Tagged: Designated Hitter
Reaching Your Goal
Are you part of the nearly half of New Year’s Resolutioners that have given up? Or are you one of the less than 10% who will be successful? Life is hard, keep working towards your dreams. Ron Wright never gave up. He fought for what he wanted. All of his hard work eventually paid off.
Ron Wright was selected in the 7th Round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves from Kamiakin High School in Kennewick, Washington. He played two and a half seasons in the Braves minor league system. Wright spent 1994 with the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Braves, 1995 with the Single A Macon Braves, and 1996 with the High A Durham Bulls and Double A Greenville Braves before an August trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wright now set his sights on the Steel City. He finished 1996 with the Double A Carolina Mudcats and spent 1997 with the Triple A Calgary Cannons. 1998 was a lost season as Wright appeared in only 20 Games, 17 with the Triple A Nashville Sounds and 3 with the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Pirates. 1999 was equally frustrating, playing only 24 Games for the Double A Altoona Curve. In October, the Cincinnati Reds selected Wright off waivers. His aim moved further down the Ohio River. Wright spent 2000 with the Double A Chattanooga Lookouts and Triple A Louisville RiverBats. In November, Wright signed as a Minor League free agent with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He spent the season back with the Durham Bulls, now a Triple A team. Again a Minor League free agent, Wright signed with the Seattle Mariners for the 2002 season. He began the season with the Triple A Tacoma Rainiers. Ron Wright had played eight Minor League seasons with 12 different teams.
Heading into the 2002 season Wright had played in 666 Minor League games. He hit .261 with 121 Home Runs, 453 RBI, and 361 Runs scored in 2,729 Plate Appearances. Wright had played at every level, Rookie Ball to Triple A. He fought through injuries and the ups and downs of professional baseball. Wright remained one step away from the Majors. The trip from Cheney Stadium to Safeco Field is only 35 miles, but Wright kept fighting to make that drive.
The bad news in Seattle was future Hall of Fame Edgar Martinez was hurt running to First. Martinez’s injury put a damper on the Mariners early season success. Edgar’s injury was bad news for everyone except Minor League journeyman Ron Wright. He finally got the call to the Big Leagues. The years of toil had paid off. He was heading to the show.
It was a pleasant afternoon in Arlington, Texas. It was 76℉ and overcast. Ron Wright had made it to the Majors on Sunday, April 14, 2002. The Mariners were on the road, playing the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington. 32,866 fans watched as Seattle’s John Halama faced off against Texas’ Kenny Rogers. Ron Wright was the DH, batting 7th for the Mariners. All was right in the world.
In the Top of the 2nd, Ron Wright strolled to the plate. This was the moment he had worked so hard for, his first Major League At Bat. Ruben Sierra was standing on Second after a lead off Single and a John Olerud Walk. Wright stepped in the Right Handed Batters Box looking to add to the Mariners 1-0 lead. Kenny Rogers rocked and fired. In the blink of an eye, Wright was walking back to the dugout. Striking out looking on three pitches was not how Wright envisioned his first At Bat in the Big Leagues, but he had stamped his name in the record books as playing in a Major League game. There would be more chances.
The next opportunity for Wright came in the Top of the 4th. Seattle still clung to its 1-0 lead, and Wright could extend the lead. He again came up with Sierra and Olerud on base. Sierra led off with a Double and moved to Third on Olerud’s Single. Wright worked the count to 2-2. On the fifth pitch he swung. The ball bounced to Rogers on the mound who fired to Alex Rodriguez coming over from Shortstop to cover Second for the first Out. Rodriguez then threw home to Catcher Bill Haselman who chased Sierra back towards Third. He tossed the ball to Third Baseman Hank Blalock who chased Sierra back towards Home. Blalock tossed the ball to Rogers who tagged Sierra for the second Out. During the rundown Wright reached First and was advancing towards Second. He was never known for his speed, just nine Stolen Bases in the Minors. After tagging Sierra, Rogers threw to Second Baseman Michael Young who tagged Wright coming into Second for the third Out. The 1-6-2-5-1-4 Triple Play killed the rally, and made Wright’s debut memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Baseball is about dealing with failure. There are few failures like hitting into a Triple Play. Baseball does not give you long to dwell on your failures. In the Top of the 6th, Wright came up for the third time. He was patient in his first two At Bats, but not this time. The Mariners were trailing 2-1. Again Ruben Sierra was on Second and John Olerud on First. On the first pitch from Rogers, Wright hit the ball to Shortstop Alex Rodriguez to start a Double Play. Sierra moved to Third, but the rally was dead. The frustrating day continued.
Ron Wright never got that fourth At Bat. Manager Lou Piniella sent up Pinch Hitter Mark McLemore in the 7th Inning. His Major League debut was complete. Wright had three At Bats against Kenny Rogers. He saw nine pitches. Made six Outs. The Mariners won 9-7. The game took 3 hours and 39 minutes. Before the Mariners returned to the field on Monday Ron Wright was back in the Minors. He never returned to the Majors. Wright’s Major League career took less time than it takes to watch Gone With The Wind.
Was it worth it? Despite one of the worst possible debuts, Ron Wright can proudly say he was a Major League Baseball player. Only 18,039 players before him earned that title. While his career was not what he hoped, Wright made it to the top. He kept grinding. He kept going. The baseball gods rewarded his lifetime of work with one of the strangest days ever on a baseball field. Keep working towards your goals.
DJ
The Ohtani Rule
Shohei Ohtani is changing baseball. The shock of this is MLB is working with one of its stars to make the game better. The Ohtani Rule could begin this season and is all about keeping a star in the game. The new rule allows a starting pitcher in the batting order to remain in the game as the DH once they are removed from pitching. This is great for Shohei Ohtani. There are not many players like Ohtani, but it does allow managers to not burn their bench. Even light hitting pitchers can take their normal at bats, like the National League once allowed. Instead of using a bench player, the pulled starting pitcher could lay down a sacrifice bunt. Managers in both leagues can utilize the DH, but the Ohtani Rule gives them added flexibility.
The Ohtani Rule is similar to the Pat Venditte Rule. The Venditte Rule mandated the pitcher declare which hand they would pitch with for that at bat. The rule was not a game changer as it only applies to a select few pitchers. Who was the last ambidextrous pitcher you saw at any level of baseball? Baseball creates rules to govern the freaks of the game. Freaks are unique in the land of the extraordinary.
The DH is dumb. Players should play both offense and defense. The DH allows players to play only half the game. Stars can be created with a big bat and no glove. Pitchers too should play both sides. If you throw at a batter, you should then have to step to the plate. Retaliatory beanballs should be aimed at you, not your teammate. Unfortunately baseball has moved to the universal DH. Like it or not it is here. However, this is hopefully the beginning of rule changes that are good for the game. The Ohtani Rule helps at least one star, maybe more in the future. Players, fans, and owners can agree this is good. Instead of worrying about the time of games, baseball should focus on action within the game. Keeping a star in the game creates excitement. Even in a blowout, fans will stay to watch Ohtani hit instead of a bench player. Give the fans what they want.
This is a good start for baseball. There are other changes that would create more action in the game. The few minutes MLB hopes to shave from game length does not matter if the game is filled with the three true outcomes. Why not expand the Ohtani Rule to include all defensive starters? Allow Miguel Cabrera to start at First Base and then DH later after being removed for a defensive substitute. Same with catchers. Allow your offensively inclined catcher to be replaced by a defensive wizard without losing the bat. Everyone wins.
In the same vein, allow for starter reentry. Starters could leave and reenter once. A slow runner reaches first or a light hitting batter comes up in a key situation. Allow the manager to go to their bench. A Pinch Runner or Hitter increases the chances for action and reentry keeps a player in the game. Albert Pujols and his lack of speed could be pulled for a Pinch Runner to steal a base, and then Pujols and his bat could reenter the game. It keeps stars in the game and creates more action. This system already exists in High School baseball. Why not try it in professional baseball? Ultimately the length of the game is not the issue, it is the lack of action in the game.
The Pitch Clock is coming. 14 seconds with no one on and 19 seconds with runners on base. Yes this creates less down time between pitches, which is good. Does it create more action if the three true outcomes are still the most likely results? No. The Ohtani Rule is good for baseball. It keeps a star in the game. More stars hopefully creates more action within baseball than just Home Run, Walk, or Strikeout. Baseball can save itself if it does not lose focus on what the game needs. Lights. Camera. Action.
DJ
Big Papi, Big Debate
David Ortiz is a Hall of Famer. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are not. Somehow this divide was created between three players with ties to steroids. The fall out from the Steroid Era continues, but in an odd way. Ortiz made it to Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility, while Bonds and Clemens exhausted their 10 years on the ballot. The Writers have long needed to figure out how they will handle PED players. Blackball them, welcome them in, put an asterisk on their accomplishments? Sometimes the worst thing you can do is nothing. An attempt to selectively whitewash baseball history is unwise. There is plenty we want to forget. The colorline and the necessity of the Negro Leagues. Pete Rose and the Black Sox, although MLB now seems fine with gambling. Juan Marichal’s brutal attack on John Roseboro. The Pittsburgh Drug Trials. There are plenty of horrible things that have happened in and around baseball, but you cannot pretend they do not exist. Events and people are part of baseball history, for better or worse.
There is no doubting the credentials of Bonds and Clemens. Barry Bonds is among the greatest hitters ever. He toyed with the best pitchers in the world. He could do anything he wanted, from launching a baseball into McCovey’s Cove to spitting on a pitch a quarter inch outside. Despite all of his faults, Bonds was a gifted, natural hitter. Roger Clemens earned more Cy Young Awards than any pitcher to ever toe the rubber of a Major League mound. His intimidation was more than a blazing Fastball, it was the ability to completely shut down the opposing team. Both Bonds and Clemens were Hall of Fame caliber players before father time failed to deteriorate their skills. They should have been the easiest decision for the Writers. Thumbs up or down, is PED use a disqualifier for the Hall of Fame? The borderline players are the real struggle. Did PEDs get them into the Hall of Fame or were their natural abilities enough?
David Ortiz was a specialist. The Designated Hitter, in my opinion, is not baseball. Players should play both the field and bat. If a pitcher wants to go head hunting, those Fastballs may soon come for his head. Specialists need to be among the best ever at their job. Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer ever. He waltzed into the Hall of Fame. David Ortiz was a great DH, but he is not the clear cut greatest ever. He is in the conversation.
Love it or hate it, the Hall of Fame vote is a popularity contest. Derek Jeter was one vote short of being unanimously elected to Cooperstown. Would he have come close to being unanimous if he spent his entire career in Kansas City or Pittsburgh? I doubt it.
Leaving Minnesota for Boston turned Ortiz’s career around. Not only did he emerge as a player, but he was also pushed to the forefront of baseball. The face of the Red Sox is always a big deal. Ortiz’s career in Boston came at a time when the city and the team needed a strong and vocal leader. Big Papi helped end the Curse of the Bambino, that alone is enough to make him a legend. He was also the voice of the team and the city in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing. He inspired the city in the most Boston way possible and reminded the world that Boston never backs down. The Red Sox and Boston always attract attention and Ortiz capitalized on it. Where and when he played tipped the Hall of Fame scales in Ortiz’s favor.
Like it or not David Ortiz, and his connections to PEDs, is in Cooperstown and Bonds and Clemens are not. This is the result of baseball and the Hall of Fame voters never deciding how to handle those that saved the game after the 1994 Strike and used PEDs when baseball did not care. You cannot put the toothpaste back into the tube. Baseball tried to do this with PEDs. It is time to fix this problem of their own making, otherwise baseball and those that love the game are in for many more years of this nonsensical approach to who is and is not elected to the Hall of Fame.
DJ
United States of Baseball- American Samoa
American Samoa is 2,500 miles west of Hawaii. It has an area slightly larger than Washington DC and half the population of Billings, Montana. Despite its small size, American Samoa has sent one player to the Major Leagues, Tony Solaita.
Tony Solaita was born in Nuuuli. He played seven seasons for five different teams: New York Yankees (1968), Kansas City Royals (1974-1976), California Angels (1976-1978), Montreal Expos (1979), and Toronto Blue Jays (1979). His career 8.00 WAR is the third lowest for a position player among state or territory leaders and American Samoa has the second lowest combined WAR.
1977 was Solaita’s best season and the only season he played at least 100 games. Playing at First for the Angels, Solaita played 116 Games, collected 78 Hits, 15 Doubles, 14 Home Runs, 53 RBI, scored 40 Runs, with 1 Stolen Base, 56 Walks, 77 Strikeouts, .241 BA, .349 OBP, .417 SLG, .766 OPS, and 112 OPS+. He posted career highs in Games, Plate Appearances, At Bats, Runs scored, Hits, Doubles, RBI, Stolen Bases, Walks, and Sacrifices.
Solaita’s MLB career ended after another season with the Angels and 1979 spent bouncing around Canada. He played 525 Games, collecting 336 Hits, 66 Doubles, 1 Triple, 50 Home Runs, 203 RBI, scored 164 Runs, Stole 2 Bases, with 214 Walks, 345 Strikeouts, .255 BA, .357 OBP, .421 SLG, .778 OPS, and 120 OPS+. He played First Base and served as the DH. Solaita was an average First Baseman. In 2,126.1 Innings, he had 2,344 Chances, made 2,128 Putouts, 199 Assists, committed 17 Errors, turned 166 Double Plays, for a .993 Fld%.
In 1980, Solaita moved across the Pacific, playing four seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League. He appeared in at least 125 Games each season. He blasted 155 Home Runs (45, 44, 30, and 36), more than tripled his Major League total.
Tony Solaita’s baseball legacy continues as other players of American Samoa descent have reached the Major Leagues, but he remains the only player born on the islands.
The United States of Baseball leaves the tropics of American Samoa for the desert. Arizona is next.
DJ
Unsteady Hands
2020 has been a long year for baseball. Covid nearly canceled the MLB season, as did the disagreement between MLB and the Players Association about player salary and the number of games. Minor League Baseball was canceled and now MLB has gutted the game from many cities. There have been plenty of issues surrounding the game, but once games began the attention was on the field.
Bad years are made up of bad days. Rafael Devers has long been regarded as part of the Red Sox future core. His bat has delivered for Boston, posting a career .279 BA, with .332 OBP, .498 SLG, .830 OPS, and 115 OPS+. The damage done is 443 Hits, 108 Doubles, 5 Triples, 74 Home Runs, 254 RBI, 254 Runs scored, 16 Stolen Bases, 117 Walks, and 364 Strikeouts in just four seasons. In 2019, Devers led the American League with 54 Doubles, while slugging 32 Home Runs to finish 12th in MVP voting.
There are bad days, and then there was Rafael Devers’ day in the field on August 13th at Fenway Park against the Tampa Bay Rays. He was productive at the plate, going 1 for 5, with an RBI Single and Run Scored in the 1st. Devers’ day went downhill from there. In the top of the 4th with no outs, Red Sox Pitcher Phillips Valdez induced a soft bouncing ball to Third from Hunter Renfroe. Devers easily gloved the ball and turned to start a 5-4-3 Double Play. Devers never had a solid grip on the ball after transferring the ball from his glove to his hand. His throw was wide of Second Baseman Jonathan Arauz and into Right Field. The errant throw allowed Yandy Diaz to go from First to Third. The next batter, Brandon Lowe, Singled up the middle scoring Diaz, unearned, and moved Renfroe to Second. Tampa led 8-4.
Unearned runs are the price a team pays for committing Errors. The Rays’ next batter, Willy Adames, struckout. Boston could limit the damage with a Double Play. Valdez induced Manuel Margot to hit an even softer bouncer to Third, which Devers charged, bareheaded, and fired to First. Everyone knows the feeling when they release the ball and it does not go where they intended. The moment Devers released the ball, everyone knew it was a bad throw. Red Sox First Baseman Mitch Moreland unsuccessfully dove for the throw. The ball rattled around in foul territory allowing Renfroe to score, unearned, Lowe to go First to Third, and Margot to reach Second. Devers had two Errors on two Chances in the inning, both plays a Major League Third Basemen should make. His throwing Errors allowed three unearned runs to score; Diaz, Renfroe, and eventually Lowe. Boston trailed 10-4.
Devers’ was not over. In the 7th, Tampa led 16-5. Renfroe led off against Josh Osich. He hit a hard ground ball a step towards the line. Devers fielded the ball cleanly with plenty of time to throw across the diamond. However, the throw sailed high and new Red Sox First Baseman Michael Chavis jumped to catch the throw and attempted a tag. The bad throw allowed Renfroe to reach. Luckily, Devers’ third Error did not hurt Boston further as Renfroe was stranded at Third.
Rafael Devers had a day every baseball player wants to forget. His 3 Errors helped him lead baseball with 14 in the shortened season. Devers struggled in 2020, posting the lowest Fld% of any player with at least 100 innings in the field. His defense is a liability and 2020 was a continuation of his career at the hot corner. In 1,034 career Chances, Devers has 232 Putouts, 728 Assists, and 74 Errors for a .891 FLD%. The average MLB Third Baseman had a .959 Fld% in 2020, a -.068 difference. The difference of 27 successful plays made in 400 Chances, literally an entire game worth of outs. Devers’ bat is his calling card, but it is not good to have as many career Errors as Home Runs.
Errors and Fld% do not show the full picture of a player’s defense. Range and Runs Saved help show a player’s impact with their glove and arm. Devers is not the next Brooks Robinson. Both his RF/9 (Range Factor per 9 Innings) and RF/G (Range Factor per Game) are below league average. In 2020, Devers made 2.16 plays per 9 innings and 2.00 per game, while the league averaged 2.57 and 2.48. He made 0.41 and 0.48 fewer players, roughly 25 fewer plays made in his 57 games played. His lack of range hurts the Red Sox by being involved in and converts fewer plays at a critical position.
It was not just a tough season for Devers. His defense has been below average since arriving in the Majors. His career RF/9 (2.58 vs 2.64), RF/G (2.52 vs 2.60), and Fld% (.928 vs .958) are all below average. His rTOT (the number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on the number of plays made) was -13 in 2020 and -44 in his career. There is no evidence suggesting Devers will ever become a league average Third Baseman.
Devers’ bat got him to the Majors at 20, but his glove needs a new home where it is less damaging to Boston’s opportunity to win. He has a career 9.3 oWAR, but a -2.4 career dWAR. The simple solution is to DH him, but JD Martinez, and his own lack of defense, occupies that role. The Red Sox need to keep Devers in the lineup, but how long can his bat compensate for his glove.
Watching a player struggle is never fun and without question Devers is trying to get better. He is still young, just 24 years old. He is still learning, after rocketing through the Minors. Devers has time to learn the hot corner as the Red Sox rebuild. However, when the Boston faithful return to Fenway they expect him to contribute with his bat AND glove.
DJ
Goodbye Cooperstown?
Robinson Cano has failed a second PED test and is suspended for the 2021 season. In addition to his $35.7 million in lost salary, $11.7 million for his 80 game suspension in 2018 and $24 million for the 2021 season, Cano has tarnished his reputation, potentially eliminating his chances for Cooperstown. He has gone from one of the greatest second basemen ever to another great player whose accomplishments are now questioned.
After playing the first 8 seasons of his career with the New York Yankees, Cano became a free agent before the 2014 season. Many expected Cano was the next lifelong Yankee. Shockingly Robinson Cano signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. In his first 4 seasons in the Pacific Northwest Cano’s numbers dipped; -.020 BA, -.014 OBP, -.026 SLG, and -.041 OPS. Not horrific considering Cano came from hitter friendly Yankee Stadium. Concerns however escalated in May 2018, when Cano failed a PED test. He was suspended 80 games for taking Furosemide, a diuretic that can be used to mask other banned substances. The debate began immediately, was Cano a drug cheat or did he make a stupid mistake. Cano claimed a doctor in the Dominican Republic gave him the medication and he did not know it was banned by MLB. A seemingly dumb mistake that would require time and effort to repair the damage with fans and Hall of Fame voters.
At the end of the 2018 season, Seattle sent Cano and his albatross contract to Queens. Back in New York, Cano sought to win over Mets fans. Age began creeping in as his numbers continued to slide. Then came Cano’s second failed PED test and suspension for the 2021 season. He tested positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. Cano should know better, Stanozolol stays in your system for 3 to 4 days after a single use. He was reckless and has thrown his entire career into doubt. The Yankees are happy they did not break the bank for Cano in 2013 and the Mariners are happy they are no longer trapped under his contract. Cano’s latest suspension will save the Mariners $3.75 million and the Mets $20.25 million. Seattle made a financial mistake, but Cano’s are longer lasting.
Robinson Cano had a one way ticket to the Hall of Fame. It was only a matter of time before he joined the other 21 second basemen in Cooperstown. Cano is 10th all time in WAR among second basemen at 68.9. He ranks 9th in oWAR, 68.6; the highest ranked non-Hall of Famer. He has scored the 17th most Runs, 1,257. He has the 10th most Hits, 2,624; the most among non-Hall of Famers. He has the most Doubles for a second baseman not in the Hall of Fame and 4th most overall, 571. Cano has slugged the second most Home Runs, 334, only 43 behind Jeff Kent. He has the 5th most RBI, 1,302. His .303 Batting Average places him 20th among second basemen, ahead of 13 enshrined in Cooperstown. Cano has the 9th highest SLG, .492. Rogers Hornsby, .577, and Jeff Kent, .500, are the only players with more than 1,200 career At Bats ahead of him. Cano has the 12th highest OPS, .844, and 16th highest OPS+, 126; ahead of 15 Hall of Famers in each. Cano should have waltzed into Cooperstown, now his stupidity puts that into doubt.
The Mets, and new owner Steve Cohen, have Cano under contract through 2023, his age 40 season. The market for a league average second baseman, at best, a diminishing bat and shrinking range with no long term future does not exist. The Mets will replace Cano for the 2021 season and despite his contract there is no guarantee Cano will play everyday again. His range is shrinking, Cano is making 1.05 fewer players per game (RFG) than the average second baseman. The universal DH could benefit Cano, but a .280 hitter with 15 Home Runs is not what most teams want as their full time DH.
Robinson Cano had the opportunity to chase milestones at the end of his career. Adding the Hits, Home Runs, Doubles, and RBI to his career totals over his remaining two seasons with the Mets, plus the season and a half missed with PED suspensions, Cano would have reached 3,000 hits, sailed past the second baseman Home Run record, potentially lead in Doubles and RBI, and finish in the top 10 for Runs scores. Instead Cano threw it all away.
Enshrinement in Cooperstown seemed a forgone conclusion before 2018. Now that destiny hangs in the balance. Hall of Fame voting has not been kind to those caught, or under suspicion of, using PEDs. Mark McGwire never reached 25% in 10 years on the ballot. Sammy Sosa has not reached 15% in 8 years on the ballot. Barry Bonds, a Hall of Fame player without PEDs, has come the closest, reaching 60% in 2019, his 8th year on eligibility. None of these three legendary sluggers failed an MLB test. Similarly Alex Rodriguez never failed a test, yet he received the longest suspension in MLB history for his involvement with PEDs. Time will tell how voters treat Rodriguez when he appears on the ballot in 2022. Rafael Palmeiro collected 3,000 Hits and 500 Home Runs. He was the first test case for PEDs and Hall of Fame voters. Palmeiro lasted 4 years, never reaching 15% before falling below the minimum 5% to remain on the ballot in 2014. Palmeiro’s candidacy was the opening act in the Hall of Fame’s ongoing reckoning with the Steroid Era.
The player that may hold the key to Cooperstown for Cano is Manny Ramirez. He was also suspended twice for PEDs, 2009 and 2011. Ramirez is among the greatest power hitters, slugging the 15th most Home Runs, 555. Only 6 players ahead of him are not in Cooperstown. Bonds, Rodriguez, Sosa, McGwire, and Palmeiro are tied to PEDs, while Albert Pujols is still playing. Ramirez has been on the ballot for 4 years. He has not achieved 30% of the vote, reaching 28.2% in 2020. The BBWAA voters have changed since Palmeiro first appeared on the ballot. The hardened old guard is being replaced with younger, and slightly more forgiving, voters. Will the change enable a generation of enhanced sluggers reach Cooperstown?
Can Robinson Cano rebound a second time, repair his image, and be enshrined among the greatest second basemen of all time? Once is a mistake, twice is not. Cano’s PED suspensions will hang over his candidacy. What a shameful way to end one of the great middle infield careers of all time.
DJ
Mr. Tiger
Al Kaline passed away Monday at the age of 85. He played 22 seasons for the Detroit Tigers. He began his Major League career in June 1953 as an 18 year old and finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1954. In 1955, Kaline won the American League Batting Title with a .340 BA, easily outpacing second place Vic Power’s .319 BA. Mr. Tiger remains the youngest player ever, 20, to win the American League Batting Title. He was one day younger than Ty Cobb when the Georgia Peach won the 1907 Batting Title. Kaline finished second behind Yogi Berra in the American League MVP voting. He finished in the top three of MVP voting four times but never won the award.
The numbers show Al Kaline’s greatness on the diamond. In 22 seasons, Mr. Tiger played 2,834 Games, 10,116 At Bats, scored 1,622 Runs, collected 3,007 Hits, 498 Doubles, 75 Triples, 399 Home Runs, 1,582 RBI, Stole 137 Bases, 1,277 Walks, 1,020 Strikeouts, 55 HBP, .297 BA, .376 OBP, .480 SLG, .855 OPS, 134 OPS+. Kaline’s career 92.8 WAR still ranks 42nd over 40 seasons after he retired. His statistics were not heavily padded by the DH, which was created in 1973. Kaline was the Tigers DH in 1974, his final season.
Al Kaline was an all time great ball player, but an even better person. Mr. Tiger was baseball in Detroit. (Louis Requena/ MLB via Getty Images)
Kaline patrolled the outfield at Tiger Stadium. He won 10 Gold Gloves in an 11 year span, 1955-1967, playing primarily in Right. He was an 18 time All Star in 15 seasons, playing in both Midsummer Classics from 1959-1961. Kaline remained an elite player for much of his career.
Greatness was not confined to the Regular Season. Kaline helped guide the Tigers to a World Series victory over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968. He played in all 7 Games, in 29 At Bats he had 11 Hits, including 2 Doubles, 2 Home Runs, 8 RBI, scored 6 Runs, 1 HBP, .379 BA, .400 OBP, .655 SLG, and 1.055 OPS. Great players often rise to the occasion in the World Series.
Al Kaline retired after the 1974 season. His 3,000 hits solidified his greatness. In 1980, Kaline received two of baseball’s highest honors. The Tigers retired his #6, the first Tiger to have his number retired; players did not wear numbers during Ty Cobb’s career. Mr. Tiger was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline entered Cooperstown on the 1st ballot with 88.3% of the vote.
The numbers and accolades are wonderful. However, the reaction from those who knew Al Kaline speaks about the man. Referring to him as Mr. Kaline, he had the love and respect of his peers, the city of Detroit, and all of baseball. There is no better tribute than an outpouring of love and affection for the man rather than his accomplishments.
Rest easy Mr. Kaline, you are already missed.
DJ
Sacrificing
Teams tend to play one of two types of baseball, long ball or small ball. The rise of of analytics has shown sacrificing an out to advance a runner is not in a team’s best interest. Teams are shying away from small ball because, as Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine so eloquently put it, “Chicks dig the long ball.” The roar of the crowd is much different for a Home Run than a Sacrifice Hit, Sacrifice Bunt. Instant offense versus a building block towards a potential Run.
Baseball has changed since the small ball era of the early 20th Century. The small ball era helped produce Eddie Collins and his 512 career Sacrifice, 120 ahead of second place. Clayton Kershaw is the active leader with 108, 334th all time. Small ball produced Ray Chapman’s 1917 single season record of 67 Sacrifices. Bert Campaneris’ 40 Sacrifices in 1977 are the most since 1929. Home Runs have replaced the Sacrifice. Teams swing for the fences. They no longer get them on, get them over, get them in.
A slugger’s value comes from hitting a baseball over the fence, not tapping it in the infield. The top ten Home Run hitters of all time have hit 6,680 Home Runs. Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, Ken Griffey Jr., Jim Thome, Sammy Sosa, and Frank Robinson have played a combined 213 Major League seasons. Only Pujols is active, with two seasons left before Free Agency or retirement. Occasionally these long ball titans sacrifice themselves for the team.
In 22 seasons, Barry Bonds hit 762 Home Runs and laid down 4 Sacrifices. Hank Aaron played 23 seasons, hit 755 Home Runs with 21 Sacrifices. Babe Ruth hit 714 Home Runs in 22 seasons and laid down 113 Sacrifices, more than the rest of this elite group combined. Alex Rodriguez Sacrificed 16 times in 22 seasons, while hitting 696 Home Runs. Willie Mays played 22 seasons, hit 660 Home Runs, and dropped 13 Sacrifices. Albert Pujols has played 19 seasons, hit 656 Home Runs with 1 Sacrifice. Ken Griffey Jr. hit 630 Home Runs over 22 seasons and Sacrificed 8 times. Jim Thome and his 612 Home Runs laid down 1 Sacrifice in 22 seasons. Sammy Sosa had 17 Sacrifices in 18 seasons while blasting 609 Home Runs. Frank Robinson dropped 17 Sacrifices in 21 seasons, with 586 Home Runs. Even the greatest sluggers of all time Sacrifice.
Babe Ruth revolutionized baseball with his power, yet he still played in an era where players were expected to bunt to help their team win. (www.captainsblog.info)
In 213 combined seasons, the greatest Home Run hitters laid down 211 Sacrifices. In an average season they hit 31.36 Home Runs with 0.99 Sacrifices. Their average career was 668 Home Runs and 21.1 Sacrifices, 30.2 Home Runs per Sacrifice. Even ardent believers in small ball know these players should swing the bat.
Jim Thome and Albert Pujols each have just 1 career Sacrifice. Thome and Pujols are not Rickey Henderson. They have hit a 32 triples, 16 each, and stolen 133 bases, combined. Only Pujol’s 114 steals break to top 1,000. Both sluggers were designed to trot around the bases, not sprint.
On July 3, 1994, Indians Manager Mike Hargrove looked to extend Cleveland’s 2.5 game over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central. In the Bottom of the 7th, in a 7-7 tie against the Minnesota Twins, Eddie Murray laced the third pitch to Right for a lead off single. Hargrove signaled his young Third Baseman to Sacrifice. After taking a strike from Mark Guthrie, the 23 year old Jim Thome bunted, moving Murray to Second. Thome reached on an error by Third Baseman Chip Hale. Twins Manager Tom Kelly then replaced Guthrie with Carl Willis. Sandy Alomar Jr. greeted Willis with a swinging bunt down, loading the bases. Paul Sorrento followed with an RBI Single to Right, driving in Murray. Wayne Kirby fouled out to Third. One out. Kenny Lofton hit a Sacrifice Fly to Center, scoring Thome with Alomar advancing to Third. Two outs. Omar Vizquel flied out to Center. Three outs. 9-7 Cleveland. Thome and the Indians won 10-9 in 11 Innings, sending the Jacobs Field crowd home happy.
Jim Thome hit baseballs a long way, his talents were not best used bunting. (www.cooperstowncred.com)
The importance of the game, and Thome’s Sacrifice, were lost as the 1994 season stopped on August 12th. Cleveland was 1 game behind Chicago when the Strike began. The Strike claimed the rest of the 1994.
The St. Louis Cardinals hosted the Chicago White Sox on June 16, 2001. The Chicago Cubs led the Cardinals by 6 games in the National League Central. In the Bottom of the 7th, White Sox pitcher Sean Lowe walked Placido Polanco on four pitches. J. D. Drew then Singled to Right. Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa looked to stretch the 6-3 lead. He signaled his Cleanup Hitter to bunt. In his 67th career game, Albert Pujols bunted the first pitch foul. On the second pitch, Pujols bunted the ball back to Lowe who threw to Second Baseman Ray Durham covering First. Polanco moved to Third and Drew to second. One out. Pujols has not Sacrificed again. Bobby Bonilla was Intentionally Walked to load the bases and replaced by Pinch Runner Jim Edmonds. Craig Paquette Singled to Right, scoring Polanco. Drew scored on an error by the Shortstop, Tony Graffanino. Edmonds stopped at Second. Edgar Renteria struck out looking as Edmonds stole Third and Paquette stole Second. Two outs. Mike Matheny grounded out to First. Three outs. St. Louis won 8-3.
Albert Pujols is one of the greatest right hand power hitters of all time, bunting is not his most dangerous weapon. (Dilip Vishwanat/ Getty Images)
The Cardinals lost to the Houston Astros on the final day of the Regular Season. Both teams finished 93-69. Houston was crowned Division champions by winning the season series 9 games to 7. St. Louis was the Wild Card. The Cardinals lost to the eventual World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in a decisive Game 5 in the Divisional Series.
Baseball is a team game played by individuals. Players field ground balls, pitch, and bat alone. No one can help you succeed, but you can help others succeed. Backing up throws, turning Double Plays, executing a relay all help a team win. And yes, occasionally even the greatest Home Run hitters Sacrifice for the team.
As baseball changes, Sacrifices by players capable of putting a baseball into orbit inches towards extinction. The Sacrifice is becoming a lost art as light hitting pitchers in the National League dominate and the Designated Hitter in the American League decimates the Sacrifice. A slugger bunting is now more rare than a Perfect Game. This generation’s greatest sluggers have Sacrificed just twice. If Mike Trout ever lays down a Sacrifice, soak in the moment. It will be the first of his career, and possibly the last time an all time great Home Run hitter Sacrifices himself.
DJ
Lunar Prophecy
“Mark my words a man will land on the moon before Gaylord Perry hits a home run.”
Giants manager Alvin Dark’s response when Harry Jupiter of the San Francisco Examiner told him Gaylord Perry was looking good during batting practice in 1964. Perry, like most pitchers, was not a threat with the bat, just his arm. Pitchers are paid to get outs not hit baseballs. Few were ever better at pitching while having minimal ability to hit a baseball than Gaylord Perry.
The Space Race was in high gear in 1964. Both the Soviet Union and the United States had achieved space flight and cosmonauts and astronauts were following Yuri Gagarin, Alan Shepard, and John Glenn into Space. President John F. Kennedy committed America to “achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” After Kennedy’s assassination, President Lyndon Johnson sought to fulfill the mission. Project Mercury was winding down as Project Gemini ramped up. Glenn’s three orbits of the earth two years earlier was light years behind Gordon Cooper’s day long Space flight.
Gaylord Perry was outstanding on the mound, winning 314 games. (National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Back on earth, 25 year old Gaylord Perry was establishing himself as a Major League pitcher. Entering his third season, Perry was 4-7 with a 4.46 ERA in 119 innings. Alvin Dark and the Giants were just two seasons removed from winning the National League Pennant. San Francisco was once again among the front runners for the Pennant and Dark needed every player to contribute in the field and at bat. Space was on everyone’s mind and Perry could not hit.
Gaylord Perry finished the 1964 season 12-11 with a 2.75 ERA in 206.1 innings, the best of his young career. However, Dark’s words about Perry’s hitting abilities appeared true. Perry went 3 for 56 at the plate, a .054 Batting Average, .071 OBP, .071 SLG, and .156 OPS. His -56 OPS+ was otherworldly, considering a 100 OPS+ means a player is league average. Gaylord Perry was 156% worse than an average Major League hitter.
Gaylord Perry pitched for 22 seasons for eight different teams, most notably the Giants. Perry won 314 games with a 3.11 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in 5,350 innings. He struck out 3,534 batters while throwing 303 Complete Games, including 53 Shutouts. Perry was elected to five All Star Games, and won a Cy Young Award in each league (1972 for Cleveland and 1978 for the Padres). He won 20 or more games five times. Throwing 10 or more Complete Games in 12 consecutive seasons. Perry’s durability on the mound allowed him to pitch 205+ innings in 15 consecutive seasons. Always taking his turn in the rotation, Perry pitched 300 innings six times, including four straight from 1972 to 1975. Perry was elected to Cooperstown in 1991 in his third year of eligibility.
Gaylord Perry would do anything to gain an advantage on a batter, including doctoring up a baseball. Umpire John Flaherty checks Perry for foreign substances in 1973. (Associated Press)
Success on the mound meant nothing for Gaylord Perry’s legendary anemic abilities with the bat. In 1,076 career At Bats, he collected only 141 Hits, 23 for extra bases, a .131 Batting Average. He scored 48 Runs, drove in 47 RBI, drew 22 walks, and struck out 369 times. Gaylord Perry posted a career .153 OBP, .164 SLG, .316 OPS, and -10 OPS+. He was a liability at the plate.
1964 was Alvin Dark’s final season as Giants manager. He managed the Kansas City Athletics for two seasons before managing the Cleveland Indians. In 1969, five years after Dark’s proclamation to Harry Jupiter little had changed for Perry at the plate. Gaylord Perry, at this point in his career, was a .141 hitter now with no Home Runs. His four extra base hits were all doubles.
Entering the game against the Dodgers on July 20, Perry’s season Batting Average was just .100. While the world waited for news of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the Giants and Dodgers began their game at Candlestick Park. Not long after first pitch, at 1:18 PM Pacific Standard Time, Armstrong told the world “The Eagle has landed.” As Armstrong and Aldrin prepared to take the first steps on the moon, Perry surrendered three runs to Los Angeles in the top of the first. The scored remained 3-0 entering the bottom of the third, with Dodger starter Claude Osteen facing the minimum. Hal Lanier flew out to second baseman Ted Sizemore. Bob Barton followed by grounding out to Bill Sudakis at third. The San Francisco faithful had little hope as Gaylord Perry stepped to the plate. Shocking everyone, Perry drove Claude Osteen’s pitch over the outfield wall. Alvin Dark had no idea his proclamation five years earlier prove correct, but by just 30 minutes. Perry sparked a Giants comeback, as San Francisco defeated the rival Dodgers 7 to 3. Gaylord Perry pitched a Complete Game, allowing three Runs, six strikeouts, and no Home Runs.
Alvin Dark was mostly right about Gaylord Perry and the Moon landing. A man was on the Moon, when Perry hit his Home Run but had not walked on it. (NASA)
Gaylord Perry hit six career longballs. He hit one each season from 1969 to 1972. San Francisco traded Perry to Cleveland and after three and a half seasons, Cleveland sent him to the Rangers. Perry did not bat in the American League because of the Designated Hitter. Returning to the National League with the Padres in 1978, Perry needed a season to warm up before going deep again in 1979. He spent 1980 split between the Rangers and Yankees, before hitting his sixth and final Home Run for the Braves in 1981 at the age of 42.
Known for his pitching and lackluster abilities at the plate, Gaylord Perry was destined for baseball greatness. It took a frustrated manager, an optimistic sportswriter, and the Space Race to create the perfect cosmic storm. Alvin Dark never dreamed he was foreshadowing Perry’s first career Home Run. Yet the stars and the moon aligned to create one of the most memorable moments in baseball history.
DJ
Ranking Pitcher Bat Flips 2018 Version
Last year we ranked the best pitcher bat flips of recent memory using our proprietary Joey Bats Scale. So what did our promotion of the this glorious celebration of triumph get us in the 2018 season? Nothing. We saw one aggressive bat drop from Clayton Richard and an off-camera BP bat flip from Chris Sale. Shohei Ohtani doesn’t flip bats and none of the other 17 pitchers to hit a dinger in 2018 blessed us with an addition to the Joey Bats Scale.
While there were no bat flips, I did watch every dinger hit by a pitcher in 2018, so in a completely arbitrary order, here are some of my favorites.
Steven Matz Homer With No Witnesses
Steven Matz hit two home runs for the Mets, proving other pitchers can rake for them besides Big Sexy. But without video evidence, his first homer would may have well never happened.
I’m convinced the few people in the crowd got lost in Willets Point and wandered into Citi Field to ask for directions to Flushing Meadows Park. There is no conceivable reason anyone would subject themselves to a Mets-Marlins game in September 2018. But props to Steven Matz and the Mets for fully enjoying the moment.
Reds’ Pitchers Hitting Grand Slams
Not one but two Reds’ pitchers hit grand slams in 2018, Michael Lorenzen and Anthony DeSclafani. More impressively, Lorenzen’s grand slam came on a pinch-hit and was his 3rd (and final) dinger of the season.
A.J. Cole Does His Best Big Sexy Impression
A.J. Cole hit his first career home run last season, but that’s not what’s impressive. What matters here is that he took 30 seconds to round the bases, turning in the longest home run trot by a pitcher since Big Sexy in 2016.
German Marquez Hits a Dinger Off a Second Baseman
I am all for the recent trend of position players pitching more often in blow out games if it leads to more moments like this.
Let’s hope the DH never comes to the NL. Pitcher homers are fun, bat flips are better, and it is great to see pitchers celebrate these rare moments. Let’s hope the 2019 season brings us more pitcher home runs and more bat flips.
KB
The Winning Run 