Matchup: Durham Bulls vs. Toledo Mud Hens

The Toledo Mud Hens are the second-most famous team in minor league baseball. That distinction may be fading as those of us who spent the 1970's watching M*A*S*H and Jamie Farr's character Max Klinger try to figure a way to get out of the Army while sometimes wearing Mud Hens gear pass on. Meanwhile folks are still watching Bull Durham. (At least I am. Don't you watch it at once a year?).

The Detroit Tigers AAA franchise is in last place in the International League West Division, 7.5 games behind the Columbus Clippers. Their stats reflect an early season oddity for numbers geeks. According to their Pythagorean Expectation, they "should" have a won-loss record of 22-20, much better than what they've got. The Bulls, by the way, "should" have a won-loss record much worse than what they've got, 16-29. Bottom line: the Mud Hens score a lot of runs. That, unfortunately, matches well with the Bulls tendency to allow a lot of runs.