Synaptic Flatulence

2004-12-07T07:27:00.000-08:00

A Fine Mess

Well, the genie is officially out of the bottle. The can of worms has been opened. What has long been suspected is now a reality. Some of baseball’s best are juicing. I’d like to preface this with a disclaimer--there are no heroes here. For all of his indignation, Bud Selig is a raging hypocrite. Let’s not forget this one fact: Bud Selig, George Steinbrenner et al were all too happy to cash the checks that fans wrote to watch players like Giambi, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa etc work their 500 ft. pharmacological magic. Any protestations about the scandal they utter only highlights their stunning resemblance to a constipated bovine.

Geez, so much to cover and no idea where to start. I guess point one is what to make of Barry Bonds achievements? Are his totals tainted?

Sure--but nowhere near the extent that some claim. Tom Boswell opined:

Let Bonds keep his 411 homers and three MVPs before he linked his fate to Anderson in '98, though we can't be sure what he might have used to aid his play before that. At least we now know what he's willing to use: anything that's put into his hands.

To completely discount almost 300 HR is to say that Bonds wouldn’t have hit a single dinger after 1998 is, to put it simply, absurd. Obviously his totals are skewered and I’m guessing that Boz’ is engaging in a little good old fashioned hyberbole. It also assumes that if you were to put Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran, or Vladmir Guerrero on Bonds’ program, they too could go five seasons averaging .339/.530/.781 with 123 runs scored and 109 RBI while blasting 258 HR from their 35th birthday. They can’t produce a 1.100 OPS in their primes (Pujols did reach 1.106 in 2003) so what makes us think they could post a 1.421 OPS when they’re 39-40 regardless of what they put into their bodies? Steroids won’t turn a bum into a Hall-of-Famer any more than they could turn Neifi Perez into Alex Rodriguez. Bonds’ achievements are due to a convergence of several circumstances: an extremely gifted (and slightly freakish genetically) athlete, an otherworldly nutrition and fitness program, an era geared to offense, and performance enhancing drugs. For laughs, let’s deduct 30% of Bonds’ totals since he turned 35: that makes him a .237 hitter, but his OBP is still a healthy .371 and his SLG is an excellent .547 and he hits not 258, but 181 HR giving him a career total of 626 dingers. What kind of player posts an aggregate OPS of .918 and blasts 181 HR for five seasons after his 35th birthday?

One of the best ever.

Yes, mentally put an asterisk beside Bonds’ totals but don’t forget that he’s still on the short list of all time greats.

I know the Yankees are working hard to rid themselves of Jason Giambi (or more pointedly their financial obligations to Jason Giambi). Now I believe cheaters should have to pay a penalty, but in l’affaire Giambi, I don’t think the Yankees should be allowed to divest themselves of all of Giambi’s remaining millions for several reasons above and beyond what’s written in the collective bargaining agreement and Giambi’s contract. First: the Yankees must have known--or at least had strong suspicions--that Giambi was chemically enhanced. To state otherwise would’ve been about as credible as Bill Clinton saying: “I thought I had a growth on my groin, I had no idea it was an intern.” They signed the deal knowing (and hoping) to get seven years of steroid-aided production from first base. They’re in no position to call foul now. Second: .208/.342/.379/$82M--.290/.393/.534/$26M. These numbers represent the production and money owed of both Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield. Both have been implicated in the BALCO scandal, the Yankees are trying to get rid of one--but not both--of these players. What are the odds that production and money owed are factoring more into this decision than the amount of besmirching to the pinstripes each has done? If Giambi were still performing at his 2000-2002 levels, the Yankees would be doing some tut-tutting but that would be it. It’s easy to find religion when you’re standing on the trap door with a noose about your neck and it’s easy for the Yankees to find morality and ethics when there’s an $82M sunk cost staring you in the face.

I’ve read a lot of vitriol in the press about this. Yes, this is a scandal. Yes, it gives baseball a black eye, but the apocalyptic rantings are a bit over the top. The fans are outraged. These are the same fans who have suspected steroid use for years yet still enable--via their wallets--the sport of baseball to continue it’s chemically aided course. Until there is a financial disincentive for using performance enhancing substances the problem will continue unabated as more sophisticated ways of beating drug tests are developed. The fans have the greatest control over this: letters to the editors, protests, resolutions, jeers, and taunts will have no effect as long as tickets are being bought. When owners and players realize drugs are hurting their bottom lines then there will be meaningful reform. This will not be the end of baseball, nor its doom. We love it too much. The only thing that will truly be learned in all this is that the maxim is indeed true: If you can hit the curveball you can get away with ~~murder~~ steroids.

Just ask Barry Bonds….or Jason Giambi.

Best Regards

John

2004-09-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

An Epitaph For The Montreal Expos

I never thought I’d type these words, but here goes: Good-bye Montreal Expos. I’ve kept the faith about the Expos future in Montreal for years now. Year after year we’d hear reports of the Expos soon-to-occur exodus but put little stock in them. When owners and commissioners open their mouths I assume one of two things: (a) they’re lying, and (b) they’re trying to extort money from the fans, the players, the regions that host/wish to host MLB.

However this time it’s real. Bud Selig and his money-whoring heart got the necessary corporate welfare from D.C. to give them a team. A vote on the Expos’ relocation is about to be taken and Budley Do-Wrong never calls for a vote unless he’s positive about the outcome.

I do not bear any ill will toward baseball fans in Washington. I wish them well and hope Nos Amours bring them all the joy and none of the frustrations that the Expos have brought me. I was thrilled back in 1976 with the news that Toronto was going to get the Giants from San Francisco so I am in no position to bear any kind of animus toward Washingtonians for rejoicing over the arrival of les Expos.

I do not blame Washington for my losing my National League rooting interest. There’s plenty of blame to pass around for the Expos’ demise and baseball fans in Washington’s fingerprints are nowhere to be found on the murder weapon. I wish I were a dog so I could cock my hind leg and give the following a proper salute:

Bud Selig: I love pizza. If there was only one pizza joint in my hometown and they advertised that the food was poor, the beer was lukewarm and watered down, the servers were rude and inattentive, and that chances were excellent that I’d leave their establishment unsatisfied and a little nauseous and they had absolutely no intention of improving things, would it be logical to say that I didn’t like pizza because I refused to patronize the place? What if you complained about the restaurant to management and they told you that if you ate high priced feces and drank cat urine a couple of dozen times a year they might decide to serve slightly better pizza and a have decent beer in a few years--although they might have to jack up the prices in order to so?

Doubtless you’d suggest that the establishment do something that’s both auto-erotic and anatomically impossible.

Well, that’s Bud and the Expos. Blame the consumer for not swallowing his #@*#!! And calling it ice cream or the 1927 Yankees incarnate. His other crimes (I won‘t list them all, bandwidth problems y‘know) include the bad faith negotiating that led the strike of 1994 derailing a magnificent season for Expos that could’ve revitalized the franchise. Not letting the Expos call up players Sept 1st when they were contending for the wild card not long ago, not offering Vlad Guerrero arbitration so the Expos could get draft picks or at the very least extending the negotiating window to retain him. Trying to contract the Expos, killing off interest in the Expos but implying that every year was the last season for the Expos in Montreal, his non-stop anti-marketing of MLB, rewarding Jeffery Loria with a World Series championship team for doing his part to killing off any remaining interest in the Expos and then plundering the front office before going to Florida etc. etc. etc.
Jeffery Loria: Let the option expire on the tract of land for a new park, kept the Expos off (or significantly reduced) the radio and TV rather than accept fees he felt were inadequate (thereby killing off interest via a lack of exposure rather than trying to build interest and induce demand), ticked off local government, ticked off corporate sponsors, alienated the people he needed to cultivate in order to make the team successful, made dubious cash calls to acquire dubious talent to dilute other stockholder’s share to acquire enough of the team to sell to MLB. Took the money and ran off to Florida with a lot of Expos’ property, and generally helped Bud Selig to assassinate any interest in the Expos. Loria and Selig teamed up to destroy as much interest in the Expos’ as possible to make selling and moving the franchise the only “logical” alternative.
Claude Brochu: Supported Bud Selig’s stance during the strike of 1994. The Expos were 13th out of 14 teams in attendance in 1993, moved up to 11th out of 14 in 1994 and drew a total of 2,917,687 fans those [almost] two seasons (in other words--things were picking up). The Expos finished 3 games back of Philadelphia in the NL East (94-68) in 1993 and had the best record in MLB in 1994 (74-40.…with the second lowest payroll in the major leagues). Instead of taking advantage of renewed interest in the Expos and investing in the franchise to continue the trend, they stripped the club of its stars to lower payroll even further. If you don’t think there was renewed interest in the Expos, consider this: Despite the firesale of 1995, the Expos moved up to 10th out of 14 in NL attendance. The interest was there, but Brochu and his partners let it wither and die.
Bowie Kuhn: Limited the Expos to 18 telecasts into the Ontario market--which in effect, cut off the Expos from anywhere west of Quebec. The Expos, Canada’s first team, was, in the words of--then owner--Charles Bronfman “ghettoized ... into Quebec.” The Blue Jays would go on to become one of MLB’s wealthiest teams while the Expos became the poorest.
“The System”: The system, in theory is fine. A team gets six years major league service from the players they develop. However, the mishandling/manipulating of the system by owners, the MLBPA, and player agents hurt the Expos significantly. Some quick points: The levels of revenue sharing [up to recent times] destroyed the Expos. Large revenue teams bid up the price of players which small revenue teams had to match to hang on to talent. The large revenue teams escalated the cost of doing business for the small revenue teams giving them a built in advantage. Teams like the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers etc. could acquire the best current talent while pricing out future top talent out of the price range of teams like the Expos. This wouldn’t be a problem if this only involved free agents, however it trickled down to arbitration eligible players as well. A player on a small market team might not be able to afford the arbitration awards of its top talent forcing them to trade [the player]. This reduced the period of time a club could hang on to its best players from six to as few as three years. This enabled wealthy clubs earlier access to the best talent developed by low revenue clubs as team like the Expos would have to trade their most talented arbitration eligible players to franchises who could afford them.

I could go on and one but the point is clear: the power brokers in MLB screwed the Montreal Expos repeatedly. Every time the Expos were building interest, expanding it’s base, and growing in success (late 1970‘s-early 1980‘s; mid 1990‘s) baseball management derailed it. The fans did not fail the Montreal market--MLB did. The fan base showed more interest and loyalty to the Expos than MLB ever did. If major league baseball did what they did to the Expos to any other franchise over the last 25 years, they’d be the ones headed to Washington. A team can win despite a cheap/dishonest owner or the current system or an idiotic commissioner etc. but not when all of these factors come into play as they did with the Expos.

Believe it or not, despite his constant whinings to the media, Bud Selig likes the current setup of the business of major league baseball. Competitive balance isn’t the problem it’s been made out to be. Since the strike, the Florida Marlins have won two World Series, the Minnesota Twins just three-peated in the AL Central, the Oakland A’s can win their fourth division title in five years thereby giving them their fifth straight post season appearance, the one time laughable Cleveland Indians (remember the Major League movies) won six division titles and two pennants, the one time equally laughable Seattle Mariners won three division titles and qualified for the playoffs once via the wild card.

Picture if you will, what Bud Selig would call his baseball utopia: 100% of baseball revenues are put into a pot and divided evenly 30 ways. There is a hard salary cap. Perfect, right?

Wrong.

In this “utopia” could you go to your city, municipality, state and say: “I need a new public financed stadium to compete or I‘m going to go broke”? Why do you need a new stadium? You have the exact same revenues as the Yankees. The Yankees can’t outspend you. It doesn’t matter where you play since you’re situation would remain unchanged relative to the other teams in the league. Could you go to your city, municipality, state and say: “I need a new public financed stadium to compete or I‘m going to go broke and if you don‘t build it I‘m leaving”? Where would you go? You’d be no better or worse off than where you were [at the moment].

A degree of perceived competitive imbalance/perceived economic losses is important to Selig (why do you think that he‘s to the word “aberration” that Ford Frick was to the word “asterisk”?) in that it gives him leverage to extract public money for his stadium scams. He can claim market size disadvantages, he can claim payroll disadvantages etc. Absent these “imbalances” he has no claim to need public assistance. Then he has the hammer: the antitrust exemption. There’s only one game in town--major league baseball. If Bud Selig had his alleged utopia, then any market that could support a team could have one. Bud doesn’t want that however; by having fewer teams than cities that could support them, he has another tool in his blackmail belt. Now he can make the threat “[insert team name] needs a new public financed stadium to compete or [insert team name] will go broke and if you don‘t build it [insert team name] is leaving.” The name of the game is no longer fan support but corporate welfare. Could Los Angeles support an NFL franchise? Of course. But why have L.A.’s last two teams left for St. Louis and Oakland respectively? Those regions anteed up more subsidies than Los Angeles was willing to pay. Why has Washington not gotten a major league team during the multiple rounds of expansion since 1977? D.C. didn’t put enough subsidies on the table. Now that they’re willing to cough up 100% of stadium costs and assign the lion’s share of stadium revenues to the team, now Washington is “ready” to become “major league” again.

This is what is so purulent about Selig. When he was trying to find a buyer for the Expos, he wasn’t just looking for a buyer. Bill Gates couldn’t purchase the Expos unless the city Gates would have them play in would subsidize the franchise with a publicly financed stadium. Selig was looking first and foremost for a round heeled city. Once one was located, then the search for a group to purchase the team could begin in earnest. It’s not about fan support, it’s about public support. It’s not about the number of fans willing to buy tickets, it’s about the number of corporations willing to lease luxury boxes and club seats. It’s not about the “best interests of baseball” it’s about taking money from schools, libraries, healthcare etc. and giving it to his billionaire parasites he calls friends.

When Bud Selig dies I am going to go to his grave and dig up some worms. I am going to take those worms and go fishing. I am going to take the fish I catch and feed it to my cat. I am going to take the litter out of my cat’s litter box and take it to the dump. Then I am going to check back at the dump in two weeks and look where I dumped the cat litter so I can say that I watched maggots engage in cannibalism.

Best Regards

John

2004-09-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

He was third in the AL in innings pitched. He was tied for second in starts. He surrendered the fewest hits per nine innings of anyone in the league. Although he finished seventh in strikeouts, he lead the loop in ERA (2.48.…the pitcher who finished second was 2.69), adjusted ERA+ (171.…the pitcher who finished second was 154) and Runs Saved Against Average (RSAA)--47.…the pitcher who finished second was 39--all by reasonably comfortable margins. His team won 99 games and the division title.

A Cy Young candidate?

You’d think so.

He didn’t finish in the top three in voting; he didn’t finish in the top five [in voting]; he finished seventh.

Did he fare any better in the MVP voting?

He didn’t even finish in the top 25. Some of his teammates did however. This player .289/.369/.536 27 HR 84 RBI 142 OPS+* finished seventh in the voting. This player .275/.327/.479 28 HR 95 RBI 116 OPS+** finished eighth. Three of his fellow pitchers finished 20th and tied for 21st … one was a reliever who finished 20th and pitched 40 innings, with a 3-3 record, 13 saves, and a 2.02 ERA (209 ERA+)***. One of the two who tied for the next spot finished sixth in the Cy Young voting (17-10, 3.45 ERA, 123 ERA+)****. The other was a middle reliever who posted a mark of 11-0 (impressive to be sure) 3.32 ERA (127 ERA+ in 105 2/3 IP)*****. Finally at 24th in the MVP voting was a light hitting middle infielder who went .282/.302/.377 with 8 HR 65 RBI and OPS+ of 83 and created 467 outs (16th in the AL, 22nd in MLB)******.

Why did this workhorse pitcher finish so poorly in both the Cy Young balloting and the MVP voting, especially when you consider his team won the division? Players on division winning teams generally are given a boost when it comes to passing out the post season hardware. Indeed this higher profile allowed a middle reliever and a non Gold Glove outmaking middle infielder that was subpar even for his position (-8 Runs Created Against Position--RCAP) to garner MVP votes.

He went 14-13 that year. Here is his stat line:

What's a guy gotta do to get a little respect?
W	L	ERA	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	K	*ERA+	RSAA
14	13	2.48	36	8	2	265	206	73	96	167	171	47

Blue Jays’ fans can tell you of whom I speak; this was Dave Stieb in 1985.

So what’s with the history lesson? Well this year, there’s a pitcher who leads the league (tied for first) in ERA (2.74), strikeouts (268), and RSAA (43) is second in IP (223.2), is tied for third in complete games (4) and sports the following record:

What's a guy gotta do to get a little respect? II
W	L	ERA	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	K	ERA+	RSAA
14	13	2.74	32	4	2	223.2	154	68	41	268	164	43

Compare that to Stieb’s 1985 season:

W	L	ERA	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	K	*ERA+	RSAA
14	13	2.48	36	8	2	265	206	73	96	167	171	47

And he may not sniff the Cy Young Award due to his barely .500 record. Granted, Randy Johnson has a few things working in his favour. He’s won the award five times previously (then again one of his fellow candidates--Roger Clemens--has won six!). He’s a first ballot Hall-of-Famer (then again, so is Clemens), he’s an historic strikeout artist having a typically excellent year in this regard (then again, so has Clemens). However, Clemens, while eighth in IP (201), fourth in ERA (3.00), sixth in RSAA (28) and fifth in strikeouts (198) sports a far sexier won-loss record (18-4).

Let’s not forget about Roy Oswalt (18-9, 3.48 ERA, 23 RSAA, 191 K/217.1 IP) or Jason Schmidt (16-7, 3.24 ERA, 29 RSAA, 232 K/205.2 IP).

Will a pitcher that’s thrown 215 IP, struck out 237 while walking just 29, has an ERA that’s third best in the NL (2.80) and is second in RSAA (39) get any votes?

Probably not….Ben Sheets of the Milwaukee Brewers is just 11-12.

In my opinion, Randy Johnson is the best pitcher in the National League. Whether that translates into a sixth Cy Young Award remains to be seen. I’m guessing Clemens will notch number seven for his grandson Kash’n’Kerry. It’ll be interesting to see if the voters have learned much since 1985. I’m not saying Stieb should’ve won, but I am saying he should’ve placed higher than seventh.

You’ll notice I’ve added a comments feature to my blog so feel free to flame, complain, bellyache, and question my ancestry to your heart’s content. If you’d like to suggest a link or join my wife in letting me know how wrong I am [again], please do.

*Jesse Barfield

**George Bell

***Tom Henke

****Doyle Alexander

*****Dennis Lamp

******Damaso Garcia

Best Regards

John

2004-09-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

Musings:

Ever hear of a stream-of-consciousness monologue? Well, that’s what’s gonna happen here. Initially this blog was going to be fairly Blue Jay/Expos-centric. This year however, I can sum up their respective seasons thusly:

They suck....badly.

Pretty straightforward. Hopefully, come the offseason, I can write something more positive. Oh sure, the Jays have the makings of an impressive rotation come 2005 if Roy Halladay doesn’t have Duane Ward’s disease (minor tendonitis all you need is rest....nine years worth and counting). Delgado is in the midst of a nice contract push (.326/.424/.689 with 14 HR) since August 1st and yet another 30 HR/100 RBI season beckons if he can bang one more HR and 14 RBI over the next 19 games. Can the Jays retain Delgado? Why not? Vlad Guerrero got $70M over 5 years from the Angels and he was the premier free agent last year. Guerrero was 27 years old, could hit for average and power and has an absolute cannon in RF. Delgado is an average fielding 1B, will be 33 next summer, and is coming off the worst season of his career which could mark the beginning of his natural decline. He’s a tremendous hitter, but that’s all he brings to the table. He has no aura of being a “championship calibre” player (he has 0 post season AB) and he has DH written all over him. Unless a team loses their mind, there’s no way he’s going to command anything near what Guerrero got last year. In the “new marketplace” Delgado will have a great deal of difficulty commanding even 3 years/$30M. I’m guessing he can be had for 3 years/$18-24M....well within the Jays budget (especially if there are deferrals in the deal). Know this, the Jays will not offer Delgado arbitration. Delgado would jump at it--guaranteed. A player offered arbitration is guaranteed 80% of his previous season’s salary which means the Jays would have to pay at least $15.2M for Delgado’s services.

The Expos? They’re doing about as well as any victim of first degree murder could be expect to [be doing]. Bud Selig should be strung up by his nuts with monofilament fishing line with 25 lb. barbell plates attached to his nostril hairs and beaten on like a pinata until he can recite the stats of every player ever to don an Expos uniform. However, I’ll settle for seeing him hauled off to jail in handcuffs, flat broke after losing the RICO suit with small children wearing Expos caps hurling cat-urine filled balloons at his face as he’s being led off. Barring that, I’d like to see him drummed out of baseball for life with a sign posted on every highway leading into the state of Wisconsin that reads: “Please accept Wisconsin’s deepest apologies for Bud Selig.”

Yes, I realize I‘m probably being too lenient. What can I say? I’m a big softie.

On to other items of note: I’m trying to wrap my mind around Barry Bonds’ season. This year, only five players (Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez) have a higher SLG than Bonds’ OBP (.614). Bonds is .375/.614/.831. He has been walked 203 times....a full 84 times more than Houston’s Lance Berkman who is second in MLB. Bonds has walked 117 times more than AL leader Jorge Posada. Since the season he turned 36 Bonds has hit 254 HR and is .341/.531/.784. To try to put that into some kind of context, Rogers Hornsby over five seasons (2679 AB) from 1921-25, batted an aggregate .402. He was .402/.474/.690 over that stretch....an Hornsby did that during his prime (ages 25-29).

For those of you who feel he’s had chemical assistance (I am among them), consider this: If he’s indeed “juiced” do you think if you put Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, Albert Pujols, etc. on the exact same program Bonds may be on that they’d duplicate Bonds’ accomplishments from ages 36-40? Let’s go nuts for a moment. Let’s assume that Bonds is a walking (pun intended) pharmacy. So I’m going to pull a number out of my, um, posterior, and say that 25% (an insanely high total) of Bonds’ accomplishments over the last five years are due solely to performance enhancing drugs. That would make Bonds .256/.398/.588 with 190 HR since 2000 and he’d be .281/.461/.623 this year.

He’d be third in MLB in OPS, just .004 points out of 2nd (Coors Field aided Todd Helton).

In other words, take a huge “supplement adjustment” out of Bonds’ numbers and he’s still one of the best players in baseball.

My point? Well, it appears that Bonds is a genetic freak. The same way Satchel Paige was a genetic freak, the same way Nolan Ryan was a genetic freak, the same way Gordie Howe was a genetic freak.

A final note: .440/.466/.599.

Ichiro Suzuki’s stats since July 1st.

As a bonus, since I’ve been away, I thought I’d post an old feature I once did about one of MLB’s most colourful (and besotted) players....

I'm Here For A Good Time, Not A Long Time -- The Wacky Adventures Of Rube Waddell

“Rube probably has the best strikeout to IQ ratio in baseball” history once said a friend of mine. Let’s kick back and enjoy the life and times of the original wacky southpaw. Other gems from the aforementioned friend: “There are guys better than him, but then again they probably all had IQ's over the simpleton level. He certainly has to be considered one of the most successful drunks of his or any other era. Today a player like Rube probably would never be given a chance - at an early age he would be written off as 'special' and sent some place.”

So here's to Rube, lean back, put your feet up and enjoy and also don't forget, the man could flat out pitch.

The Phenom

Rube Waddell first started turning heads (for his play that is) at the tender age of 18. This was a bit unusual seeing as southpaws have the reputation of needing more time than righties to master their control. Waddell was no different except his trouble wasn't with his arm which had plenty of control but rather it was his synapses that required more seasoning. At the time he was pitching semipro in Butler, Pennsylvania, mostly because he preferred pitching to working (an understandable preference) when he caught the eye of the National League Louisville Colonels where he was signed for $500 which he promptly took and celebrated in typical Rube fashion -- he got bent. You could drink a lot with $500 back then, nowadays that gets you a beer for you and three friends at Comerica Park. His fondness for lubricating his fluid motion made his first major league stint rather short.

Louisville's manager -- Fred Clarke -- fined him fifty bucks after two games because he hadn't finished celebrating the fact that he was in the big leagues. He had two choices, pay the fine or quit the team and keep the fifty smackers for recreational pursuits.

He jumped the team ...

... all the way to the Western League in Detroit, where he pitched nine games and decided to continue his trek north -- right out of the country and into semi-pro ball in Canada. Perhaps Detroit had a 'special meaning' for Waddell even though he had no idea what it was exactly, but he was fined $100 by his distraught manager.

Waddell demanded to know why it had been levied, to which his manager replied: '[it] was for that disgraceful hotel episode in Detroit.' Waddell answered: “You're a liar. There ain't no Hotel Episode in Detroit.”

At any rate, Waddell decided he didn't like Canada much and returned to the Western League with Columbus-Grand Rapids and stayed put long enough to win 27 games and again he caught the eye of the National League. However those were the days of the 'reserve clause' and Louisville felt, that -- like the Mariners, Mets, Padres, Angels etc. did/do with Rickey Henderson -- they could live with his eccentricities. He pitched nine games that year winning seven and decided he needed to get an offseason job and found one...

... as an alligator wrestler.

Meanwhile rumors abounded that Louisville was about to be folded by the National League and Waddell became a Pirate where he won eight, lost 13 but sported a solid ERA of 2.37 which led the league...
... and jumped ship in July, back to the Western League under the supervision of Connie Mack. A wise man, Mack realized that Waddell would require 'special' treatment (as in, the sporting goods store is having a 'special' on dumbbells). He didn't pay Waddell a regular salary but rather forwarded him money as needed. Mack also learned how to motivate his erratic southpaw. One of Waddell's favorite pastimes -- other than wrestling large reptiles with personalities like Carl Everett, leaving games mid-start, or even mid-batter to chase fire trucks and playing marbles with kids under the grandstand belying the claim that he lost his -- was fishing. So after Waddell had just finished pitching a 17-inning game, won by his own triple. Mack and the opposing manager agreed to limit the second game of that day's doubleheader to five innings. Mack made Waddell an offer: “You can take off and go fishing for the next three days if you'll pitch the second game.” Waddell agreed and threw a five-inning shutout and Tony LaRussa -- like Mack -- a future manager of the Athletics got his first lesson in how to handle a young developing pitcher.

Again he caught the eye of the National League. However those were the days of the 'reserve clause' and Pittsburgh felt, that -- like the Mariners, Mets, Padres, Angels etc. did/do with Rickey Henderson -- they could live with his eccentricities and demanded him back.

Some things never change however, Waddell being one of them. After he lost two starts for Pittsburgh in 1901, player-manager Clarke told [owner] Dreyfuss he'd had enough of the man-child: “Sell him, release him, drop him off the Monongahela Bridge; do anything with him you like, so long as you get him off my ball team.” A Pittsburgh team-mate recalled Waddell soaking his left arm in buckets of ice for hours at a time, claiming that he feared he'd 'burn up the catcher's glove' if he didn't 'cool it off.'

The Best Nut Case in the American League

Waddell was sold to the Chicago Orphans where he won 13 of 28 and was suspended for the final month of the season for being himself so he spent his suspension playing semipro ball in Wisconsin. He latched onto a group of barnstorming big leaguers after the season, and after they made a trip to the West Coast, Waddell decided that he hadn't seen this part of America before and decided he liked it there (which makes you wonder how many children he fathered over there with those Hollywood types and all) and decided to stay. He began 1902 with the Los Angeles Loo Loos and was 12-8 and hitting .283 by mid June. Meanwhile back in Philadelphia, Connie Mack purchased Waddell's contract from the Orphans and dispatched two Pinkerton Guards to L.A. to bring him to the City of Brotherly Love. Waddell was less than happy with this turn of events and sulked his way through his first start but caught fire in July winning ten straight, finishing the year 24-7 leading the infant American League in strikeouts by 50 over a chap by the name of Cy Young. That began a run of league leading K's that lasted until 1907. Over that span Waddell whiffed 1576 the aggregate K's of the runners up was 1180. In 1904 he struck out 349 and finishing second was the Yankees' Jack Chesboro who finished 110 punch outs in arrears of Philadelphia's phinest phlake. In his first year of American League play Waddell became the first pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches.

Waddell continued to make history as he was victimized by Cy Young who threw the Junior Circuit's first ever perfect game. Waddell would gain a measure of revenge beating the 511 game winner in a 20-inning duel which he concluded by doing handsprings off the field, then taking the ball (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) to local bars parlaying it into his favorite non-sporting activity--getting totally ripped. His 1903 season was best summed up by Cooperstown historian Lee Allen: “He began that year sleeping in a firehouse in Camden, New Jersey, and ended it tending bar in a saloon in Wheeling, West Virginia. In between those events he won 22 games for the Philadelphia Athletics, played left end for the Business Men's Rugby Football Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, toured the nation in a melodrama called 'The Stain of Guilt,' courted, married and became separated from May Wynne Skinner of Lynn, Massachusetts, saved a woman from drowning, accidentally shot a friend through the hand, and was bitten by a lion.” That year, 'The Rube' also inspired one of the first extended Major League contract negotiations on record. Not his own, however, but those of his battery and roommate Ossie Schreckengost. In those days, ballplayers generally bunked two to a room (sharing the same bed) while on the road. Schreckengost, fed up with the nocturnal habits of his team-mate, refused to renew his contract until the Athletics inserted a 'no eating crackers in bed' clause in both their contracts. Despite Rube's objections, Connie Mack gave in, and Rube's batterymate's contract was renewed. Otherwise, the duo got along famously. The catcher was hovering over Waddell when the pitcher awoke in a hospital after a huge drunk with the boys the night before.

“How'd I get here?” Waddell asked. A reasonable enough question.

Schreckengost explained that Waddell insisted he could fly, and when his team-mates ridiculed the idea, the pitcher leaped out the second-story window, flapping his arms. A reasonable enough answer (considering we‘re talkin‘ about Rube Waddell here).

“Why didn't you stop me?” Waddell implored. A reasonable enough reaction.

“What? And lose the hundred bucks I bet on you?”

I guess even wrestling alligators gets dull after awhile.

Waddell was tainted by scandal in 1905. Waddell was the staff ace and appeared in a league-leading 46 games winning 27 against 10 losses, despite missing the last month of the season. It seems that Waddell had ridiculed team-mate Andy Coakley's new straw hat (like his other urges, Waddell simply could not resist the urge to steal straw hats and punching holes in them), and the two pitchers scuffled during a train trip. Coakley fell on Waddell's left shoulder, injuring it. As a result, Waddell didn't pitch in the World Series. When someone reported that gamblers had gotten to Waddell to keep him out of the Series, Mack was outraged. “Ridiculous!” he growled. “Money means nothing to him.” (I imagine Don Fehr and Scott Boras must have nightmares about guys like Rube) However writer Joe Vila claimed, “Wiser men had him holed up in a lush Manhattan apartment with a group of Broadway showgirls, his expenses paid by a New York betting crowd.” Regardless Mack insisted throughout his life that Waddell was actually injured. Mack was fond of his off-beat ace, recognizing him for what he was, a six year old in a man's body who, despite his foibles, hated to lose, as evidenced by his reaction to winning his 20 frame duel against one of baseball's greatest hurlers. This was a man who used to kill the off season wrestling alligators so it was unlikely that he would've foregone pitching if he could actually throw.

At any rate, Rube was never dull. A case in point was reported in the 1905 issue of the Philadelphia Daily News documents an incident in which Waddell, was in his typical state of mind (utterly wasted) on a houseboat cocktail party, responded to a panicked cry for help. Waddell then dove into the frigid waters and succeeded in rescuing a passing log.

Still, what gave Vila's story credibility was his fondness for the fairer gender which would make Steve Garvey look like a monk. He preceded Al Martin (and ABBA) by singing: “I do I do I do I do I do” more often than the law allowed. Waddell when discovering that he nibbled one nuptial too many opined that he forgot he was already married, in Rube's case -- a distinct possibility.

Staggering into the Sunset

However, despite his fondness for ace lefty, Mack's patience ran out. Waddell has a solid 1907, leading the loop in whiffs (232), finishing 19-13 with a 2.15 ERA but was sold to the St. Louis Browns. Waddell's competitive fires burned and he posted solid numbers again winning 19, again striking out 232 and posted a sparkling earned run mark of 1.89. In his first start against the Mackmen he set a then American League record of 16 punch outs. The Browns, schooled in the wisdom according to Mack also hired Waddell for the offseason as a hunter keeping his employers well stocked in fresh game.

However Rube was still, well Rube. In 1909 the New York Highlanders' (Yankees) rookie third baseman Jimmy Austin and his team-mates were riding in their carriage to a game when they saw rival pitcher Waddell stagger out of a saloon, with a mug of beer in his hand. He toasted them and waved as they passed. Somehow he made it to the game on time, and he pitched well enough for the first three innings. However with two on in the fourth, Austin went yard. Piqued, Waddell glared at Austin all the way around the bases, but the 360-degree turn made him dizzy and he passed out. After Waddell won 11 and lost 14 in 1909, St. Louis released him early in 1910. He had 32 wins in two seasons in the minors including a sparkling 20-6 record with one of the top minor league clubs of that time -- the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association -- however during the winter of 1912 a dike broke not far from where he was living, and Waddell went to offer help. He stood in deep, icy water for hours, piling sandbags upon sandbags to block the rushing stream. He caught a miserable cold and never recovered. He pitched poorly for a Northern League team in 1913 and was later sent to a San Antonio tuberculosis sanatorium, and Waddell died in 1914.

One has to wonder if the Lefty Gomez's, Tug McGraws and David Wells of this world have a little of Waddell's DNA rattling around inside them somewhere. In a sense, Waddell was exactly what we want baseball players to be, big kids enjoying a game for what it was. Rube was the ultimate man-child, obsessed with play but also innocent of spirit. He died the way he lived, heart first.

Best Regards

John

2004-08-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Federal League

Before the turn of the nineteenth century, many so called 'major leagues' came and went by the wayside. Leagues that dotted the baseball landscape bore such names as the American Association, the National Association, the Union Association and the Players' League.

Come 1901, the first league to successfully rise up in competition to the well established National League was known as the American League--the same one that we enjoy today. Still, even after 1901, plans were drawn up for other major leagues; the vast majority never even getting its feet off the ground. Come 1913 there was yet another interloper onto the baseball canvas that was different from all the other abortive efforts that were tried.

What was different? Well, what ‘talks’ loudest in baseball? Money of course. This new league had substantial capital; enough even to draw off the major stars of the senior and junior circuits and it was: the Federal League.

Rumblings....

In 1912, the magazine 'The Sporting Life' (in its May 11th issue) stated in regard to the infant United States League that:

“... if the league fails it will put to a finish for a time, to thoughts of battling the big fellows (the American and National Leagues).”

That sentiment lasted for just a single year. The United States League died on the vine, yet on March 8th 1913, in the city of Indianapolis, the Federal League was born.

John Power, who earlier had tried to launch another 'major league' -- the Colombian League -- was elected president of the infant circuit. Unlike the American and National Leagues, the Federal League planned to be no part of the National Commission and its rules. Instead, it wished to be independent. At the time it planned no player raids against the established leagues, but rather it would develop its own players.

Initially, the league hoped, like its compatriots, to have an eight team league However, due to time constraints, it was only able to launch six [teams] in its maiden season. The six cities represented were: Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. This would put the Federal League into competition with five major league and one minor league market. It also increased the number of major league franchises to three in both Chicago (White Sox and Cubs), and St. Louis (Cardinals and Browns). The Cincinnati club, due to financial difficulties, was relocated to Covington Kentucky, but even that didn't help. Before the league’s maiden season had concluded, it would be competing with the American Association's Blues in Kansas City.

As mentioned earlier, the Federal League vowed not to interfere with organized baseball’s (From this point on, the term 'organized baseball' will be understood to stand for the National and American Leagues.) player contracts, but, rather, would only sign 'free agents.'

Unfortunately, what organized baseball and the Federal League considered 'free agents' differed due to the infamous 'reserve clause.' This clause was known offically as Rule 10 A which stated:

" On or before January 15 ... the Club may tender to the Player a contract for the term of that year by mailing the same to the Player. If prior to the March 1 next succeeding said January 15, the Player and the Club have not agreed upon the terms of such contract, then on or before 10 days after said March 1, the Club shall have the right ... to renew this contract for the period of one year."

When three players were signed by the Pittsburgh Federal League franchise that organized baseball considered as 'under obligation,' then organized baseball began to raid Federal League rosters. The Chicago Cubs were the most aggressive offering contracts to a number of the Chicago Whales (or Chifeds--take your pick) players.

The battle is joined

Back then, baseball was not exempt from federal anti trust laws; yet developments within this 'baseball war' would impact significantly on this matter. The first situation that impacted on this was Western Telegraphs refusal to allow Federal League scores to be put on its service. The Federal League dispatched one E. E. Gates to appear before the Interstate Commerce Commission. His bone of contention was that the Federal League had offered to pay for the service, yet was refused. Gates felt that organized baseball was behind this. He later met with a U.S. government representative and encouraged him to introduce a resolution to Congress to investigate whether organized baseball had violated antitrust laws. Gates felt that baseball had acquired certain privileges that other businesses lacked and pointed out that organized baseball was trying to monopolize the baseball marketplace--illegal unless the government says otherwise. If organized baseball was found to have violated antitrust laws, they would be liable to triple damages. (But once again, more on that later.)

On August 2 of that year, a development occurred that would send tremors throughout baseball. Powers was forced to relinquish the league's presidency and Chicago's James Gilmore was elected [president]. One of his first accomplishments was enlisting the support of wealthy restaurateur, Charles Weeghman for the Chicago franchise. He later induced oil magnates Harry Sinclair and Phil Ball to acquire the Newark and St. Louis franchises respectively, thus pouring in a not insignificant amount of capital into the new league. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis entry won the inaugural Federal League pennant.

Over the course of the league's history, the Federal League attempted to formulate a workable post season playoff format. One idea that came forth was challenging the World Series champions to another series. Organized baseball wanted no part of that idea. (After all, why try to crush the competition on the field when you're too busy trying to crush them out of the marketplace?)

Another idea was brought out of mothballs was to form an all star team from the remaining teams to challenge the Federal League champions to a series. Much as the AL and NL did in its infancy. (Like infants, they couldn't get along with their siblings so they took their toys and went home.)

Trying to prove that they were a major league, the Federal League claimed that they were both losing large amounts of capital and wanted to expand. A tradition that endures 'til this day. Teams were added in Brooklyn, which was purchased by the bakery magnate Ward brothers (who had a lot of dough) who promptly christened the team the Tip Tops, in honor of their line of breads. (Possibly feeling that their chances of winning may well have been toast.) This caused such a furor in the New York media that the Wards --showing no lack of a lack of imagination -- renamed their franchise the equally ridiculous Brookfeds. The Wards proposed to Superbas (as the Dodgers were known as then) owner Charlie Ebbets a series between their respective teams which was met with about as much enthusiasm as the Federal League/World Series championship tournament had. Mostly because it was assumed that since neither team could win a championship, why bother?

Two other franchises were added in direct competition to International League teams in both Buffalo and Baltimore. This proved devastating to these teams because baseball fans in these markets considered the Federal League entries to be 'major league baseball,' which hurt these two teams at the gate. This caused the Baltimore franchise to be relocated to Richmond and nearly destroyed the International League. In addition, Cleveland was dropped from the circuit.

Returning Fire

It was in 1914 that the Federal League proclaimed itself a major league with its eight franchises challenging in four major and four minor league cities. The league also led all three circuits in innovations. The Federal League was organized as a single corporation with stock divided up among ownership. There were also incentives for the players as well.

In order to maintain its hold on their players, the Feds (as the Federal League came to be known as) devised a program in which a certain percentage of the profits generated by the league would be set aside to be divvied up among the players at the conclusion of each season. After ten years of Federal League service a player could opt for free agency. The most intriguing concept was the notion that since the Federal League had inflated players' salaries, a salary cap would be brought in. With free agency, salary caps, and revenue sharing, baseball is likely the most environmentally sound business in history, (their hot air notwithstanding) they've been recycling for years. The Bible said it best when it said: ‘there was nothing new under the sun (or the retractable dome).'

After the pre-emptive strike from organized baseball, the Federal League felt it was time to strike back and do a little player raiding of its own. This served to put the two leagues under pressure as well as adding legitimacy to its 'major league status.' The biggest prize from that initial foray was the landing of Joe Tinker of the immortal Cubs infield trio of Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance. Chance had just been sold from the Cincinnati Reds to the Brooklyn Superbas. To use the lingo of the underworld he was 'given an offer he couldn't refuse.' Whereas the Super ... oh what the heck, the Dodgers offered Chance a contract worth $7500 dollars, the Chifeds, er Whales, oh whatever, offered him a cool twelve grand plus stock in the franchise. Tinker would also skipper the club. Other notables induced to jump the organized baseball ship for managerial posts in the new league were George Stovall (Kansas City), and Mordecai 'Three Finger' Brown who was to pilot the St. Louis Terriers.

Hitting the fan

The Federal League was a godsend to the players of the two leagues, in that it gave them leverage in renegotiating new contracts with their clubs. This sent (sticker) shock waves throughout baseball. It was the Federal League influence that caused the venerable Connie Mack to dismantle his first great dynasty. He sold Hall-of-Fame bound second sacker Eddie Collins to cheapskate Charles Comiskey. He requested waivers on Hall-of-Fame hurlers Chief Bender and Eddie Plank, who then signed with the Feds. Mack sold Hall-of-Fame hot cornerman Frank 'Home Run' Baker to the Yankees and effectively consigned the A's to baseball purgatory for over a decade and a half--heroes to zeroes courtesy of the Feds.

The uniform players’ contracts were called into question because the contract basically stipulated that a player was the property of the franchise for life, yet the team could release a player on ten days notice. This went to court in the case of pitcher-of-no particular-renown Chief Johnson, the 1910's version of Andy Messersmith. Like Messersmith, Johnson won out. This prompted star first baseman Hal Chase -- who could smell money as well as any owner -- to give his club ten days notice and jump to the Feds. The court ruled that the contract lacked mutuality. This was already known to organized baseball. They didn't say it in so many words, yet their actions spoke volumes. Here is an excerpt from the Sporting Life magazine from the May 30, 1914 edition:

“'Safe in proceeding at once against the majors for the players they illegally claim. Indeed, some of our club presidents are so anxious to recruit from the big leagues that I may not be able to hold them in leash. Organized ball has gotten away with a lot of hot air about having all the best men sign contracts from which the ten days' clause has been eliminated. Ty Cobb is a pretty good ballplayer isn't he? Well, the ten days clause is in his contract. He can have a good many thousands of dollars from Frank Navin (Detroit Tiger owner) any time he consents to scratch out this feature of inequity. Detroit has tried in vain repeatedly to purchase Cobb's consent to the change. If organized ball believed in the validity of this clause do you think it would be trying now to bribe its players to submit to the subtraction of this objectionable phrase from the contract? The Chicago Nationals (Cubs) paid Jimmy Lavender $3000 to strike out the clause from his document. I could name a dozen other big leaguers.”

The organized baseball magnates -- never ones to take defeat lying down -- struck back. The National Commission rules were amended to specify a three-year suspension for reserve rule jumpers and five-year suspension for contract breakers. The May 4, 1914 Boston Herald reported that American League boss Ban Johnson (who led the league in hot air proclamations) stated:

“No player of the Federal League can ever play in the American League ... a man may be reinstated by the National Commission, but can never hope to get into the American League. The National and other leagues may accept him, but as for the American League, never.”

The Herald of June 21st of that same year reported that organized baseball was considering launching a third major league of their own within the National Commission to combat the Feds. The discussions went so far as to discuss how to handle the World Series with three participants, even to the point of perhaps holding a World Series round robin tournament.

Believe it or not, throughout all the action in the board rooms and in the press the Feds pressed on to their second campaign with Indianapolis again winning the pennant. Players were beginning to develop reputations and fan recognition. Benny Kauff of the pennant winning Hoofeds (Hoosiers+Federals....get it?) 'The Ty Cobb of the Federal League' won the batting title with a sparkling .370 average.

Yankee defector Russ Ford had a superlative season on the mound going 21-6 with a minuscule ERA of 1.82. Sadly this was the last hurrah for a one time promising hurler. In his first two seasons with the Highlanders/Yankees he posted won-loss marks of 26-6 and 22-11; yet in 1915 he went 5-9 (4.52 ERA) in his second campaign with the Buffeds. (Buffalo+ Federal....I'm not making this stuff up.) Claude Hendrix of the Chifeds led all hurlers with a stunning 29-10 ledger to go along with a minute earned run mark of 1.69. He logged 362 frames walking only 77. Gene Packard -- the only Federal League moundsman to have a pair of 20 win seasons -- finished 20-14 despite an earned run mark of almost three (remember this is the 'dead ball era'). Like Hendrix, Packard too logged 300+ innings. Another beneficiary of run support was Brooklyn Tip Top pitcher Tom Seaton, who despite a high-for-that-era earned run mark of 3.03, still managed a won loss mark of 25-14. He joined Hendrix and Packard in logging over 300 frames. George Suggs also entered the 20 win circle, weighing in at 24-14 with a 2.90 ERA. He accomplished this despite allowing more hits than innings pitched (319 IP to 322 hits surrendered). The secret to his success? The same formula that holds true today: don't beat yourself and others will have a tough time beating you. In 319 frames, he only issued 57 free passes or about 1.5 walks per start.

Although Kauff was the headliner with the lumber, others gave notice as well. Ennis 'Rebel' Oakes -- a player of no import in organized baseball -- batted .312 for Pittsburgh drove in 75 runs. Edward Zwilling, whose claim to fame is currently being the last entry in the 'Baseball Encyclopedia,' was unique in that he played out his four year baseball career with all three major league teams in Chicago. While in organized baseball he was a nobody, but with the Chifeds he was a star slugger. In the midst of the dead-ball era he slugged a mighty .485 in 1914. He batted .313 smacking 38 doubles, ripping 8 triples, and blasting a mighty (back then it was mighty) 16 home runs and driving in 95. He wasn't a hulking slugger in anybody's book being about the size of Phil Rizzuto.

At the conclusion of all three leagues’ respective seasons, they secretly entered into negotiations to try and bring an end to the baseball 'war.' Although new money had come into the league when Sinclair, Weeghman, Ball, and the Ward brothers acquired franchises, the Federal League was losing money. While the financial losses were not as great within organized baseball, there were still losses. On top of that the question: 'whether to jump or not' was causing dissension within many clubs. The National and American Leagues were also tired of losing marquee names to the Feds. Nothing came to fruition from these talks because the Federal League wanted to be recognized as a major league by the other two bodies, a condition unacceptable to the monopoly-minded National and American Leagues.

Since peace was unachievable, the 'war' continued. On January 5th, the Feds filed a suit against organized baseball charging that they had broken antitrust laws. Gilmore contended that the defacto monopoly status enjoyed by the other two leagues resulted in such 'illegal acts' of farming out players -- thereby allowing the various organized baseball franchises to maintain control of the players, thus preventing them from joining the Feds -- was a restraint of free trade. (Which was likely the only time organized baseball ever worried about freeing up the player marketplace.) Organized baseball had considerable reason for alarm in that the case landed in the court of a notorious 'trust buster' who had recently ruled that Standard Oil had been guilty of anti trust violations (later overturned). The judge’s name?

Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

In what appeared to be another devastating blow inflicted by the Feds occurred when 'The Big Train' Walter Johnson rejected Washington Senator's owner Clark Griffith's contract offer in order to sign with the Chicago Whales, er, Chifeds. (whatever) Initially, Johnson had no real intention of signing with the Feds but was rather using it as leverage to get a better contract from Griffith. Johnson had asked for either a one year deal for $15,000, a three year deal for $36,000, or a five year offer of $50,000. When Griffith curtly told Johnson that he didn't want to 'purchase the whole state of Kansas,' (Johnson hailed from Kansas) Johnson signed to play in Chicago for Joe Tinker earning $20,000 a year for two years. Griffith wasn't going to along with this, he stated as much in a newspaper interview:

“There was a provision in the 1914 contract whereby I obtained an option on Johnson's services for the 1915 season. Twenty five hundred dollars of the $12000 salary which he has received was given for the specific purpose of reserving an option in 1915 upon Johnson. I am convinced he has violated the agreement, and I will sue him to the end of the earth before I acknowledge his right to sign with the Federals.”

However, Griffith, upon reflection, thought that litigation might not be the most prudent thing to do under the circumstances. He decided to try a little diplomacy instead. He traveled down to Kansas City to visit vis-à-vis with Johnson and convinced him that he had always acted in good faith toward his storied hurler and deserved better. Johnson agreed, but felt that it would hurt the Chifeds if he were to jump back. Griffith again reminded him that he would hurt Washington if he stayed in Chicago. Griffith went on to argue that because of Johnson's defection he would ultimately hurt either Washington or Chicago and he'd have to choose which.

Swayed, Johnson returned his signing bonus to Weeghman's club and returned to the Senators, and receiving a healthy raise for his troubles. Johnson never threw a single pitch in the Federal League. In an interview with the Washington Post (Sunday May 14, 1915) he candidly admitted:

“... I deserve the blame for what I have done, and I admit in the light of experience, that I did not act wisely, I make no excuses and ask no consideration. I am willing to accept whatever blame is due me.”

Once again, organized baseball decided to renew hostilities with the Federal League by signing away from Brooklyn (he had been 'transferred' there from Indianapolis) 'The Ty Cobb of the Federal League'--Benny Kauff. This served to create more difficulties within the Senior Circuit. He was signed by the New York Giants, but the Giants’ manager John McGraw didn't want him. The Boston Braves -- who had initially lost Kauff to the Federal League -- claimed that he was blacklisted because he had jumped his contract there.

Kauff, however, stated that: “he was through with the Federal League” and applied to the National Commission for re-instatement stating: “if I can't play with the Giants I'll quit the game for good.” The National Commission refused his reinstatement and Kauff was forced to eat his words (and no doubt some more Tip Top bread) and return to the Brookfeds.

Despite all the off-field fireworks, the Federal League enjoyed one of its finest pennant races (not difficult when you consider that they only had three) going down to the final few games of the season when Chicago split a double header with Pittsburgh to finish ahead of St. Louis by percentage points. Chicago finished at 86-66; with St. Louis at 87-67; and Pittsburgh at 86-67; marking the first time that the team with the most wins didn't win the pennant. The other time of course was the players' strike year of 1981 when the Cincinnati Reds won a division high 66 games and yet did not qualify for the post season under the split-season format.

Benny Kauff won his second straight batting title, hitting .342. At the conclusion of the 1915 campaign several developments brought peace to the game.

Truce or consequences

Just as the appearance of one man gave the Federal League new life, it was the exit of one man that spelled doom for the infant circuit. When Robert Ward, wealthy owner of the Brooklyn Tip Tops passed away in the fall of 1915, much of the fight, spunk and vision died with him. Despite a thrilling pennant race in the waning days of 1915, attendance was dismal because of the effects of the first world war. The war also worked hardship on organized baseball, but they were in better shape to handle the stormy days still ahead. Even the reduction of ticket prices in several Federal League cities couldn't bolster attendance. That, coupled with the hefty contracts that the league handed out, spelled doom for the league. Here is a short list of what the Feds were paying compared with organized baseball:

Player	AL/NL	Federals
Tinker	$5 500	$12 000
Campbell	$3 200	$8 500
Cooper	$2 500	$7 500
Falkenberg	$4 000	$8 500
Kauff	$2 000	$7 500
Seaton	$2 600	$8 200
Chase	$6 000	$9 000

To top it all off, World War I was imminent and Federal League president Jim Gilmore felt that the league couldn't survive this perilous time. But what to do? The league had lost considerable money and Gilmore (as well as the other team magnates) wanted to recoup some lost capital. What followed was the greatest bluff in the history of gambling. A superbly orchestrated and executed plan that bought an extremely generous settlement from organized baseball. It went like this....

Initially, the Feds wanted to move their Newark franchise to New York City yet was prevented by Newark interests from doing so. They had already placed a team in Brooklyn to challenge the Sup, er ... sorry, the Dodgers, now they wanted to challenge the big boys--the Giants and Yankees. For those of you who are sketchy on baseball history, the Giants were the toast of New York City and the Yankees had yet to launch any portion of their dynasty.

To begin with, Jim Gilmore and Harry Sinclair had planned to place a franchise in New York. However, with the league trying to survive, Gilmore thought that it could be an excellent bargaining chip to use against organized baseball. The league had already purchased property at the corner of 145th street and Lenox avenue for the magnificent sum of $1.25 million. Gilmore figured that he could build the stadium itself for about $475,000. He had a blueprint made which called for a stadium that could ultimately hold 55,000 patrons and determined it could be completed in just a few short months. (Yes, there was a time teams paid for their own stadiums.)

It was to be designed similar to Shibe Park in Philadelphia with a two tier cantilevered grandstand that would offer an unimpeded view of the field (meaning you weren't stuck behind a post)--not unlike recent stadium architecture. All this was going on at the same time that the New York Yankees were looking to build a stadium of their own, having been told by the Giants that they wished to occupy the Polo Grounds alone. This panicked the National League who now wanted to negotiate with the Feds.

However, American League boss Ban Johnson was not fooled one bit. Johnson himself had made inquiries about that selfsame plot of land for his new league in 1903. What Johnson knew was that there was nothing he could do if the city ever decided to put a street right through the heart of the property, so he rejected the land since an inside the streetcar home run works best in stickball--not baseball. Johnson tried in vain to convince the Senior Circuit to stand strong, that Sinclair and Gilmore were only bluffing -- but due to the suspicion in which each regarded the other -- they wouldn't budge. When critics maintained that Sinclair didn't have the revenue to launch such a project Sinclair issued a challenge:

“I'll meet you people (the A.L and N.L. magnates) on the waterfront and we'll toss dollar for dollar into the Hudson River. Then we'll see who runs out of money first.”

This challenge shook up the Junior Circuit sufficiently to wish to settle as well.

Thus the Feds received an excellent settlement from organized baseball. In effect, organized baseball bought out the Feds. Terms of the agreement allowed Charles Weeghman to buy the National League Cubs, which he promptly did. This is how the Cubs ended up in Wrigley Field. Wrigley was initially constructed for the Chifeds, the Cubs occupying South Side Park. Phil Ball owner of the St. Louis Terriers was permitted to by the A.L. St. Louis Browns. Weeghman and Ball then merged their two clubs, taking the best from the organized baseball and Federal League clubs. The Ward estate was awarded $400,000, the Pittsburgh franchise was given $50,000, and the right to make bids on major league franchises that would become available. Sinclair probably received the best settlement when he was paid $100,000, and was given the rights to all the players from the Newark, Kansas City, and Buffalo teams. He was also given the rights to Lee Magee, Benny Kauff, and George Anderson (this is not Sparky Anderson, he's old but not that old), which he sold to organized baseball teams. Baltimore was offered $50,000 but rejected it and pursued the matter until 1922 when baseball was granted antitrust exemption by the Supreme Court.

The antitrust suit that was before Judge Landis was to be dropped, which it was by seven of the eight teams. Baltimore chose to fight it out instead. This was considered by organized baseball to be a breach of contract and went to court to have the settlement declared null and void. National League president John Tener contended that:

“Each league understood that each of its clubs would carry out the terms of the agreement. The Baltimore club was at that time one of the eight parts of the Federal League. In making the peace agreement the Federal League spoke for it and undertook to see to it that Baltimore should comply with the terms of the peace agreement. As is well known the Baltimore Federal League club has not only refused to carry out the peace agreement, but has gone further and brought an action in the United States courts charging that the Federal League, by signing the peace agreement, conspired with organized ball to injure and destroy the Federal Baltimore club. It is apparent that the Federal League has not carried out the obligation it took in the peace agreement.”

“The National and American Leagues naturally declines to pay for something that they have not received. Until the Federal League keeps its promises and secures from its constituent clubs an acceptance of the peace agreement, no payment will be made under the agreement.”

The court rejected his argument. Other provisions of the agreement was that all the Federal League players were to be granted amnesty and have the remaining parts of their Federal League contracts to be paid in full. The International League refused any part of the agreement due to the damage the Feds brought to their league. The Baltimore club wanted to be transferred to the International League. However Jack Dunn of the Richmond club was adamantly against this. They had to transfer his franchise from Baltimore to Richmond because of the Federal League's incursion in that market.

Dunn was backed up by International League president Ed Barrow who rightly contended that the Feds had no right to drive them out of Baltimore and then reap the benefits of their actions after their league failed to make good. Initially, the Baltimore club had offered to sell Dunn their franchise for $100,000. This too was rejected because Dunn felt that he would be paying for something that was already his--the rights to Baltimore.

A similar scenario unfolded in Buffalo, although the Buffalo International League franchise had remained there. As to the remaining Federal League franchises, they received little or no compensation.

Epilogue

The Federal League disbanded eighty years ago yet we shouldn't dismiss it as simple history. What the Federal League did had seismic implications that are felt to this day. Baseball's unique antitrust exemption sprang directly from the suit that was launched by the Baltimore Federal League club against organized baseball. The suit that was presented before the court of Kenesaw Mountain Landis between 1914 and 1915 was never decided. The Federal League dropped the suit as part of the 'peace agreement.' Landis, for his part deliberately delayed ruling on the matter anyway. Landis was a baseball fan himself, in the trial transcripts, Landis said to the Federal League attorneys:

“Do you realize that a decision in this case may tear down the very foundations of this game so loved by thousands?”

He realized that baseball was in violation of antitrust laws but was loathe to issue a ruling on the matter. This was surprising and a huge break for organized baseball in view of Landis' reputation as a 'trust buster.' Baseball remembered the favor that Landis did for them and repaid it by making Judge Landis baseball's first commissioner. Still, make no mistake, the owners took a gamble on Landis, in that they felt that since he sided with ownership in the matter involving the Federal League, that he would likely be an “owners' commissioner” siding with ownership whenever a controversy arose with the players (which he was originally--see the Black Sox vs. Charles Comiskey) or the courts. History reveals that they were very much mistaken in assuming that.

As to the player raids, in retrospect, it was 'much ado about nothing,' most of the marquee names that jumped were for the most part at the end of their careers. Their only real value was as gate attractions/name recognition. (The Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets have used this as a model for roster assembly in recent years.) Philadelphia A's and Hall-of-Fame pitcher Eddie Plank enjoyed his final quality season with the Feds when he went 21-11. Chief Bender's first campaign with the Feds went 4-16. Mordecai 'Three Finger' Brown went 31-19 in his two years with the Feds, but he too, was at the end of the line. Jack Quinn, who won 247 games over his career went from hero to zero with the Feds. While pitching with Baltimore in 1914, he won 26 and lost 14, yet the following campaign he lost 22 games.

Benny Kauff later signed with the Giants and enjoyed a handful of solid, though unspectacular seasons before being banished from the game. (He was charged with auto theft, acquitted by the court and was banished anyway because Landis figured that he was probably guilty.)

Promising hurler Russ Ford never played in another major league game after the Feds closed up shop. Chifed pitcher Claude Hendrix who led the league in wins in 1914 with 29 victories won 20 with the Cubs in 1918, yet despite that, his post Federal League ledger read 57-61. Gene Packard who won twenty in both his Federal league seasons won only 37 more while pitching in the N.L. Tom Seaton who in his first two National League and one Federal League campaign was a fine 68-38, went 25-27 thereafter before he too was blacklisted. George Suggs who won twenty games in 1910 with the Reds, and 24 in 1914 with the Baltimore Feds won 11 the following year, again with Baltimore and never threw a pitch in the majors again.

Federal League slugger Edward Zwilling played in only 35 games with the Cubs following a superlative Federal League career, batting an anemic .113.

For the most part, the majority failed to make any real contribution back in organized baseball, but there were exceptions. Jack Tobin, who began his major league career with the Federals went on to play through 1927 accumulating a lifetime batting mark of .309. Tobin topped 200 hits in four consecutive seasons (1920-1923) garnering 236 hits in 1921. If you never heard of him it is probably because he spent the large part of his career with the moribund St. Louis Browns.

The real jewel of the Feds was unquestionably Edd Roush. He, like Tobin, debuted in the Federal League, however unlike Tobin, you will find Roush's visage gracing the Hall-of-Fame.

And the beat goes on.

I’ve been negligent in recent months about adding links to my blog. So, I’m going to add a trio of sites: The Hardball Times, which has some of my favourite amateur baseball writers including Lee Sinins: "Around the Majors" reports. The second is Larry Mahnken's Replacement Level Yankee Weblog which touches on all things pinstriped. Finally, for a good laugh, check out Batgirl, you'll never look at the Minnesota Twins (or Legos for that matter) the same way again. As her slogan states, it's "Less Stats, More Sass."

Best Regards

John

2004-08-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Of Jays Gone By....Remembering Jimmy Key

Ironically, 1993 and 1994--as a member of the New York Yankees--defined Jimmy Key's career. He won 35 games those two seasons and lost just ten. His aggregate ERA for those two campaigns was 3.11 (140 ERA+). Over the rest of his career which began in Toronto and ended in Baltimore it was 3.58 (122 ERA+). His two healthy seasons for the Yankees he won almost 78% of his games, other than those two seasons he still won almost 58% of his decisions. Those first two seasons wearing pinstripes encapsulated what might have been. In baseball it's called: "coulda, woulda, shoulda." Yankee Stadium has had the reputation of being friendly to left handed pitchers. Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez and Herb Pennock all carved Hall of Fame careers in Yankee Stadium. Other stellar lefties, such as Ron Guidry, Eddie Lopat and Tommy Byrne all enjoyed stellar careers or part of great career playing in the Bronx. Herb Pennock was an average pitcher before coming to New York. While pitching in Philadelphia and in the graveyard for lefties -- Fenway Park, Pennock pitched just over .500 baseball (77-72, 3.73 ERA). However after coming to the Yankees as a great many Red Sox of that era did (Babe Ruth, Carl Mays, Red Ruffing etc.), he punched his ticket to Cooperstown by going 162-90 with an ERA of 3.54, very respectable for that era of high octane offense.

Key made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a bullpen that was considered suspect at best, a veritable arsonist‘s convention at worst. He did manage to save 10 games but had an earned run average close to five. The following year -- which coincided with the Jays first Amercan League East Divisional Championship -- Key served notice that he was a bit of a rarity, a young lefty with good command of his stuff, much the same way as Andy Pettite was in the 1990's. He made 32 starts, went 14-6 and dropped his ERA down to 3.00 (141 ERA+) exactly. That would begin a run of ten consecutive seasons with at least 12 wins. His first exposure to post season play was rocky. In the 1985 American League Championship Series he started games two and five going 0-1 with an ERA of 5.19.

In 1986 he duplicated his previous seasons 14 wins. However in 1987 he had a banner year. This was the year of the "juiced ball" where offensive numbers went through the roof. A's rookie Mark McGwire set a freshman record for home runs with 49 and Twins' starter, Bert Blyleven surrendered 50 home runs -- also a record. Key, for his part, led the league in ERA at 2.76 (164 ERA+), won 17 games and finished second in Cy Young voting to Roger Clemens. He pitched the final game of the season with the American League East flag on the line against the Detroit Tigers on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. He pitched brilliantly surrendering a single run, a home run, by Larry Herndon, but the Jays couldn't score.

In 1988, various arm miseries began settling on Key. Over the next three seasons, he only topped 200 innings pitched once, in 1989. From 1988-90 Key won a total of 28 games. However, when the Jays again made it to the post season in 1989 Key was much more effective in the American League Championship Series. Against the Oakland juggernaut Key was the only pitcher to notch a win for Toronto, pitching six innings and surrendering three runs in game three of the series.

As better health set in, Key continued his remarkable career. He helped pitch the Jays to the post season again in 1991 finishing the season 16-12, with a fine ERA of 3.05 (138 ERA+). His start in Game Three of the American League Championship Series was much like the final game in 1987 in that he pitched well, but received no offensive support. He endured a shaky first inning where he coughed up two runs but shut the Twins out until relieved after the end of six innings. The following season Key struggled for much of the campaign. At one point he was 8-13 until he caught fire, and he wouldn't cool off the rest of the year. He won his last five decisions however it wasn't enough in the eyes of manager Cito Gaston to earn a spot in the post season rotation. He saw action in Game Five of the American League Championship Series when he relieved an ineffective David Cone and pitched three shutout innings.

For the World Series, Jays manager Cito Gaston decided to stick with a three man rotation for the World Series, again relegating Key to the bullpen. However, after Jack Morris was shaky in Game One and David Cone, while not as shaky, was not that effective in Game Two. Gaston decided to insert Key into the rotation for Game Four thereby giving his other three starters and additional day of rest.

Key would make Gaston look like a genius. Key dueled with the Braves Tom Glavine into the eighth inning, at SkyDome in Toronto and surrendering a single run. He left the game to a standing ovation. In Game Six at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Toronto closer, Tom Henke allowed the Braves to tie the game. Henke pitched in the tenth but Gaston brought Key in again when an Alfredo Griffin error at short cost him an unearned run after the Jays scored two in the top of the eleventh inning. With John Smoltz pinch running at third and Otis Nixon (who drove in the tying run off Henke in the ninth) batting, Gaston came out to inquire whether Key wanted to pitch to Nixon. Key acknowledged that Nixon gave him problems so Gaston brought in Mike Timlin to get the save. Key's final World Series tally for the 1992 tournament was 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00 exactly.

During the offseason Key filed for free agency but was negotiating a return to Toronto, but the sticking point was that Key wanted a four year guaranteed contract whereas the Jays would only go three. In the interim, the Jays would ink Dave Stewart to a deal and subsequently pulled their offer to Key off the table. Key then inked a four year deal with the New York Yankees on December 10th 1992.

As previously mentioned, Yankee Stadium has been traditionally kind to southpaw hurlers. Key, who'd been generally acknowledged as one of the finer left handers in the American League proceeded to take his game up a notch. He made his first major mark with the Yankees on April 27th when he pitched 5-0 one-hit, complete-game victory against the California Angels. Key went on to set a career high in wins with 18, strikeouts with 173 and matched his 1985 ERA with a mark of 3.00 (141 ERA+) and finished fourth in Cy Young voting. Key picked right up where he left off in 1994. The Yankees had the best record in the American League in large part to Key who again had a stellar season finishing 17-4 with a nifty ERA of 3.27 (140 ERA+). It was as close to the Cy Young as he would ever get finishing second behind a soon-to-be-teammate, David Cone who was pitching for Kansas City that year.

Key's tenure with the Yankees would come to a screeching stop in May 1995 when he was put on the disabled list with a badly damaged rotator cuff which required surgery. He logged just over 30 innings that year with a 1-2 record and an ERA of 5.64. With surgery on a rotator cuff, it usually takes a pitcher about two years to get up to speed. In 1996 Key was barely above average going 12-11 with an earned run mark of 4.68 (108 ERA+) over thirty starts and enduring two stints on the disabled list in both May and June. However Key would become a key contributor to the Yankees post season aspirations that year.

When the American League Divisional Series opened against the Texas Rangers, Key was given the nod to pitch game three. Although he wasn't on top of his game, he nonetheless left the game only down 2-1. The Yankees would go on to rally in the ninth to take a 2-1 lead in the series. In the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles, he was again given the ball to start the third game. This time out he was vintage Jimmy Key. The crafty southpaw endured a rocky start in the first inning where he gave up a pair of runs then completely shut down the Orioles the rest of the way. By the time he left the game at the end of eight, he given up just three hits and a walk, striking out five. When the Yankees turned their attention to the World Series against the National League Champions -- the Atlanta Braves -- Key drew the short straw as he was slated to face Greg Maddux twice. Maddux had just finished a season where he'd win a record fourth consecutive Cy Young Award. Their first tilt was slated for game two at Yankee Stadium. Key lasted six innings against the Braves’ ace and was tagged for the loss, putting the Bronx Bombers in a seemingly untenable position, down 0-2 in the series with the next three games to be played at Atlanta. They matched up again in game six with the Yankees -- who had swept all three games south of the Mason-Dixon Line -- up 3-2 and in a position to clinch the Fall Classic. Key again pitched into the sixth when Yankee skipper Joe Torre turning the game over to his elite bullpen corps who nailed down the championship. It was Key's second clinching victory in World Series play, his first coming in relief against the same Atlanta Braves in 1992 when he was in Toronto.

Key, who was coming off both a decidedly average regular season, was now at the end of his contract with the Yankees. The greying of his hair at the temples served as a reminder that Key was now -- athletically speaking -- getting a little "long in the tooth." He would turn 36 in August of the 1997 season and was still recovering from his rotator cuff surgery. The Yankees decided not to retain Key who then inked a two year contract with the Yankees division rivals, the Baltimore Orioles.

Key showed his resiliency in 1997 by flashing his old form while pitching for Baltimore. He won 16 games, his fifth time at that level or higher. His 3.43 ERA (128 ERA+) was impressive considering his age and surgically repaired shoulder. Key and staff ace formed a formidable 1-2 punch that would conquer the Yankees in the American League East. Key was given the ball for game two against the Cleveland Indians and set a record that he'd rather forget. He set a major league record, becoming the first pitcher to hit three batters in one inning of a postseason game. Key's one-inning effort tied the record for hit batsmen in an entire championship series set by Detroit's Frank Tanana in 1987. After throwing a called third strike past Cleveland's Bip Roberts, the game's first batter, Key hit Omar Vizquel and allowed a two-run homer to Manny Ramirez, giving the Indians a 2-0 lead over the Orioles in Game 2 of the AL championship series. Matt Williams singled and Key then hit David Justice before getting Sandy Alomar on a groundout. Tony Fernandez was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Key fell behind Kevin Seitzer 3-0 before striking him out to end the inning. Key only lasted four innings before being replaced by Scott Kamieniecki. He would return the favor in game five when he came in to relieve Kamieniecki throwing three shutout innings at Jacobs Field. It would be his last post season pitching appearance as the Tribe would go on to represent the American League in the 1997 World Series.

The following year, 1998 Key tried valiantly to pitch through an inflamed rotator cuff. In order to conseve his arm he pitched both in the rotation and out of the bullpen with mixed results. Although he won six and lost three, his ERA shot up from 3.43 (128 ERA+) in 1997 to 4.20 (108 ERA+) in 1998. On January 30 1999, he released the following statement:

"After four months of careful thoughts and reflection on the status of my career, the health of my arm and where I am in my personal life, I have decided to retire."

Key Facts....:

Key earned All-ACC honors as a pitcher and DH in 1982 while at Clemson, compiling a 9-3 record and 2.79 ERA on the mound and hitting .300 with 21 doubles.
Key was selected by Chicago White Sox organization in 10th round of free-agent draft (June 5, 1979); but did not sign.
Key was selected by Toronto Blue Jays organization in third round of free-agent draft (June 7, 1982) and signed.
Prior to his record setting three hit batsmen in game two of the 1997 American League Divisional Series against Cleveland, he had hit one in 61 2-3 previous postseason innings. The regular-season record also is three hit batters in one inning, accomplished nine times in the NL and six in the AL.
Key was named American League Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News twice (1987 and 1994). He was also named lefthanded pitcher on The Sporting News American League. All-Star team (1987 and 1993-94).
Key appeared in one game as pinch-runner (1985).
Key was the starting pitcher in August 1992 game at SkyDome when the Milwaukee Brewers scored 22 runs on 31 hits.
Key had 10 consecutive seasons with at least 12 wins.
Although he never pitched a no-hitter, he pitched two one hitters. The first against Chicago on May 22, 1986 and the second against the California Angels on April 27th 1993.
Key never traded once in his career and never pitched outside of the American League East.
Key notched 10 saves in 1984 and never garnered another over the rest of his career including 18 post-1984 relief appearances.

Best Regards

John

2004-08-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

A Requiem For Vic Raschi

Well, last week I dealt with Russ Ford. Another Yankee hurler I’ve always been fascinated with I’ll highlight today. Before Jack Morris, there was the New York Yankees Vic Raschi. A pitcher who had the reputation of being a cantankerous curmudgeon who was single-minded of purpose--win. Born Victor John Angelo Raschi in Springfield Mass....the year the "Black Sox" threw the World Series (1919).

Interestingly (though not surprisingly), Raschi often clashed with general manager George Weiss over money. Weiss would spend a great deal of time trying to convince Raschi that he wasn't as good as he was by drawing his attention to peripheral stats such as ERA. In 1950 Raschi won 21 games but had an earned run mark of exactly 4.00, a point that Weiss tried to hammer home during negotiations over his 1951 contract. Raschi never concerned himself too much with his ERA because he felt that if the Yankees scored 10 runs of support, what did it matter if he coughed up five or six runs as long as the Yankees were victorious? (Weiss's points were a canard, the AL's aggregate ERA that year was 4.58). Raschi would drive home the point back to Weiss that he was the staff ace, told him to ignore his other numbers and focus on his "value to the club" which was undeniable. His size (6'1" 205 lbs.) and the menacing scowl on his dark, unshaven face and blazing fastball were helpful in intimidating opposing hitters, who grudgingly realized he was very valuable.

Almost as if to answer Weiss's objections, Raschi posted his two lowest ERA's of his starting career in 1951, 52 (3.27 and 2.78). However Weiss would have the last laugh. As age (34) and bad knees caught up with Raschi, he posted his lowest win total in six seasons (13-6). Raschi had pitched well (3.33 ERA, AL's ERA: 3.99), led the Yankees to another World Series win, pitched a complete game against Brooklyn, but gave up three runs and lost 3-2. However it wasn't enough for Weiss who sold him to the St. Louis Cardinals. The effect on the Yankees was undeniable as they spent the entire summer in 1954 trying to catch the Cleveland Indians. When the Yankees needed a big win, their big game pitcher was not there. Despite winning 103 games that year, the consensus was that they lost "key" games. Something that Raschi used to provide.

How good was Vic Raschi however? Playing on a great team can, statistically, make a player look better than he really played. To use a pinstriped example, we saw this on the 1999 Yankees in the case of Paul O Neill and Tino Martinez where both players notched over 100 RBI, often considered the benchmark of hitting productivity. However closer inspection indicates that both players had been slipping offensively. O Neill's adjusted OPS+ had fallen the last three years. From 1997-99 his adjusted OPS+ went: 138, to 129 to 114 (he also notched a 100 RBI campaign in 2000 despite his adjusted OPS+ being 89). Tino Martinez was also in a downward spiral those three years: 144, 123 and 110. Martinez also enjoyed a 91 RBI season despite his adjusted OPS+ dropping to 86 in 2000. However their struggles were somewhat obscured by their RBI totals which had more to do with the three hitters ahead of them in the lineup. Chuck Knoblauch's on base percentage (OBP) was .393, Derek Jeter's (OBP) was .438, Bernie Williams’ .435 had as much to do with their "production" than their own abilities.

So, the question needs be asked, was Raschi a great pitcher or was he a beneficiary of playing on a great team?

A few points:

What was Raschi's won-loss record compared to the Yankees? Raschi's best seasons ran from 1948 through 1953. A quick comparison between the two:

Year   Raschi Yankees

1948    19-8       94-60

1949    21-10     97-57

1950    21-8       98-56

1951    21-10     98-56

1952    16-6       95-59

1953    13-6       99-52

Raschi went 111-48 over those seasons, the Yankees record was 581-340. The Yanks .631 winning percentage over the period isn't as good as Raschi's .699, so we get a pretty good idea that the Yankees weren't carrying Raschi over that period. As mentioned earlier, Raschi never concerned himself with statistics like ERA. What was important was winning. When a big game needed pitching, the Yankees turned the ball over to Raschi and more often than not, he came through for them. Some examples:

He pitched the pennant clincher against the BoSox on the last day of the 1949 season. In that game the Yankees and Boston were tied for the lead and this one game would decide who would play in the World Series and who would get the best tee times. Raschi pitched eight innings of pressure packed shut-out ball preserving a 1-0 lead. When the Yankees provided a five run cushion with four markers in the bottom of the eighth, Raschi coughed up three meaningless runs in the ninth as he sometimes did, yet finished off the Beantowners without further incident.
In the Fall Classic that same year he went 1-1 with an ERA of 4.30 against Brooklyn, but, again, these numbers are misleading. His loss in game two was the result of a 1-0 whitewashing by spitballer Preacher Roe. His somewhat inflated earned run mark in the series was due to the 10-0 lead the Yankees handed him in the clincher and once again let up somewhat in the 7th frame. Regardless, Raschi won the game with the World Series attached to it.
The following year when the Bronx Bombers dismantled the 'Whiz Kids' Philadelphia Phillies, Raschi got things rolling by blanking the Phillies by tossing a 1-0 two-hitter.
In 1952 with the Yankees down 3-2 to the Dodgers going back to Ebbets Field, the Yankees needed this win to stay alive. Again they looked to Raschi.

Again he delivered the goods.
His World Series ledger in the Yanks magnificent five year run between 1949-1953 reads 5-3 with an 2.24 ERA in 58 2/3 innings pitched. The latter mark inflated somewhat by the four cheap runs he gave up in Game Five of the '49 series. Subtract that one inning and his ERA drops to 1.67.

So a quick comparison between his regular season/World Series earned run marks indicates that his win totals were not due to his simply being the beneficiary of playing on a great team. When necessary, when it was important, he was very stingy with opposing hitters.

Raschi is a highly unlikely candidate for Cooperstown. His career is too short (10 seasons, 1819 IP). His win total maxed out at 132, his BB/K ratio is mediocre, his ERA+ during his peak is solid, though unremarkable (117), we could cite examples all day. However, the Hall-of-Fame isn’t necessarily about statistical milestones/achievements. Bill James once said that one definition of a Hall-of-Famer is a key player on a great team. Let’s take this up a notch: what about the undisputed ace pitcher of a dynasty team? Does that sound like a Hall-of-Famer? How about the undisputed ace pitcher of a dynasty team who turned it up a notch in the big game? Does that sound like a Hall-of-Famer? Well that was Vic Raschi. The New York Yankees won five straight World Series from 1949-53, their unquestioned ace and big game pitcher was Vic Raschi. An interesting conundrum; statistically, it’s pretty much impossible to make a Hall-of-Fame case for “The Springfield Rifle” but at the same time, an ‘undisputed ace pitcher of a dynasty team who turned it up a notch in the big game’ instinctively sounds like Hall-of-Fame material.

Rifling through Raschi....

Raschi was the winning pitcher in 1948 All Star game at Sportsmans Park driving in the winning run.
May 3 1950 Raschi commits four balks.
Raschi led AL in strike outs in 1951 (164).
He won the WS clincher against Brooklyn, a feat he duplicated against the Giants in 1951. He two-hit the Phillies 1-0 in the 1950 WS, and won twice more against the Dodgers in the 1952 World Series.
Raschi was a fair hitter (.184 career average).
Game six 1952 WS Raschi drives in winning run off Brooklyn's Billy Loes.
On August 3, 1953 his seven RBI set an ML single-game record for pitchers (since broken by Tony Cloninger).
Raschi was named to four All Star teams.
In February 1954, he was sold to the Cardinals for $85,000 after contract battles with the Yankees.
Raschi finished his career with the Kansas City Athletics.

Best Regards

John

2004-08-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

Canadian Bacon Anyone?....

Russ Ford : The Right Scuff

People would never look at an emery board the same way again.

When people think of New York’s American League franchise as respects pitchers named Ford -- generally the name first called to mind is Whitey. However long before the Yankees even made "Yankees" their official nickname they had another spectacular arm, a righthander named Russ Ford. Born Russell William Ford in Brandon Manitoba, Canada, Ford would light up the Yankees’ horizon as briefly and brilliantly as a bolt of chain lightning.

Ford made his major league debut in 1909 pitching a three inning relief appearance. His rocky outing where he surrendered three earned runs, four hits and four bases on balls gave absolutely no indication of what was to come.

Russ Ford : Chairman of the [emery] Board

In 1910, at age 27, Ford would set the American League on its ear. The spitball was then a legal pitch in professional baseball. Ford however had developed a new twist on the tricky pitch. The difficulty in throwing the spitter is that it generally requires applying a foreign substance to the baseball. However in doing so, the ball becomes difficult to grip and control because of the resulting slickness/stickiness.

Ford however bypassed that difficulty by not applying any of the standard forms of goop to the baseball but rather altering the surface of the ball itself. Using an emery board he was able to doctor the baseball in such a way that he could increase the action of a pitch without sacrificing grip or control. With this new wrinkle in place Ford, despite a late start to his career, would put together a season that would set several Yankee records.

In 1910, Philadelphia Athletics’ owner/manager Connie Mack had finished assembling on of baseball’s all time greatest teams. The Athletics would cop the America League flag that year, four pennants over the next five years with three World Series championships. This was the team against which Russ Ford made his major league starting debut. Ford threw a five-hitter downing the embryonic dynasty 1-0.

Over the course of that summer Ford would show that his debut was not a fluke. He enjoyed a 12 game winning streak over the course of that summer as his "emery pitch" danced, dipped and dropped around American League batsmen. One of the more memorable moments of the 1910 campaign was a game against the Cleveland Naps. As good as Ford was, he knew it was prudent not to let a team’s best hitter beat him. Three times he tried to walk Naps’ second baseman Nap Lajoie. Three times Lajoie got a hit. In Lajoie’s fourth at bat he got three balls on the future Hall of Famer but could not get ball four past him as he fouled off pitch after pitch. Finally Ford put the pitch where even Lajoie could not reach it, throwing the ball three feet behind him.

The Highlanders/Yankees continued to pursue the Athletics throughout the summer months. Ford put together a remarkable September winning seven games that month while losing none. However the Athletics would not be caught and despite Ford’s heroics; Philadelphia would not be headed. Ford would finish the regular season 26-6 and added seven additional shutouts onto the one he pitched against the Athletics in his starting debut.

The New York Giants, like the Highlanders/Yankees, finished second in their league. A seven-game city series was arranged between both New York clubs. This was historic in that it was the first series between the Giants and the Highlander/Yankees. In the opener at the Polo Grounds Ford faced Giants ace Christy Mathewson who had finished 27-9 that year. For 7 1/2 innings it was a tight game, but in the last of the eighth, two costly Yankee errors and a hit batsman and four Giant base hits, broke open a 1-1 tie with four runs for a Giant victory.

The 1911 campaign was uneventful for the New York American League club. Ford, showing no evidence of a "sophomore jinx," finished 22-11 on a .500 team as the Highlanders/Yankees finished 76-76. Both Ford’s and his team’s fortunes plummeted the following year as they finished dead last in the league even behind the moribund St. Louis Browns. Ford became one of a handful of pitchers who would go from winning over twenty games (22-11 in 1911) to losing 20-plus the following campaign (13-21 in 1912).

Ford righted himself in 1913 as his club continued to flounder. A 12-18 record obscured that he had pitched rather well. The only thing that went right for New York that year was they managed to finish slightly ahead of the Browns but still could not crack the sixty win barrier. Ford’s earned run average that year was 2.66 whereas the American League average was 2.93.

A Final Hurrah

During this time there were rumblings throughout baseball about the possibility of a third major league. In 1913 the Federal League was born. In 1914, the league proclaimed itself a "major league" and started raiding major league rosters of name players. The generous contracts offered by this upstart league caused many players to jump from the majors to this infant circuit. Ford decided to "follow the money," signed with the Federal League and assigned to Buffalo. Ford emerged as one of the league’s top hurlers.

The inaugural season of the Federal League (as a "major league") featured the weakest pitching among the three circuits. Ford stood tall winning 21 losing 6 with an ERA of 1.82 when the league average [for ERA] was 3.20. However he scuffled the following season going a meager 5-9, 4.52 ERA. It was his final major league season.

He no longer had his good scuff.

Other scuff of interest.....

Although his tenure with the Yankees was brief, he still owns the best ERA in team history (2.54).
Ford was the first Canadian pitcher in baseball history to have a 20-win season.
Ford batted .209 lifetime.
Ford held the Yankee single season record for shutouts (8) until broken by Ron Guidry in 1978.
Ford’s .813 winning percentage set in 1910 stood as a Yankee record until broken by Lefty Gomez in 1934.
Ford is one of five Yankee hurlers to win five or more games after September 1. The other four are Ernie Bonham, Mel Stottlemyre, Bob Wickman and Andy Pettite.
Ty Cobb hit .520 lifetime against Ford.

Best Regards

John

2004-08-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Now that was a trade deadline. Lots of controversy, big names changing big teams, cheers of joy, rending of garments in lamentation....everything you could’ve wanted. I’ve got a few thoughts, a wee bit of analysis, and even some unsolicited advice.

First off....some of the notable deals:

Red Sox: Acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Montreal Expos for infielders Alex Gonzalez and Brendan Harris and pitcher Francis Beltran; acquired outfielder Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder Henri Stanley.
Cubs: Acquired first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz from the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Justin Jones; acquired shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, outfielder Matt Murton and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox for Mientkiewicz, infielders Alex Gonzalez and Brendan Harris and pitcher Francis Beltran.
Twins: Acquired minor league pitcher Justin Jones.
Expos: Acquired Alex Gonzalez, pitcher Francis Beltran and infielder Brendan Harris
White Sox: Acquired pitcher Jose Contreras and cash considerations from the New York Yankees for pitcher Esteban Loaiza.
Dodgers: Acquired outfielder Steve Finley and catcher Brent Mayne from the Arizona Diamondbacks for catcher Koyie Hill, pitcher Bill Murphy and outfielder Reggie Abercrombie. Acquired pitchers Brad Penny and Bill Murphy and first baseman Hee Seop Choi from the Florida Marlins for catcher Paul Lo Duca, outfielder Juan Encarnacion and pitcher Guillermo Mota.
Marlins: Acquired pitcher Rudy Seanez from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Abraham Nunez; acquired pitcher Ismael Valdez from the San Diego Padres for pitcher Travis Chick. Acquired catcher Paul Lo Duca, outfielder Juan Encarnacion and pitcher Guillermo Mota from the Dodgers for pitchers Brad Penny and Bill Murphy and first baseman Hee Seop Choi from the Florida Marlins.
Mets: Acquired infielder Jose Bautista from the Kansas City Royals for catcher Justin Huber; acquired pitcher Kris Benson and infielder Jeff Keppinger from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bautista, infielder Ty Wigginton and pitcher Matt Peterson; acquired pitchers Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for pitchers Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz

I’ve been reading Sons of Sam Horn and came across this sentiment from a poster there on the deal that sent icon Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs: “Only game I have interest in going to at Fenway this year is Mon. Sept 9 vs TB. Their first game home and our first chance to go boo the @#%$ out of Cabrera, Minkwhateverowitz and the bosox management.”

Bad idea, to anyone who shares the sentiment. If you want to jeer the management team--fine. But this trade wasn’t Cabrera’s or Mientkiewicz’s idea and it wasn’t their fault. They’re gonna bust their butts to win the Red Sox the pennant and deserve support. Losing a superstar like Garciaparra is almost always painful, but don’t forget who’s responsible for the trade, and who isn’t. Blaming the players acquired in the deal accomplishes nothing. The Red Sox probably were going to lose Nomar to free agency and due to the money Garciaparra’s making in 2004 ($11.5 million), the Red Sox might not have offered arbitration (the Red Sox would pay a minimum of $9.2 million and you can bet that if the Red Sox were to offer anything under what Garciaparra made this year they‘d probably lose in arbitration). So, instead of losing Garciaparra and getting *nothing* in return, the Red Sox traded two months of Nomar and got two Gold Glovers to shore up a weak defense.

Other things to bear in mind: Garciaparra is going to want a big contract (I’m guessing 5 years/ $75 million). He’s been fragile, his defense is declining, and he’s on the wrong side of 30. So whomever signs him to his next contract is going to find out all about “the winner‘s curse.” The Red Sox got the best of Nomar Garciaparra at half the cost of Alex Rodriguez. Now somebody else is going to pay for his decline phase. Also, the Red Sox were dealing with an unhappy, injured superstar who can't play SS effectively anymore on a good offensive team with plenty of defensive question marks. Chances are Cabrera and Mientkiewicz have a better shot at rediscovering their offense than Garciaparra has of rediscovering his range and health.

Just remember the hosing the Mariners took when their icon--Ken Griffey Jr.--wanted out. Everybody said that the Mariners were doomed forever and the Reds may as well print World Series tickets. The Mariners went to the post season the first two years after Junior departed and won 93 games in each of the two seasons after that. The Reds ended up with $116.5 million albatross.

In short, the weeping and the gnashing of teeth in Boston might be a bit premature. Don’t forget, the Red Sox are a distant second in the AL East, and second in the wild card standings. The status quo may not have gotten it done. I’m not saying the Red Sox made a terrific deal, but all things considered, it wasn’t a horrible one either.

Now the Mets. These were horrible deals. They cashed in the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons for a futile shot at a title in 2004. The Mets are 49-54, fourth place in the NL East, eight games back, and even further back in the wild card hunt. Kris Benson had one season where he tossed more than 200 IP (2000) and Victor Zambrano seems to challenge Barry Bonds for walk totals in a season. For this (and others) they gave up Justin Huber, Ty Wigginton, Matt Peterson, Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz? I’m not a Mets fan but I’m flabbergasted. If the Blue Jays get healthy, the Devil Rays will make the 2005 AL East a real dogfight with the additions of Diaz and Kazmir. I do not know the thought processes that went into this deal. Somebody’s head(s) should roll. For disappointed Red Sox fans--this is what a bad deal looks like. Everything the Mets had been building towards has just been depth charged into oblivion.

Although I think the Dodgers got the better end of the deal with the Marlins, I think both teams got what they were looking for. The Dodgers upgraded both the present and the future with the additions of Penny, Choi, and Murphy, and the Fish bolstered their bullpen and the difference in their offense should be negligible. The Marlins made this deal with 2004 in mind and did what championship teams are sometimes forced to do--trade away some of the future for a shot at the present. The Marlins are the defending World Series champions and are still close enough to the NL East title to take a run at a repeat. The Dodgers on the other hand just made Brian Sabean look comatose. Granted, Sabean may have been handcuffed by Magowan . The Giants are only 4.5 games out of the NL West and two games out of the wild card. The Giants should’ve been more active but chose not to. Finally, although I feel the Expos’ days are numbered, they picked up some good prospects for a player on the way out. I just wish I could enjoy it more, but for Expos’ fans, the future never comes.

Best Regards

John

2004-06-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well this was different, I actually was threatened with bodily harm if I didn't update my blog. So in the interests of personal safety I figured I'd best take my keyboard out and do something with it.

This time--1950-59:

*1950*

Well, it's cheaper than hiring better players....

The St. Louis Browns hire hypnotist David Tracy to cure Brownies of defeatist attitude.

I guess they didn't count on the Red Sox on snapping their fingers....

On June 8, the Red Sox spank the Browns 29-4 at Fenway Park.

Great! Now we can afford to sign a situational lefty that *every* team can use!....

TV provides $2.3M in revenue for MLB.

Could you explain the rule to me again?....

MLB institutes a new balk rule. Vic Raschi of the Yankees commits four balks on May 3.

Moneybonehead....

White Sox pitcher Bill Wight gets no hits, and four walks, and 17 strikeouts in 61 at bats giving him an AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS of: .000/.062/.000/.062.

Did he dump ice water on Mel Allen's head?

Jackie Jensen of the Phillies plays in both the Rose Bowl and the Fall Classic.

How to skewer your stats for the month....chapter i pg. i ¶ i

Gil Hodges blasts four HR in a game on the last day of August.

Road worriers....

The A's allow almost seven runs per game away from Shibe Park.

No doubt the A's were helpful in setting this record....

The Red Sox score 625 runs at Fenway Park.

And they did it again against the Blue Jays bullpen in a May game in 2004....

The Red Sox score 216 runs against the St. Louis Browns.

Early to bed Early to rise makes your ERA go sky high....

Early Wynn wins the AL ERA crown with a 3.20 mark.

Some guys just can't seen to hold on to a regular job....

Red Sox supersub Billy Goodman wins the AL batting crown (.354); Goodman plays over 20 games each at the infield corners, 45 games in the outfield, and sees time at both keystone positions.

Watch Bud Selig's head explode....

Four teams in the AL win 90 games. New York: 98-56, Detroit: 95-59, Boston: 94-60, and Cleveland: 92-62. Fifth place Washington finishes 67-87, 25 games out of fourth place.

And they invented some new swear words....

The Cleveland Indians finish fourth place in the American League with a 92-62 record; better than NL pennant winner Philadelphia Phillies' 91-63 ledger.

*1951*

Little Mr. Smug Mug....

St. Louis Browns Ned Garver goes 20-12, 3.73 ERA as the Brownies go 52-102.

How to suck....chapter i pg. i ¶ i

All pitchers who logged over 100 IP on the Browns walk more hitters than they strike out. Garver, Tommy Byrne, Duane Pillette, and Al Widmar walk 377 while striking out just 234.

In one of the innings the infield stayed in the dugout and nobody noticed....

Tommy Byrne who was traded to the Yankees walked 16 in a 13 inning game on August 22.

Why don't you go talk to Tim Wakefield Ralph and you can enjoy a good cry....

The Dodgers lose the NL flag to the Giants on Bobby Thomson's "shot heard around the world." It's the third time in six years that the Dodgers lost the pennant on the last day of the season.

*1952*

The Little Hoyt....

New York Giants pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm homers in his first MLB at bat on April 23. He never hit another dinger--his career ended in 1972.

Another record the Jays bullpen is shooting for....

On May 21, in the first inning, 19 straight Dodger hitters reach base against the Reds.

Maybe the infielders and outfielders could've brought a good book instead of their gloves....

Ron Necciai of the Appalachian League throws a no-hitter while striking out 27 on June 13.

The rest were killed by the AL....

Bob Neighbors of the Browns becomes the only major leaguer to be killed while fighting in Korea.

Heck, Jesse Orosco is still a young buck....

Satchel Paige throws a 12-inning shutout against the Tigers on August 6--he is 47 at the time.

Empty victory....

The Indians have three 20-game winners, the league leader in HR and RBI, and lead the loop in runs, runs produced, slugging percentage, triples, IP, and CG but still finish two games behind the Yankees.

What the Truck is going on?....

Tiger hurler Virgil Trucks goes 5-19, 3.97 ERA. Two of his five wins are no-hitters and a third is a one-hitter.

Rockin' Robin....

Robin Roberts wins 28 games. He goes 3-3 against the Giants, 2-2 against the Cubs, and 23-2 against everybody else.

Of course *everybody* dumps on Expo fans....

The Boston Braves draw just 281,278 for the season.

*1953*

Bobo job....

Brownie Bobo Holloman throws a no-hitter in his first major league start on May 6. He'll win two more games in 1953 and be out of baseball by 1954.

The more things change....

Paul Pettit, the Pirates $100,000 "Bonus Baby" wins his only major league game. Indians $100,000 "Bonus Baby" -- Billy Joe Davidson -- never even makes it to the big leagues.

Didn't Cito Gaston let something similar happen to Mike Timlin to help build his confidence?....

On June 18, the Red Sox almost bat around three times (23 hitters) and score 17 runs. Gene Stephens gets a modern record three hits in the inning.

Home schnookin'....

The Browns lose 20 straight at home.

[you know you who are] take note....

Al Rosen loses the triple crown when he doesn't beat out a ground ball in his last at bat of the season.

*1954*

In Soviet Russia cock smacks you around....

The Braves' Joe Adcock rips 4 HR and a double for 18 total bases on August 1.

Didn't Cito Gaston let something similar happen to Tony Castillo to help build his confidence?....

On August 8, the Dodgers score 12 runs with two out and nobody on.

Pipp squeak....

Braves OF (and hero the 1951 Giants) Bobby Thomson's injury causes the Braves to replace him with former Negro Leaguer Henry Aaron.

If he'd driven in 150 runs per year they might've had him shot....

The Cardinals' Ray Jablonski begins his career with consecutive 100 RBI seasons. He's dealt to Cincinnati at the end of the season.

The reason you've never heard about this before is because of a government conspiracy and cover-up....

Longhorn Leaguer Joe Bauman hits 72 home runs playing while for Roswell

Have you ever wondered who Joe Carter had on the baseball poster hanging in his bedroom?....

Gil Hodges of the Dodgers sets a record with 19 sac flies.

Winning a pennant is as easy as 1-2-3....

Tribe pitchers Mike Garcia, Bob Lemon, and Early Wynn finish 1-2-3 in AL ERA.

*1955*

Pitch count? What's that?....

Rookie "Toothpick Sam" Jones of the Cubs walks 185 and whiffs 198 in 242 IP.

If nothing else, he's exciting....

The same Sam Jones -- in the midst of a no-hitter -- walks the bases full then strikes out the side in the ninth inning.

Relieving yourself at the plate....

Tigers' reliever Babe Birrer (4-3, 3 SV, 4.16 ERA) hits home runs in both his at bats in a four inning relief stint on July 19.

*1956*

Dale Long-ball....

The Pirates' Dale Long homers in eight consecutive games.

Sometimes changing the pitcher involves Pampers and wet-naps....

Jim Derrington of the White Sox becomes the youngest pitcher to start a big-league game. His pitching line: 6 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 K. He was 16 at the time.

Ya think?....

Troy Herriage goes 1-13, 6.64 ERA for the Kansas City A's. It's his only ML season.

Why batting average is a dumb stat....

Eddie Yost garners just 119 hits and bats .231. His OBP is .412 after drawing a staggering 151 walks.

This is the only thing the 2004 Blue Jays have in common with the 1956 Yankees....

On September 21, the Yanks leave 20 men on base in a nine inning game against the Red Sox.

*1957*

You again?....

Ted Williams reaches base 16 times in 16 at bats.

Have you ever wondered why Curt Flood didn't want to go to Philadelphia?....

The Phillies finally have an African American player on the major league roster--3B John Kennedy (he received two at bats that year).

Well, it's because they all sucked....

The Kansas City A's don't have a single pitcher with enough IP to qualify for an ERA title as 14 different pitchers make starts.

We're all impressed, but let's see if you can prove it wasn't a fluke....

Pitcher Bob Riesener of the Evangeline League posts a perfect 20-0 record.

What's so amazing is that he pitched half his starts in one of the best pitchers' park in the American League....

Pete Ramos of the Washington Senators serves up a then-record 43 HR. Oddly enough, the current record was set by a pitcher who played for the transplanted Senators in Minnesota in 1987 (Bert Blyleven coughed up 50 in an excellent *hitters'* park).

Like a herd of turtles....

The Washington Senators steal just 13 bases.

*1958*

Youneverknow....

Vic Power steals three bases all season. Two of them were steals of home on August 14.

The first time is the most memorable--especially if you only do it ONE FRICKIN' TIME!!!!....

On September 20, Hoyt Wilhelm who homered in his first ML at bat in 1953 throws a no-hitter in his first major league *start* against the 1958 World Series champ New York Yankees.

*1959*

The ball wasn't loaded by the infield was....

The White Sox score 11 runs on one hit in the seventh inning against Kansas City on April 22.

If "Shoeless Joe" named his bat "Black Betsy," do you think his bat was named Adrienne?....

On June 10, Rocky Colavito slugs four HR.

Don't pinch me....

Oriole Dave Philley collects pinch hits in nine straight games.

Have you ever wondered why Sparky Anderson was fixated with using Milt Cuyler?....

In 477 at bats, the Phillies' Sparky Anderson garners just 119 total bases and has an OPS of .531 (NL OPS: .754, NL OPS for 2B: .686).

The Blue Jays couldn't get this many in a year....

On September 22, the Dodgers collect nine pinch hits.

Although Tampa Bay can make your bullpen sick too, that's not what TB stood for....

The Braves possibly lose the pennant when Red Schoendienst contracts TB and lost for the season.

Best Regards

John

2004-05-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

On Baseball Primer, there’s been a discussion about Edgar Martinez’s chances for the Hall-of-Fame. Of course, the big millstone around his neck is the fact that he’s played a good chunk of his career as a designated hitter.

I think there’s a number of compelling reasons why Martinez should be a lock. Some examples:

The greatest first, second and third baseman, shortstop, left, right and centerfielder, the greatest pitcher and catcher are all in the Hall-of-Fame. So doesn’t it stand to reason that the greatest DH should be there as well?

Is he the greatest DH? He is and it’s not close. Let’s use two objective measures: Runs Created Above Average (RCAA) and adjusted OPS+ since they take into consideration park effects and league averages while adjusted OPS+ also takes eras into account.

Using RCAA, Edgar Martinez is first all time with 532 (through the end of 2003). Paul Molitor is second with 279! Using adjusted OPS+ Martinez is second with a mark of 151. Frank Thomas is first at 162 although it should be noted that “The Big Hurt” has DHed in 867 games as opposed to Martinez’s 1290 [games]. Thomas has just 269 RCAA as a DH....almost half of Martinez’s total.

Let’s toss out the DH and look at Martinez’s career totals (through the end of 2003):

RCAA: 665. He’s 24th all time. Among eligible players, everybody above him is in the HOF. Those who aren’t in Cooperstown are considered locks: Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Frank Thomas, and Mark McGwire. Below Martinez (among the top 100 in RCAA since 1900) are 37 Hall-of-Famers. Also among the top 100 [below Martinez] are several players who have strong cases for the Hall: Jeff Bagwell, Wade Boggs, Rafael Palmeiro, Tim Raines, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Joe Jackson, Pete Rose (well, they would if it weren‘t for poor life choices), Mike Piazza, Alex Rodriguez, and Roberto Alomar as well as players who are getting close to Cooperstown credentials: Gary Sheffield, Fred McGriff, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Jason Giambi, Chipper Jones, and Craig Biggio. suffice it to say, he wouldn’t be ratcheting down the standards for Hall-of-Fame induction.
His current adjusted OPS+ is good for 32nd all time and he’s got Hall-of-Famers, or soon to be Hall-of-Famers around him. Those above him that aren’t enshrined suffer from banishment (Joe Jackson), short careers (Pete Browning, David Orr, and Charlie Keller....Orr and Browning are also hurt by being 19th century players), or for alleged character issues (Dick Allen). Granted Martinez’s RCAA and adjusted OPS+ is subject to some erosion, but he’s 41 years old and has close to 7000 AB on his resume which means his decline will come swiftly and he probably won’t stick around long enough to see significant decline time.
Martinez’s OBP is .422 as of this writing, good for 17th all time. His SLG is .522....good for 54th all time.
What some feel to be potential downfalls are his counting stats and his being a DH. Let’s address these. I’m going to cheat a little here and go quick and dirty because, well, I’m lazy (yeah, yeah, the more the qualifiers, the fewer the bodies, but I‘ll make a point about it later). Here’s the benchmark: players with careers of 2000 hits, 500 doubles, 300 HR, 1000 runs/RBI/BB that batted .300 lifetime. The following are those who qualify: Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, George Brett, Mel Ott, Willie Mays, and Edgar Martinez. Now it’s pretty obvious that one of these things is not like the other. If you read Bill James, you can find some major flaws in this comparison, but my reason for doing it is this: to accomplish 2000 hits, 500 doubles, 300 HR, 1000 runs/RBI/BB and batting .300 lifetime you need the following skills--you have to be able to hit for average, you have to be able to hit for power, you have to have a keen batting eye and you have to sustain it for a significant period of time. That’s why only 10 players have accomplished the feat in major league history, it takes a special kind of hitter to accomplish it. Some forgettable players have high batting averages (Riggs Stephenson .336), tons of hits (Doc Cramer 2705 hits), HR totals (Dave Kingman 442 HR), 2B totals (Al Oliver 529 2B) lots of RBI (Joe Carter 1445 RBI), high walk totals (Eddie Yost 1614 BB), plenty of runs scored (Tom Brown 1521 runs), but to excel in all the aforementioned categories is reserved for the truly great. In other words, there’s nothing wrong with Edgar Martinez’s counting stats.
As to the DH issue, I’m going to resort to the “lowest common denominator” argument. We’ve already established that Martinez is a Hall-of-Fame hitter, but what about his lack of time in the field? Well, going to the opposite extreme, we need look no further than recent inductee Bill Mazeroski; a Hall-of-Fame defender? No doubt. What about his hitting? Yes, he had over 2000 hits but that’s it. Did you know he never had a single season where he was league average in OBP+SLG (OPS)? Not once. Every year, a league average hitter at second base would’ve been a better asset in the lineup than Maz. Yes, second base is a key defensive position, but how did Mazeroski fare against his contemporary second sackers? Over the course of his career, an average 2B created 834 runs. Maz created only 821 runs. In short, not only was he an offensive liability, he was an offensive liability for a second baseman! There are other examples of players inducted due to outstanding defense (Ozzie Smith, Rick Ferrell) and there are great offensive players inducted who were less-than-stellar with the leather (Harmon Killibrew, Hack Wilson). Why? It was felt that their respective deficiencies were far outweighed by their other contributions. It‘s no different for Edgar Martinez. Martinez’s deficiency (being a DH) is far outweighed by his offensive contributions.

I think he’s a deserving candidate.

Team owners cry, whine, and bellyache about the money they lose running their teams. A bran fed pachyderm with diarrhea produces less, um, smelly biological waste matter than an owner discussing team finances. They do it however because (i) they hope to convince the players to accept salary restrictions and (ii) they hope to con municipalities to build them lavish new stadiums so they can afford to overpay mediocrities while avoiding being forced to eat Fancy Feast out of the can with their fingers while they try to stay warm in their home which is the back seat of a rusted out 1972 Ford Pinto. Well, Field of Schemes is like the toilet paper needed to wipe out the crap that resides in the arsehole(s) running major league baseball. If you don't think Bud and Co. are more full of it than a prune free retirement village this site will change your mind. The book is pretty good too. If you're so inclined, join the mailing list--it's all good.

Best Regards

John

2004-05-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

This time--1940-49:

*1940*

Anticlimactic....

On Opening Day, Bob Feller no-hits the White Sox.

Halitosis? Flatulence? Valedictorian of the Ty Cobb School of Charm?....

Willis Hudlin plays for four teams in the same year: Cleveland, St. Louis (Browns), New York (Giants), and Washington.

And you wonder why Philadelphia fans are so hostile....

The Phillies and Athletics both lose 100+ games.

Melonball?....

The Yankees' Frank Crosetti (career BA .245; career OBP .341) leads the AL in hit-by-pitches for the fifth consecutive year.

*1941*

Jose Hernandez doesn't last 77 minutes....

Lloyd Waner plays 77 consecutive games without striking out.

What the puck?....

Canadian Jeff Heath of the Indians is the first AL player to hit 20+ doubles/triples/home runs in the same year.

I wish the Blue Jays would quit trying to top this....

The St. Louis Browns strand 1334 baserunners.

And how was your day?....

On May 7, Reds SS Eddie Joost handles 19 chances.

Sixty years later and we're still not impressed....

Danny Murtaugh of the Phillies leads the NL in steals (18), but hits just .219.

*1942*

I don't care if he's throwin' grapefruit--he's stayin' in....

On May 13, Braves' pitcher Jim Tobin blasts three HR.

War is hell....

Cardinals rookie Johnny Beazley goes 21-6, 2.13 ERA, enters the armed forces and never pitches effectively after his return (9-6, 4.39 ERA from 1946-49).

Neifi Perez x 8 =....

The Phillies drive in just 354 runs. Danny Litwhiler leads the club with 56 RBI. They also score just 394. Their team OPS? .593.

He was a two-way player, for a Phillie....

Danny Litwhiler goes the whole season without committing an error.

Gimme the ball and leave me the hell alone....

White Sox Ted Lyons makes 20 starts, pitches 20 complete games, and goes 14-6.

Make mine a double....

The A's bang into seven double plays against the Yankees on August 14.

What do I have to do? Walk on water?....

Ted Williams hits .406 in 1941 and loses the MVP to Joe DiMaggio. In 1942 he wins the Triple Crown and loses the MVP to the Yankees' Joe Gordon.

Somebody up there (the press box?) loves me!....

MVP Joe Gordon leads the AL in errors, strikeouts, and grounding into double plays.

*1943*

Of course modern baseball never experiments with half-baked ideas....

To save on rubber, MLB invents the balata ball. No home runs are hit in the first 11 games and the ball is shelved.

I can't pitch night games or my Mom will be upset....

On September 16, Carl Schweib (age 16) becomes the youngest pitcher in a ML game.

More is not always better....

The Phillies play 43 doubleheaders. The White Sox play 44.

*1944*

As if puberty weren't complicated enough....

15 year-old Joe Nuxhall of the Reds becomes the youngest pitcher to appear in a 20th century game on June 10.

There is no I in Tom Sunkel....

Tom Sunkel is the last one-eyed player to play in MLB.

How I learned to love World War II....

Tigers' rookie Chuck Hostetler hits .298 in 90 games. He is 41 at the time.

Miguel Batista would have one out in the second inning at this point....

The Braves' Red Barrett tosses a 58 pitch complete game on August 10 against the Reds.

So I got a little sidetracked, sue me....

The Browns clinch the AL flag with a starting pitcher (Sig Jakucki) who hasn't played in the majors since 1936.

Gotta be steroids....

The Washington Senators hit 23 home runs. Stan Spence accounts for 18.

Now that's a 1-2 punch....

Tiger pitchers Hal Newhouser (29-9, 2.22 ERA) and Spinning Salmon, er, Dizzy Trout (27-14, 2.12 ERA) finish 1-2 in MVP voting.

*1945*

The doctor wondered how he got a concussion from adjusting his cup....

One-armed outfielder Pete Gray plays a full season with the St. Louis Browns--he hits .218.

I think Miguel Batista's second leg is holding him back....

Bert Shepard of the Washington Senators surrenders three hits, a walk, and a single run in a 5.1 IP relief appearance--with one leg.

And you want us to fill the cup why?....

The Senators hit one HR in Griffith Stadium--an inside-the-parker.

Gerkin's pickle....

Steve Gerkin of the Athletics has a 3.62 ERA in 102 IP, and goes 0-12. He never pitches in MLB again.

Where have you gone Vince DiMaggio pitchers turn their lonely eyes to you....

The Phillies Vince DiMaggio leads the NL in whiffs for the fourth straight year He K's 387 times from 1942-45.

Baby Boomer....

Dodgers shortstop Tommy Brown becomes the youngest MLer to hit a home run (17) on August 20.

*1946*

It's amazing what a few years rest will do....

In his first full season since 1941 Bob Feller goes 26-15, 2.18 ERA in 371.1 IP fanning 348. He also tosses 36 complete games.

Which is 200 more than he fanned in the big leagues....

Bill Kennedy of Rocky Mount in the Coastal Plains League goes 28-3, 1.03 ERA with 456 punch-outs.

Which is why God gave us two butt cheeks....

Mel Ott gets the boot from both games of a doubleheader.

*1947*

It's the red socks, isn't it?....

Ted Williams hits .406 in 1941 and loses the MVP to Joe DiMaggio. In 1942 he wins the Triple Crown and loses the MVP to the Yankees' Joe Gordon. Now Williams once again cops the Triple Crown and loses the MVP to Joe DiMaggio by one vote.

Did they bring in the closer?....

The Reds Ewell Blackwell throws a no-hitter on June 18. He then throws eight no-hit innings in his next start.

*1948*

Going out with a bang-bang-bang-bang....

Pat Seerey of the White Sox hits 4 HR in an 11 inning game on July 18. He has four AB in 1949 and is then out of baseball for good.

Geriantics....

Satchel Paige, somewhere between age 42-48 makes his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians. He goes 6-1, 2.48 ERA and helps the Tribe to the World Series.

Again?....

Stan Musial has four five-hit games.

*1949*

Consolation prize....

Ted Williams misses the Triple Crown by less than .001 in BA to George Kell but wins the MVP.

It could've been higher had Toronto been in the league....

The Philadelphia A's turn 217 double plays.

The tarp must have eaten them....

The St. Louis Cardinals steal 17 bases as a team.

In Soviet Russia beaver shoots you!....

A deranged female fan shoots and almost kills Eddie Waitkus in a hotel room.

One man gang....

On July 6, Walker Cooper of the Reds goes 6-for-7 and rips three HR.

Isn't this how bullpens are used today?....

In the final game of the season, the St. Louis Browns use a pitcher an inning, for all nine innings.

Today's link is Netshrine....A Celebration of Baseball. It's got a little bit of everything from opinions to history and the forums are top notch. Very addictive.

Best Regards

John

2004-05-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

This time--1920-39:

*1920*

I guess this is why they invented KY jelly....

The spitball is officially banned from baseball. Some say the impetus behind this ruling was the fatal beaning of the Indians Ray Chapman by Carl Mays. Chapman habitually hung over the plate so much that Mays claimed had the pitch not hit Chapman it would've been called a strike.

There are no Eighth Commandments in baseball....

Cleveland's Larry Gardner attempted 23 base thefts; he succeeded three times.

If a tie is like kissing your sister, I'm guessing you'd have to go Arkansas for this....

On May 1, Brooklyn's Leon Cadore and Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves pitch all 26 innings of a 1-1 tie.

I'll bet the guy who started game three was told to pitch a complete game....

On October 2, the Pirates and Reds play the final tripleheader in MLB history.

John Kruk would be so proud....

The Philadelphia Phillies draw just 283 walks--an all-time record.

Designate THIS....

Former pitchers Babe Ruth and George Sisler set significant batting marks. Ruth slugs an all-time record .847 and Sisler bats .407.

Landis in Wonderland after chasing a white Rabbit Maranville....

Lost in the glare of the Black Sox scandal was that former Federal League batting champ Benny Kauff is thrown out of baseball for life by commissioner (and former judge) Kenesaw Mountain Landis. His crime? Being found not guilty in court for being a part of a stolen car ring. Landis felt, despite the court's ruling, that he was probably guilty anyway.

I wonder who Mom was rooting for?....

In the 1920 Fall Classic between Brooklyn and Cleveland, Jimmy Johnson (Brooklyn) and brother Doc (Cleveland) faced off. Doc hit .273 and Jimmy batted .214; neither garnered an extra base hit or an RBI.

*1921*

Now if we could only get the umpires to wear them....

St. Louis Cardinal "Specs" Toporcer becomes the first major league player to wear glasses on the field. Any guesses what bench jockeys around the NL called him?

Lucky seven....for the rest of the NL....

Reds' catcher Ivy Wingo leads the league in errors for the seventh straight year.

Usually you go to the cellar to avoid things that suck so bad they register on the Fujita Scale....

For the seventh straight year the Philadelphia Athletics finish dead last.

Don't look at me boys....

Waite Hoyt of the Yankees starts three games in the World Series, posts an ERA of 0.00 but loses the final game of the Fall Classic 1-0 against the Giants.

*1922*

Memo to Mr. Mack--walk him....

Detroit Tigers Harry Heilmann hits 21 HR. Ten of them are hit at Shibe Park against the Athletics.

Kind of makes you wonder why they bothered to go to the bullpen....

In late August, the Cubs beat the Phillies 26-23.

Jurisimprudence....

The Supreme Court rules that baseball is not a business and not subject to antitrust laws.

Why they didn't nickname him "Moose"....

Rabbit Maranville has 672 at bats and 0 home runs.

*1923*

Maybe if Rey Ordonez started in 1923....

Babe Ruth reaches base 379 times in 1923.

Did you know Miguel Batista pitched in 1923 for the Red Sox?....

On July 17, the Cleveland Indians score 13 runs against the BoSox in the sixth inning--all with two outs.

Urine sample size?....

New York Giants hurler Jack Bentley hits .406 while Cleveland Indians pitcher George Uhle sets a major league record by banging out 52 hits.

Why my great-grandchildren routinely take a leak on your grave....

Howard Ehmke of the Red Sox no-hits the A's on September 7. In his next start Ehmke tosses a one-hitter, the official scorer calls a potential error the only hit of the game.

Stranding 325....

Paul Strand of the PCL's Salt Lake City club notches 325 hits in 1923. Paul Schneider of the Vernon club rips five HR and a double in a single game.

*1924*

Mary had a little....er, make it a double....

Lyman Lamb of Tulsa in the Western League reaches the century mark in doubles 100.

Just dial 1-800-HR-BALCO....

World champion Washington Senators hit 22 HR as a team.

A clogged toilet runs better....

The Cubs are caught stealing an NL record 149 times.

Of course a guy nicknamed Stuffy wouldn't whiff much....

Stuffy McInnis sets an NL record for fewest strikeouts by a 1B (six).

*1925*

John Kruk would never approve....

Cleveland Indians Joe Sewell whiffs four times in 608 AB. In 7132 career AB Sewell K's just 114 times.

If chicks dig the longball then this is a vow of celibacy....

The Washington Senators' Sam Rice hits an AL record 182 singles.

And you thought he was just another pretty pitcher....

Walter Johnson (in 97 AB) bats .433 and posts an OPS of 1.032.

He did O.K. in the majors too....

Tony Lazzeri hits 60 HR for Salt Lake City in the PCL.

Maybe if he made more productive outs....

On July 3, Brooklyn Dodgers Milt Stock has his fourth straight four hit game. He hit .328 that year and was out of MLB the following year.

I'm guessing the Blue Jay bullpen invented a time machine....

On June 15, the Indians are up 15-4 over the A's in the 8th inning. The A's rally to win 17-15.

Would a salary cap and revenue sharing help at all?....

The International League's Baltimore Orioles cop their seventh straight IL pennant.

Hero to zero....

Washington Senator Roger Peckinpaugh wins the AL MVP award then commits eight errors in the World Series.

*1926*

But he never got past first base until he turned 19....

A Giants 17 year-old rookie outfielder becomes the youngest NLer to get a pinch hit. His name? Mel Ott.

Charles Comiskey no doubt regrets he didn't pay by the hour....

White Sox hurler Ted Lyons no-hits the Red Sox in 1:07.

Reading the Hysterical Abstract....

Reading of the International League posts a .194 winning percentage (31-129). Fan Appreciation Day canceled when he didn't show up.

That sobbing you hear is from the concessionaires....

On September 26 the Yankees and Browns complete a doubleheader in 2:07.

*1927*

Oddly enough....

For the fourth odd year in succession, Harry Heilmann wins the AL batting crown (.398).

Thanks for nothing....

On May 17, Boston Braves' Bob Smith pitches a 22 inning CG losing 4-3 to the Cubs.

Eating Brownies....

The Yankees send the Browns packing 21 times in 1927.

John Kruk would never approve II....

The Philadelphia A's fan an AL record low 326 times.

Why you don't want to hit after the pitcher....

Lloyd Waner scores 133 runs but notches just 27 RBI.

How the manager lets the bullpen know he's lost all confidence in them....

35 year old Jack Scott (9-21, 5.10 ERA) becomes the oldest pitcher to hurl two CG in the same day.

*1928*

It's true! There's no such thing as a clutch hitter!....

Washington Senators' Milt Gaston pitches a 14-hit shutout against Cleveland on July 10.

Gigantic futility....

The New York Giants win 25 games in September and almost overtake the St. Louis Cardinals for the pennant.

Ruth and Gehrig enjoy a little Bondage....

Babe Ruth hits .625 in the World Series and Lou Gehrig bats .545 with a 1.727 SLG. They combine for 7 HR and 13 RBI.

*1929*

The defense not only rests, it's dead....

Poor fielding Ike Boone of the PCL's Mission Reds collects 553 total bases. He'd hit .370 over his minor league career and .321 (1159 AB) in the majors. He couldn't stick due to poor defense.

Perhaps a designated pitcher rule would help....

The Phillies have four players who notch 200 hits: Lefty O Doul (254), Fresco Thompson (202), Pinky Whitney (200), and Chuck Klein (219); they finish 71-82 as the pitching staff posts a 6.13 ERA--Russ Miller goes 0-12.

Did you expect him to beat himself?....

The White Sox Art Shires, who worked as a prizefighter in the offseason beats up manager Lena Blackburne three times.

Under threat of death....

Ivy Wingo retires with the most career errors by a catcher (234).

*1930*

Once a catcher, always a catcher....

On January 10, White Sox/Senator Art Shires K.O's knocks out Braves' catcher Al Spohrer at Boston Garden. Shires was obviously the better hitter. Shires hit .291 lifetime, Spohrer: .259.

It's the Baker Bowl silly....

The Phillies Chuck Klein sets NL 20th century records for runs (158), total bases (445), and runs produced (288). He also registers 44 outfield assists.

When pitching hell wasn't located in Colorado....

The Phillies' pitching staff has a team ERA of 6.71. Leo Sweetland goes 7-15, 7.71 ERA; Claude Willoughby posts a 4-17, 7.59 ERA; Hap Collard's mark is 6-12, 6.80 ERA; and Hal Elliot's ledger reads 6-11, 7.69 ERA. Opposing teams bat .342 off Phils' pitching and score 1199 runs.

Sit the bum down....

Babe Ruth becomes the first documented player to whiff 1000 times in his career.

From the "Aaaah, he won't do it again" department....

On May 6, Gene Rye, playing for Waco in the Texas League hits three homers in the same inning.

But he was only 22 years old in the Dominican Republic....

Jack Quinn of the Philadelphia A's becomes the oldest player to hit a major league home run (46). He'd lead the NL in saves (15) the following season with Brooklyn.

But he tested positive for prune juice....

Sam Rice of the Washington Senators registers 207 hits, 121 runs, and 271 total bases--at age 40.

Getting a little bush....

Cubbie hurler Guy Bush surrenders 155 earned runs.

Check the birth certificate dumbass....

St. Louis Cardinal rookie George Watkins hits .373, posts an OPS of 1.037. In 1932 he hits .312, his only other .300 season. He plays his final major league season in 1936.

Next time strike out and keep the inning going....

On July 25, the Cleveland Indians hit into two triple plays against the A's.

*1931*

Designed to specs....

The Cardinals' Chick Hafey wins the batting crown (.349), he's the first player with glasses to accomplish the feat.

Some splinters aren't splendid, just ask the scrubs....

Wes Ferrell of the Indians is 22-12, 3.75 ERA, rips nine home runs and has an OPS of .994 in 116 at bats. He also threw a no-hitter on April 29.

Double take....

Earl Webb of the Red Sox hits a MLB record 67 doubles.

I bet the umpires just loved reminding managers of this....

Balls hit over the fence on the bounce are now ruled doubles--not home runs.

Well, they were DIPS....

On July 17, the White Sox beat the Browns 10-8 in 12 innings. No pitcher whiffed a hitter the entire game.

Tricycle....

Babe Herman of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits for the cycle three times.

He couldn't even catch a buzz....

Buzz Arlett plays in his sole major league season. The giant (6' 4" 230 lb.) Buzz Arlett in his sole major league season with the Phillies finished fifth in slugging, fifth in OPS and fourth in home runs with 18. However early in his career a Cardinals' scout stuck the "good hit, no field" label on him and it haunted him the rest of his career. However his minor league career was eerily reminiscent of another pitcher turned slugger -- Babe Ruth. Arlett started his career as a right-handed spitball pitcher -- with the reputation of "he's a good hitter, for pitcher" -- with the hometown Oakland Oaks in 1918 and went on to win 108 games, twice going over 25 wins in a season. The Detroit Tigers looked at him, but without the spitball, which he wouldn't be able to use in the majors, they did not consider him a prospect.

However arm miseries set in early in 1923 and Arlett switched to the outfield, however, once becoming a regular outfielder turned into a monster hitter, averaging nearly .360 with 30 homers and 140 RBIs through the rest of the 1920s, however the label put on him by the Cardinal scout kept him in the minors until the Phillies took a chance on him in 1931 (the season when the National League introduced a "dead ball" in reaction to the hitting orgies of 1929-1930). Like his teammate Chuck Klein, he found hitting in the 'Baker Bowl' to be a tremendously rewarding experience. Regardless, at the end of the year Arlett was sent to Baltimore, where in 1932 he hit 4 homers in a game twice within a five-week period and led the league with 54 homers for the season, but he would never return to the majors.

*1932*

This would buy you 54 games from Kevin Cash today....

Connie Mack sells HOFer Al Simmons, Jimmy Dykes, and Mule Haas to the White Sox for $100,000.

Pinch me, I'm dreaming....

Brooklyn Dodger Johnny Frederick hits six pinch hit home runs.

Another chapter from the "Cito Gaston--Confidence For Dummies" book....

On July 10, A's hurler Ed Rommel coughs up 29 hits and 14 runs in a relief appearance.

It's a pity he couldn't go to arbitration....

Wes Ferrell posts his fourth straight 20-win campaign in his fourth full major league season. He is 91-48, 3.57 ERA over those years.

There's no place like home....there's no place like home....there's no place like home....

The Yankees go 62-15 at Yankee Stadium.

That scream you heard was John Kruk waking up from this nightmare....

The Yanks' Joe Sewell whiffs just three times in 503 AB.

Was he as annoying as Tim McCarver and John Cerutti?....

Former Indians OF Jack Graney (.250 18 HR 420 RBI lifetime) becomes the first former player to be hired as a play-by-play announcer (by Cleveland).

Mission: Control....

Alvin Crowder (26-13, 3.33 ERA) of the Washington Senators pitches 327 innings and doesn't throw a wild pitch or hit a batter. He walked just 77 hitters.

*1933*

And I bet they both got booed....

Philadelphia saw two players cop the triple crown. Philadelphia A's 1B Jimmy Foxx went .356 48 HR 163 RBI; and Philadelphia Phillies' OF Chuck Klein batted .368 28 HR 120 RBI.

Ever wonder what a Bud Selig wet dream looks like?....

Despite winning the triple crown, A's owner forced Jimmy Foxx to take a pay cut because his HR totals dropped from 58 to 48.

Waiting for Lefty....

Lefty Grove shuts out the Yankees on August 3, the first time in 309 games that the Bronx Bombers were held scoreless.

And you can't blame the DH....

The NL (3.34) posts an ERA nearly a full run lower than the AL (4.28).

There was rampant speculation that BALCO was supplying him with Geritol....

Nick Altrock pinch hits for the Washington Senators--he was 57 at the time.

If only he could pitch....

On April 25, Yankee rookie pitcher Russ Van Atta sets a MLB record for hits by a pitcher in his first start (four). He was 33-41, 5.59 ERA for his career.

Blame the pitching staff....

Phillies infielder Mickey Finn dies from an ulcer.

This will get you 120 games from Kevin Cash today....

The A's sell/trade Mickey Cochrane, Lefty Grove, Rube Walberg, and Max Bishop to the Tigers and Red Sox for $225,000.

*1934*

Sealed with a Clip....

The New York Yankees purchase an OF from the San Francisco Seals for $25,000. His name? Joe DiMaggio.

They must have been awfully ugly grandchildren....

Senators' owner Clark Griffith sells his son-in-law Joe Cronin to the Red Sox for $250,000 and Lyn Lary.

Junior achievement....

Tribe rookie Hal Trosky collects 374 total bases.

Your [pink] slip is showing....

The Yankees release Herb Pennock and Joe Sewell on the same day--both will eventually be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Spit happens one last time....

Burleigh Grimes wins the last game ever by a pitcher who could throw a legal spitball on May 1.

Jack Russell terror....

Jack Russell (5-10, 4.16 ERA; 7 saves) of the Senators becomes the first reliever selected as an all star (he was 12-6, 2.69 ERA; 13 saves the previous year).

Did they stop the game to commemorate the feat?....

Firpo Marberry becomes first reliever to notch 100 saves.

And he did it on merit....

Milt Gaston retires with a 97-164, 4.55 ERA ledger. He posted winning seasons in his first two seasons and none thereafter. Gaston was 23-71 over his final four ML campaigns.

Ed Sprague played his entire career trying to duplicate the feat thinking it was his ticket to the Hall-of-Fame....

Tigers' OF and future HOFer Goose Goslin bangs into four double plays.

*1935*

How to take all the fun out of a double switch....

Wes Ferrell (25-14, 3.52 ERA) bangs out 52 hits. He rips seven HR and posts an OPS of .960.

How bad were the Braves? Even Babe Ruth couldn't help....

Babe Ruth is released from the Yankees and inks a three-year contract with the Braves. On May 25 he slugs three HR at Forbes Field and retires shortly thereafter. Ruth's lifetime OPS is 1.164. The Braves finish the year 38-115.

The perfect guest....

The Braves are 13-65 on the road.

Hey, didn't you used to be Ben Cantwell?....

Cantwell of the Braves who was 20-10, 2.61 ERA in 1933 tumbled to 4-25, 4.61 ERA.

I'm surrounded by idiots....

Wally Berger of the Braves leads the NL in HR (34) and RBI (130).

Not much point in keeping you too--is there?....

The A's sell Jimmy Foxx and Johnny Marcum to the Red Sox for $150,000.

Turn on the lights this party's starting....

On May 24, the first night time games is played. The Reds beat the Phillies at Crosley Field.

*1936*

Das boot....

The Phillies commit 252 errors.

However he never relieved himself on the mound....

Dizzy Dean is the last ML pitcher to lead the loop in wins (28) and saves (11).

Tom Yawkey grabs Connie's boob....

The A's trade Boob McNair and Doc Cramer to the Red Sox for two minor leaguers and $75,000.

Professional courtesy....

Pirates' catcher Hal Finney goes 0-35, doesn't draw a single walk but scores three runs and drives in three.

*1937*

TINSTAAPP....

The Braves have two 30+ year-old rookie pitchers: Lou Fette (20-10, 2.88 ERA) and Jim Turner (20-11, 2.38 ERA).

You can't always get what you want....

The Braves have the best staff ERA in the majors (3.22), but the worst team batting average (.247).

*1938*

O.K. let's see you do it a third time....

Johnny Vander Meer throws no-hitters in consecutive starts on June 11 (Braves) and June 15 (Dodgers).

Pitch count hell....

Bob Feller leads MLB in strikeouts (240) and walks (208).

This achievement was positively seismic....

Hack Wilson leads the NL in stolen bases with 16.

The best support not found in a Victoria Secrets catalogue....

St. Louis Browns hurler Bobo Newsom wins 20 games (20-16) despite an ERA of 5.08.

What the Truck?....

Virgil Trucks (177-135, 3.38 ERA) fans 418 in the Alabama-Florida League while apprenticing in the minors.

He also never got to first base with Marilyn Monroe....

Vince DiMaggio sets a then-ML record by whiffing 134 times (since broken--repeatedly).

Have you got a better idea?....

On June 16, Jimmy Foxx was walked six times by the St. Louis Browns.

*1939*

Fourth of July fireworks....

Red Sox Jim Tabor hits two grandslams on Independence Day.

Planting couch potatoes....

Baseball is first televised on August 26 as the Reds visit the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

And his manager needed a triple bypass....

On August 4, White Sox OF Mike Kreevich hits into four double plays.

Maybe he just took a sip of HGH....

Braves' OF Johnny Cooney plays from 1921-38 (1953 AB) without hitting a home run. He hit a home run both on September 24 and 25 and then never hit another in his career (2 HR/3372 AB).

But he knew how to win!....

Earl Whitehill retires with a 218-185, 4.36 ERA record. It's the highest ERA for a pitcher with 200+ wins.

Schmidt happens....

Northern Leaguer Bob Schmidt of Duluth bats an organized baseball record .441.

Come over for a visit and you can eat some Brownies....

The Browns finish with a home record of 18-59.

It's big, it's bad, and it's baseball. Big Bad Baseball is the haunt of the "baseball crank" Don Malcolm. Always edgy, always informative, always fun.

Best Regards

John

2004-05-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

1900-1919

Two things I enjoy doing are: (1) watching the Montreal Expos and (2) watching the Toronto Blue Jays. Since I'm really trying to hold off on spewing invective and aren't quite sure if this blog has a profanity filter, I'll put off writing about them until things look a little brighter. So, two other things I enjoy doing are: (1) finding obscure or old feats in baseball and (2) jotting them down for future reference. It's amazing what you accumulate over time. So I thought I'd share my version of "Believe It Or Not." So, I've arranged them chronologically and will feature this again in future:

*1900*

And you thought Ed Sprague was bad....

New York Giants' third baseman "Piano Legs" Hickman committed 86 errors.

*1901*

Here's a double play combo that only the Mets could love....

The Phillies keystone combo -- Bill Hallman and Monte Cross -- hit .184 and .197 respectively.

How old is Armando Benitez really?....

In a four game series Detroit swept Milwaukee winning each game in their last at bat. In the first game of the series; Milwaukee lead in the ninth 13-4 and lost the game 14-13.

How old is Pedro Martinez really?....

Philadelphia's Chick Fraser hits 31 batters.

*1902*

You'd think they'd try an intentional walk....

Texas Leaguer Nig Clarke went 8-for-8 with eight home runs.

How old is Rey Ordonez really?....

Phillies 2B/SS Pete Childs slugs a mighty .206 over 403 AB. His career SLG was .231 and his career OPS was a awe-inspiring (in a bad way) .523.

*1903*

Manager Bill Armour must have thought the same way as Cito Gaston did, let 'em keep playing to show you haven't lost confidence in them....

Cleveland Naps SS John Gochnauer made 98 errors. Of course he must've been a heckuva hitter to stay in the lineup--right? Wrong. He hit a lusty .185.

Effectively wild?

On September 18, Chick Fraser no-hits the Cubs. At least no-hit their bats.

Why the Phillies sucked so bad for so long (or call him the original Dick Allen)....

Bill Keister led his team in HR and RBI while batting .320. Did he win team MVP? Not sure--they released him, you can say the Phillies gave their team a kick in the Keister.

Do you think Alan Trammell has actually thought of doing it?....

Detroit Tigers' manager Win Mercer commits suicide in the preseason.

*1904*

Couldn't they just spit on him like regular ballplayers?....

Giants players led by skipper John McGraw beat an umpire unconscious during spring training. Had that happened in this era the ump would likely be forced by Don Fehr to apologize to the players for bruising their knuckles thereby risking their careers.

He didn't play for the Yankees however....

Jim O'Rourke caught a game for the New York Giants--he was 52.

*1905-06*

There aren't your Daddy's Braves....

The Boston Braves had four 20-game losers in their rotation: Irv Young 20-21 Vic Willis 12-29 Chick Fraser 14-21 and Kaiser Wilhelm 3-23. Interestingly, all four pitchers surrendered 122 earned runs that year.

And just to prove it wasn't a fluke....

After that kind of abysmal season the best thing to do is revamp the pitching staff, right? Wrong. With three new starters the Braves still have a quartet of 20-game losers: Irv Young 16-25 Vive Lindaman 12-23 Jeff Pfeffer 13-22 and Gus Dorner 8-25.

And you thought Don Baylor was tough on pitchers....

The Cubs/Cardinals right-hander Jack Taylor tosses 118 consecutive complete games (streak ended in 1906) and the PCL's Rube Vickers hurls an all time organized baseball record 526 innings.

*1907*

Why? He wasn't managing the Tigers....

Red Sox skipper Chick Stahl commits suicide during Spring Training.

This would be a funny salary arbitration hearing to listen in on....

Detroit won the pennant with a 92-58 ledger. Tigers right-hander George Mullin is a 20 game loser (20-20) that year.

*1908*

And you thought Don Baylor was tough on pitchers (part two)....

The Chicago Cubs Ed Reulbach tosses shutouts in both ends of a doubleheader. Walter Johnson tossed three shutouts over a four day stretch against the New York Highlanders (Yankees).

*1909*

In the "But you can't measure his contributions with raw statistics! He had great intangibles and could call one hell of a game and offered leadership in the clubhouse!" department....

In 1909, Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Bill Bergen catches 112 games--and hits a magnificent .139. Bergen had over 3000 ML at bats and hit .170. His career OBP was .194 and he slugged .201 giving him a jaw-dropping, eye-popping career OPS of .395! On August 23, 1909 Bergen goes 7-for-7 in throwing out base stealers.

This wouldn't happen if baseball had a salary cap....

Honus Wagner made the most money of his career in 1909--$10,000.

Then why did they call him "Home Run" Baker?....

The Philadelphia Athletics Frank Baker collects an AL rookie record 19 triples.

*1910*

This is what happens when you clone Rey Ordonez and Brian Hunter....

White Sox Hall-of-Famer Ed Walsh led the AL in ERA (1.26) and lost 20 games (18-20). The White Sox that year slugged a lusty .261.

What makes Scott Boras wake up in a cold sweat screaming....

Player salaries at this point in time range from $900-$12,000.

But did they call him "The Chairman of the [Emery] Board"?....

Canadian Yankee (O.K. Highlander) Russ Ford who popularized the "emery ball" sets an AL rookie record with 26 wins and eight shutouts. After a two-year stint in the Federal League Ford retired as he no longer could throw his best scuff.

Do you think [manager] Jack O Connor and [3B] Roy Hartzwell weren't on Ty Cobb's Christmas card list?....

Nap Lajoie wins the AL batting title over Cobb by going 8-for-8 on the final game of season. Seven of Lajoie's hits were bunt singles up the third base line.

Good thing he didn't go 5-for-5 or they might have had him shot....

On September 30, 21-year old Ray Jansen of the St. Louis Browns makes his major league debut and goes 4-for-5 (all singles). He never plays another game in the major leagues.

*1911*

The blind leading the blind....

1911 is the first year that baseball employs more than one umpire on the field.

Well, at least it gives Miguel Batista and Josh Towers something to shoot for....

On May 13, the New York Giants score 10 runs in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals before the Cards get their first out.

*1912*

Mo Vaughn matched this in an afternoon at Wendy's...

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Chief Wilson legs out 36 triples. His next highest season total was 14 which he accomplished the following year. "Shoeless Joe" Jackson sets the AL mark that year with 26.

*1913*

But did they have to burp him afterward?....

Mel Acosta, a 17-year old rookie with the Washington Senators becomes the youngest player to get a pinch hit in AL history.

*1914*

You can never have too much pitching....

On July 1, The Boston Red Sox debuts a rookie southpaw who pitches seven innings to beat the Cleveland Naps. His name?--Babe Ruth.

Obeying the Eighth Commandment....

Cardinals SS (and future Hall-of-Fame manager for the Yankees) Miller Huggins is caught stealing 36 times (in 68 attempts).

*1915*

Isn't it ironic?....

On May 5, Red Sox southpaw hurler Babe Ruth hits his first career HR off of Jack Warhop--of the New York Yankees.

Well, at least it wasn't for Ernie Broglio....

The Cleveland Indians get Braggo Roth and cash from the Chicago White Sox--for OF Joe Jackson.

You can never have too much pitching II....

St. Louis Browns feature a rookie southpaw who beats the immortal Walter Johnson in his major league debut--George Sisler.

And his grandchildren still don't believe him....

On April 24, the Red Sox decided to pinch hit Hack Cady for the pitcher. It was the last time Babe Ruth was pinch hit for.

Something for Rick Ankiel and Mark Wohlers to shoot for....

The Philadelphia A's give the ball to rookie southpaw Bruno Haas. Haas walks 16 as the A's lose (not surprisingly) 15-7.

Remember me?....

Bill Hinchman returns to the majors with Pittsburgh after spending 1910-14 in the minors (he played for Cleveland in 1909). He'll lead the NL in triples the following year.

*1916*

The name game....

Former major league utility infielder John "I guess I didn't" Dodge is killed by a pitch thrown by "Shotgun" Rogers in a Southern Association game.

I guess the fans in the outfield bleachers never got the memo....

Chicago Cubs owner Charles Weegham is the first team owner who allows fans to keep balls hit out of play.

April games do count....

The New York Giants finish fourth in the NL with a 86-66 despite having a 26-game winning streak.

*1917*

Oh no, No-no-No-no....

On May 2, Cincinnati Reds right hander Fred Toney (24-16, 2.20 ERA), and Chicago Cubs southpaw Hippo Vaughn (23-13, 2.01 ERA) throw mutual no-hitters through nine innings. Toney will win it in ten [innings]: 1-0.

Ernie row your Babe a-Shore....

On June 23, Babe Ruth walks the first batter of a game against the Senators, argues the [ball four] call and is ejected. Ernie Shore comes into the game, picks the runner off first, and retires the next 26 hitters to face him.

Win one for the Gipper....

The Pittsburgh Pirates hire Hugo Bedzek as their manager. His previous job? A college football coach.

*1918*

Our pitcher who Art in trouble, hollowed be our bats....

On August 1, Boston Braves southpaw (184-120, 3.20 ERA lifetime) Art Nehf throws 20 shutout innings. The Braves (and Nehf) lose 2-0 in the 21st.

Of course they didn't have commercials--or TV for that matter....

On August 31, the New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 1-0. The game lasted just 57 minutes.

*1919*

"They stole them on the pitcher--honest"....

On July 7, Giants catcher Mike Gonzalez allows eight stolen bases in a single inning.

This will hoit. This Joe didn't even get a song by Simon and Garfunkel and he never bagged Marilyn Monroe....

Western Leaguer Joe Wilhoit of Wichita registers hits in a record 69 consecutive games.

Would you like that hot dog to go?....

On September 28, the Giants beat the Phillies 6-1 in a record 51 minutes.

We've got the beat today, or more pointedly Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT. Like me Rich is a baseball history buff. (or did he say he reads about baseball history in the buff?) Regardless of his sartorial habits (or lack thereof) it's a fun site and feel free to drop a comment or several on his musings. Personally, I like the fact that he mixes sabermetrics with his history; what do I mean? Well, you'll just have to surf over and find out for yourself.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

With all the emphasis on “Moneyball” the last [long] while I thought it’d be fun to construct an all-time “Moneyball” team. I’m going to put together a lineup that would be far better than the sum of its parts. Nowadays, most teams carry about twelve pitchers. So I've picked thirteen others to man every position on the diamond including the DH and some bench players. The difference between the starters and the scrubs is mainly defense, although there are a couple of players who had other things to offer with the bat that would help offset any defensive shortcomings. For the most part, however, this group wouldn't boot away too many ballgames. Since the main thrust of this new philosophy is the value of on-base percentage, we’ll put together this roster with that as the main criteria. The four stats you see listed along with the player are batting average, on base percentage, career walks, and Runs Created Above Average (RCAA).

Leadoff: 2B--Max Bishop (.271/.423/1153/53 RCAA)

Max Bishop was the lead-off hitter and second baseman for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics three time American League pennant and back-to-back World Champions (1929-1930--lost the WS in '31). Bishop was a poor man's version of the Yankees' Earle Combs, in that he set the table for sluggers Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons, and Mickey Cochrane much the same way as Combs did for Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Tony Lazzeri. With the 1929 world champs, he batted .232 for the season yet posted an OBP of .398 due to leading the league in walks. Over twelve big league seasons he drew 1153 walks and posted a career on base mark of .423 despite a batting mark of .271 lifetime. Bishop had some extra base power too, as evidenced by banging out 236 doubles, 35 triples, and 41 home runs over the span of his career (albeit in a big hitting era). He has the dubious distinction of being the last out in the history of the Philadelphia Athletics' World Series play, when he flied out to St. Louis Cardinal centerfielder Pepper Martin in Game Seven of the 1931 World Series. Nicknamed, "Camera Eye," he lived up to that moniker superbly.

#2: 3B--Tony Phillips (.266/.374/1319/160 RCAA)

Phillips was a player whose game aged like a fine wine (as evidenced by his leading the AL in free passes in both 1993 and 1996). For example, from 1982-1990 he was a below average player (.251/.343/.350 -9 RCAA). Then at age 32 a light went on and he went on a five year tear (.282/.402/.422 154 RCAA) and continued on as a useful spare part (.259/.378/.401 15 RCAA) until his retirement in 1999. Although Tony Phillips lacked the speed of a young Rickey Henderson or a Tim Raines, he was an accomplished lead-off hitter and savvy baserunner. From 1990, he didn't post an on base mark below .362, and as he got older he developed more power. From 1982-1990 he hit 41 home runs; after that, he launched 131 (with a career high 27 in 139 games in the strike shortened 1995 season). Four times he topped 100 runs. Although not a Gold Glove calibre defensive player, he hardly embarrassed himself either. He was capable both in the infield as well as the outfield, including CF. A durable player, he played in 1326 games starting in 1989, despite not having a fixed position. A favorite of Tony LaRussa because of his versatility, he was a vital cog in the Oakland A's World Championship team of 1989.

#3: RF--Jimmy Wynn (.250/.369/1224/320 RCAA)

Like Bob Allison, Gene Tenace, and Mickey Tettleton (whom will be dealt with shortly), "the Toy Cannon" was that valuable mix of power and selectivity and certainly belongs on this roster. Among his achievements are eight 20+ home run seasons with three over 30. He walloped 285 career doubles and went yard 291 times. Wynn had a fabulous 10 year peak from 1965-74 where he was 300 Runs Created Above Average despite batting just .259. Despite playing the bulk of his games in tough hitter’s parks and in a low offensive era he averaged 25 HR and 90 BB during that span--not too shabby for a guy who was just a tad smaller than Pee Wee Reese. It's all the more impressive when you consider that he was a contemporary of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn etc. He also spent a couple of campaigns in another venue (Dodger Stadium) noted for leeching power hitters' numbers and slammed 40 HR in 947 AB toward the end of his career.

Other tidbits:

Wynn lead the National League in walks twice: 1969 and 1976. Wynn was among the top six in walks drawn in the National League every year from 1968-76. Although Wynn never hit .300 in any season, he twice posted an OBP over .400 (1969 and 1975). In 1968 and 1969, Wynn finished sixth in National League OPS. Both years he hit just .269. Despite playing half of his games in pitchers' parks, Wynn finished among the top ten in NL home runs five times over eight years (1967-74). He was in the top six in all but one of those seasons (he finished 10th in 1972). In 1969, and 1975-76 Wynn finished the season with more walks than hits. In his 30 game stint with the 1977 Yankees, Wynn walked (15) more often than he hit (11).

#4: CF--Bob Allison (.255/.360/795/194 RCAA)

Allison won the 1959 American League Rookie of the Year with the Washington Senators. He blasted 30 circuit clouts, a very impressive total in old Griffith Stadium for a right handed hitter. Why? The dimensions (in Allison's time) were 421 ft to center, 380 ft to left center, and 350 ft to left. Griffith Stadium was considered to be a very pitcher friendly park. Hall-of-Fame hurler Hal Newhouser once quipped: "Give a pitcher a ball-hawk in centerfield and he will win in Washington." Due to Griffith Stadium, Washington never produced an American League Home Run King until Roy Sievers turned the trick in 1957 (with 42).

Metropolitan Stadium was a little kinder to his swing and he continued to post impressive numbers. Like Jimmy Wynn, he was forced to spend his prime years during the pitching-friendly 1960's (1963-68). During that six year span he posted a fine OPS of .847 (164 RCAA) and finished top in that category in 1963 with the phone number of the Blue Jays dugout: .911. In the full seasons he played those years (he batted only 168 times in 1966) he averaged close to 28 HR per year -- not Killibrew-esque to be sure, but -- a fine total nonetheless.

Career highlights include topping 20 home runs eight times and 30 thrice. Of his 1281 career hits, 525 went for extra bases. Possessor of a keen batting eye for a slugger, he would post an on base mark .100 points higher than his batting average regularly. Strangely, his three worst seasons coincided with one pennant winner (1965 as the transplanted Twins) and two divisional champions (in 1969 and 1970, again with Minnesota--although he was clearly on the downside of his career, they were his last two seasons). He had back to back 100 RBI seasons in 1960, and 1961.

#5: 1B/DH/#3 catcher--Mickey Tettleton (.241/.369/949/167 RCAA)

"Fruit Loops" was usually was among the top in the [American League] loop of walks drawn and on base percentage. Although his best defensive position is designated hitter, he could also fill in at first, catcher and the outfield corners if needed. He had a selective batting eye and a booming bat. He had hit 212 round trippers from 1989 to his retirement 44 AB into the 1997 season. Like Phillips, it took awhile for Tettleton to put it together. He didn’t get over 300 AB until he was 28. Once he was given regular at bats, he flourished posting an RCAA of 179 hitting 185 HR and walking 715 times from 1989 to 1995. You could usually count on Tettleton for 30 homers, 100 walks and 100 whiffs. Pitchers who faced him could usually count on a long ordeal, he was well known as a player who worked pitchers deep into counts looking for a pitch he could drive. The proud(?) possessor of a batting stance that ranked with Bobby Richardson and Tony Batista's in X-Files bizarre-ness he nonetheless flourished under Sparky Anderson while with the Tigers, and even led the Junior Circuit in walks in 1992 while stationed in MoTown (122).

#6: DH/supersub--Brian Downing (.267/.373/1197/289 RCAA)

One could forgive Brian Downing if he were to take a trip into the countryside, go deep into the woods, and when he was absolutely certain that no one was around--scream hysterically at the injustice of it all. He was present at the three of the four greatest triumphs of the Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels baseball franchise (division titles in 1979, 1982, and 1986). So, of course, he was also part of the two greatest disappointments in franchise history (1982 vs Milwaukee , when they lost the ALCS. 3-2 after leading 2-0, and 1986 vs Boston when they lost the ALCS. 4-3 after leading 3-1 ).

Yet in this period, he remained a superior offensive force as well as a serviceable multi-positional player as well, being a fixture in west coast baseball over three different decades (he played with the Halos from 1978-1990). Although his post season ledger is nothing to write home about (.197/.292/.262 average in three ALCS's, although in the 1986 series he did drive in seven runs) he had several standout seasons in AL play. He had six seasons of 20+ longballs as well as eleven consecutive campaigns of 10+ HR (1982-1992). All totalled: he banged out 360 doubles, blasted 275 HR, garnered 2099 hits, scored 1188 runs and drove home 1073 over 20 big league tours of duty. As befits this roster, he was also a selective hitter, walking (1197 times with a league topping 106 in 1987) as often as he whiffed (1127). He finished his career as a DH posting a .270/.378/.449 (140 RCAA) in that role over his final six seasons.

#7: LF--Roy Cullenbine (.276/.408/853/234 RCAA)

When you think of the 1945 Detroit World Series champions, what names come to mind? How about: Hank Greenberg, Hal Newhouser, or Rudy York? Perhaps Virgil Trucks or Dizzy Trout? How aboooooout--Roy Cullenbine? Who's Roy Cullenbine? If you happen to know who he is, then you may object: "What about him? He only hit .227 in the 1945 Fall Classic." Well yes, he did hit .227, but hey, Rudy York didn't even break the "Mendoza Line." But, getting back to the aforementioned Mr. Cullenbine, he did much more than just hit two-and-a-quarter (plus two pennies, keep the change). How's this for starters? In 30 trips to the plate, he reached base 13 times (that's an OBP of .433). He scored five runs, and his five hits produced four RBI. That's nine runs produced in a seven game series. That is a top quality World Series performance by anybody's reckoning.

His regular season ledger reads like a CAA/AAA road map. Over a 10 year career he spent time with the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers (twice), Washington Senators, New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. A baseball enigma, he played his best baseball toward the end of his career. In his final season, he hit 18 doubles and blasted 24 home runs, of his 104 hits, 43 went for extra bases. He also scored 82 runs and drove in 78. He also drew 137 walks (and struck out only 51 times), turning an apparently anaemic .224 batting average (before you turn your nose up at this figure remember the 1945 World Series) into an eye popping OBP of .401. For those that might brand him a wartime wonder (.272/.401/.444/174 RCAA from 1941-45) in his final three seasons (1945-47) he hit 57 of his 110 HR, and was .271/.420/.459 with 111 RCAA before retiring. Also among his achievements is 209 doubles, drawing two walks for every whiff, and left the game with an on base mark of .408, despite hitting .276.

#8: SS--Eddie Stanky (.268/.410/996/122 RCAA)

A close call as to who'd get the nod for the start, “the brat,” or Donie Bush. Hall-of-Fame manager Leo Durocher put it best, when he said of Eddie Stanky: "He can't hit, he can't run, he can't field (he was about average defensively if you crunch the numbers), he can't throw. He can't do a damn but beat you." Stanky was a hard nosed, somewhat nasty ballplayer -- sort of a poor man's Ty Cobb -- who would go to any extent to help his team win. As a manager for the White Sox, he wasn't above a little skulduggery to give his team an edge. According to a Comiskey Park groundskeeper, Stanky would place balls into a humidifier twelve days before a homestand. He would then take them out hours before the game with the effect being that the outer surface of the ball would be dry, yet the balls would have gained a couple of ounces of moisture, thereby deadening them. The theory being, since the punchless Sox couldn't hit, then neither shall anybody else.

As for his playing career, he played on three National League Pennant winners for three different clubs: the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers, the 1948 Boston Braves, and the 1951 New York Giants. Although not a power hitter, he knew how to create runs by being unbelievably picky at the plate drawing close to three walks for every strikeout. He garnered an on base mark .142 higher than his batting average and .062 higher than his slugging average (for the record he hit .268, slugged .348, and had an OBP of .410) In an eleven year career, he twice topped 100 runs, leading the league in 1945 and had five seasons of hitting twenty plus doubles while splitting time between second, third, and short. He finished at the top in walks three times (1945, 46, 50) and OBP twice (1946, 50). Stanky drew 685 walks in the six years from 1946-51, and had an RCAA of 113 despite a .368 SLG and hitting just 28 HR.

#9: Catcher--Wes Westrum (.217/.357/489/-16 RCAA)

A superb backstop for some excellent New York Giant teams; Wes Westrum handled some fine pitching staffs. Probably his best effort was the 1954 World Series when he played a big part in engineering the Giants stunning sweep of the heavily favored Cleveland Indians. Primarily a defensive backstop, he nonetheless would make opposing pitchers pay for any inattention on their part. He topped 20 circuit clouts and seventy ribbies in consecutive seasons (1950-51). Westrum also proved himself a top notch post season player as well. Besides his catching duties, he distinguished himself at the dish as well. In two World Series (1951 and 1954), he batted .250 drew six walks for an OBP of .371 and drove in five runs in ten games. He had an outstanding batting eye, despite hitting only .217 for his career he was so selective, he had a sparkling on base mark of .357. He finished his career with the same team he started with, playing all eleven seasons with the Giants. Although he was below average in comparison to other NL hitters, he was above average for a catcher and was 22 runs created better than an average NL catcher. He enjoyed a fairly respectable peak from 1949-52 hitting 64 HR with an RCAA of 31 despite batting .228 (.382 OBP).

The Bench:

INF UT--Donie Bush (.250/.356/1158/-90 RCAA)

Some guys just can't buy a break. In his first full season in the majors with the Detroit Tigers, Donie Bush found himself part of a pennant winning club only to lose the 1909 World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates. No matter, it was the third straight pennant for the Tabbies plus they had Ty Cobb, Germany Schaefer and 'Wahoo Sam' Crawford still in their primes--right?

Wrong.

Detroit never went back to the Fall Classic during his playing days. To add insult to injury, he found himself in a Washington Senators uniform late in the 1921 season. He called it a career with the Senators in 1923. Washington then proceeded to win its first World Series title in 1924. Nonetheless, Bush was an offensive catalyst, getting on base, stealing, and scoring runs in bunches. Over a 16 year career he scored 1280 runs (great things happen when you hit ahead of Ty Cobb) topping 100 four times. He supplemented his .250 batting average by coaxing 1158 walks, posting a lifetime OBP of .356, as well as stealing 403 bases (I'd run a lot too if I had Mr. Cobb breathing down my back). Bush lead the AL in walks five times in six years (1909-1914). Bush makes the team because he was 106 runs created better than contemporary SS, but is relegated to the bench for being 90 runs created worse than average among AL hitters.

INF UT--Eddie Joost (.239/.361/1043/18 RCAA)

A versatile player, Eddie Joost could (and did) man all the infield positions. A (f)utility player defensively (read: the spiritual grandfather of Jose Offerman and Marv Throneberry) he kept himself in the lineup with a combination of patience and pop. In every season between 1947-1952, he tallied double digits in both doubles and homers with Connie Mack's Athletics. Seven times he posted 20+ doubles, and twice he topped twenty HR. He scored 100+ runs both in 1949 and 1951. His biggest offensive asset was his discerning batting eye. In six consecutive campaigns he drew 100+ walks, with a career high 149 in 1949 enabling him to post a lifetime on base mark of .361 despite batting an anaemic .239. Joost, like Tony Phillips, was a late bloomer. Joost opened his career (1936-47) with .221/.319/.307 and -88 RCAA. However, Joost had an RCAA of 106 with 96 HR despite hitting .257 from ages 32 through 36 while averaging 120 walks a season. He was a member of the 1940 World Champion Cincinnati Reds, playing shortstop and batting .200 in the seven game tournament.

1B/DH/backup catcher, pinch hitter--Gene Tenace (.241/.388/984/273 RCAA)

Gene Tenace used his unexpected 1972 World Series MVP as a springboard for a remarkable career. As a catcher, he threw like a Texas Rangers' starter, but made his bat his ticket to being a major league regular--putting in time at first, third, outfield, and designated hitter. Where he played, rings followed: from 1972-74 with the Oakland A's, and 1982 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Even as a bench coach, he attracted championships as Cito Gaston's first lieutenant (read: woke him up as the situation warranted) when the Toronto Blue Jays added two more rings to his collection in 1992 and 1993. As for his playing career he topped 20 home runs five times, drew 100+ free passes six times, and walked as often as he struck out (984 to 998) fashioning an OBP of .388 (despite only batting .241). Like many on this list, he appeared often among league leaders in bases on balls finishing in the top four every year from 1973-80 (save 1976) and landed on the summit in both 1974 and 1977. He enjoyed a remarkable eight year peak over that stretch hitting 169 HR (and 140 doubles), averaging over 100 BB, posting an OBP of .391 despite batting .241 and was 231 runs created above average.

INF/OF UT; Eddie Yost (.254/.395/1614/168 RCAA)

With the nickname "The Walking Man," Eddie Yost is a fine final addition to this roster. A relative unknown because he played the bulk of his career with some abysmal Washington Senator teams. He was an offensive standout out of necessity due to the fact that he could man several stations, none of them terribly effectively with mitt in hand. Still, he had excellent power numbers, especially for a right handed hitter playing in the pitcher friendly Griffith Stadium. Over 18 American League campaigns, he hit 337 doubles, 56 triples, and 'touched 'em all' on 139 separate occasions. Between 1950 and 1954 he scored 523 runs, averaged 130 walks (.268 BA/.410 OBP) and enjoyed an RCAA of 132. Yost also enjoyed a brief resurgence in 1959 and 1960 with the Tigers showing atypical power (35 HR....partly thanks to Tiger Stadium) to go along with his usual high walk totals (260). His .269/.425/.417/63 RCAA constituted the second best back-to-back seasons (1950 & 51 being his best) of his career. In all, Yost well earned his nickname, topping 100 walks a grand total of eight times. In those eight years the fewest free passes he totalled was 125 (1960). In 1956 he drew a staggering 151 BB, turning a mediocre .231 hitting mark into an sparkling OBP of .412. For his career he hit .254, drew 1614 walks for (.395 OBP). He also scored 1215 runs and drove in 683. He had a quietly remarkable career finishing atop the league in various offensive categories ten times: OBP (1959, 60), runs (1959), doubles (1951) and walks (1950, 52, 53, 56, 59, 60).

They ain’t the ‘27 (or ‘61, or ‘98) Yankees but with a decent pitching staff behind them I’d be willing to bet they’d be contenders. At the very least, Dusty Baker could blow out four arms in a four game series against them.

Today's link is The Society for American Baseball Research. If you're a baseball junkie, slice open your mouse cord and insert. Hours of ecstacy await.

Best Regards

John

P.S. Care to recommend a baseball web site? Drop me a line!

2004-04-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

We were earlier discussing the merits of Joe Gordon being voted in by the Veteran's Committee. I was going over the list and another name jumped out at me. He didn't hit .300 lifetime. He never hit 400 HR. He was unable to either score, or drive in 1000 runs in his career. He wasn't able to pilfer 500 bases; heck, he didn't even nab 100.

Maybe he deserves to be in the Hall-of-Fame.

His career could've been of Cooperstown caliber, had he lasted long enough. He was a contemporary of Lou Brock--who is in. Of course Brock stole a lot of bases, but during the great hitting drought (or when pitching was king, depending on your point of view) of 1963-68 (NL ERA 1963-68--3.39), both men were close in age. Brock was 24, our player under consideration was 25. Brock's AVG/OBP/SLG was .288/.327/.437 (114 Runs Created Above Average--RCAA), the other man: .303/.347/.404 with an RCAA of 64 (for the record, the NL's average from 1963-68 was .259/.319/.383). Yes, Brock was a prolific base stealer, however the other man finished top ten in batting every year from 1963-68, except for 1966 (Brock finished top ten in this span just once--1964), and copped the Gold Glove in each of those six years--Brock did not even get one. Each man had a pair of 200 hit seasons in that stretch. Brock was considered the finest base stealer of his time; in the era of Willie Mays, the other was considered the finest defensive centerfielder in baseball. In short, you'd be hard pressed to decide which player you'd want on your club.

The St. Louis Cardinals didn't have to make that choice, they enjoyed the services of both men. Brock went on to knock over 3000 base hits, set a National League record for stolen bases, and be enshrined in baseball's Hall-of-Fame. The other man? He simply blew his career away and missed his chance at immortality.

What cost this man his career? Did he snort/smoke/drink his career away like Darryl Strawberry? Did this man fall in with gamblers? Was he guilty of being a clubhouse cancer, being so poisonous to a team that nobody wanted anything to do with him? Was it laziness, did he not put the effort into his career and simply wasted his obvious talent?

Nope.

His crime was standing up to the baseball establishment and saying: "NO!"

You've no doubt surmised that Curt Flood is the man under consideration here. Flood challenged the system and, in effect lost his career. The comparison with Lou Brock was simply to remind you what an absolutely fabulous ballplayer Flood actually was--and what he surrendered by taking on "The Lords of Baseball." Curt Flood, while with the Cardinals often clashed with management over his pay. The players literally had no real leverage as respects their career. Their choices were this: "play for what WE say, or don't play at all." Flood summed up his circumstances thusly: "A $90,000 dollar slave is still a slave."

We often hear the expression nowadays that "it's not about the money." In Flood's case, it was true; it wasn't about the money. Flood wasn't trying to go to another team, he didn't want to leave his current team, his home. If the Cardinals didn't want him, then he wanted to decide where he would ply his trade.

We take for granted the multi-million dollar contracts of today. Seeing players shop their talents around the league is something well known to the modern fan, but it wasn't always so. Back in Curt Flood's day, there was something called the "reserve clause." It basically made a player the property of his team until the team decided they didn't want him anymore. There was a clause (known as 10 A) in the standard player contract which stated:

"On or before January 15 ... the Club may tender to the Player a contract for the term of that year by mailing the same to the Player. If prior to the March 1 next succeeding said January 15, the Player and the Club have not agreed upon the terms of such contract, then on or before 10 days after said March 1, the Club shall have the right ... to renew this contract for the period of one year."

When Marvin Miller read the clause, he felt that it only gave the team the right to a player for a single option year. The clubs, on the other hand, felt it gave them perpetual options on a player. Their thinking was, that when they unilaterally renewed a player's contract, that the renewed contract contained 10A (the reserve clause), hence the player would always be the property of the team.

Obviously there was no such thing as free agency. Also there was no salary arbitration, or even impartial arbitration in case there was a difference between a team and a player. The final court of appeal to the player was the commissioner. In short, the player was helpless as respects his baseball career.

Since baseball enjoyed an exemption from antitrust law, they could get away with this.

After numerous contract disputes with the St. Louis Cardinals, the club dealt Flood to the Philadelphia Phillies. Flood didn't want to leave the Cardinals because he made St. Louis his home. Since the Cards didn't want him, Flood wanted to choose his next destination. However, Flood was in a tough spot. He had no court of appeals--save Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. So Flood contacted Kuhn about exploring his options. Kuhn responded that baseball's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) forbade that kind of activity (which was true, the CBA of that time included the reserve system) and encouraged Flood to join his new team.

So Flood was boxed in. He had no access to impartial arbitration--there was no provision for that in baseball; so he had to sue via antitrust law. However it was a supreme longshot. Flood had two big strikes against him: one, Flood was bringing an antitrust suit against an organization that wasn't subject to antitrust law. His second obstacle was: even if baseball were covered by antitrust law, baseball's CBA had no provisions for free agency. Generally, in the courts a CBA is given more weight that antitrust law, because the accord (CBA) was agreed to by both sides (the owners and the MLBPA) in arm's length bargaining.

Flood lost, not only his case, but in reality--his career.

Still, his suit brought some action from baseball ownership. In 1970, MLBPA executive director -- Marvin Miller -- got the clubs to agree to having an impartial arbitrator (rather than the courts) to settle disputes between both parties. With that in place, Miller needed a player to test 10A which said (again):

The trouble was, owners still held the whip hand on pay. A club could bring great pressure on a player to sign a contract, which would include the renewal (or reserve) clause. Miller needed a player to go through an entire season without signing a contract. Doing so, would obligate the club to invoke the renewal option. Miller contended that a player, once he played out the option year in his contract, was no longer bound [contractually] to his team, making him a free agent. With an impartial arbitrator in place, he hoped the arbitrator would read the reserve clause the way he did; that it only gave a team a one year option on the player's services. Before 1970, a player had to appeal to the commissioner in such a dispute (as Flood did) with predictable results.

Finally, in 1975, a player did play the entire season without a contract--Andy Messersmith of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He did not sign a contract for that year obligating the Dodgers to invoke the renewal option, which they did. After playing out his option year, Messersmith (along with Dave McNally who had since retired), filed a grievance with baseball's arbitrator: Peter Seitz. Messersmith (and McNally) claimed that there was no longer any contractual bond between themselves and their clubs. Seitz agreed and the free agency era was ushered in.

We may not like the current system in baseball, but in fairness, baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry, and without the players, there would be no industry. The players certainly deserve their fair share of baseball's revenues. The system does need some changing, but then again, it needed changing back in Flood's day. However, in any revolution, somebody has to fire the first shot. Flood fired that shot, and in effect, was the first casualty of that [revolution], Flood sacrificed his career, a possible Hall-of-Fame career, to enable the players to have the freedom to choose, and to be rewarded for their contributions to the game of baseball.

We cannot give Curt Flood his career back, but we can reward him for making baseball better. Make no mistake, baseball is better because of it. We can lament the obscene contracts and the seeming lack of loyalty in the game today, but remember: in Flood's day, a player sometimes had to take jobs in the offseason to make ends meet. With the wealth available to players today, the men who thrill us with their talents can devote themselves full time to the development and improvement of their skills. They now have the ways and means (and the time) to improving their games and their conditioning, which makes baseball that much better to watch.

For that, and the fact he was a pretty damned special ballplayer, maybe Curt Flood deserves to be immortalized in Cooperstown--not so much for his on field contributions as his contribution to the game. Maybe somebody else might have stood up, but the fact of the matter is that Curt Flood did make that courageous stand. Personally, I hope one day that the Veterans Committee sees fit to let Curt Flood take a special place in baseball history.

Since we've been dealing with baseball history of late (because I can't discuss this years Expos and Jays without going fetal) today's link is fellow Primate Jon Daly's blog: Baseball History. It's full of interesting stuff (and gives him something to do when he's not nuking Baseball Primer) plus you can comment on his musings or drop him an e-mail.

(Just kidding Jon)

Best Regards

John

2004-04-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Who would be Edgar Martinez before Edgar Martinez?

In the windmills of our minds, we baseball fans like to play out various imaginative scenarios. It's the world of coulda/woulda/shoulda. Years ago there was a trade (made under the influence of inebriates) where the Red Sox and Yankees agreed to swap Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.

Yowza.

DiMaggio slugged 361 home runs hitting right handed in Yankee Stadium; back then that was a formidable task when you consider the dimensions in 'Death Valley' were: 402' to left center, 457' to deep left center and 461 to straightaway center -- that adds up to a whole lot of 425' outs. Williams of course had a difficult target hitting left handed at Fenway Park. Now close your eyes and put 'the Splendid Splinter' slugging into the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium in half his games and imagine the 'Yankee Clipper' taking aim at the 'Green Monster' seventy plus games per season.

Those two parks once decided who would go into Cooperstown and who'd press his nose up against the glass. Let's take quick look at the two right handed hitting second baseman discussed previously (Joe Gordon and Bobby Doerr) to illustrate this. We'll quicky compare the numbers of Doerr who played half his games at Fenway and Gordon who labored a good chunk of his career in the 'House That Ruth Built.' They have identical OPS and Gordon smokes Doerr in HR/AB ratio. So, switch venues and who'd be in the Hall with a plaque and who'd be in with a ticket?

Doerr and Gordon
Player	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI
Doerr	.288	.362	.461	7093	1094	2042	381	89	223	1247
Gordon	.268	.357	.466	5707	914	1530	264	52	253	975

It's all time and place.

Which brings us to Smead Jolley.

Who?

Well, Jolley debuted in the American League in 1930 for the Chicago White Sox. In his rookie campaign he hit .313/.346/.492 (8 Runs Created Above Average--RCAA) with 16 HR and 114 RBI. I'm sure some are thinking: 'well, it was 1930 when all offensive totals were skewered.' True enough, but Comiskey Park was a difficult place to hit in any era. His second full season (1932) as member of the Red Sox, he hit .312/.350/.476 (11 RCAA) with 18 HR and 106 RBI. I'm sure some are thinking: 'well he was hitting at Fenway Park.'

Quick note, Jolley hit left handed.

Oh.

His minor league numbers shows he was a pretty decent hitter. In the minors he was a career .366 hitter. He was a .366 hitter for a long time, in fact in the bushes he garnered 3037 hits, scored 1445 runs, drove in another 1593 plus he walloped 334 HR and banged out 612 doubles.

The man could flat out hit. The Pacific Coast League had some excellent talent, still he won six minor league batting championships -- leading the Pacific Coast League in hitting three times (winning the Triple Crown with San Francisco in 1928) and the International League once. Twice he had over 300 hits in a season, and twice he drove in more than 180 runs. In the thirteen minor league seasons in which he played over 100 games, he had this run: .370, .372, .346, .397, .404, .387, .360, .372, .373, .350, .309, .373, .345. Both Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio were stars in the PCL as well you'll recall. However, by 1934 he was out of the majors for good.

Why?

To put it mildly -- he was a klutz. He was slow, awkward, had a Mark Wohlers arm -- powerful but no idea where the hell his throws were going. Although he was an outfielder, he fielded like the love-child of Dick Stuart and Marv Throneberry.

It's all time and place. Now close your eyes and imagine ... how would have fared a designated hitter? His major/minor league totals read thusly: .356 BA, 3558 hits, 1633 runs, 723 doubles, 380 HR, 1906 RBI and a lifetime slugging percentage (1922-41) of .633.

By the way, as a major leaguer he hit .305/.343/.475 (23 RCAA) 46 HR 313 RBI in 1710 AB.

One of the greatest minor league players ever also hit well in his brief stay in the majors. The giant (6' 4" 230 lb.) Buzz Arlett in his sole major league season with the Phillies finished fifth in slugging, fifth in OPS and fourth in home runs with 18 (.313/.387/.538, 25 RCAA 16 HR 72 RBI). However early in his career a Cardinals' scout stuck the "good hit, no field" label on him and it haunted him the rest of his career. However his minor league career was eerily reminiscent of another pitcher turned slugger -- Babe Ruth. Arlett started his career as a right-handed spitball pitcher -- with the reputation of "he's a good hitter, for pitcher" -- with the hometown Oakland Oaks in 1918 and went on to win 108 games, twice going over 25 wins in a season. The Detroit Tigers looked at him, but without the spitball, which he wouldn't be able to use in the majors, they did not consider him a prospect.

Ike Boone was another player whose hitting feats were not limited to the minors. Boone was a college teammate (at the University of Alabama) of Joe Sewell and Riggs Stephenson (who undoubtedly taught him the nuances of outfield play). Boone played parts of eight seasons in the majors, including two full seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Like Jolley, he was a left handed hitter with a smattering of power and a superb batting eye. In 1924 he was .333/.402/.492 (28 RCAA) nailing 13 HR and plating 98. He walked 54 times yet whiffed only 32. He followed that up with another sparkling campaign at the plate hitting .330/.406/.479 (24 RCAA), going yard nine times, driving in 68 and only fanned 19 times while drawing 60 walks. His lifetime major league averages were .319/.393/.473 (48 RCAA) but due to alleged defensive deficiencies most of his career was spent in the minors. Later, in 1929 with the Missions of San Francisco, Boone probably had the finest season any player has had in the minors. On the all-time minor league list of single-season accomplishments, his 553 total bases that year are first, his 323 hits are second, his 195 runs scored are tied for third, and his 218 RBIs are fourth. On the all-time Pacific Coast League list, his .407 average is second, and his 55 home runs are tied for fourth.

Boone wasn't a 'one hit wonder' either; in four of his first eight years in the minors he hit over .400 (he was on his way to perhaps his greatest campaign in 1930, batting .448 with 22 homers and 96 RBIs when he was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers in late June). His .402 average with San Antonio in 1923 is the highest in twentieth-century Texas League history; his .389 with New Orleans in 1921 is the fifth highest in the Southern Association; he also led the International League in batting twice. His .370 lifetime average is the minor league record for players with ten or more seasons. He had an exceptional arm, but like Jolley, was slower than a snail riding on the back of a turtle with four broken legs. Although he hit 77 home runs in a season and a half with the Missions, he was not generally regarded as a power hitter. He was, however, a great pure hitter; in eleven of his fourteen seasons in the minors, he hit over .350, and there is no evidence that he couldn't hit major league pitching (again: .319/.393/.473 48 RCAA).

Joe Hauser was a bonafide major league talent but had minor league knees. He was a favorite of Connie Mack who kept first base open for him. When healthy he was a productive hitter having consecutive seasons of .307/.398/.475 (26 RCAA) 17 HR 94 RBI and .288/.358/.516 (19 RCAA) 27 HR 115 RBI (1923-24) but had parts of other seasons where he's knee joints sidelined him for months at a time -- sometimes full seasons. Hauser's career continued in the minors, where he became the only player to have two 60-home-run seasons. Hauser enjoyed an outstanding four and-a-half year run. Some highlights included; a 63 HR season with Baltimore of the International League, led the IL in HR's the following season went to Minneapolis to play with the Millers of the American Association leading the league in circuit clouts with 49. In 1933 he broke his own home run record with 69, and he was off to a great start in 1934--33 homers, 88 RBIs in 82 games--when he shattered his kneecap (again), knocking him out for the season. He continued to play until 1942 but never came close to achieving the success he had in the early 1930s.

Of course Hector Espino's career (1960-84) overlaps the D.H. era, however Espino simply didn't care to play in the majors. Espino holds the minor league career home run record with 484, and all but 3 of those were hit in Mexico. At the end of the 1964 Mexican League season, the twenty-five-year-old first baseman, who had led the league with 46 homers and a .371 batting average, was sold by Monterrey to the St. Louis Cardinals' Jacksonville farm club. He hit .300 with those 3 homers in 100 at-bats and was invited to spring training by the Cards for 1965, but he never reported and was eventually returned to Monterrey.

In the late 1960s, the California Angels coveted Espino, who had led the Mexican League in hitting in 1966-1968, but they were never able to consummate a deal. Espino was a legend in Mexico, but it has never been clear why he never tried the majors. Some felt that he was too independent, disliking the regimentation and discipline required to play a 162 game schedule.

There were other great minor league hitters (included in chart below) who never cut it in the big leagues. Some simply may have been prototypical AAAA players: too good for Triple A, not good enough for the majors. Others could make more money staying in the minors. Under the reserve clause some players in the majors didn't earn as much in the bush leagues. Lefty Grove didn't want to leave the International League to play with the Philadelphia A's because he was afraid he'd have to take a pay cut. Gus Zernial -- an American League slugger (.274/.344/.502; 56 RCAA, 133 HR, 430 RBI from 1950-53) from the 1950's with Chicago and Philadelphia did have to take a pay cut when he came over from the Pacific Coast League. The stories are legion, but still, you kind of have to wonder what baseball history would've looked like if the D.H. had come with the advent of the American League instead of seven decades later. Perhaps Smead Jolley, Buzz Arlett and Ike Boone might've paved the way for DH's in Cooperstown. We'll never know for sure but it sure is fun wondering about it.

If only they had the D.H.
BATTERS	YEARS	AB	AVG	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI
Buzz Arlett	1918-37	8001	.341	1610	2726	598	107	432	1786
Ike Boone	1920-37	6807	.370	1362	2521	477	128	215	1334
Bunny Brief	1910-28	8945	.331	1776	2963	594	152	340	1776
Nick Cullop	1920-44	8571	.312	1607	2670	523	147	420	1857
Ox Eckhardt	1925-40	7563	.367	1275	2773	455	146	66	1037
Hector Espino	1960-84	8605	.337	1597	2898	403	49	484	1678
Ray French	1914-41	12174	.267	1769	3254	590	129	46	1029
Spencer Harris	1921-48	11377	.318	2287	3617	743	150	258	1769
Joe Hauser	1918-42	6426	.299	1430	1923	340	116	399	1353
Smead Jolley	1922-41	8298	.366	1455	3037	612	75	334	1593
Jigger Statz	1920-42	10657	.315	1996	3356	595	137	66	1044
Perry Werden	1884-08	6233	.341	1214	2124	392	87	169	n/a

Today's link is the Dickie Thon Fan Club. Despite it's name it isn't a fan tribute site but rather it offers a bit of everything: history, humour, book reviews, forums etc. You'll have fun poking around and checking out it's hodge podge of all things baseball.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-20T12:47:00.002-07:00

With the new Veterans Committee (version: 26.0) giving us our 200 eligible players generally it provides an opportunity to rant about some of the names bandied about. You know, the Dom DiMaggio's, Johnny Pesky's, "Indian Bob" Johnson's (come to think of it--we've never heard anything about "Indian Bob" Johnson....but you will), or some other 30's era Red Sox almost-great that plugs Depends and Poly-Grip between naps. It wouldn't be so bad if the Veterans Committee actually did its job--rectify the mistakes made by the BBWAA's inability to hold their Miller Lite and understand that there's more to life than RBI's.

I'll toss out a few BBWAA failures: Carl Mays, Ron Santo, Minnie Minoso, and today's contestant--Joe Gordon. Regardless, I just can't see myself getting through any HOF vote without doing something, anything, involving the failures of the HOF voting process.

The BBWAA and VC sometimes gets things a little sdrawkcab. In Bill James' book "Whatever Happened To The Hall-of-Fame--The Politics Of Glory" James agonizes over the Hall-of-Fame worthiness of Phil Rizzuto and wanders here and there, touching on this one and that. Anyway, he looks at the careers of four men: Rizzuto, Vern "Buster" Stephens, Bobby Doerr, and Gordon. Rizzuto is in, as is Doerr, and Stephens is a topic for another day. Now Doerr is a legit HOFer. A great fielding second sacker, but quite frankly, was helped immeasurably as a hitter by Fenway Park. It was the inability of the folks in charge of Hall-of-Fame selection to understand that being in right handed hitter in Yankee Stadium/Municipal Stadium was a great deal different from being a right handed hitter in Fenway Park. For instance, a right handed hitter in Gordon's day was aiming at a target whimsically referred to as "Death Valley" where the dimensions were 402' to left center, 457' to deep left center, and 461 to straightaway center. On the other hand, Doerr got to shoot at the Green Monster which made Jim Rice a popular Cooperstown candidate. The aggregate park factor for Gordon's career was 98 (ranging from 96-101), Doerr's was 104 (ranging from 99-110--over 100 favors hitters). Even that doesn't tell the full story because of Yankee Stadium's short right field fence and unless you wrapped one around Pesky's Pole at Fenway Park, there weren't many cheap home runs to rightfield there. In short Gordon was shooting at the most difficult part of "The House That Ruth Built" during his time in pinstripes whereas Doerr had a career full of at bats aiming at the Green Monster.

Before we proceed further, this isn't a "Doerr is in the Hall-of-Fame therefore Gordon belongs too." What I did was measure all second sackers from the American League as well as MLB using the following five metrics: OPS, adjusted OPS, Offensive Winning Percentage (OWP), Runs Created Against Position (RCAP), and Runs Created Per Game, or 27 outs (RC/27)--some of which takes parks into account from 1938-50. It just so happened that Gordon and Doerr appeared the most often when I ran the numbers.

What I did was check the top eight in both the AL and MLB on a year-by-year basis and charted how often they appeared in the top three (Gold, Silver, Bronze medals--just for fun we'll call it "The Sabermetric Olympics"), and then do a "Black Ink" type test. The charts are below:

Joe Gordon vs all major league second basemen

Year	OPS	OPS+	OWP	RCAP	RC/27
1938	3rd	--	--	--	3rd
1939	2nd	2nd	2nd	T1	2nd
1940	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd
1941	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
1942	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
1943	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	3rd
1946	--	--	--	--	--
1947	1st	2nd	1st	1st	2nd
1948	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd
1949	--	--	--	--	--
1950	--	--	--	--	--

So, over the course of Gordon's career, out of 55 possible categories (11 years x 5 statistical evaluations), Gordon has 15 first place entries, including sweeps in 1941 and 1942 (he won the AL MVP in 1942); seventeen second place finishes including being the second best 2B in MLB just two years before he retired; and four third place finishes. So in 55 Sabermetric Olympic events, Gordon copped fifteen gold medals, 17 silver, four bronze, for a total of 36 "medals" out of a possible 55 "events." So, how did Bobby Doerr do in this round?

Bobby Doerr vs all major league second basemen

Year	OPS	OPS+	OWP	RCAP	RC/27
1938	--	--	--	--	--
1939	--	--	--	--	--
1940	3rd	--	3rd	--	2nd
1941	2nd	2nd	--	2nd	3rd
1942	2nd	--	2nd	2nd	2nd
1943	--	1st	--	3rd	--
1946	2nd	2nd	--	3rd	3rd
1947	--	1st	--	--	--
1948	1st	--	1st	1st	1st
1949	2nd	--	--	--	3rd
1950	2nd	2nd	--	--	--

Bobby Doerr, in a possible 55 "events" won a total of 26 medals (six gold, 13 silver, seven bronze). Now let's narrow our focus and literally put Gordon and Doerr head-to-head by tossing the National Leaguers out of the equation:

Joe Gordon vs American League second basemen

Year	OPS	OPS+	OWP	RCAP	RC/27
1938	3rd	3rd	--	--	3rd
1939	2nd	2nd	2nd	T1	2nd
1940	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd
1941	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
1942	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
1943	1st	2nd	1st	1st	1st
1946	--	--	--	--	--
1947	1st	2nd	1st	1st	1st
1948	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd
1949	--	2nd	--	--	--
1950	--	--	--	--	--

So, competing strictly against his AL counterparts, Gordon (out of 55 "events") copped 21 gold, 14 silver, and four bronze--for a total of 39. He almost swept the year before he went into the service (four gold, one silver), and in 1947 (four gold, one silver). His struggles in 1946 could be easily dismissed as simple rustiness. How did Doerr fare?

Bobby Doerr vs American League second basemen

Year	OPS	OPS+	OWP	RCAP	RC/27
1938	--	--	--	--	--
1939	3rd	--	--	3rd	3rd
1940	3rd	--	3rd	3rd	2nd
1941	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd
1942	2nd	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd
1943	2nd-	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd
1946	2nd	1st	--	--	3rd
1947	2nd	1st	--	--	3rd
1948	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st
1949	1st	T2	2nd	2nd	2nd
1950	1st	1st	--	2nd	2nd

Doerr finished with 10 gold, 22 silver, 10 bronze--for a total of 42 medals. Interestingly, over the course of Gordon's career (excluding 1944 and 1945 when he was in the service), the only year where Doerr was a superior offensive player was 1948. Ironically, those that viewed Doerr and Gordon contemporaneously seemed to view Gordon as superior (during the time when both were active); Gordon was selected to The Sporting News all star team six out of a possible seven times, whereas the VC tabbed Doerr over Gordon. What a great many people don't know is that Joe Gordon is the greatest home run hitting second baseman in baseball history. Despite playing half of his games in good pitchers parks, Gordon enjoyed the greatest HR% (6000 PA qualifier) of any second baseman of any era (4.43). He is fourth all time in total HR from the position (with just 5707 AB) behind Rogers Hornsby (8173 AB), Ryne Sandberg (8385 AB), and Joe Morgan (9277 AB), but nobody popped them out more frequently than Joe Gordon. A final quick note on offense. Among eligible players (ten years major league service, retired five years, not on the commissioner's permanently ineligible list), here are the top ten second sackers in baseball history (using adjusted OPS):

Player	OPS+
Rogers Hornsby	175
Nap Lajoie	150
Eddie Collins	141
Joe Morgan	132
Bobby Grich	125
Charlie Gehringer	124
Tony Lazzeri	121
Joe Gordon	120
Bobby Doerr	115
Ryne Sandberg	114

So, in the era from 1930-50, Doerr is second only to Gehringer offensively (and also raises the question about Bobby Grich's HOF worthiness--but that's for another day) and he's easily among the top ten hitting second basemen in major league history.

I don't doubt that Doerr was the better glove man of the two and I agonize over the fact that a truly foolproof method of measuring defense hasn't been formulated. The traditional "counting stats" of fielders (put outs, double plays, assists etc.) are dependent on games played, the type of pitchers on the staff (flyball, groundball, strikeout pitchers) etc. Zone Ratings are a relatively new phenomena, Pete Palmer's fielding runs (BTW Gordon had 54, Doerr 181) are falling into disfavor blah, blah, blah. With players of another era sometimes anecdotal evidence is a decent guideline. For instance, Robert Creamer (excerpted from "Baseball In 1941"): "It seems incredible to me now that the Yankees would consider mucking about with their great second baseman. I cannot fathom why McCarthy ever considered moving a fielder as good as Gordon out of a position as vitally important as second base."

The fact that although Gordon and Doerr both played in nine All Star Games (except his rookie season and final AL campaign, Gordon was an All Star every season of his career), Gordon was named to the Sporting News All Star team six out of the seven times they competed head-to-head for the honor. Further, Gordon cracked the top ten in MVP voting five times whereas Doerr just twice (once in 1944 when a lot of the top players weren't in the league--including Gordon). Using Range Factor, Doerr enjoys a clear edge (Doerr's RF was 7.8% better than the league average; Gordon was 3.6% better), and was better than Gordon eight out of 11 seasons. However his superior fielding wasn't perceived as enough to supplant Gordon in MVP voting and TSN's All Star Team (when only one player could be chosen whereas the All Star Game could carry more than one player at a position).

Of course, the final part of Gordon's resume is the fact that Gordon was a key player on six AL pennant, and five World Series championship teams.

So let's get the bandwagon started. I'd like to see two elections to the Hall-of-Fame: the first executive director of the MLBPA--Marvin Miller, and the second best second baseman in the years spanning 1930-50: Joe Gordon.

Today’s link....the Baseball Hall-of-Fame natch. Not much to say here. Just go and check it out.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-14T11:30:00.002-07:00

What? You’re still here? Since you’ve foolishly decided to waste time here, I guess I’ll give you something to do. Well, it looks like Washington D.C. is willing to give Bud anything he wants to get MLB back to the [U.S.] nation’s capital. Give us a team, they say, and we’ll pony up all the corporate welfare you want. D.C. is willing to finance the whole shebang--a publicly financed stadium. In other words, not only is D.C. willing to get screwed by Selig and Co., after the baby is born (Washington Senators the III) they’re free to feast on the public teat to their greedy heart’s content. If Washington looked any more hot to trot you’d swear that you were watching a Britney Spears video.

So now what? Does this mean the Expos are heading south?

I’m not sure.

Why?

Well, several reasons:

a 100% subsidized ballpark in Washington will be a license to print money. Will it be more profitable to sell the Expos to Washington interests or to put an expansion franchise there? Franchise value is generally based upon the amount of revenue a team could potentially generate. A luxury box/club seat laden ballpark with minimal (if any) rent in a region starving for baseball translates into an avalanche of greenbacks. Currently, Forbes has put a value of $145 million on the Expos. Granted, a new ballpark might goose up the total a bit, but they may be able to charge more in expansion fees than they could make with a sale.
Other regions are equally eager for MLB: Portland and Las Vegas. Conceivably, MLB could ignite a bidding war for the Expos with these two regions. The winning city gets the Expos, and the losing region gets to be Washington’s expansion partner.
You may ask: ‘Are you nuts? [Yes!] Baseball just threatened contraction and now you’re telling me they’ll expand again?’ Why not? It’s about the Benjamins. Contraction is a bargaining chip to use in labour negotiations. Just because they expand by two teams doesn’t mean they still can’t contract later. After all, they’ll need new cities for blackmail purposes when a team is stumping for a new retractable roof ATM. A region that lost its team makes a tasty bargaining chip in such situations. Sound farfetched? Well bear in mind that D.C. lost two teams and was still used as a viable threat.
Ultimately, they could choose one of two things: (i) sell the Expos to Washington interests, probably for [far] less than $200 million or (ii) expand to Washington and either Portland or Vegas but sell the Expos beforehand and ignite a bidding war between the two cities and expand to the city that didn’t get the expansion franchise. Total amount from this approach? Probably well over half-a-billion dollars.
So what if Selig acts in bad faith toward Montreal, Washington, Las Vegas, and Portland in the process? Selig routinely lies to press, the players union, Congress, the fans, cities whose teams are trying to open the public purse etc. etc. etc. so what’s one more underhanded deal?

Personally, the thing that frosts me most about Montreal possibly losing the Expos is that it’s so unnecessary. If Expos fans and MLB were married, it would be considered an abusive relationship. It’s like telling a woman who refuses to be both co-dependent and abused that she’ll never get married unless she changes her attitude. The Expos have been screwed over repeatedly. Would you go to a restaurant where the prices are exorbitant; the kitchen and the restrooms share the same space; you keep finding fingernail clippings and cat whiskers in the food; that has a stomach pump at each table between the salt and pepper shakers and they‘ve got the poison hotline on speed dial? Of course not. But that’s what MLB has done to Expos fans. They’ve repeatedly been fed garbage and have been told to like it or else. Baseball is the only business where they offer a substandard product, lousy service, tell you repeatedly that their merchandise is crappy and overpriced and then blame the consumer when the business struggles.

Oh I’ve heard the other ‘reasons’ for fans not coming out. They say ‘Montreal is a hockey town.’ So what? So is Toronto; the Maple Leafs are among the most profitable teams in the NHL despite the Canadian dollar, a privately financed arena, and a heavy tax burden. In the U.S. the region generally pays for the arena, they get a huge break on taxes, and can amortize up to 50% of the franchise price over the first five years of ownership--and the Leafs still kick their butts in profitability. The Jays seem to be doing O.K. [in Toronto] despite the Leafs owning most hearts there. You also don’t see anybody trying to get rid of the Texas Rangers or the Houston Astros because they’re ‘football towns.’ These aren’t reasons--they’re red herrings; ‘Montreal is a hockey town’ is a red herring to distract the public from the fact that MLB has repeatedly acted in bad faith toward Expos fans. The Expos could easily be viable in Quebec if MLB invested in it. However Selig and Co. are more interested in making quick and easy money than an honest dollar. Personally, the only reason I don’t stuff Bud Selig headfirst into a dumpster is because it’s a terrible thing to do to garbage.

Link time. Since we’re discussing the business end of things, I thought I’d highlight Doug's [Pappas] Business of Baseball Weblog If you need to know the business end of things, he’s the guy to check out.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-06T11:33:00.000-07:00

"We can't remain competitive in terms of being able to sign players. I said it before. I'll say it now. We need a new park."--Steve Schott owner of the Oakland A’s

Oh for the love of Pete. Shut up. This is as bad as Bud Selig whining that the Marlins can’t stay competitive in Joe Robbie stadium despite winning two World Series in seven years. Now Schott--he of the four straight playoff appearances is moaning that the A’s can’t remain competitive in Network Associates Coliseum.

Competitive like whom? Detroit? Texas? Baltimore? Pittsburgh? Milwaukee? Cincinnati? If we’ve learned nothing else from the last stadium boom it’s that extra money doesn’t translate into a contending ball club. Tom Hicks blew a-wad on A-Rod, Chan Ho Park, and any other Boras’ client that Scotty whispered into Hicks’ ear after he removed his tongue; Colorado took dolleros from their moneymaker and threw it at Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton. Teams like the Brewers, Tigers, Reds, and Bucs celebrated their new found “competitiveness" by cutting payroll and sucking more than anything on this side of an F5 tornado.

Both the Marlins and the A’s are doing it in stadiums--to hear them tell it--that are where you end up if you make a wrong turn in hell. A new stadium doesn’t mean jack if the owner is an idiot, the GM reflexively asks “would you like fries with that?" during trade negotiations and your manager thinks that single, stolen base, sac bunt, groundout constitutes the ideal rally and he treats his pitchers like it’s his solemn duty to put Frank Jobe’s kids through college.

So why are they pleading for Oakland/South Florida to hand over $400 million in corporate welfare? Since it's obviously not about competitiveness, it must be about profits.

It's not these region's job to ensure that little Jeffy Loria and Steve Schott-for-brains have profitable enterprises--it's Loria‘s and Schott‘s. If they want a new stadium, let them build it. Shoot their welfare from MLB would cover the mortgage payments (or come pretty darned close).

I can't see Selig telling Schott-Loria to pony up the money themselves. A new stadium to be competitive? Works wonders for the Brewers’ attendance. A good team will draw. The only acceptable solution for the A’s/Marlins “competitive issues" (read: a .500 team, a 20% drop in attendance, and all the luxury boxes/club seats leased out) according to ol' suds-for-brains is for South Florida/Oakland to ante up $400 million (or whatever) so they can compete with Detroit in trying to sign Fernando Vina.

If Bud "I need a laxative to clear mental blocks" Selig feels so badly for Schott-Loria--why not broker a deal with the club and region to go splits of a new stadium? Because the only splits Bud's interested in is telling the taxpayers to split their legs and brace themselves because MLB biggest dick is coming through.

(sigh)

You need a sherpa to climb Mt. Davis in Oakland, there's thin air in Colorado, it's frickin' hot in Texas/St. Louis/KC, it's lonely in Milwaukee, night games were nasty at The Stick and it rains in Florida.

Yet somehow baseball survives.

If Bud Selig were made surgeon general he'd tell us that building him a new office would cure cancer.

Have you noticed that Selig’s stumping for new stadiums is a lot like how a car dealership sells cars? Have you ever heard a car dealership says it’s a bad time to buy a car? It’s always “the perfect time to buy" Before Christmas (it’s the perfect time to buy, it makes a great gift), after Christmas (it’s the perfect time to buy for our Boxing Day Clearout), New Years (it’s the perfect time to buy, start the New Year off right), Halloween (it’s the perfect time to buy, come in for scary savings), Easter (it’s the perfect time to buy, hop on over for our great deal), Valentines Day (it’s the perfect time to buy, you’ll fall in love with our prices), your mother’s death (it’s the perfect time to buy, imagine how proud she’d be driving this beauty behind the hearse), worried about your son’s nose picking habit? (it’s the perfect time to buy, let him blow around in this baby...beep beep), suffering from chronic depression? (it’s the perfect time to buy it’ll cheer you up, take a test drive in our Prozac LS), had your son circumcised? (it’s the perfect time to buy--it’s a cut above) etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum, ad nauseum

Selig’s like that about stadiums. Any reason is good reason to build a new stadium. It’s never a bad time to build a new stadium. Does your team reek? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....if you’re gonna inflict a bad team on your fans at least make them comfy). Is your owner(s) cheap and your GM an imbecile? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....studies show that new stadiums raise the IQ of your average GM 0.0009 %). Did the last stadium built install state-of-the-art gumball machines that your 10 year old stadium lacks? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....before the bubble bursts). Have you totally alienated your fan base and wish to tick off the taxpayers? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....show ‘em that you’ve got a new place they can screw you in). Did the Yankees sign away your third baseman? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....it’ll generate the revenues so you can sign away the Yankees utility infielder. Revenge is sweet MUUUUUHAHAHAHAHAHA). Bad weather? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....suckers tend to melt when exposed to fluids). Cholera outbreak? (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....that way your team won’t look so sick). Did the 59-103 team in your division just get new digs (It’s the perfect time to build a new stadium....gotta make sure you can compete with them).

Sheesh.

My guess is that Bud Selig thinks “Jesus" is “HOK" in Hebrew because new stadiums can give the blind sight, make the deaf hear, make the lame walk, feed the hungry, heal the sick, and make the dead rise.

Of course it makes Selig and cronies wealthier.

Will it turn your pumpkin into Cinderella?

Hey, it’s a stadium, not a miracle worker.

Look, here’s a message to the taxpayers in Florida and California: here’s what you’ll get if you believe their lies and pony up the corporate welfare--although they‘d never call it that, Bud lied to Congress and do you think he‘ll tell you the truth? This is the guy telling you that the defending World Series champs/toppler of the mighty Yankees and their 200 gazillion dollar payroll....and a team that is 392-255 [with four straight post season appearances] has “competitive issues"--they’re asking for: higher ticket prices, a stadium which caters to the elite, higher taxes, seats further away from the action, $8 beers, and a forthcoming announcement that despite the new revenues, the system is still totally out of whack, so they’ll be cutting payroll and playing the kids. Oh yeah, your best player will be traded to the New York Yankees in an effort to improve themselves over the long haul. Just remember, more money and the same brains with a major league club only translates into $60 million paperweights like Chan Ho Park.

I suppose you want a link now. Do you think the Veterans Committee is a few outs short of an inning? Do you think the Hall-of-Fame has left out some deserving players and inducted some trivia buffs stump questions? Well, there is an alternative: it doesn’t have fancy plaques, or fascinating exhibits, but it’s free and you can let your chair continue it’s rewarding relationship with your butt--best of all, it’s fascinating reading and full of surprises (like personal favourite Robert Lee “Indian Bob" Johnson). So click your way to Baseball Immortals and let the debates begin.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

The other day, there was a headline in the Columbus Ledger Enquirer: “Faith in God keeps Braves' Drew optimistic”

It reminded me of a lovely Sunday morning last year. The birds were chirping the sun was shining, the Blue Jays were playing later that day.

Perfect.

My lovely wife and two teenaged daughters decided we need a little edification and toddled off to Sunday services. The sermon was enthralling, our souls were overflowing with spiritual joy and suddenly the main doors of the building blew open. Silhouetted by the sun we could only see a large shadowy figure and he appeared to be quite imposing carrying what appeared to be a weapon.

A nervous murmur began in one corner of the hall and quickly spread throughout the congregation. Judgment Day? A cameo by ol' Scratch himself? Carl Everett in a poopy mood? A lost soul seeking redemption? Suddenly he stepped out from the bright sunlight and we could see him clearly ... a man with a baseball bat in one hand and a ball in the other and he, without warning, bellowed: "anybody wanna play ball?!?!?!"

The account is fictitious, I would sincerely hope that nobody would be so, um, crass. Hey, I love baseball that's why I’m blogging instead of studying to be a cardiac surgeon or a nuclear physicist (that and an I.Q. I can count on one hand and still have my thumb left over), however a church service is not the time or place for getting a pick up game of baseball going.

So why on earth do fans and players insist on bringing religion into ballparks? I'm a religious man so don't take the following rantings as evidence of my being a heathen or worse, a sports agent. I mean it's O.K. invoke the Deity if Pedro Martinez buzzes one under your chin or the Tigers have batted around on you three times and the manager is peacefully snoozing in the dugout-- but other than that it doesn't belong. I've seen old paintings depicting various works dealing with Christian subject matter but I've yet to see somebody getting devoured at the old Roman Coliseum with somebody in the stands holding up a "John 3:16" sign.

If you want to proselytize do it somewhere other than a ballpark. Jesus didn't have club seating at the Aeropagus and "Jesus saves" doesn't mean that he did so after St. Peter pitched a scoreless seven and eighth while Scottius Boras XXIV was seeing if anybody would top the Pharisees' offer of 30 pieces of silver for the Carpenter not named Chris.

Enough ragging on the fans but quite frankly if you want to propagate your beliefs the way Jesus and his disciples did; read the Gospels and the Book of Acts. They preached in a great many places but never at a sporting event unless they were playing the Lions in the Roman arena.

On to the players:

If not whether you win or lose it's how you pray the game.

What happens if both a pitcher and a hitter cross themselves at the same time? Does God flip a coin? How 'bout a pregame prayer for victory? Does the Good Lord tally up the sinner to saints ratio on the roster to decide who get the win? Joe Carter thanked God for allowing him to win a World Series so I guess Mitch Williams will be doing laps in the Lake of Fire and sulphur, right? Personally I feel sorry for God, he gets credit for things he doesn't want credit for and gets blamed when anything goes wrong.

God doesn't care whether or not you hit .300, win 20 games, wear a World Series ring or make $10+ million a year. He expects you to treat your fellow man the way you wish to be treated, the way your master treated people. I'm the first to admit I'm more sinner than saint but then again I don't make my show of devotion in front of national television audiences either.

If you want religion go to church if you want baseball, go to the stadium and never the twain shall meet. I don't go into your church to start a ballgame so don't come into my ballpark to show me what a good Christian you are ... and while you're at it [fans], lose the dorky technicolor wig. If anything, you're undermining your point of view. Signs at the ballpark aren't enlightening, they're annoying. I have yet to see someone take their family from the park saying: "Let's go home and see what that scripture has to say!" Those signs haven't turned the masses back to God, so why do it? You're not directing attention to the Almighty, you're drawing attention to yourself. Speaking of which:

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory of men."

- St. Matthew 6: 1, 2

The separation of church and stadium -- embrace it. It 2004 resolve to only bring banners that deal with baseball.

Today’s link: Retrosheet. If you want to know who did what and when, if you’re going nuts to remember what happened in the first major league game you attended, or you just want to settle a bet--chances are, you’ll find it here.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

So I took Saturday off--big whoop. It’s not like anybody’s reading this blog yet. Even I’m reluctant to click the link. I mean, after I take a crap, I don’t look into the toilet and admire my work; I flush it and hope I never see it again.

Nevertheless, Opening Day for the rest of us stiffs is upon us. So besides boxscores, we’ll be reading players/managers/coaches comments and as sure as Bud Selig couldn’t pour water out of a glass if the instructions how to do it were on the bottom of the glass, we’ll hear the dreaded cliche. I thought as a public service to absolutely no one in particular I’d give you a handy translation chart so you’ll be able to decipher what folks are saying:

When they say: "He's got great raw stuff."

What they mean is: "He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but boy those three digits on the speed gun are fun to look at."

When they say: "He'll add veteran experience to the club."

What they mean is: "He can't hit, he can't throw, he can't field, rigor mortis is about to set in, but he signed for the minimum."

When they say: "We're going to build from within and see what the kids can do."

What they mean is: "Every agent we called either laughed at us or hung up."

When they say: "They're leaving him in to see if he can pitch his way out of this jam."

What they mean is: "I guess the manager read the pitcher's comments in the paper yesterday and he just told him to kiss his ERA goodbye."

When they say: "He's been through a lot to get back to this point."

What they mean is: "He beat his wife, cheated on his taxes, impregnated the eastern seaboard, killed three reporters and singlehandedly put no fewer than 213 drug dealers' kids through college and you're supposed to be all perky at he's hitting .300 on May 1."

When they say: "We have a veteran club this year."

What they mean is: "Tell the trainer to stock up on Polygrip, Depends, Geritol, and prune juice and make sure the guys on our AAA club keep their bags packed."

When they say: "His teammates claim he's great in the clubhouse."

What they mean is: "His teammates are scared stiff that he'll take a fungo bat to their heads if they diss him in the press."

When they say: "He's still got a lot of time to get it together."

What they mean is: "And he won't be doing it here as long as I'm manager."

When they say: "He offers protection to the middle of the lineup."

What they mean is: "He'll whiff 160 times but that keeps him from hitting into inning ending double plays."

When they say: "It's his job to lose."

What they mean is: "My general manager is too #@%#!! cheap!"

When they say: "He has great fundamentals."

What they mean is: "He can't hit, he doesn't walk, he can't field, but he never throws to the wrong base."

When they say: "He eats a lot of innings."

What they mean is: "Which is why his ERA is so huge!!"

When they say: "It looks like he's gonna bring in the second lefty in the 'pen."

What they mean is: "The game's out of reach, and we thought the fans would like to see A-Rod, Giambi and Sheffield go yard."

When they say: "He's a player who values his privacy."

What they mean is: "The media once saw him eat somebody from Sports Illustrated."

When they say: "They don't appreciate me here."

What they mean is: "They gave him a stupid contract, now I want one even stupider."

When they say: "Everybody has a shot, all jobs are open."

What they mean is: "Not only will we suck, we might lose 130 games this year."

When they say: "He's got great raw tools."

What they mean is: "He's talented; dumb as a post, but talented."

When they say: "He's your typical crafty lefty."

What they mean is: "If he ate with his other hand, he'd be saying: 'would you like fries with that?'"

When they say: "He's a speed merchant."

What they mean is: "He's a living, breathing, out machine."

When they say: "He's around the plate a lot."

What they mean is: "Opposing hitters refer to him as the human launching pad."

When they say: "He keeps hitters off balance."

What they mean is: "Hitters know that not even he knows where the pitch is going."

When they say: "He's effectively wild."

What they mean is: "Bases empty, two outs, and Bonds gets it in the middle of the back."

When they say: "Brian Hunter's speed makes him a logical choice to lead off."

What they mean is: "We're a small market team, our number two hitter is due for arbitration and we don't want him to have more than 30 RBI."

When they say: "We're going with a bullpen by committee."

What they mean is: "Y'know, I don't think any of these stiffs can get three outs before they bat around."

When they say: "Remember the name; he's gonna be the next Mickey Mantle."

What they mean is: "Remember the name, in three years he'll be left unprotected in the Rule V Draft."

O.K. Link time: Again, it’s a pretty well known one if you’re a baseball fan. Believe it or not, these yoyos used to run some of my stuff. Once they got rid of me, they felt their content improved enough that they could charge for it. Truly a sound business decision. Baseball Prospectus offers excellent content and stat features that even the most hard core baseball fan will enjoy. Again, I’m biased since I know (and have worked) with a number of their staff. Let’s see, name dropping roll call time (in no particular order): Jonah Keri, Dayn Perry, Joe Sheehan, and Gary Huckabay are all folks I’ve been privileged to work with over the years. If they get too successful, I’ll cash in by telling stories about ‘how I knew them when’ and boy, they’ll have to cough up big to keep me quiet.

P.S. Go Leafs Go.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-02T08:21:00.001-08:00

Day three: I’ve decided that the Yankees/Devil Rays series in Japan isn’t such a hot idea in its current format. Not that I mind major league games being played in Japan or even the first games of the season taking place in the Land of the Rising Sun. It’s the lag between the Japanese games and Opening Day over here. Has the season started or not? We’re reading both regular season and spring training boxscores. If you’re going to start the season--then start the season already.

A minor nitpick to be sure, but I just wanted to get that off my chest before I got into today‘s topic.

I’ll open with a caveat: I am not a stathead. The reason is simple--I reek at math. suffice it to say, for the most part, sabermetrics goes waaaay over my head. I understand the basic principles behind it and agree with them. Folks sometimes disparage sabermetricians as stat geeks but let’s face it--we’re all statheads of one kind or another. People shake their heads at the methods used by Bill James, Baseball Prospectus etc. while forgetting that the biggest difference between they and themselves is the stats they use. They berate the use of VORP, RARP, RCAA, adj. OPS+ etc. and then turn around and start spouting off about Wins, RBI, ERA, and batting average. I just prefer the sabermetrician approach. I thought I’d give a quick overview on why sabermetrics is preferable to conventional evaluations.

To begin with, one of the appeals of traditional stats is that they’re easy to follow and understand. A player crosses home plate and we call it a run. A player, bat in hand gets a hit and the runner on second scores; or maybe a runner on third comes home on a deep fly ball to CF or a ground ball hit deep to short brings him in--we call it an RBI. It’s simple, tangible, and easy to keep track of.

However as Mark Twain once opined, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. To illustrate one way, let’s look at part of what might be part of the Blue Jays lineup in 2004:

R. Johnson LF

E. Hinske 3B

V. Wells CF

Let’s pose a hypothetical game scenario. Reed Johnson gets on base to start the game via an error, Eric Hinske gets a hit driving Johnson to third, and Vernon Wells brings him home on a ground ball out deep to short.

Next time through, Johnson draws a walk, Hinske again moves him to third on a base hit and Wells hits a deep fly ball to RF to bring him in.

Once again, Johnson gets hit by a pitch, Hinske gets his third single of the night and Johnson makes it to 3B. Wells come up and hits a shallow fly ball into right-center that the second baseman back pedals to catch. Since he cannot plant his feet properly to get off a throw, the speedy Johnson again tags up and scores.

The game ends and it’s high scoring. Each player ends up with six at bats. Stewart and Wells each get a base hit and make outs for the rest of the game; Hinske has to settle for three hits in six AB.

At the end of the ballgame we look at the boxscore. Johnson gets one hit in four official AB (.250), Wells has a hit in three official AB (.333), Hinske has three hits in six AB (.500), yet at the end of game we look at the results and see:

R. Johnson: 1-for-4, 3 runs scored, 0 RBI

E. Hinske: 3-for-6, 0 runs scored, 0 RBI

V. Wells: 1-for-3, 0 runs scored, 3 RBI

Our leadoff hitter has scored three runs (as a leadoff hitter should) and we say Johnson had a great game. We look at our number three hitter (Wells) and see he had a three RBI night. Since he’s a middle-of-the-order hitter, we also conclude that he had a good night. We now turn to Hinske and see he has three hits but no runs or RBI so we assume:

(1) He hit a “soft” .500 in the game

(2) He can’t hit in the clutch

(3) He didn’t make his hits “count.”

However when you look at the sequence we discussed earlier, Hinske had the key AB that produced the runs, but he received no credit for it. Indeed if it happens enough times over the course of a season, Johnson might have a season with over 100 runs scored and Wells has a 100 RBI season, but Hinske, who despite good percentages (say: .290/.395/.500), wasn’t all that productive as “evidenced” by his low Run/RBI totals. So Hinske might have had the best season of the three but “traditional” stats obscured that he was the key cog atop the batting order.

Using a sabermetric measure, such as Runs Created, ((hits+walks)(total
bases)/(AB+BB)) we can discern who the most productive player actually was. That’s why we say that runs and RBI are situational stats. Johnson and Wells garnered those totals, not because of an ability to hit, but because of Hinske’s [ability to hit].

Another reason that traditional triple crown stats (AVG/HR/RBI) can be misleading can be demonstrated thusly. Let’s chart two players from the 1990 NL season:

Barry Bonds PIT .301 33 114

Joe Carter SD .232 24 115

Some might conclude that Carter’s superior RBI totals despite lagging well behind in batting average and HR meant that Carter “made his hits count.” Regardless, one could make the argument that they were equally productive since their RBI totals are almost the same.

However ,let’s focus on those RBI. Not all RBI are created equal. Suppose Bonds and Carter had to go to the RBI store and purchase those RBI. Instead of using dollars to buy those RBI, the medium of purchase is “outs.”

Joe Carter needed to pay 513 “outs” to “buy” his RBI; Barry Bonds paid just 390. Now, if you send two people to the store to buy you the same item and one paid $513 for the item in question and the other bought it for just $390, who would you choose to make your next “purchase”? Conventional stats would make you think that Carter and Bonds had similar seasons however using the Runs Created metric we see that Carter created just 72 runs whereas Bonds weighed in at 120. Bonds superior season becomes obvious using a better measure of production.

Another example: Who would you rather have on your team? Carlos Baerga who in 442 AB hit; .314 19 80 with the 1994 Cleveland Indians.

Or Max Bishop, who in 441 AB hit .252 10 38 with the 1930 Philadelphia Athletics?

Superficially most would pick Baerga. But when you look a little deeper Bishop was far, far more productive. One stat I left off was walks. Bishop drew 128 freebies that year, Baerga just ten.

So, Baerga, who out hit Bishop by 62 points was actually left in the dust by Bishop in OBP by a whopping 93 points! (For the record Baerga's OBP in 1994 was .333, Bishop's in 1930 was .426)

Let's look how this affected run production: Bishop produced more runs (runs+RBI-HR) than Baerga 145 to 142. Baerga barely eclipsed Bishop in OPS .858 to .834, but Bishop hammered Baerga in runs created 88 to 75.

So actually, despite Baerga's numbers being more eye popping, Bishop was actually more productive offensively.

Hence the “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” There’s other ways to determine quality. As recent as a decade ago, 20 HR was a good season, 30 HR would get you MVP votes, 40 HR might win you the award and 50 HR would make you stand up and whistle. Nowadays shortstop Alex Rodriguez has averaged 47 HR over the last six seasons, Sammy Sosa has three 60+ HR campaigns and the seventy mark has been breached not once, but twice. Today, your staff ace might have an ERA of 3.00; in 1968 you would be below average. Sabermetricians try to take these eras into account when comparing players. In short, baseball analysis has moved to the next level of understanding and we should follow along. Of course it doesn’t mean we should become so much into mathematics that we forget about the history of the game and milestones. We should want to see a player get 192 RBI, or hit .400 again. We should enjoy hitting streaks. Just because we understand the importance of OPS, OPS+, adjusted ERA etc. doesn’t mean we should ignore a player hitting .390 in June or a player over 100 RBI at the All-Star break. It’s part of the fun of watching the game. If you want to know the true greats from the illusory greats though, you should study sabermetrics--you can hide a mediocre player with conventional stats but the superstars shine regardless of the measure used.

Along these lines are today’s links (plural). They’re both stat based and a lot of fun. First is Baseball Reference. My best advice for you is this: click the link and go. There’s nothing I could say that would do the site justice--you’ve got to experience it for yourself. The second is admittedly a commercial one. The Sabermetric Encyclopedia is a wonderful tool which combines both traditional and sabermetric stats. I freely admit my bias in that the person that came up with this (Lee Sinins) is a personal friend who helped me a great deal (free of charge) during my tenure as a baseball writer. Having said that--it’s also a quality piece of work. Its “Sort Stats” feature will give you hours of fun and education. For the record, I am not paid to endorse this, I’m just doing it because it’s a great CD and any time I can pay back Lee for all his kindnesses--I jump at the opportunity.

Best Regards

John

2004-04-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

It’s April Fool’s Day. I thought to do a prank here but I’m pretty sure there’s nobody reading at this point. My clientele clearly has discriminating taste. The only person I can fool today is me and I do that in the mirror every day when I pretend that I’m looking pretty good for a guy pushing 40. So, I thought (beginner‘s luck) I’d do two things--one more than yesterday: First off, for the foreseeable future I thought I’d highlight and comment on great baseball links each day. After all, there’s not enough here to keep one occupied for than a minute or two so at least I should be a gracious enough host to ensure that there was a reason for coming here. Today’s highlighted link is Baseball Primer. I’ve been a denizen of this place for a few years now and despite my presence the quality of it remains high. There’s some great columnists and discussion forums there. Clutch Hits is my usual locale although I do enjoy surfing Game Chatter (great fun during the post season), Transaction Oracle (they don‘t miss a thing), Primate Studies, Sox Therapy (for Red Sox fans who enjoy wearing crowns of thorns and spikes in their wrists and ankles) etc. etc. etc

It’s time well wasted.

One of the hot topics so far in 2004 is Barry Bonds and the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Other than physical appearance, what really raises the red flag on Bonds is this:

What Bonds is doing is unprecedented. Yes, a lot of players have had terrific years late in their careers. However Bonds was well on his way to becoming an inner-circle HOFer. At the end of 1999 he was a member of the 400/400 club; won three MVPs (and was a top 5 finisher four other times); was an eight time all-star and Gold Glover and was .288/.409/.559 lifetime. Now he’s entering what is normally the decline phase of his career and he’s been .334/.513/.780 with 213 HR (from 2000-2003). To put that in a bit of context: Babe Ruth’s four best years (1921-24) he was 26-29 years old (Barry’s four best years came at ages 35-38) and the Bambino was .369/.504/.761 with 181 HR. Ruth enjoyed the following advantages: the best non-white players were excluded, the advent the relief ace was decades away, and he hit in park tailored for swing.

I’d love it if Bonds was doing it minus TGH/HGH/steroids but I can’t imagine an inner-circle HOFer suddenly outdoing the Babe in his prime (i) in a more difficult hitting environment (ii) in what is a typical player’s decline phase. To hit .288 in your career (which includes a normal player’s prime years) and suddenly start hitting at a .334 pace in your mid-to-late 30’s; to have your OBP go from .409 in your career (which includes a normal player’s prime years) and suddenly start posting an OBP of .513 in your mid-to-late 30’s; to slug .559 in your career (which includes a normal player’s prime years) and suddenly start slugging at a .780 clip in your mid-to-late 30’s is so staggering that I cannot explain it within normal athletic parameters (it'd be like Gretzky scoring 500 goals from ages 35-38). Barry Bonds, before he was 35, had an OPS of .968 and improved it by going 1.293 since (about a 25% improvement) Babe
Ruth, before he was 35, had an OPS of 1.183; to improve that 25% during his 35-38 years he would’ve had to post an aggregate OPS of 1.479--a level he never attained in a single season (yet alone over four). The highest single season OPS is 1.3807 (Barry Bonds in 2002)....almost 100 points lower than what the Babe would've had to do to match Bonds.

Was it Carl Sagan who said "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"? Well, for Bonds to accomplish what he's done since 2000 sans performance-enhancing substances is what I'd call an 'extraordinary claim.'

So, do I believe Bonds is guilty or innocent?

Both.

Personally I think Bonds uses, but if I were to cast a vote in a jury I’d vote “not guilty” for several reasons:

While the circumstantial and anecdotal evidence as to Bonds usage is strong, it’s still just circumstantial and anecdotal evidence.
Bonds isn’t the only player to excel from ages 35-38. Ted Williams was .359/.505/.668 over that part of his career. The training and nutrition available today far outstrips what was available almost 50 years ago.
With proper weight training, diet, and legal supplements, it is possible to bulk up with lean muscle mass almost at any age. A couple of years back I saw a body builder from Barbados that won a competition at age 66. He was competing with much younger men. From all accounts he was clean.

So while I find the mounting evidence against Bonds--all the more since his trainer from BALCO (Gary Anderson) was indicted for trafficking in anabolic steroids--to be damning, I think there’s still a reasonable doubt that he’s clean. “Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt” is a wise stance in my opinion. That’s why, while I do personally feel Bonds is guilty, I’ll go on record as saying “not guilty.”

Best Regards

John

2004-03-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I’ve went and done it--I’ve joined the blogging craze. So, if you’re wondering what the heck you’re doing here....well join the club. Anyway, these pages will primarily deal with baseball related junk; however I do reserve the right to go off topic occasionally and rant, whine, complain, bellyache and vent over such things as the Toronto Maple Leafs, and.....um, well I’m sure I’ll come up with other things.

A few ground rules: You can safely the assume the following:

Bud Selig will be roundly criticized regardless of what he does. If he finds a cure for cancer (which I doubt, the man couldn‘t cure a ham) he’ll probably screw it up by insisting the MLBPA submit to a salary cap in gratitude.
I will frequently weep and gnash my teeth during the baseball season since my two favourite teams (The Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos) are stuck in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox and are run by the Three Stooges times 10 (do the math Einstein) respectively.
Since nobody pays me to do this, I am accountable to no master (shields monitor from spouse) and will freely flame anybody who ticks me off including managers, general managers, team owners, columnists, players who pop up on a 3-0 pitch with a man on third and one out, and anybody silly enough to agree with me.
You can expect links to articles of interest, other blogs, other websites and all that jazz. Innovative of me eh?

For the record, it’s not deja vu all over again. You may have read my rants before at such places as Baseball Prospectus, MLBtalk, TOTK Sports, Bootlegsports, Yankees.com and About.com (nee The Mining Company). You’ll get the Full [baseball] Monty here: recent news and commentary, history, sabermetrics, the business end of things, and anything else that doesn’t die of loneliness inside my head.

So stay tuned and watch. This place will grow like a fungus--whether you want it to or not.

Best Regards

John