In Some Depth: Rocky Road

In Some Depth: Rocky Road

This article is part of our In Some Depth series.

Normally in In Some Depth, I go into depth on the league's depth charts. I'm mixing it up this week, and instead going deep into each team's schedule for the rest of the season. Batting and pitching environments will not be universal, so your valuations of some players may need some adjustments. We will be back to the depth chart grind next week, breaking down some of the ramifications of expanded rosters.

Without any further ado...

NL East

Atlanta Braves: CLE, MIA, NYM, @PHI, @MIA, SD, @WSN, @CHC, MIL, PHI
Miami Marlins: @WSN, @ATL, @CHC, WSN, ATL, @NYM, @PHI, @WSN, PHI, DET
New York Mets: PHI, @WSN, @ATL, @CLE, WSN, MIA, SFG, @PHI, @CIN, MIL
Philadelphia Phillies: @NYM, @CHC, WSN, ATL, SDP, @WSN, MIA, NYM, @MIA, @ATL
Washington Nationals: MIA, NYM, @PHI, @MIA, NYM, PHI, ATL, MIA, STL, ARI

The NL East squads still have a few interleague series remaining, but none of those games will be played in a DH-friendly park. The Braves will be treated to six homestands against subpar talent as they prepare for the playoffs, and it is worth noting they are batting 20 points higher as a team at home versus on the road, and their pitching staff is allowing more than a run fewer per game (2.65 ERA versus 3.76) at Turner Field than elsewhere. The Marlins have six road trips left, and it's worth mentioning they have 40 home runs in 61 away games versus 32 in 68 home contests. The Nationals

Normally in In Some Depth, I go into depth on the league's depth charts. I'm mixing it up this week, and instead going deep into each team's schedule for the rest of the season. Batting and pitching environments will not be universal, so your valuations of some players may need some adjustments. We will be back to the depth chart grind next week, breaking down some of the ramifications of expanded rosters.

Without any further ado...

NL East

Atlanta Braves: CLE, MIA, NYM, @PHI, @MIA, SD, @WSN, @CHC, MIL, PHI
Miami Marlins: @WSN, @ATL, @CHC, WSN, ATL, @NYM, @PHI, @WSN, PHI, DET
New York Mets: PHI, @WSN, @ATL, @CLE, WSN, MIA, SFG, @PHI, @CIN, MIL
Philadelphia Phillies: @NYM, @CHC, WSN, ATL, SDP, @WSN, MIA, NYM, @MIA, @ATL
Washington Nationals: MIA, NYM, @PHI, @MIA, NYM, PHI, ATL, MIA, STL, ARI

The NL East squads still have a few interleague series remaining, but none of those games will be played in a DH-friendly park. The Braves will be treated to six homestands against subpar talent as they prepare for the playoffs, and it is worth noting they are batting 20 points higher as a team at home versus on the road, and their pitching staff is allowing more than a run fewer per game (2.65 ERA versus 3.76) at Turner Field than elsewhere. The Marlins have six road trips left, and it's worth mentioning they have 40 home runs in 61 away games versus 32 in 68 home contests. The Nationals still have three series remaining with the Marlins, including three games during the upcoming week. The Nationals' batters have a .753 OPS against Marlins pitching, which is their highest against any opponent through nine games.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: @LAD, PHI, MIA, MIL, @CIN, @PIT, @MIL, ATL, PIT, @STL
Cincinnati Reds: @STL, @COL, STL, LAD, CHC, @MIL, @HOU, @PIT, NYM, PIT
Milwaukee Brewers: @PIT, LAA, PIT, @CHC, @STL, CIN, CHC, STL, @ATL, @NYM
Pittsburgh Pirates: MIL, STL, @MIL, @STL, @TEX, CHC, SDP, CIN, @CHC, @CIN
St. Louis Cardinals: CIN, @PIT, @CIN, PIT, MIL, SEA, @COL, @MIL, WSN, CHC

The Reds and Cardinals will both travel to Coors Field before season's end, but the Cardinals' mid-September trip should be more advantageous to those in head-to-head playoffs than the Reds' adventure later this week. However, the Reds will gain a DH slot when they travel to Houston in mid-September, as will the Pirates when they visit Arlington at the beginning of the month.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: SDP, SFG, TOR, @SFG, @LAD, COL, LAD, @COL, @SDP, WSN
Colorado Rockies: SFG, CIN, LAD, @SDP, @SFG, @ARI, STL, ARI, BOS, @LAD
Los Angeles Dodgers: CHC, SDP, @COL, @CIN, ARI, SFG, @ARI, @SDP, @SFG, COL
San Diego Padres: @ARI, @LAD, SFG, COL, @PHI, @ATL, @PIT, LAD, ARI, SFG
San Francisco Giants: @COL, @ARI, @SDP, ARI, COL, @LAD, @NYM, @NYY, LAD, SDP

All of the NL West teams will have at least one more series at Coors and one more series at Petco - the Diamondbacks do so back-to-back. It's worth noting the Rockies have a road trip scheduled that will take them away from Coors for almost a week and a half, and the same can be said for the Padres and Petco. Nearly all of the Giants' remaining games are against in-division foes, save a six-game swing in New York that will feature stops in both Queens and the Bronx. Fortunately, the Giants will have off days both before and after that east coast trip.

AL East

Baltimore Orioles: @BOS, @NYY, @CLE, CHW, NYY, @TOR, @BOS, @TBR, TOR, BOS
Boston Red Sox: BAL, CHW, DET, @NYY, @TBR, NYY, BAL, TOR, @COL, @BAL
New York Yankees: @TOR, BAL, CHW, BOS, @BAL, @BOS, @TOR, SFG, TBR, @HOU
Tampa Bay Rays: LAA, @OAK, @LAA, @SEA, BOS, @MIN, TEX, BAL, @NYY, @TOR
Toronto Blue Jays: NYY, KCR, @ARI, @MIN, LAA, BAL, NYY, @BOS, @BAL, TBR

The Red Sox will visit Coors Field in the second-to-last series of the season, but it may not have much bearing on their regular batters if their playoff seed is already determined by then. Plus, it's only a two-game set. The Blue Jays and Rays each have one-game trips to the AL Central to make up for weather-postponed games. That means each team loses a day off down the stretch so their managers may sneak in some rest for their regulars. The Rays and Orioles are set to play six road series. That should not be too concerning for the Rays given they hit very similarly regardless of environment (.261/.336/.418 at home versus .262/.325/.414 on the road), but the Orioles have hit 11 points better away from Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have six home series left, which should be of some benefit (.814 team OPS at home versus .754 on the road).

AL Central

Chicago White Sox: HOU, @BOS, @NYY, @BAL, DET, CLE, MIN, @DET, @CLE, KCR
Cleveland Indians: @ATL, @DET, BAL, NYM, KCR, @CHW, @KCR, HOU, CHW, @MIN
Detroit Tigers: OAK, CLE, @BOS, @KCR, @CHW, KCR, SEA, CHW, @MIN, @MIA
Kansas City Royals: @MIN, @TOR, SEA, DET, @CLE, @DET, CLE, TEX, @SEA, @CHW
Minnesota Twins: KCR, @TEX, @HOU, TOR, OAK, TBR, @CHW, @OAK, DET, CLE

In need of some late-season home runs? The White Sox will be at home for all but five days from September 9 until the end of the season. It would be unfortunate to be relying on the Tigers' sluggers going into the final week of the season. Not only may they be on the bench if the Tigers' AL Central lead holds, but they play at Minnesota in early fall (where it could be chilly and they have hit .238 in six games this year) and then without the DH in Miami. The Indians still have to play two NL foes, but only one of those series will be sans DH (this week in Atlanta). The White Sox, Royals, and Twins all lose a day off to makeup games. The Twins have six home series remaining on the schedule, where their pitching staff is only slightly better (4.26 ERA at home, 4.32 away).

AL West

Houston Astros: @CHW, SEA, MIN, @OAK, @SEA, LAA, CIN, @CLE, @TEX, NYY
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: @TBR, @MIL, TBR, TEX, @TOR, @HOU, @OAK, SEA, OAK, @TEX
Oakland A's: @DET, TBR, TEX, HOU, @MIN, @TEX, LAA, MIN, @LAA, @SEA
Seattle Mariners: TEX, @HOU, @KCR, TBR, HOU, @STL, @DET, @LAA, KCR, OAK
Texas Rangers: @SEA, MIN, @OAK, @LAA, PIT, OAK, @TBR, @KCR, HOU, LAA

The Angels' September callups should not look for apartments in Anaheim - they will only be home for 13 games in the month. That's bad news for both their batters and pitchers - they have hit 20 points higher at home than on the road, and they have allowed nearly a half a run more away from Anaheim. The Mariners' pitchers will not have their natural home park advantage for three consecutive series in September, but they get favorable matchups in the Royals and A's to close out the year.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Eisner
Ryan has been writing for Rotowire since 2007. He currently writes about baseball and covers the White Sox.
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