Article:Rays-Blue Jays Comparison

The Rays are in first place in AL East with a 3.61 ERA while the Blue Jays have a 3.62 mark and in last place with the two teams second and third in the AL in ERA. The Rays are 7th in batting with a .256 average while the Blue Jays are 9th with a .251 average. Even though their stats are very close to being the same the Rays are in first while the Blue Jays are in last place.

Rays are ahead in runs 134-119 and in home runs 29-20.The Rays have struck out 200 times compared to 148 strikeouts by Blue Jays hitters. Rays pitchers have allowed only 5 less runs than the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays pitchers have allowed only one more run than Rays pitchers. What I am saying is even though their stats are so similar in a lot of categories it proves that stats don't take into consideration actual game situations.

Baseball is a game that throws out the stats when it comes to actually winning and losing a game. It doesn't matter how good a player's stats are if they can't come through with a clutch hit in a crucial situation or a pitcher than can't handle pressure of having the bases loaded in the late innings and starts walking batters.

Would like to read the comments of others explaining how two teams can be so close in their stats but one team is in first place and the other is in last place.