. But digging deeper than that, one could find that he also sp...