As I close out a rather rough work week despite the fact that we started it off with a holiday (I unfortunately worked all day), I thought I would hit upon some of the news of the day before taking the night off to lift some weights, shower, and then have a nice dinner with friends. Oh, and I might do some imbibing as well.
How quick we forget just how amazing Rick Ankiel was — as a pitcher! Take a look at his numbers in 2000, his first full season in the bigs (he tossed 33 innings in 1999): 11-7, 3.50 ERA, 10.13 K/9 and a 1.30 WHIP. It’s utterly amazing that he could be that good on the hill and then go on to hit 25 homers two years ago for the Cardinals.
I’m sure you’ve heard it by now, but A’s prospect Grant Desme has decided to hang up his spikes to take up the cross. Desme, who went 30/30 last season in the low minors before tearing it up in the Arizona Fall League (he was the league MVP), has decided to give up his baseball career in order to become a Catholic priest (you can read a report on his decision in Susan Slusser’s piece). As a former theology student myself, I fully support his calling, and wish him the best in life as he will reach more people as a priest, than he likely ever would as a player. Was my report on him, after seeing him play in the AFL, one of the reasons that he made the switch (AFL Impressions)? Of course not, but one can wonder.
Really Phillies? You think that Joe Blanton (3-years, $24 million) is worth more than Shane Victorino (3-years, $22 million)? Can’t say I agree with that call.
The Giants are always crying poor when it comes to spending money on their roster. Here is part of the reason why it’s not disingenuous. The Giants have to give $5 million this year and in each of the next two years to Barry Bonds as part of the $25 million in deferred money he is owed (they have already made payments the past two years). Secondly, unlike other cities that lavish their sports teams with untold millions of dollars to build a new stadium, the Giants park was built completely with private funds. Therefore, the team has a yearly payment of $23 million – in essence a mortgage for the stadium. Take that $28 million away from off field spending, and perhaps the Giants would have been able to add Matt Holliday and Rich Harden. Think about that for a few moments and understand that the rest of the NL is pretty darn lucky the Giants are on the hook for so much off the field dough.
A Great Idea
Years ago I had the pleasure of talking to Jerome Holtzman, the man who is credited with creating the creating the save. I wrote an article about the discussion and the history of the save, but since it was for a previous employer I will not link to it (you can read his story at Legendary Historian). Why do I bring up Mr. Holtzman? Because Jayson Stark wrote an article today that he titled Introducing the Jerome Holtzman Award. What is this award designated to highlight? How about the best reliever in baseball.
I’ve been saying and writing it for years, and I’ll write it again here: pitchers have no business whatsoever being named the MVP. NONE. They have an award for pitchers, it called the Cy Young Award. Besides the illogical nature of thinking someone who plays once every five games (starter) or once every other game (reliever) can be an MVP, the fact is that hitters can’t win the pitcher’s award, so why should pitchers be able to win the players award?
You can read about Starks’ reasons for presenting the idea of creating a new award, but here are the bullet points.
1- Since 1992, a stretch of 17 seasons, only five relievers have even one first place vote in the MVP rating.
2- Of the last 1,000 first place MVP votes, e mere four have gone to a relief pitcher.
3- We have no way to really evaluate relievers, especially historically speaking. If we had an award we’d be able to say 23 saves 25 years ago was the same as 43 today since the voting for the award would allow us to take the pulse of each season.
You can read more about the idea in Stark’s report which I encourage you all to read, but the bottom line is this: we have an award for players (MVP), and an award for starting pitchers (Cy Young), so why not have one for relief pitchers as well given the way that the game has changed over the past 20 years?
By Ray Flowers
