As promised, I'm starting a new segment here on Pat's Baseball Blog. The Great Debate is going to review and discuss some of the greatest baseball movies of all time. As I'm sure you are all aware, baseball is often called "America's Pastime", but it can be said that so are movies. Americans spend billions of dollars every year going out to see movies, and also on sporting events such as baseball. So it only makes sense that somewhere along the line, the two quintessential American creations would collide. As a result, there have been some wonderful baseball movies over the years. And some not so great. Instead of trying to lump everything into one giant post, we are going to take our time and evaluate each movie by itself. Today we are going to start with, in my opinion, one of the absolute best baseball movies ever: Major League.
I honestly don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie. It is probably the only pure comedy/baseball movie ever made, not counting its sequels of course, which we aren't, because they weren't nearly as good. For those of you unaware of Major League, the story follows a team of misfits who come together to form the stinky Cleveland Indians. The new owner, a former stripper who inherited the team from her dead, rich husband, wants to move the franchise to Miami. In order to accomplish this, she attempts to put together a team who will lose so badly, and generate so little attendance, that the lease with the city will be voided. But lo and behold, the team of over-the-hills, and never-weres starts to win.
When this movie was made in 1989, the real Cleveland Indians were a bleak franchise. They had only 6 winning seasons since 1960. They hadn't been to a World Series since 1954, in which they got swept by the New York Giants. Still worse, they hadn't won a WS since 1948, a fact that the title credit montage wonderfully depicts over a recording of Randy Newman's "Burn On"; a song about the Cuyahoga River catching on fire because of it's dense pollution from the city. According to Wikipedia.org, "There have reportedly been at least thirteen fires on the Cuyahoga River, the first occurring in 1868." The most famous of these fires occurred in 1969, when Time magazine caught wind of the story, and stated the river "oozes rather than flows." All of this visual and audio stimulus shows the plight of the Cleveland fanbase before one line is uttered in the movie. But amazingly, this movie never gets mired in the decay of the once-great city of Cleveland.
Instead, we see the machinations of the beleaguered front-office dealing with the conniving new owner, and getting geared up for Spring Training with their tire salesman/new coach Lou Brown (James Gammon). Trying to win a job on the team are veteran catcher Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger), the delinquent flame-thrower Ricky Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), the flash and dash of Wille Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes in his first major role), and the Caribbean voodoo defector Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert). We also get introduced to returning Indians veterans in overpaid shortstop Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) and over-the-hill pitcher Eddie Harris (Chelcie Ross), and probably the funniest of them all, booth commentator Harry Doyle (real life commentator for the Milwaukee Brewers, Bob Uecker). The film's casting was just about perfect, as each actor brought a touch of hilarity without having to sink too deep into back-stories the audience doesn't need.
If you have seen the movie, though, you know all the great lines and scenes. Like when Willie Mays Hayes gets cut before the first practice, and shows off his speed by catching up to, and beating two other guys, in his pajamas. Coach Lou telling Vaughn that "We wear sleeves in the big leagues, son" after Ricky made a vest of his jersey. When an opposing and imposing Yankees slugger named Heywood steps up to the plate and asks Jake, "How's your wife and my kids?", I almost die laughing every time. I know by heart, and could quote nearly the whole movie to you right now. It's these quotes and ridiculous circumstances that make the movie so memorable and fun to watch repeatedly.
What helps make this movie classic is the fact that for all it's silly antics, it's actually well-regarded by countless baseball players. In interviews from when the movie came out, all the way to today's youngsters, most players admit to loving the film, with many saying that it's on constantly in clubhouses and during plane rides. That is because the movie takes into account those real off-field moments that players go through. For instance, when they first get to Cleveland after making the team, Taylor takes Vaughn and Hayes out to a fancy French restaurant that they are ill prepared for. This scene is great not just because Vaughn says "I feel like a banker" after being forced to wear a tie over his cut-off denim vest, but because it shows how awkward it can be to be thrown into a new city and new circumstances. This is the also the scene we are introduced to Lynn Wells (Rene Russo), the one-that-got-away from Jake Taylor, and the subplot of the story.
Jake and Lynn "were both world-class athletes", but Jake's philandering got the best of the relationship, and she is now betrothed to a yuppie. When Jake and the team aren't on the field, he spends his time trying to win her back. This doesn't supplant the main theme of the struggling team though, it's simply a nice side-story that develops one main character instead of trying to give 6 or 7 characters tiny stories. Sure, we get a little confrontation when Vaughn accidentally sleeps with Dorn's wife, and Cerrano and Harris have a discussion about which deity can hit a curveball, but the beautiful thing is that this all takes place in the span of a few short scenes, and those scenes are filled with levity and great writing. The movie is successful and repeatedly watchable because it doesn't take itself seriously, it adds a dash of seriousness to its comedy, and it just so happens to be extremely well written with some incredibly funny lines.
All of these elements work well enough together, but one aspect that really ties the action of the film together is Harry Doyle. Sports movies before and since have tried to have a great commentator voice narrating the action. Some have resorted to real-life booth guys (Miracle, Any Given Sunday), and some have tried the funny route (Waterboy). With Bob Uecker, you get both, in spades. Bob Eucker was a former player who wasn't any good, so he eventually turned to commentating, and his brand of humor lends itself perfectly to the script. After the Indians get shut-out early in the season, Doyle says, "That's all we got, one goddamn hit?" "You can't say goddamn on the air" his normally silent assistant whispers. "Ah, don't worry, nobody's listen anyway." Eucker's self-deprecating humor, which he turns on the Indians, is the best soundtrack to a terrible game of baseball, ever.
However, not all is lost for the Tribe. The team pulls together enough to be decent throughout most of the season. When the team does finally get wind of the new owner's plan, Coach Lou gives them a "dressing-down" that motivates them enough to pull off a surprising comeback and force a 163 game with the hated New York Yankees for the American League pennant. The drama on the diamond is a little silly at times, as an aging Harris is left in the game far too long, and for apparently no reason. "Wild Thing" Vaughn ends up coming in to close out the game, although he was starting games earlier in the year. And Jake Taylor eventually pull a "calls-the-shot" point to the outfield, ala Babe Ruth, only to bunt a run in from second-base. But the ridiculousness of the on-field play is just par for the course, for if the action was a little too well created, then it wouldn't have meshed with the outlandish off-field stuff.
For pure comedy, this movie is great fun to watch. If you are just a passing fan of baseball, you'll love it for the nods to the game. And if you are a player, then I suspect you love it even more for all the allusions to real-life clubhouse hilarity. Without ruining the ending for you all, things work out pretty well, like most sports movies. The movie was so well-received at the time, that it actually helped turn out the baseball fanbase in Cleveland and in a few short years, the Indians starting winning again, returning to the World Series in both 1995 and 1997.
For me, watching this movie before Spring Training begins has become a ritual. It puts me in good spirits for the baseball season to start. It reminds me that anything is possible, and that there are more great things about the game than just what happens between the chalk lines. If you haven't seen it, I recommend giving it a viewing, although there is lots of cursing, so it's not for everybody. It's one of my favorites, though, and it could be considered possibly the best baseball movie around. But there are plenty more movies to choose from, and over time, I hope we get to all of them. Let me know if there is something in particular you'd like me to debate. Until next time!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Fallen Angels?
Some surprising events have taken place in baseball in the past several days. This isn't so infrequent, but occasionally these signing and brokered deals of the late-season hot stove transform a team from something it was, into something it now is. For better or worse. A deal or trade might be the one missing piece to playoff contention, or a bad signing may lead to the demise of a franchise. While nothing so dramatic has occurred lately, there certainly were some moves that raised eyebrows around the baseball world.
For starters, the most recent trade that took place between the Los Angeles Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays brought with it a lot of speculation. Toronto has been criticized for some time now for the long-term contract that they gave to center-fielder Vernon Wells back in 2008. This 7-year, $126 million crutch crippled the franchise that has to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in the American League East. I say crippled because while there are lots of expensive deals that weigh teams down, nothing hurts a franchise more than when that players doesn't live up to the terms. In fact, Wells didn't live up to the deal in 2007, before he signed this deal. In that year he batted a meager .245 with 16 homers, 80 RBI and an OBP of just .304. But the lone Canadian team extended him, and while he began to put up better numbers after the deal was signed, his play didn't compare to what he did earlier in the decade.
Here is the rub; the Angels overpaid to get decent/good production from a aging player who is not quite living up to his contract. We can't blame the man for the player he has become, nor for living up to such a lofty price tag. At 32, Wells is no spring chicken, and he did have a somewhat bounceback year in 2010. The Angels can realistically expect about a .280 average, with 25-30 dingers, around 35 doubles, and around 90 RBI from him on a yearly basis. These are good numbers, but not worth the $100 million left due on the his contract for the next four seasons. The real problem lies in the resulting Angels' image.
The Angels had missed out on several big name free-agents this off-season already. They sniffed around the Cliff Lee situation, but were never really in the race. They made it painfully aware that they wanted Carl Crawford, but were outbid by the Red Sox. And finally, they missed out on Adrian Beltre, a dynamic third-baseman that they desperately needed, only to see him go to a division rival. The Angels lost out on pretty much everyone they went after this off-season, and in my opinion, they panicked. They already have Torii Hunter in the outfield, who still plays a good center, but who they moved to right so that youngster Peter Bourjos received some playing time. True, outfielders Bobby Abreu left, and Juan Rivera never lived up to everyday starter expectation, but Wells isn't the answer. In fact, Hunter has a better UZR (a sabermetrics fielding statistic) at -3.8 than Wells' -6.4. (Top fielders have around a 5-10) Meanwhile, 1B Kendry Morales is coming back from his leg injury, so he should step back into the middle of the order and be productive, which means that Wells will most likely hit 5th in the lineup.
Why there is a sudden influx of extremely expensive 5th and 6th hole hitters, I don't know. Take Jayson Werth, or the aforementioned Adrian Beltre for instance. These guys are good, but not the guys who make or break a team. Meantime, the kind of money they are receiving is out of whack with their production. What makes the LA/Toronto trade stand out even more is that the Angels departed with Mike Napoli, a good hitting/bad glove 1B/C who over the course of 162 games, can put up similar powers numbers to Wells, at a fraction of the cost. The downside is that with Morales returning, Napoli didn't really have a home, but LA could have traded him to get a cheaper, and more integral piece. So the Angels give away Napoli and Rivera for an incredibly expensive contract, that two years ago most analysis said was 'unmovable'. The Angels can recover from this, and maybe Vernon will help make this team competitive, but as of right now, I think this is one of the dumber moves of the off-season.
You want to hear another dumb move? The Yankees signed Raphael Soriano to a 3-year $35 million deal to be a setup-man behind Mariano Rivera. Soriano has been a setup-man most of his career, and will do so admirably again for the Yanks, I'm sure. But after a 2010 campaign, when he was the best closer in baseball, the Yanks essentially signed him so that no other AL would have him. Mariano Rivera is the best closer ever, and he isn't going anywhere for two more years. The Yankees did need to sure up their bullpen as Kerry Wood left, and Joba Chamberlain can't figure himself out, but to spend $35 million on a setup-man is just gross. Most closers don't make that much money. When Soriano does finally take over the closing role in 2013, he will be 33 years ago. That doesn't mean he won't be able to close games out, but it's not the prime of his career. Maybe the Yankees will have a shutdown tandem for the 8th and 9th inning and I will look foolish for complaining. But once a guy gets a taste of the big time, he usually doesn't want to play second-banana again. Time will tell how Soriano handles his new, old role.
Other recent, note-worthy signings include Jeff Francis starting a reclamation project with the Kansas City Royals; The same Royals also extended under-appreciated 1B Billy Butler for four years at $30 million. Brian Fuentes is solidifying the Oakland Athletics' bullpen in much the same way Soriano is doing for NY, but for 1/3 the cost. The Minnesota Twins brought back Jim Thome and Carl Pavano with highly reasonable deals, and will make that team competitive in the AL Central again. Former Red Sox teammates will be teaming up again in Tampa Bay as the Rays signed both Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez for one-year deals. I don't think either player will offer the production the Rays are looking for, and while I understand the team having to cut payroll because no one comes to their games, I doubt these moves are going to keep Tampa in line with the Beasts of the East. And finally Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds signed a big 3-year $38 million extension after winning his first NL MVP award. Votto will be just 29 when this agreement is over, so look for the Reds to bargain another, more lengthy contract before free-agency comes a-callin' after Mr. Votto in 2014.
While some players say hello to new clubhouses and new teammates, there are a few who are saying goodbye. Gil Meche of the Royals is retiring after 10 seasons of productive pitching. While Meche was never wonderful, he was usually a consistent innings-eater. Injuries the past two years plagued him, and he called it quits even with $12.4 million still owed him on his contract. Meche knew that the time was right though, and said no to the final year and the money. It's rare that a guy has enough class to do something like that, and for that, I applaud you Gil.
Another retirement is a bit more notable, no offense to Mr. Meche. But when you are one of the greatest closers ever, and the first player ever to record 600 saves, you deserve a special goodbye. Although the great Trevor Hoffman isn't quite leaving baseball yet. He is joining the front-office of the San Diego Padres, the team he resided with for 16 seasons. The all-time saves leader with 601, will most likely be a Hall of Famer one day. He was a 7-time All-Star, a 2-time NL saves leader, and his 14 seasons of 30+ saves, and 9 seasons of 40+ saves are the most by any reliever ever. For well over a decade, he was the lone face of the franchise and a gentleman of the game. His presence in the game of baseball will be sorely missed, but his legendary play will live on.
Don't forget to keep a lookout for the upcoming Prediction Special, and maybe even a new segment. What is it you ask? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out. Take care, and thanks for reading everybody.
For starters, the most recent trade that took place between the Los Angeles Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays brought with it a lot of speculation. Toronto has been criticized for some time now for the long-term contract that they gave to center-fielder Vernon Wells back in 2008. This 7-year, $126 million crutch crippled the franchise that has to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in the American League East. I say crippled because while there are lots of expensive deals that weigh teams down, nothing hurts a franchise more than when that players doesn't live up to the terms. In fact, Wells didn't live up to the deal in 2007, before he signed this deal. In that year he batted a meager .245 with 16 homers, 80 RBI and an OBP of just .304. But the lone Canadian team extended him, and while he began to put up better numbers after the deal was signed, his play didn't compare to what he did earlier in the decade.
Here is the rub; the Angels overpaid to get decent/good production from a aging player who is not quite living up to his contract. We can't blame the man for the player he has become, nor for living up to such a lofty price tag. At 32, Wells is no spring chicken, and he did have a somewhat bounceback year in 2010. The Angels can realistically expect about a .280 average, with 25-30 dingers, around 35 doubles, and around 90 RBI from him on a yearly basis. These are good numbers, but not worth the $100 million left due on the his contract for the next four seasons. The real problem lies in the resulting Angels' image.
The Angels had missed out on several big name free-agents this off-season already. They sniffed around the Cliff Lee situation, but were never really in the race. They made it painfully aware that they wanted Carl Crawford, but were outbid by the Red Sox. And finally, they missed out on Adrian Beltre, a dynamic third-baseman that they desperately needed, only to see him go to a division rival. The Angels lost out on pretty much everyone they went after this off-season, and in my opinion, they panicked. They already have Torii Hunter in the outfield, who still plays a good center, but who they moved to right so that youngster Peter Bourjos received some playing time. True, outfielders Bobby Abreu left, and Juan Rivera never lived up to everyday starter expectation, but Wells isn't the answer. In fact, Hunter has a better UZR (a sabermetrics fielding statistic) at -3.8 than Wells' -6.4. (Top fielders have around a 5-10) Meanwhile, 1B Kendry Morales is coming back from his leg injury, so he should step back into the middle of the order and be productive, which means that Wells will most likely hit 5th in the lineup.
Why there is a sudden influx of extremely expensive 5th and 6th hole hitters, I don't know. Take Jayson Werth, or the aforementioned Adrian Beltre for instance. These guys are good, but not the guys who make or break a team. Meantime, the kind of money they are receiving is out of whack with their production. What makes the LA/Toronto trade stand out even more is that the Angels departed with Mike Napoli, a good hitting/bad glove 1B/C who over the course of 162 games, can put up similar powers numbers to Wells, at a fraction of the cost. The downside is that with Morales returning, Napoli didn't really have a home, but LA could have traded him to get a cheaper, and more integral piece. So the Angels give away Napoli and Rivera for an incredibly expensive contract, that two years ago most analysis said was 'unmovable'. The Angels can recover from this, and maybe Vernon will help make this team competitive, but as of right now, I think this is one of the dumber moves of the off-season.
You want to hear another dumb move? The Yankees signed Raphael Soriano to a 3-year $35 million deal to be a setup-man behind Mariano Rivera. Soriano has been a setup-man most of his career, and will do so admirably again for the Yanks, I'm sure. But after a 2010 campaign, when he was the best closer in baseball, the Yanks essentially signed him so that no other AL would have him. Mariano Rivera is the best closer ever, and he isn't going anywhere for two more years. The Yankees did need to sure up their bullpen as Kerry Wood left, and Joba Chamberlain can't figure himself out, but to spend $35 million on a setup-man is just gross. Most closers don't make that much money. When Soriano does finally take over the closing role in 2013, he will be 33 years ago. That doesn't mean he won't be able to close games out, but it's not the prime of his career. Maybe the Yankees will have a shutdown tandem for the 8th and 9th inning and I will look foolish for complaining. But once a guy gets a taste of the big time, he usually doesn't want to play second-banana again. Time will tell how Soriano handles his new, old role.
Other recent, note-worthy signings include Jeff Francis starting a reclamation project with the Kansas City Royals; The same Royals also extended under-appreciated 1B Billy Butler for four years at $30 million. Brian Fuentes is solidifying the Oakland Athletics' bullpen in much the same way Soriano is doing for NY, but for 1/3 the cost. The Minnesota Twins brought back Jim Thome and Carl Pavano with highly reasonable deals, and will make that team competitive in the AL Central again. Former Red Sox teammates will be teaming up again in Tampa Bay as the Rays signed both Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez for one-year deals. I don't think either player will offer the production the Rays are looking for, and while I understand the team having to cut payroll because no one comes to their games, I doubt these moves are going to keep Tampa in line with the Beasts of the East. And finally Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds signed a big 3-year $38 million extension after winning his first NL MVP award. Votto will be just 29 when this agreement is over, so look for the Reds to bargain another, more lengthy contract before free-agency comes a-callin' after Mr. Votto in 2014.
While some players say hello to new clubhouses and new teammates, there are a few who are saying goodbye. Gil Meche of the Royals is retiring after 10 seasons of productive pitching. While Meche was never wonderful, he was usually a consistent innings-eater. Injuries the past two years plagued him, and he called it quits even with $12.4 million still owed him on his contract. Meche knew that the time was right though, and said no to the final year and the money. It's rare that a guy has enough class to do something like that, and for that, I applaud you Gil.
Another retirement is a bit more notable, no offense to Mr. Meche. But when you are one of the greatest closers ever, and the first player ever to record 600 saves, you deserve a special goodbye. Although the great Trevor Hoffman isn't quite leaving baseball yet. He is joining the front-office of the San Diego Padres, the team he resided with for 16 seasons. The all-time saves leader with 601, will most likely be a Hall of Famer one day. He was a 7-time All-Star, a 2-time NL saves leader, and his 14 seasons of 30+ saves, and 9 seasons of 40+ saves are the most by any reliever ever. For well over a decade, he was the lone face of the franchise and a gentleman of the game. His presence in the game of baseball will be sorely missed, but his legendary play will live on.
Don't forget to keep a lookout for the upcoming Prediction Special, and maybe even a new segment. What is it you ask? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out. Take care, and thanks for reading everybody.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Did You Know...?
Strikeouts are an essential part of baseball. It was probably one of the first aspects of baseball first named, as I'm sure many of the first players/inventors struck out quite a bit before getting the hang of the newly spawned sport. Strikeouts are also one of the only statistics that mean a lot to both hitters and pitchers. Hitters fear the stat, while pitchers flaunt it. So with that, in this installment of Did You Know...?, we ask; Do you know who the all-time strikeout hitter is?
You might know the answer already and think this is a stupid or easy question. But when you consider it, it's not all that easy. The person who leads all of Major League Baseball history in strikeouts, had to sustain a lengthy career despite the frustration of constant failure. He therefore probably had to have a big bat to accompany his breezy struggles, just like many great hitters in today's game; such as Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder. Do you have it yet? Well, you might not have figured it, but even with all of these strikeouts, this player was known for his arrogance at the plate. Fortunately for him, he had the goods to back up his big swing, and big mouth. Ladies and gentleman, the all-time strikeout leader in MLB history, is Reggie Jackson.
Failure is part of the game. In fact, it's part of life. As a good hitter, a player will not succeed 70% of the time. But missing out on a hit is not as demoralizing as striking out. Swinging a bat and hitting nothing but air is a portrait in abject embarrassment. Most hitters walk back to the dugout while looking at the ground after such an event. Now I want you to sit back, and imagine doing that 2597 times! That's how many times Reggie Jackson struck out over the course of his 21 seasons. The Hall of Fame right-fielder actually had 13 more Ks than he did hits. Reggie happily took those whiffs, however, because he crushed just about every other ball that he made contact with. With over 1075 extra-base hits in his illustrious career, I doubt Reg cared much about his strikeouts. And when you consider the big swing he took, you can understand how he got all of those Ks.
If you have never seen Reggie Jackson take a swing at a ball, it is a thing of both beauty, and comedy. Reginald swung with such force that he literally twisted himself into the ground, crossing his legs underneath of him, while riding on the sides of his ankles. If he connected, the ball was gone. If the lefty missed, he kind of looked like an idiot. It was kind of 50/50 as to what you were going to get each night. The great thing about Reggie, though, was that he knew when the spotlight was on. He batted a fantastic .327 in his 27 World Series games, and as a Yankee in the 1977 World Series, Reggie gained his nickname Mr. October by blasting three home runs in one game, and hitting five over the course of the series. He was also incredibly quotable. He is known for saying "I didn't come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.", and "I'm the straw that stirs the drink." Like him or hate him, Mr. October was a colorful character.
But he's not the only colorful character on the all-time strikeout list. Oddly enough, it seems as though striking out a lot gives each member on the list a sense of lightened attitude. The second man on the list is still playing, and he just signed a one-year deal to remain the DH of the Minnesota Twins. Jim Thome is also one of the most cheerful characters in the game. While he no longer needs a glove, he can still be seen clowning around with his fellow players, flashing that big smile of his. He is also a tremendous clubhouse influence, probably one of the leading reasons he was brought back to Minnesota. At 39, Big Jim has 2395 Ks, and if he plays for another two years or so, he could potentially pass Jackson, but I doubt that will happen. Thome, like Jackson was, and to a degree, still is a feared homerun hitter that punishes the ball when contact is made. Jim even hit the longest homerun of his career just last year at the new Target Field. But because of that big cut, he tends to miss the near ones. It seems like a traceable pattern for these guys. The weird personalities that go along with it, that's harder to understand.
Sammy Sosa is third on the list with 2306 strikeouts. He was known as a colorful character while he played; even if he seems to have lost some of that pigment in his retirement. He mashed over 600 homers, though, and made it a ritual to run out to right-field at full speed. His jiving homerun celebrations helped lead to a change in today's game, where joviality at home plate has become something of a organized institution. Another guy, Jose Canseco, is fifth on the list with 1942 Ks. They don't get much crazier than Canseco. Maybe it's the steroids going to his head, but Canseco seemed like he was a nutcase during, and after his time in baseball. While going back for a pop fly in the outfield once, a ball actually bounced off of his gargantuan head and over the wall for a homerun. Canseco laughed all the way to the dugout, and then denied that it happened.
Willie Stargell makes an appearance on this list at number six. With 1936 Ks, Pops (as he was called) was one of the most feared power hitters of the late '60s and early '70s. As Baseball-reference.com puts it, "He was the first player to ever hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium, a feat he accomplished twice. He also hit the farthest home run in the history of Three Rivers Stadium and the longest home run recorded at Stade Olympique. Willie Stargell was not only a Hall of Fame slugger, but during his career was frequently called one of the nicest human beings in Major League Baseball." He was also the originator of "Stargell's Stars", the accoutrement on the hideously ugly 1970's uniforms of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The stars were handed out arbitrarily, but they were a nice, personal touch to an outfit that could make a punk-rocker look good.
And to round out my point, whatever it may be, we'll conclude with unlucky number 13 on the list of all-time strikeout kings. Manny Ramirez, Man-Ram, with 1809 Ks could potentially vault all the way up to seventh place by the end of this season. And few come nuttier than Manny. Manny played left-field, kind of. He would wander around out there, talking to people in the stands, occasionally taking a leak in the Green Monster at Fenway Park between innings, and growing his dreadlocks so long that he almost had the governor of California trying to kill him. He was also one of the greatest hitters ever. I say was, because the past two years haven't been as kind to poor Manny, and unless he has a bounce-back year, which is tough to do at 38, this will probably be his last hoorah. But he usually had a smile to go with his crazy antics, like not playing hard because the team he was on didn't deserve him. You know, normal stuff like that.
So maybe there is something to this. Maybe swinging the bat so hard and missing actually loosens the brain from the skull and knocks some cells loose. It could be possible that striking out so often is like headbanging, or getting multiple concussions. Maybe it makes you funny, but not in a "Haha" way. Or maybe it doesn't do anything at all, and it's just a coincidence that the guys who struck out the most had the sense of humor enough to deal with it and move on, and often have a better career because of it. Perhaps we can learn something from this, and that is not to take yourself so damn seriously. After all, if we've learned anything from the first decade of the 21st century, it's to ask, "Why so serious?"
You might know the answer already and think this is a stupid or easy question. But when you consider it, it's not all that easy. The person who leads all of Major League Baseball history in strikeouts, had to sustain a lengthy career despite the frustration of constant failure. He therefore probably had to have a big bat to accompany his breezy struggles, just like many great hitters in today's game; such as Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder. Do you have it yet? Well, you might not have figured it, but even with all of these strikeouts, this player was known for his arrogance at the plate. Fortunately for him, he had the goods to back up his big swing, and big mouth. Ladies and gentleman, the all-time strikeout leader in MLB history, is Reggie Jackson.
Failure is part of the game. In fact, it's part of life. As a good hitter, a player will not succeed 70% of the time. But missing out on a hit is not as demoralizing as striking out. Swinging a bat and hitting nothing but air is a portrait in abject embarrassment. Most hitters walk back to the dugout while looking at the ground after such an event. Now I want you to sit back, and imagine doing that 2597 times! That's how many times Reggie Jackson struck out over the course of his 21 seasons. The Hall of Fame right-fielder actually had 13 more Ks than he did hits. Reggie happily took those whiffs, however, because he crushed just about every other ball that he made contact with. With over 1075 extra-base hits in his illustrious career, I doubt Reg cared much about his strikeouts. And when you consider the big swing he took, you can understand how he got all of those Ks.
If you have never seen Reggie Jackson take a swing at a ball, it is a thing of both beauty, and comedy. Reginald swung with such force that he literally twisted himself into the ground, crossing his legs underneath of him, while riding on the sides of his ankles. If he connected, the ball was gone. If the lefty missed, he kind of looked like an idiot. It was kind of 50/50 as to what you were going to get each night. The great thing about Reggie, though, was that he knew when the spotlight was on. He batted a fantastic .327 in his 27 World Series games, and as a Yankee in the 1977 World Series, Reggie gained his nickname Mr. October by blasting three home runs in one game, and hitting five over the course of the series. He was also incredibly quotable. He is known for saying "I didn't come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.", and "I'm the straw that stirs the drink." Like him or hate him, Mr. October was a colorful character.
But he's not the only colorful character on the all-time strikeout list. Oddly enough, it seems as though striking out a lot gives each member on the list a sense of lightened attitude. The second man on the list is still playing, and he just signed a one-year deal to remain the DH of the Minnesota Twins. Jim Thome is also one of the most cheerful characters in the game. While he no longer needs a glove, he can still be seen clowning around with his fellow players, flashing that big smile of his. He is also a tremendous clubhouse influence, probably one of the leading reasons he was brought back to Minnesota. At 39, Big Jim has 2395 Ks, and if he plays for another two years or so, he could potentially pass Jackson, but I doubt that will happen. Thome, like Jackson was, and to a degree, still is a feared homerun hitter that punishes the ball when contact is made. Jim even hit the longest homerun of his career just last year at the new Target Field. But because of that big cut, he tends to miss the near ones. It seems like a traceable pattern for these guys. The weird personalities that go along with it, that's harder to understand.
Sammy Sosa is third on the list with 2306 strikeouts. He was known as a colorful character while he played; even if he seems to have lost some of that pigment in his retirement. He mashed over 600 homers, though, and made it a ritual to run out to right-field at full speed. His jiving homerun celebrations helped lead to a change in today's game, where joviality at home plate has become something of a organized institution. Another guy, Jose Canseco, is fifth on the list with 1942 Ks. They don't get much crazier than Canseco. Maybe it's the steroids going to his head, but Canseco seemed like he was a nutcase during, and after his time in baseball. While going back for a pop fly in the outfield once, a ball actually bounced off of his gargantuan head and over the wall for a homerun. Canseco laughed all the way to the dugout, and then denied that it happened.
Willie Stargell makes an appearance on this list at number six. With 1936 Ks, Pops (as he was called) was one of the most feared power hitters of the late '60s and early '70s. As Baseball-reference.com puts it, "He was the first player to ever hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium, a feat he accomplished twice. He also hit the farthest home run in the history of Three Rivers Stadium and the longest home run recorded at Stade Olympique. Willie Stargell was not only a Hall of Fame slugger, but during his career was frequently called one of the nicest human beings in Major League Baseball." He was also the originator of "Stargell's Stars", the accoutrement on the hideously ugly 1970's uniforms of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The stars were handed out arbitrarily, but they were a nice, personal touch to an outfit that could make a punk-rocker look good.
And to round out my point, whatever it may be, we'll conclude with unlucky number 13 on the list of all-time strikeout kings. Manny Ramirez, Man-Ram, with 1809 Ks could potentially vault all the way up to seventh place by the end of this season. And few come nuttier than Manny. Manny played left-field, kind of. He would wander around out there, talking to people in the stands, occasionally taking a leak in the Green Monster at Fenway Park between innings, and growing his dreadlocks so long that he almost had the governor of California trying to kill him. He was also one of the greatest hitters ever. I say was, because the past two years haven't been as kind to poor Manny, and unless he has a bounce-back year, which is tough to do at 38, this will probably be his last hoorah. But he usually had a smile to go with his crazy antics, like not playing hard because the team he was on didn't deserve him. You know, normal stuff like that.
So maybe there is something to this. Maybe swinging the bat so hard and missing actually loosens the brain from the skull and knocks some cells loose. It could be possible that striking out so often is like headbanging, or getting multiple concussions. Maybe it makes you funny, but not in a "Haha" way. Or maybe it doesn't do anything at all, and it's just a coincidence that the guys who struck out the most had the sense of humor enough to deal with it and move on, and often have a better career because of it. Perhaps we can learn something from this, and that is not to take yourself so damn seriously. After all, if we've learned anything from the first decade of the 21st century, it's to ask, "Why so serious?"
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Noah's Arc
Baseball is a small part of life. While I and many other people love the sport, it is really nothing more than a distraction from the rigors of life. Some may take it much more seriously, but in the end, it is simply a game. The terrible events that took place this weekend in Tuscon, Arizona are a sober reminder of just how insignificant some things can be, including baseball. At the same time, though, the historic game is important because it does distract us. We need distraction once in a while from the things in life that get us down. As I write this, there are still bad people and bad things happening in the world. But for about five or ten minutes, let us think on something a little happier, shall we?
Retiring is a tough thing for any professional athlete to do. It means that all of his/her hard work, from childhood on, is now completed. For some it might be a relief, while for others it might be painful. Many players continue to support their recreation by becoming analysts, front-office members, and even owners. A few go on to manage. But there comes a second retirement for these individuals, as age and other commitments force them to draw a close to sport ties. For four incredible men, this second retirement has come, and for all they have given to the great sport of baseball, we will take a look at their incredible careers. I speak, of course, of Cito Gaston, Joe Torre, Lou Piniella, and Bobby Cox.
Cito Gaston was a decent player over the course of his career. For 11 years, he played multiple outfield positions for the Braves, Padres, and Pirates. But besides one great year in 1970, Cito failed to make a career out of playing everyday. He retired as a player in 1978 before returning as a manager in 1989 for the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first year as a manager, Gaston turned the last-place Jays into a AL East division winner. That team eventually lost the ALCS to the Athletics, but it was not the last time Gaston would know success.
Cito Gaston's team finished second the next year, returned to the ALCS in 1991, and finally reached the ultimate goal in 1992, by beating Bobby Cox's Atlanta Braves to win the World Series. He was the first black manager to accomplish that feat. Gaston was not done, as he guided his team to a repeat performance in 1993, by beating the Philadelphia Phillies in one of the most dramatic World Series ever. The success was somewhat short-lived though, as the Baltimore Orioles stole some thunder from the Blue Jays, and the resurgence of both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox completely clipped the Jays' wings. The Blue Jays would settle into a bottom-of-the-division routine, and Gaston would eventually be replaced in 1997.
Strangely, Gaston was never able to find work coaching another team. Perhaps it was partly his choice, but for a manager to have two World Series victories under his belt and not be offered another position is odd. Rumors swirled that Gaston didn't know how to manage his players, and sometimes those types of rumors, whatever the level of truth, can kill a career. Gaston's career was not killed, and he returned to the Blue Jays in 2008 for a three-year stint in which he finished 4th ever year, but with the team showing much improvement in 2010. His retirement is one that cuts short a managing career that lasted only 12 years, but was highlighted by two WS rings. Gaston was a quiet man who probably deserved more recognition during his time as a coach. He had a heck of a run though, and for all of his successes, we shall congratulate him.
Another manager got loads more credit and acclaim, perhaps a little undeserved. I know you won't like me saying this about such a legendary coach, but I'm speaking of Joe Torre. Unlike Gaston, Torre was a great player. He was a mainstay behind the plate for the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta, and later converted to 1B/3B for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. He won his 1971 MVP award while playing third for the Cards, was an All-Star nine times, and was even a Rookie of the Year runner-up in 1960. His play never got him into the Hall of Fame, but his managing career most likely will.
No one would have thought that at the beginning of Joe's managing life, however. Torre first managed the Mets, and from 1977 (he was a player/manager in '77) until 1981, he never won more than 70 games. When he was hired by the Atlanta Braves in 1982, he instantly won a division title, but got worse each year, and was fired after the 1984 season. He became a broadcaster for the California Angels until he returned to managing the Cardinals from 1990 until 1995. Over that span, he improved his coaching style, but was never great.
Many fans and commentators were thus rightfully worried when George Steinbrenner picked Joe Torre to take over the New York Yankees in 1996. All he did was win 92 games and bring home the first World Series for the Yanks in 18 years. He constantly repeated his success in New York, winning 94 games or better all 12 years he was there, and winning more than 100 games four times. He brought the team back to World Series victory in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Yankees went back to the WS in both 2001 and 2003, but were defeated in both contests. After a heated 2007 off-season in which Torre claims his offered salary was insulting, he went to L.A. to manage the Dodgers until this year. While somewhat successful in L.A., 2010 proved a down year as the Dodgers finished fourth and Torre retired.
So you are probably asking why I said earlier that Torre may not deserve all of his praise. The answer lies in New York. His greatest years were marked by Hall of Fame caliber players at the prime of their careers. It's not too hard to win with such talent around. Not to mention that the Yankees had a seemingly endless bank account to purchase star free-agents to bolster the roster. It's true that it takes a patient leader to corral such talents into a cohesive team, but look no further than the 1977 Yankees to see that sometimes team chemistry doesn't matter, and talent alone can win a championship. It's rare, and I don't like that mentality, but sometimes it proves true. I rank Joe Torre right up there with Phil Jackson in basketball. Both are talented men, who knew how to sit back and let their unbelievably gifted players do what they do. They are not great masterminds of the game, but good coaches, and ver lucky men.
Sweet Lou Piniella was no genius either. He was a good player for the Orioles, Indians, Royals and eventually the Yankees. Over his 18 year career, he was very serviceable and helped the '77 and '78 Yankees win two World Series Championships. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1969 for the Royals and was an All-Star in 1972. He helped clubs win, but was never a star. As a manger though, Lou was a fireball and a great motivator. Sometimes he motivated a player to tackle him into a locker, but at least he motivated, right?
Over 24 years as a coach, Piniella led the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Devil Rays and Cubbies. His passion often led his teams on an up-and-down rollercoaster. He won the 1990 World Series with the Reds, but the next year the team finished under .500. With the Seattle Mariners, he won 79 games in 1999, 91 games in 2000, and a ridiculous 116 games in 2001, the best record ever for a 162-game season. The team faltered in the playoffs though, eventually losing in the ALCS, and two years later Lou was on his way. His time in Tampa and Chicago were met with mostly tough times and high drama as he clashed with players even as he tried to calm his temper.
Sweet Lou is probably best known for his tirades that often were caught on camera. He would thrown bases, yell and sometimes fight with players, and get in umpires' faces on a regular basis. For his passion about the game, Lou sometimes had a bad reputation, but he was never dull, and even was a draw factor for fans. He retired in 2010 early because he had to take care of his sick mother, which proves that while Lou knew how to piss people off, he was really a sweet guy underneath it all.
Our last, and possibly most successful manager, was by far the least successful player. Robert Cox played just two years, 1968-1969 for the Yankees. (There is a theme of Braves and Yankees here that I didn't know about.) What Bobby lacked in playing talent though, he more than made up for as a manager. He finally became a head coach in 1978 for the Braves, but in his first stint in Atlanta he finished over .500 once in four years. Bobby moved over to the American League in 1982 to manage the Blue Jays (another connection, weird!) until '85. He had much more success in Canada, improving the team each year, and finished first in his final year there.
But Bobby returned to Atlanta in 1986 as general manager, and took over team management in 1990. In his first full year with the team, he led the 1991 Braves to a division title which they would relinquish once over the next 15 years. The Bravos would win 5 NL pennants and 1 World Series Championship over the next nine seasons and Bobby would continue to nurture new and veteran talent in his typical "players' manager" style. Umpires knew not to get on Bobby's bad side though, as over the course of his career he was ejected a unheard-of 158 times, (plus three post-season ejections) which is 27 times more than the legendary John McGraw. Sometimes, though, it seemed like Cox's reputation proceeded him as he was barely out of the dugout before an ump threw him out. Bobby wasn't the most rambunctious man either, so either he really had a foul mouth around home plate, or the men in black just really hated him arguing balls and strikes constantly. In either case, it was fun to watch.
So who is the best manager out of the four? Well, that might be impossible to answer. Cox won 4 Manager of the Year awards ('85, '91, '04, '05), Torre won 2 ('96, '98), and Piniella won 3 ('95, '01, '08). Gaston and Torre both won back-to-back World Series, with Torre making it a three-peat. Each man has wonderful credentials, but can you judge these men by on-field success alone? Gaston and Torre seemed like laid-back delegates, while Piniella and Cox were a little more volatile. Piniella was up-and-down, but Torre was consistent. Torre had many advantages, Gaston didn't. All of these men were good at what they did, in their own way. If I had to choose who I would want to manage my club, I'd probably have to go with Cox because he knew how to win for more than a decade. But that's just my opinion and what I want out of a manager. Maybe you'd pick somebody else, and that's ok.
These men are a part of something bigger. They are just one piece of the giant arc of baseball history. They will be remembered for years for their service, and rightfully so. And I hope, that at least for a few minutes, you were able to come with me on a journey of appreciation and distraction.
Retiring is a tough thing for any professional athlete to do. It means that all of his/her hard work, from childhood on, is now completed. For some it might be a relief, while for others it might be painful. Many players continue to support their recreation by becoming analysts, front-office members, and even owners. A few go on to manage. But there comes a second retirement for these individuals, as age and other commitments force them to draw a close to sport ties. For four incredible men, this second retirement has come, and for all they have given to the great sport of baseball, we will take a look at their incredible careers. I speak, of course, of Cito Gaston, Joe Torre, Lou Piniella, and Bobby Cox.
Cito Gaston was a decent player over the course of his career. For 11 years, he played multiple outfield positions for the Braves, Padres, and Pirates. But besides one great year in 1970, Cito failed to make a career out of playing everyday. He retired as a player in 1978 before returning as a manager in 1989 for the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first year as a manager, Gaston turned the last-place Jays into a AL East division winner. That team eventually lost the ALCS to the Athletics, but it was not the last time Gaston would know success.
Cito Gaston's team finished second the next year, returned to the ALCS in 1991, and finally reached the ultimate goal in 1992, by beating Bobby Cox's Atlanta Braves to win the World Series. He was the first black manager to accomplish that feat. Gaston was not done, as he guided his team to a repeat performance in 1993, by beating the Philadelphia Phillies in one of the most dramatic World Series ever. The success was somewhat short-lived though, as the Baltimore Orioles stole some thunder from the Blue Jays, and the resurgence of both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox completely clipped the Jays' wings. The Blue Jays would settle into a bottom-of-the-division routine, and Gaston would eventually be replaced in 1997.
Strangely, Gaston was never able to find work coaching another team. Perhaps it was partly his choice, but for a manager to have two World Series victories under his belt and not be offered another position is odd. Rumors swirled that Gaston didn't know how to manage his players, and sometimes those types of rumors, whatever the level of truth, can kill a career. Gaston's career was not killed, and he returned to the Blue Jays in 2008 for a three-year stint in which he finished 4th ever year, but with the team showing much improvement in 2010. His retirement is one that cuts short a managing career that lasted only 12 years, but was highlighted by two WS rings. Gaston was a quiet man who probably deserved more recognition during his time as a coach. He had a heck of a run though, and for all of his successes, we shall congratulate him.
Another manager got loads more credit and acclaim, perhaps a little undeserved. I know you won't like me saying this about such a legendary coach, but I'm speaking of Joe Torre. Unlike Gaston, Torre was a great player. He was a mainstay behind the plate for the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta, and later converted to 1B/3B for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. He won his 1971 MVP award while playing third for the Cards, was an All-Star nine times, and was even a Rookie of the Year runner-up in 1960. His play never got him into the Hall of Fame, but his managing career most likely will.
No one would have thought that at the beginning of Joe's managing life, however. Torre first managed the Mets, and from 1977 (he was a player/manager in '77) until 1981, he never won more than 70 games. When he was hired by the Atlanta Braves in 1982, he instantly won a division title, but got worse each year, and was fired after the 1984 season. He became a broadcaster for the California Angels until he returned to managing the Cardinals from 1990 until 1995. Over that span, he improved his coaching style, but was never great.
Many fans and commentators were thus rightfully worried when George Steinbrenner picked Joe Torre to take over the New York Yankees in 1996. All he did was win 92 games and bring home the first World Series for the Yanks in 18 years. He constantly repeated his success in New York, winning 94 games or better all 12 years he was there, and winning more than 100 games four times. He brought the team back to World Series victory in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Yankees went back to the WS in both 2001 and 2003, but were defeated in both contests. After a heated 2007 off-season in which Torre claims his offered salary was insulting, he went to L.A. to manage the Dodgers until this year. While somewhat successful in L.A., 2010 proved a down year as the Dodgers finished fourth and Torre retired.
So you are probably asking why I said earlier that Torre may not deserve all of his praise. The answer lies in New York. His greatest years were marked by Hall of Fame caliber players at the prime of their careers. It's not too hard to win with such talent around. Not to mention that the Yankees had a seemingly endless bank account to purchase star free-agents to bolster the roster. It's true that it takes a patient leader to corral such talents into a cohesive team, but look no further than the 1977 Yankees to see that sometimes team chemistry doesn't matter, and talent alone can win a championship. It's rare, and I don't like that mentality, but sometimes it proves true. I rank Joe Torre right up there with Phil Jackson in basketball. Both are talented men, who knew how to sit back and let their unbelievably gifted players do what they do. They are not great masterminds of the game, but good coaches, and ver lucky men.
Sweet Lou Piniella was no genius either. He was a good player for the Orioles, Indians, Royals and eventually the Yankees. Over his 18 year career, he was very serviceable and helped the '77 and '78 Yankees win two World Series Championships. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1969 for the Royals and was an All-Star in 1972. He helped clubs win, but was never a star. As a manger though, Lou was a fireball and a great motivator. Sometimes he motivated a player to tackle him into a locker, but at least he motivated, right?
Over 24 years as a coach, Piniella led the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Devil Rays and Cubbies. His passion often led his teams on an up-and-down rollercoaster. He won the 1990 World Series with the Reds, but the next year the team finished under .500. With the Seattle Mariners, he won 79 games in 1999, 91 games in 2000, and a ridiculous 116 games in 2001, the best record ever for a 162-game season. The team faltered in the playoffs though, eventually losing in the ALCS, and two years later Lou was on his way. His time in Tampa and Chicago were met with mostly tough times and high drama as he clashed with players even as he tried to calm his temper.
Sweet Lou is probably best known for his tirades that often were caught on camera. He would thrown bases, yell and sometimes fight with players, and get in umpires' faces on a regular basis. For his passion about the game, Lou sometimes had a bad reputation, but he was never dull, and even was a draw factor for fans. He retired in 2010 early because he had to take care of his sick mother, which proves that while Lou knew how to piss people off, he was really a sweet guy underneath it all.
Our last, and possibly most successful manager, was by far the least successful player. Robert Cox played just two years, 1968-1969 for the Yankees. (There is a theme of Braves and Yankees here that I didn't know about.) What Bobby lacked in playing talent though, he more than made up for as a manager. He finally became a head coach in 1978 for the Braves, but in his first stint in Atlanta he finished over .500 once in four years. Bobby moved over to the American League in 1982 to manage the Blue Jays (another connection, weird!) until '85. He had much more success in Canada, improving the team each year, and finished first in his final year there.
But Bobby returned to Atlanta in 1986 as general manager, and took over team management in 1990. In his first full year with the team, he led the 1991 Braves to a division title which they would relinquish once over the next 15 years. The Bravos would win 5 NL pennants and 1 World Series Championship over the next nine seasons and Bobby would continue to nurture new and veteran talent in his typical "players' manager" style. Umpires knew not to get on Bobby's bad side though, as over the course of his career he was ejected a unheard-of 158 times, (plus three post-season ejections) which is 27 times more than the legendary John McGraw. Sometimes, though, it seemed like Cox's reputation proceeded him as he was barely out of the dugout before an ump threw him out. Bobby wasn't the most rambunctious man either, so either he really had a foul mouth around home plate, or the men in black just really hated him arguing balls and strikes constantly. In either case, it was fun to watch.
So who is the best manager out of the four? Well, that might be impossible to answer. Cox won 4 Manager of the Year awards ('85, '91, '04, '05), Torre won 2 ('96, '98), and Piniella won 3 ('95, '01, '08). Gaston and Torre both won back-to-back World Series, with Torre making it a three-peat. Each man has wonderful credentials, but can you judge these men by on-field success alone? Gaston and Torre seemed like laid-back delegates, while Piniella and Cox were a little more volatile. Piniella was up-and-down, but Torre was consistent. Torre had many advantages, Gaston didn't. All of these men were good at what they did, in their own way. If I had to choose who I would want to manage my club, I'd probably have to go with Cox because he knew how to win for more than a decade. But that's just my opinion and what I want out of a manager. Maybe you'd pick somebody else, and that's ok.
These men are a part of something bigger. They are just one piece of the giant arc of baseball history. They will be remembered for years for their service, and rightfully so. And I hope, that at least for a few minutes, you were able to come with me on a journey of appreciation and distraction.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Tex Message
Often when a team gets a whiff of the sweet, sweet post-season, they do whatever they can to improve their chances of returning. Sometimes they stock up on more pitching or hitting, to secure that playoff berth the following year. Other times teams are content to just try again with the same group that got them to the playoffs in the first place. And sometimes, you get a team like the Texas Rangers, who had a pretty awesome team to begin with, but with the loss of Cliff Lee, decided to try and fix things in an unorthodox manner.
Namely, the Rangers are trying to make up for the loss of an ace pitcher by getting another bat, and another All-Star 3B. Whhaaa? Yeah, instead of adding depth and security to the rotation, the Rangers saw to it to grab 3B Adrian Beltre off the market. This is good and bad at the same time. It's good because they stole yet another major player away from the AL West division rival Los Angeles Angels, who have now had one of the most demoralizing off-seasons I have ever seen. Apparently nobody wants to play there. This pickup also solidifies the Rangers' infield defense and adds another potent bat to an already extremely potent lineup.
However, the loss of an ace-caliber pitcher is nothing to sneeze at. While the Rangers have signed reclamation-project Brandon Webb, who hasn't pitched in almost two full years, they are now without an anchor in the rotation. Neftali Feliz, the AL Rookie of the Year, and dynamite closer, might have to swing back to his starting role that he had been accustomed to before coming up to the majors. Does that mean the Rangers will go out and spend even more to get Raphael Soriano, the only solid closer still on the market? Meanwhile, other pitchers, maybe C.J. Wilson, will have to step into an #1 role, something not every guy can do with ease.
And there is another question about this signing. Is Beltre worth it? I know I'm in the minority here, but I have to say no. Beltre has signed a 5-year, $80 million deal, with a sixth-year extension that is easily attainable, making this essentially 6-years at $96 million. For $16 million a year, he better produce consistently like he did last year for the Boston Red Sox when he crushed 28 homers, hit .321, drove in 102 runs, collect 49 doubles, and had an OPS (On-base % + Slugging %) of .919. But quite frankly, he won't do it. Mainly because consistence is not something Beltre is known for.
He is a great defender, having won two Gold Gloves in his career, so he will help the team improve there. But Beltre has had two great seasons, the year his contract was up in 2004, and last year, when he only had a one year deal in place. In both of those years he hit over .320 and showed very good power. Every other season, his average is about a .265, which is a huge drop-off. His homerun totals average around mid to high-20s per year, which is good. He is not a clean-up hitter, though, which some analysts have placed him as being for Texas. What he is, is a great defender with some pop, who is best suited in the 5 or 6 hole in the lineup. And $16 million a year is a bit much to pay for that. But Jayson Werth is about the same thing, and he got over $100 million, so what the hell do I know about it.
The other major issue here is what does Texas do with their other $16 million a season third-baseman, Michael Young. Young is just two years older than Beltre, and while not quite as adept at third-base, he was no slouch. He is also the face of the franchise. Since 2003, he has averaged almost 100 runs, .300 at the plate, about 90 RBI, and 200 hits per season. He is a great on-base guy, and a club-house leader, and has moved from 2B to SS to 3B when asked. He is such a team-player that he even offered to move out of third-base so that Beltre could come in. But now the face of your franchise is what, a DH (many players struggle to switch from everyday player to designated hitter), or a utility-player? This isn't so much a question of whether Young can perform where he is placed, as I'm sure he will. However, from a fan-base viewpoint, it's a bad image. A consistent leader and producer is being pushed out, and that is supposed to make you team better? I guess it doesn't matter in the end, as long as the move helps Texas get back to the World Series. I just don't think this signing makes that quest any easier.
There have been some other recent signings of late, too. Adam LaRoche inked a deal with the Washington Nationals worth $15 million over two years. LaRoche is your prototypical first-baseman. He hits around .265, can drive in around 90 runs, and blast somewhere between 25-35 bombs. He isn't going to win a Gold Glove and isn't going to set the world on fire with his play, but he is reliable and plays just about every single day. He will be a welcome asset to a Nationals infield that struggled with routine plays last year, no thanks to Adam Dunn and his Big Donkey hoof at first.
Carlos Gonzalez isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The 2010 MVP-candidate signed a 7-year, $80 million extension with the Colorado Rockies and became the second huge extension for the team this off-season. With Cargo and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki now locked up long-term, the Rockies are a force to be reckoned with in the NL West. If they can add another solid pitcher to accompany Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge Del La Rosa, this could become a perennial playoff franchise.
The Atlanta Braves also locked up a franchise-type player in their new acquisition, Dan Uggla. Uggla came over in a trade from the Marlins early in the off-season and a long-term deal was the main focus of discussion immediately following. Uggla scoffed at every offer the Marlins made over the past couple of years, and instead signed with the Braves for 5-years at $62 million. Uggla, who is coming off a career-best season in 2010, will be a middle-of-the-order cornerstone while young Jason Heyward acclimates to being a likely number 3 hitter.
Signings weren't the only thing going on. A good 'ol fashioned baseball trade happened the other day as the Chicago Cubs sent a whole bunch of prospects over to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Matt Garza and a backup outfielder. Garza had his best season in 2010, winning 15 games and pitching over 200 innings for the second straight year. Tampa could afford to get rid of him as they have a rotation full of young, talented arms, and more in the farm system. Chicago added to their depth, but are a little crowded now with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Silva, and Randy Wells all taking up a rotation spot. All of these guys, except possibly Dempster, are on the hot-seat as far as being moved or bumped to the pen as none of them lived up to expectations in '10. Zambrano came back with a vengeance after his team-suspension, but he is always a head-case, and could be traded to move funds, and to get rid of a clubhouse menace.
Carl Pavano is in talks to return to Minnesota and remain the Twins' ace, but nothing is done yet. I'll keep you abreast of that situation. Most big free-agents are now taken though, with the exception of the aforementioned Soriano. Derek Lee and Kevin Gregg both found a home in Baltimore. And the Reds signed World Series MVP Edgar Renteria to a one-year deal. It's slim pickings for most clubs now as most pitchers out there are coming off injuries, or are destined for the bullpen. And the big bats are pretty much all gone. Big trades are always a possibility, but with so much young talent coming up these past few years, it seems as though most clubs want to hold on to their guys instead of shipping them away for veterans. So things are rounding into shape for the 2011 season.
Which means....the second annual Prediction Special will be coming soon! Soon as in a month or so, but still soon. And if predictions are around the corner, you know it's getting close to baseball season. Ohhhh boy! "The suspense is terrible. I hope it lasts."
Namely, the Rangers are trying to make up for the loss of an ace pitcher by getting another bat, and another All-Star 3B. Whhaaa? Yeah, instead of adding depth and security to the rotation, the Rangers saw to it to grab 3B Adrian Beltre off the market. This is good and bad at the same time. It's good because they stole yet another major player away from the AL West division rival Los Angeles Angels, who have now had one of the most demoralizing off-seasons I have ever seen. Apparently nobody wants to play there. This pickup also solidifies the Rangers' infield defense and adds another potent bat to an already extremely potent lineup.
However, the loss of an ace-caliber pitcher is nothing to sneeze at. While the Rangers have signed reclamation-project Brandon Webb, who hasn't pitched in almost two full years, they are now without an anchor in the rotation. Neftali Feliz, the AL Rookie of the Year, and dynamite closer, might have to swing back to his starting role that he had been accustomed to before coming up to the majors. Does that mean the Rangers will go out and spend even more to get Raphael Soriano, the only solid closer still on the market? Meanwhile, other pitchers, maybe C.J. Wilson, will have to step into an #1 role, something not every guy can do with ease.
And there is another question about this signing. Is Beltre worth it? I know I'm in the minority here, but I have to say no. Beltre has signed a 5-year, $80 million deal, with a sixth-year extension that is easily attainable, making this essentially 6-years at $96 million. For $16 million a year, he better produce consistently like he did last year for the Boston Red Sox when he crushed 28 homers, hit .321, drove in 102 runs, collect 49 doubles, and had an OPS (On-base % + Slugging %) of .919. But quite frankly, he won't do it. Mainly because consistence is not something Beltre is known for.
He is a great defender, having won two Gold Gloves in his career, so he will help the team improve there. But Beltre has had two great seasons, the year his contract was up in 2004, and last year, when he only had a one year deal in place. In both of those years he hit over .320 and showed very good power. Every other season, his average is about a .265, which is a huge drop-off. His homerun totals average around mid to high-20s per year, which is good. He is not a clean-up hitter, though, which some analysts have placed him as being for Texas. What he is, is a great defender with some pop, who is best suited in the 5 or 6 hole in the lineup. And $16 million a year is a bit much to pay for that. But Jayson Werth is about the same thing, and he got over $100 million, so what the hell do I know about it.
The other major issue here is what does Texas do with their other $16 million a season third-baseman, Michael Young. Young is just two years older than Beltre, and while not quite as adept at third-base, he was no slouch. He is also the face of the franchise. Since 2003, he has averaged almost 100 runs, .300 at the plate, about 90 RBI, and 200 hits per season. He is a great on-base guy, and a club-house leader, and has moved from 2B to SS to 3B when asked. He is such a team-player that he even offered to move out of third-base so that Beltre could come in. But now the face of your franchise is what, a DH (many players struggle to switch from everyday player to designated hitter), or a utility-player? This isn't so much a question of whether Young can perform where he is placed, as I'm sure he will. However, from a fan-base viewpoint, it's a bad image. A consistent leader and producer is being pushed out, and that is supposed to make you team better? I guess it doesn't matter in the end, as long as the move helps Texas get back to the World Series. I just don't think this signing makes that quest any easier.
There have been some other recent signings of late, too. Adam LaRoche inked a deal with the Washington Nationals worth $15 million over two years. LaRoche is your prototypical first-baseman. He hits around .265, can drive in around 90 runs, and blast somewhere between 25-35 bombs. He isn't going to win a Gold Glove and isn't going to set the world on fire with his play, but he is reliable and plays just about every single day. He will be a welcome asset to a Nationals infield that struggled with routine plays last year, no thanks to Adam Dunn and his Big Donkey hoof at first.
Carlos Gonzalez isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The 2010 MVP-candidate signed a 7-year, $80 million extension with the Colorado Rockies and became the second huge extension for the team this off-season. With Cargo and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki now locked up long-term, the Rockies are a force to be reckoned with in the NL West. If they can add another solid pitcher to accompany Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge Del La Rosa, this could become a perennial playoff franchise.
The Atlanta Braves also locked up a franchise-type player in their new acquisition, Dan Uggla. Uggla came over in a trade from the Marlins early in the off-season and a long-term deal was the main focus of discussion immediately following. Uggla scoffed at every offer the Marlins made over the past couple of years, and instead signed with the Braves for 5-years at $62 million. Uggla, who is coming off a career-best season in 2010, will be a middle-of-the-order cornerstone while young Jason Heyward acclimates to being a likely number 3 hitter.
Signings weren't the only thing going on. A good 'ol fashioned baseball trade happened the other day as the Chicago Cubs sent a whole bunch of prospects over to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Matt Garza and a backup outfielder. Garza had his best season in 2010, winning 15 games and pitching over 200 innings for the second straight year. Tampa could afford to get rid of him as they have a rotation full of young, talented arms, and more in the farm system. Chicago added to their depth, but are a little crowded now with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Silva, and Randy Wells all taking up a rotation spot. All of these guys, except possibly Dempster, are on the hot-seat as far as being moved or bumped to the pen as none of them lived up to expectations in '10. Zambrano came back with a vengeance after his team-suspension, but he is always a head-case, and could be traded to move funds, and to get rid of a clubhouse menace.
Carl Pavano is in talks to return to Minnesota and remain the Twins' ace, but nothing is done yet. I'll keep you abreast of that situation. Most big free-agents are now taken though, with the exception of the aforementioned Soriano. Derek Lee and Kevin Gregg both found a home in Baltimore. And the Reds signed World Series MVP Edgar Renteria to a one-year deal. It's slim pickings for most clubs now as most pitchers out there are coming off injuries, or are destined for the bullpen. And the big bats are pretty much all gone. Big trades are always a possibility, but with so much young talent coming up these past few years, it seems as though most clubs want to hold on to their guys instead of shipping them away for veterans. So things are rounding into shape for the 2011 season.
Which means....the second annual Prediction Special will be coming soon! Soon as in a month or so, but still soon. And if predictions are around the corner, you know it's getting close to baseball season. Ohhhh boy! "The suspense is terrible. I hope it lasts."
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Small Haul for Hall
I trust that you all had a very nice holiday season. Before you get all down about the holidays being over and no vacation days coming up soon, don't fret. It's only two and a half months until pitchers and catcher report! Until then though, we have lots to talk about, including the recent Hall of Fame voting that took place yesterday. So without further ado, here comes the first blog of 2011.
I mentioned in a prior post that General Manager Pat Gillick had already been elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee back on Dec. 6th. Now the players had their shot at immortality. Two wonderfully talented men joined the ranks of the elite on Wednesday; Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven. Alomar got in on his second try, but for Blyleven, this was his 14th attempt. Bert just squeaked by the required 75% votes, but Alomar breezed in with 90%. Both men are deserving of such high acclaim. Why you ask? Well, I shall tell you.
First, let us discuss Mr. Alomar. How does 12 All-Star selections in a row grab you? Not impressed? Well, he did win 10 Gold Glove awards, the most ever for a second-baseman and was daring and steadfast at 2B. You're still not convinced? Yeah, but he won 4 Silver Slugger awards and finished in the MVP top ten 5 times! Who cares, say you. Well, you are an idiot. No you are! Oh, pardon me, I was having a little battle with myself there. You see, I was one of the few baseball fans on this planet who didn't appreciate the Hall of Fame career Mr. Alomar had. This was because as a New York Mets fan in the early '00s, I saw Roberto come to my favorite team, and stink it up, only to be traded away. I never saw, nor appreciated how good he was before then. What I missed, was a whole heck of a lot.
As I have said many times in this blog, I don't know everything about baseball. There are lots of players, and statistics I don't fully appreciate. So I am embarrassed to say that I didn't really know much about Roberto Alomar's illustrious career until the past couple of years. I did know that he sucked with the Mets, and was out of baseball entirely a short time later. I remembered that he also spit on umpire John Hirshbeck in an ugly incident back in 1996. But please don't let these negative memories color your picture of Alomar. He apologized profusely for the spitting incident, and previous to that, he was a terrific sportsman, which he remained until he retired.
After all of that stupid information though, I failed to notice the outstanding player he was. Over the course of his 17 seasons, he scored over 1500 runs, collected 2724 hits, drove in over 1100 runners (tough to do considering he usually batted high in the order), stole 474 bags, and maintained a .300 average. While no one number bangs you over the head with its magnitude, these numbers combined total a career of consistent excellence, coupled with stellar defensive play at a demanding position. Why I never recognized this before, I don't know. But you learn new things everyday, and of recent, I've discovered that Roberto Alomar was one of the greatest second-basemen to ever play the game. I'm glad I know now.
Bert Blyleven was another gentleman I didn't know too much about several years ago. I only got to know him because people began discussing whether he was Hall of Fame worthy or not. Since learning more about him I must say quite frankly, some voting members were just plain blind. This man should have been in a long time ago. Here is one stat alone that warrants serious consideration for the Hall of Fame: 3701. That is the number of strikeouts Blyleven had, and is 5th best all-time, right below Steve Carlton, and right above Tom Seaver. He is also 9th all-time in shutouts with 60. 60! for crying out loud. And he managed to win 287 games over the course of 22 seasons. Most of those years on bad teams, which resulted in him having a record greater than .500 only 14 times. And most of those seasons looked like 16-15 (1971), 14-12 (1977), or 17-16 (1985).
Bert Blyleven was Hall of Fame worthy years ago, but only received his rightful honor the other day. There are players like Blyleven who get passed over by the voting writers, sometimes for years. Sometimes for legitimate reasons, and sometimes it's a mistaken. Lee Smith, for instance, was a dominate closer for the Chicago Cubs during the 1980s. He eventually played for 7 other teams throughout his career, and even until the age of 37, when he racked up 37 saves, he could close out a game. He had trouble walking people, which kept him from being even better than he was. When he left the game, though, he was the all-time saves leader, and still sits in 3rd place. Smith collected just 45.3% of the vote this year, down 2 points from last year. It's not looking good for 'Mr. Smith Goes to Cooperstown'.
Right below Smith on the all-time saves leaderboard is John Franco. He saved 424 games, with a 2.89 ERA over his career. Even though he played a number of years in New York, he was never a media presence, and was often overlooked. Now, because he received less than 5% of the vote in this, his first year, he won't ever appear on another ballot. Should Smith or Franco be in the Hall of Fame? That's pretty tough to say. More goes into these discussions than just stats, after all. It depends on the the era a person played in, if the player stood out versus his contemporaries, any accumulated awards, and sometimes off-the-field issues.
Which brings us to the elephant in the room. Steroids. There have been plenty of people who have cheated before. As Jayson Stark wrote in his ESPN column, "That noted Vaseline-ball king, Gaylord Perry, got caught 'cheating,' too, you know." And he didn't have too much trouble getting into the Hall of Fame on his third try in 1991. Steroids are looked upon differently though, and with good reason.
A pitcher can put something on the ball and that might help him win a game. But more often than not, this type of cheating gets caught, and players have to adjust, usually in the form of not cheating anymore. Taking steroids doesn't just help you hit the ball harder for a game, though. It changes you on a biological level. If a player gets caught taking steroids, and stops, he still is getting the benefit for weeks, sometimes even many months later, depending on lots of parameters. This is partially the reason why Major League Baseball has a 50 game suspension for those caught. So to say that steroid usage is in the same arena of cheating as saying, corking a bat, is far from the truth.
That is why it is so hard for the voting writers to decide who is worth of the Hall of Fame going forward. Great players like Raphael Palmeiro, who received a diminutive 11% in his first ballot this year, are forever tainted with the stench of steroid usage. Palmeiro is the most recent member of the 3000-hit/500-homerun club, and in 2005, it was said in an NBCSports article that his "entry into the elite 3,000-500 club is a testament to a stellar career that should gain him first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame." 11% is about as far from first-ballot status as you can get. You can blame not only Palmeiro's positive steroid test for that, but also his wagging finger in front of Congress. Image counts for a lot.
Another noted user, Mark McGwire, who despite his 583 career homers, is still under 20% of the vote. That's less than Tim Raines, and Raines was a crackhead! Some might say this is just desserts for players who desecrated the game, but this is impacting players who might never have taken illegal substances. Hitters like Fred McGriff, Larry Walker, and Juan Gonzalez, who may be 100% clean, are, and will for some time, get a backlash lack of votes. They might not be Hall of Fame shoe-ins, but this isn't helping their chances.
This is only going to get worse as players like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Sammy Sosa coming calling for plagues in 2013. The end result might be that players who 10 years ago were first-ballot studs, might never get in, thus leaving the Hall of Fame a little short on entries. This year the Hall welcomes two fine and deserving players. Next year, it looks like only shortstop Barry Larkin stands a legitimate chance of entrance, if anyone is elected at all. The Hall of Fame has some extremely tough decisions to make very soon on how to handle those players from the steroid era. I don't claim to have the answers. Mr. Stark offers some advice in his article here, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof11/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5987228. In the end, history will remember more than an asterisk may potentially tell us. But will history remember all events correctly?
I mentioned in a prior post that General Manager Pat Gillick had already been elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee back on Dec. 6th. Now the players had their shot at immortality. Two wonderfully talented men joined the ranks of the elite on Wednesday; Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven. Alomar got in on his second try, but for Blyleven, this was his 14th attempt. Bert just squeaked by the required 75% votes, but Alomar breezed in with 90%. Both men are deserving of such high acclaim. Why you ask? Well, I shall tell you.
First, let us discuss Mr. Alomar. How does 12 All-Star selections in a row grab you? Not impressed? Well, he did win 10 Gold Glove awards, the most ever for a second-baseman and was daring and steadfast at 2B. You're still not convinced? Yeah, but he won 4 Silver Slugger awards and finished in the MVP top ten 5 times! Who cares, say you. Well, you are an idiot. No you are! Oh, pardon me, I was having a little battle with myself there. You see, I was one of the few baseball fans on this planet who didn't appreciate the Hall of Fame career Mr. Alomar had. This was because as a New York Mets fan in the early '00s, I saw Roberto come to my favorite team, and stink it up, only to be traded away. I never saw, nor appreciated how good he was before then. What I missed, was a whole heck of a lot.
As I have said many times in this blog, I don't know everything about baseball. There are lots of players, and statistics I don't fully appreciate. So I am embarrassed to say that I didn't really know much about Roberto Alomar's illustrious career until the past couple of years. I did know that he sucked with the Mets, and was out of baseball entirely a short time later. I remembered that he also spit on umpire John Hirshbeck in an ugly incident back in 1996. But please don't let these negative memories color your picture of Alomar. He apologized profusely for the spitting incident, and previous to that, he was a terrific sportsman, which he remained until he retired.
After all of that stupid information though, I failed to notice the outstanding player he was. Over the course of his 17 seasons, he scored over 1500 runs, collected 2724 hits, drove in over 1100 runners (tough to do considering he usually batted high in the order), stole 474 bags, and maintained a .300 average. While no one number bangs you over the head with its magnitude, these numbers combined total a career of consistent excellence, coupled with stellar defensive play at a demanding position. Why I never recognized this before, I don't know. But you learn new things everyday, and of recent, I've discovered that Roberto Alomar was one of the greatest second-basemen to ever play the game. I'm glad I know now.
Bert Blyleven was another gentleman I didn't know too much about several years ago. I only got to know him because people began discussing whether he was Hall of Fame worthy or not. Since learning more about him I must say quite frankly, some voting members were just plain blind. This man should have been in a long time ago. Here is one stat alone that warrants serious consideration for the Hall of Fame: 3701. That is the number of strikeouts Blyleven had, and is 5th best all-time, right below Steve Carlton, and right above Tom Seaver. He is also 9th all-time in shutouts with 60. 60! for crying out loud. And he managed to win 287 games over the course of 22 seasons. Most of those years on bad teams, which resulted in him having a record greater than .500 only 14 times. And most of those seasons looked like 16-15 (1971), 14-12 (1977), or 17-16 (1985).
Bert Blyleven was Hall of Fame worthy years ago, but only received his rightful honor the other day. There are players like Blyleven who get passed over by the voting writers, sometimes for years. Sometimes for legitimate reasons, and sometimes it's a mistaken. Lee Smith, for instance, was a dominate closer for the Chicago Cubs during the 1980s. He eventually played for 7 other teams throughout his career, and even until the age of 37, when he racked up 37 saves, he could close out a game. He had trouble walking people, which kept him from being even better than he was. When he left the game, though, he was the all-time saves leader, and still sits in 3rd place. Smith collected just 45.3% of the vote this year, down 2 points from last year. It's not looking good for 'Mr. Smith Goes to Cooperstown'.
Right below Smith on the all-time saves leaderboard is John Franco. He saved 424 games, with a 2.89 ERA over his career. Even though he played a number of years in New York, he was never a media presence, and was often overlooked. Now, because he received less than 5% of the vote in this, his first year, he won't ever appear on another ballot. Should Smith or Franco be in the Hall of Fame? That's pretty tough to say. More goes into these discussions than just stats, after all. It depends on the the era a person played in, if the player stood out versus his contemporaries, any accumulated awards, and sometimes off-the-field issues.
Which brings us to the elephant in the room. Steroids. There have been plenty of people who have cheated before. As Jayson Stark wrote in his ESPN column, "That noted Vaseline-ball king, Gaylord Perry, got caught 'cheating,' too, you know." And he didn't have too much trouble getting into the Hall of Fame on his third try in 1991. Steroids are looked upon differently though, and with good reason.
A pitcher can put something on the ball and that might help him win a game. But more often than not, this type of cheating gets caught, and players have to adjust, usually in the form of not cheating anymore. Taking steroids doesn't just help you hit the ball harder for a game, though. It changes you on a biological level. If a player gets caught taking steroids, and stops, he still is getting the benefit for weeks, sometimes even many months later, depending on lots of parameters. This is partially the reason why Major League Baseball has a 50 game suspension for those caught. So to say that steroid usage is in the same arena of cheating as saying, corking a bat, is far from the truth.
That is why it is so hard for the voting writers to decide who is worth of the Hall of Fame going forward. Great players like Raphael Palmeiro, who received a diminutive 11% in his first ballot this year, are forever tainted with the stench of steroid usage. Palmeiro is the most recent member of the 3000-hit/500-homerun club, and in 2005, it was said in an NBCSports article that his "entry into the elite 3,000-500 club is a testament to a stellar career that should gain him first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame." 11% is about as far from first-ballot status as you can get. You can blame not only Palmeiro's positive steroid test for that, but also his wagging finger in front of Congress. Image counts for a lot.
Another noted user, Mark McGwire, who despite his 583 career homers, is still under 20% of the vote. That's less than Tim Raines, and Raines was a crackhead! Some might say this is just desserts for players who desecrated the game, but this is impacting players who might never have taken illegal substances. Hitters like Fred McGriff, Larry Walker, and Juan Gonzalez, who may be 100% clean, are, and will for some time, get a backlash lack of votes. They might not be Hall of Fame shoe-ins, but this isn't helping their chances.
This is only going to get worse as players like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Sammy Sosa coming calling for plagues in 2013. The end result might be that players who 10 years ago were first-ballot studs, might never get in, thus leaving the Hall of Fame a little short on entries. This year the Hall welcomes two fine and deserving players. Next year, it looks like only shortstop Barry Larkin stands a legitimate chance of entrance, if anyone is elected at all. The Hall of Fame has some extremely tough decisions to make very soon on how to handle those players from the steroid era. I don't claim to have the answers. Mr. Stark offers some advice in his article here, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof11/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5987228. In the end, history will remember more than an asterisk may potentially tell us. But will history remember all events correctly?
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