The All-Star game is an exhibition but real life intrudes with every pitch.
For starters, there's Royals manager Ned Yost, exhorting his charges pre-game to play as if it mattered, because it might, as his personal testimony could attest. Last season, KC stood seven games out at the ASB, yet returned home for the seventh game of the World Series thanks to an American League victory.
Which they lost, demonstrating that even in the unlikely event that your team runs the gauntlet to the Fall Classic, and in the even more unlikely event that the series goes seven games, even then, the advantage conferred upon the home team is barely worth noting.
The All-Star game is still a game, and ballers are still ballers. Did you notice how Bryce Harper adjusted his position in the batter's box with two strikes on him? That's one reason he has grown into his talent and now plays the part of George Washington in today's NL Mount Rushmore. In the same inning, Adam Jones, who possesses the same wealth of talent, swung at two balls down and off the plate on the way to a strikeout. That's about the only reason Jones has made a mint in the game, but won't pose for any monuments.
The introduction of elderly Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax and an aging Johnny Bench was a stirring addition to the opening ceremonies. Kudos to MLB for its promotion of the four greatest living players vote.
Lost in the years since the playing days of Aaron and Mays, who stand a head taller than anyone else who might join them in the top four, is that both were sons of the South who overcame racist hatred with aplomb and helped smash the race barrier. They are not just all-time great ballplayers; they have been great men. Let's not forget it.
Meanwhile, Tom Seaver, Greg Maddux and others had to be scratching their heads about Koufax. The Left Arm of God was almighty during the final six years of his career, winning three pitching triple crowns and three Cy Youngs, averaging 22-8, 2.19 and 286 strikeouts. But in his other six seasons he averaged 6-7, 4.10 with 114 strikeouts and more than half as many walks.
Seaver flummoxed batters from age 22 to 40, earning three Cy Youngs and six other top five finishes. His 106 career WAR is twice that of Koufax. The record is nearly identical for Maddux, whose peak was slightly higher but who tailed off more before retiring.
Bob Gibson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson also have strong cases against Koufax. Longevity and consistency matter: Koufax was a phenomenon, but far short of the greatest living pitcher.
The rule that every team gets an All Star representative is less popular than Congress, but its impact was minimal this year. Even the worst teams -- Milwaukee with KRod, Philly with Papelbon (or Hamels), Colorado with Arenado and Tulo, Boston with Holt (or Bogaerts), Oakland with Gray and Vogt and so on, provided legitimate candidates.
The biggest stretch is probably Justin Upton representing the Padres, hitting .253 with 14 dingers. But Upton has a history of good play, faces a daunting ballpark for hitting and offers excellent outfield defense and 17 of 18 steals. There's not much to complain about there.
Hearing Bryce Harper laud Mike Trout's speed burst around third was priceless. It'd be like Carlos Santana marveling at Eric Clapton's axe grinding.
If Ryan Braun can get selected to an All-Star game, it's time to drop the artifice and welcome Pete Rose back into the game; fold up the placards decrying Alex Rodriguez; and elect Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and the rest into the Hall of Fame. Instead of bestowing such an honor on that unapologetic disgrace, the NL manager should select Braun's cynical spin doctors, handlers and script writers.
Showing posts with label Sandy Koufax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sandy Koufax. Show all posts
15 July 2015
16 April 2015
Early Season Fun
The great baseball writer Joe Sheehan once said that the best thing baseball writers could do to illuminate the game for their readers during April was to put away their keyboards.
But because we know better and are immune to the charms of early season over-reaction, we're going to have some fun with the Colorado Rockies.
No one outside southern Colorado thinks the Denver nine has even a puncher's chance at .500. A list of their weaknesses would include hitting, pitching, fielding, bullpen and bench.
But as of this writing, they have triumphed in 77% of their games, outscoring the vanquished by a 45-25 count.
They have three regulars hitting twice as well as league average: Keystoner DJ LeMahieu, batting .514, cornerman Nolan Arenado, who has poked an extra base hit every fourth at bat, and left fielder Corey Dickerson, batting .361. That doesn't even include Troy Tulowitzki who is simply doing what he does.
Nor does it include backup catcher Wilin Rosario and his double and home run in seven at bats. Or pitcher Kyle Kendrick, who is three for five. Sandy Koufax didn't collect his third hit until his fourth year in the Majors, by which time he had come to the plate more than 60 times.
And that's nothing compared to the vaunted Rockie hurlers. Two of the four starters boast ERAs below two, and at 2.25, Jordan Lyles has no reason for shame. All the members of the bullpen not named LaTroy Hawkins have allowed two runs in 33 frames. (Hawkins has surrendered five runs in three and two thirds.)
So the Rocks are 7-2 in first place in the NL West and Rockieing home field in the playoffs. And I predict they will win the pennant if they keep this up. The only thing preventing them is 153 more games...and reality.
But because we know better and are immune to the charms of early season over-reaction, we're going to have some fun with the Colorado Rockies.
No one outside southern Colorado thinks the Denver nine has even a puncher's chance at .500. A list of their weaknesses would include hitting, pitching, fielding, bullpen and bench.
But as of this writing, they have triumphed in 77% of their games, outscoring the vanquished by a 45-25 count.
They have three regulars hitting twice as well as league average: Keystoner DJ LeMahieu, batting .514, cornerman Nolan Arenado, who has poked an extra base hit every fourth at bat, and left fielder Corey Dickerson, batting .361. That doesn't even include Troy Tulowitzki who is simply doing what he does.
Nor does it include backup catcher Wilin Rosario and his double and home run in seven at bats. Or pitcher Kyle Kendrick, who is three for five. Sandy Koufax didn't collect his third hit until his fourth year in the Majors, by which time he had come to the plate more than 60 times.
And that's nothing compared to the vaunted Rockie hurlers. Two of the four starters boast ERAs below two, and at 2.25, Jordan Lyles has no reason for shame. All the members of the bullpen not named LaTroy Hawkins have allowed two runs in 33 frames. (Hawkins has surrendered five runs in three and two thirds.)
So the Rocks are 7-2 in first place in the NL West and Rockieing home field in the playoffs. And I predict they will win the pennant if they keep this up. The only thing preventing them is 153 more games...and reality.
11 December 2013
Roy Hallafame?
By hanging up his cleats at the age of 36, Roy Halladay has set in motion a good, old-fashioned brouhaha over his Cooperstown credentials.
Halladay is credited with winning just 203 games, rarely enough to secure a bust in the august Hall. Bill James established the inadequacy of measuring pitcher wins in 1979, when Jimmy Carter was president, but word hasn't yet reached everyone just 34 years later. Communication is instantaneous in 2013, but only if received.
The shortage of wins are a symptom of a different problem facing Halladay's Hall candidacy. He pitched sporadically for four years until age 25 and threw only 62 innings because of shoulder woes at age 36. In between, he had only 11 years to make his case. That he got close enough to incite debate is a testament to how dominant Roy Halladay was.
Over a 10 year period (2002-2011) the gangly right-hander was the best moundsman in the game. He led the Majors four times in innings pitched, seven times in complete games, twice in wins and five times in K/BB ratio. His .697 winning percentage, for what it's worth, paced the Majors, and his 2.97 ERA trumped league average by a whopping 48%. He captured a Cy Young on merit in each league and finished in the top five of voting seven times.
The obvious comparison for anyone making a short career case for a pitcher is Sandy Koufax. Koufax was far more dominant over his best six years but nowhere near as dominant over 10.
The difference is that Koufax retired at the height of his powers. We mentally extrapolate his career and wonder how long he could have continued frustrating hitters. No need to wonder about Roy Halladay: he was done. His career denouement of 4-5, 6.82 with more walks and home runs allowed in 62 innings than in all of 2011's 233 frames followed his worst season in a decade. Together, they speak to the trajectory of Halladay's pitching skills. At 37 next season, even a bounce-back wouldn't likely last more than a season or two.
And so, Roy Halladay's final wins against replacement tally comes up 42nd all-time among pitchers, squarely borderline in a Hall of Fame currently comprising 70 hurlers. Were he electing to retire with the same accomplishments at age 34, or coming off another stellar season, we could reasonably grant him three or four more seasons of respectability sufficient to inflate his career numbers to middling Hall of Fame territory. That, unfortunately, is not the case.
A Hall vote for Halladay five years hence would certainly be defensible. But without any reasonable expectation that he could bolster his resume, he appears to come up short.
Halladay is credited with winning just 203 games, rarely enough to secure a bust in the august Hall. Bill James established the inadequacy of measuring pitcher wins in 1979, when Jimmy Carter was president, but word hasn't yet reached everyone just 34 years later. Communication is instantaneous in 2013, but only if received.
The shortage of wins are a symptom of a different problem facing Halladay's Hall candidacy. He pitched sporadically for four years until age 25 and threw only 62 innings because of shoulder woes at age 36. In between, he had only 11 years to make his case. That he got close enough to incite debate is a testament to how dominant Roy Halladay was.
Over a 10 year period (2002-2011) the gangly right-hander was the best moundsman in the game. He led the Majors four times in innings pitched, seven times in complete games, twice in wins and five times in K/BB ratio. His .697 winning percentage, for what it's worth, paced the Majors, and his 2.97 ERA trumped league average by a whopping 48%. He captured a Cy Young on merit in each league and finished in the top five of voting seven times.
The obvious comparison for anyone making a short career case for a pitcher is Sandy Koufax. Koufax was far more dominant over his best six years but nowhere near as dominant over 10.
The difference is that Koufax retired at the height of his powers. We mentally extrapolate his career and wonder how long he could have continued frustrating hitters. No need to wonder about Roy Halladay: he was done. His career denouement of 4-5, 6.82 with more walks and home runs allowed in 62 innings than in all of 2011's 233 frames followed his worst season in a decade. Together, they speak to the trajectory of Halladay's pitching skills. At 37 next season, even a bounce-back wouldn't likely last more than a season or two.
And so, Roy Halladay's final wins against replacement tally comes up 42nd all-time among pitchers, squarely borderline in a Hall of Fame currently comprising 70 hurlers. Were he electing to retire with the same accomplishments at age 34, or coming off another stellar season, we could reasonably grant him three or four more seasons of respectability sufficient to inflate his career numbers to middling Hall of Fame territory. That, unfortunately, is not the case.
A Hall vote for Halladay five years hence would certainly be defensible. But without any reasonable expectation that he could bolster his resume, he appears to come up short.
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