Category Archives: MLB

Carlos Delgado to Undergo Hip Surgery

New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum and bone spur in his right hip.  It is unknown how long Delgado will be out for.  The team would not say if Delgado would return this season but he is expected to be out for at least two months.  The loss of Delgado will leave the team with a huge gap in the cleanup hole.  Gary Sheffield will likely hit cleanup now but it will be seen if the 40 year old Sheffield can hold up for the entire season.  Delgado was hitting .298 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 26 games this season and hit 38 home runs and had 115 RBIs last season.

In Delgado’s absence the Mets will go with a platoon of Fernando Tatis, Jeremy Reed, and to a lesser extent Daniel Murphy at first base.  The three players have a combined 28 starts at first base.  The Mets could have used Delgado last night after a Jeremy Reed error in the 11th on a throw to home from first allowed the winning run to score.  The Mets have said they wont look outside the organization for first base help now but they might have to if they want to win the division.  They could trade for Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson who is on the trade block and can both hit and defend.  Another option could be the Cubs Mark DeRosa who could play first and then when Delgado returns could help out at another position but it remains to be seen if the Indians would be willing to trade him.

David Ortiz Continues to Struggle

To say David Ortiz is struggling this season is an understatement.  Big Papi hit rock bottom Thursday night going 0 for 7 with three strikeouts and left 12 runners on base.  He’s batting .208 and has zero home runs in 144 at bats one shy of the longest homeless drought of his career.  Ortiz was so distraught after the game he told reporters “just put down Papi stinks.”  He did not play Friday and according to Terry Francona he will not play again until Tuesday at the earliest.  Francona said Ortiz needs to fix some mechanics in his swing and improve his confidence.  Ortiz suffered from wrist and knee injuries last season causing him to miss significant time last season but claims that the injuries are not bothering him.  One has to wonder though if his wrist is bothering him because he can’t get his hands around on the up and in fastball that he used to rip.  Perhaps his body is just breaking down.  He is 33 years old and he might be older (he signed with the Mariners at age 16 in 1992).  Another potential reason for his struggles could be the effects of performance enhancing drugs.  Manny Ramirez was recently suspended and Ortiz started hitting once he came to Boston and met up with Ramirez.  That is just purely speculation and based purely on circumstantial evidence but that is what it has come to in baseball today.  Let’s hope Ortiz puts it together and gets his wing back and track and he goes back to being the player we know him as.

How Boston Broke the Curse

It all started on December 20, 2001 when the Red Sox were sold to a group headed buy John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino for 660 million dollars.  These men were not only shrewd businessmen but also baseball insiders.  They fired their general manager immediately and hired an interim one so they could take time to find their guy.  They also fired their manager and hired Grady Little.  The most important hire they made that off-season was for their assistant general manager position which went to Theo Epstein.  Epstein, a Yale graduate, was only 28 at the time but was more than ready for the job.  He had a different mindset than most of the ‘old school’ guys.  Epstein believed that you can find talent and evaluate players based on some numerous statistics.  Epstein was of a big fan of Bill James and his sabermetrics approach and Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics.  The front office was run in the relatively same manner in 2002 but Epstein and other young assistants made their first move when they acquired Alan Embree in June of 2002 who went on to be a key cog in the Red Sox’s bullpen for the next four seasons.  The Red Sox won 93 games in 2002 but missed the playoffs and in the off season John Henry set out to find his general manager.  Henry himself was a supporter of sabermetrics and statistical analysis and so he went after Billy Beane but was turned down by him and eventually hired the guy who Beane recommended, Theo Epstein.  It became official on November 25, 2002, just shy of Epstein’s 29th birthday.  Henry also hired James as a senior advisor and Josh Byrnes, a 32 year old, as assistant general manager.  The transition was complete and the Red Sox had effectively turned into the Oakland Athletics only with a lot more money.

The Red Sox’s first battle with the Yankees was over Jose Contreras.  Epstein personally went to Nicaragua to wine and dine Contreras and he ate it up and all sign pointed to him signing with the Red Sox.  Then the Yankees swooped in with a better offer and signed Contreras.  Though the Red Sox lost another battle to the Yanks they were not beaten up over it.  The Red Sox were determined to get value for their players and not get into any bidding wars but also be bold and not worry about looking stupid if things didn’t work out like with Contreras.  The Red Sox then went on to have one of the most efficient off seasons in baseball history.  With only 13 million dollars spent and trading three low level prospects the Red Sox acquired David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Todd Walker, Bill Mueller, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Timlin, and Bronson Arroyo.  The common denominator was that all of the hitters were better than the league average in on base percentage, a key statistic in sabermetrics.  Every one of the players panned out except for Giambi who got injured.  These players along with the core players of the Red Sox help guide the Red Sox to 95 wins in 2004 and a playoff appearance.  In 2003 they led the league in slugging and runs while also setting a franchise record for home runs.  In only two years the Red Sox had built a true rival to the all mighty Yankees.

The Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series against the Yankees that year.  They were locked in a tense series with momentum going back and forth that led to Game 7 in Yankee Stadium.  The Red Sox had a 4-2 lead and were only six outs away from reaching the World Series but Grady Little left Pedro in  and the Yankees rallied to tied the game and  Aaron Boone hit the game winning home run in the 11th inning sending the Red Sox home for the winter.  Little would be fired and replaced by Terry Francona.  The Red Sox knew they could finally beat the Yankees and knew they needed one more ingredient to do so, another starting pitcher.

That off season the Arizona Diamondbacks put Curt Schilling on the trading block but Schilling had a full no trade clause and said he would only accept a trade to the Yankees or Phillies.  The Yankees had talks with the Diamondbacks but they fell apart.  The Red Sox with their new motto of being bold decided to inquire about Schilling.  The Diamondbacks listened and came up with an offer for Schilling which was a no brainier for the Red Sox but they had only 72 hours to convince Schilling to come to Boston.  Epstein was set to go down to Phoenix to talk to Curt and before he got there the Red Sox sent a 1,165 word letter to Curt to appeal to his ego.  They also showed Schilling the advanced scouting they did and film breakdown that Schilling just ate up.  They had James write a letter to Schilling proving Fenway Park was beneficial to right handed fly ball pitches contrary to what Schilling previously said.  Schilling finally agreed and they worked out a contract.  The Red Sox finally had a pitching staff that was equivalent to   their dynamic offense.

The Red Sox were not done upgrading their roster though.  The Red Sox used their statistical analysis and found out that their defense was terrible and in particular Nomar Garciapara who was the worst defensive shortstop in the history of their database.  At the trading deadline Epstein organized a four team trade that netted the Red Sox Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz both good defensive players for Nomar.  After the trade the Red Sox had the best record in baseball (42-18).  The Red Sox and Yankees met once again in the American League Championship Series.  The Red Sox lost the first three games of the series but never let it get to them.  They still stayed loose in the clubhouse doing a pre-game toast of Jack Daniels and were joking around before the game.  The Red Sox had remarkable comebacks to win both Game 4 and Game 5 and went back to Yankee Stadium for Game 6 with Schilling on the mound.  Schilling came up big for the Red Sox in what became known as the “Bloody Sock Game” allowing only one run over seven innings in the win.  Giambi commenting on the addition of Schilling said “Until the got Schilling to go with Pedro, we could beat them.  Then once they got that extra guy, that’s what turned the table for them.  That’s where they turned the tide on us.”  The series was tied but everyone knew it was over.  The Yanks had no one to throw in Game 7 and ended going with Kevin Brown who got rocked and the Red Sox won easily while advancing to the World Series.  The Red Sox didn’t miss a beat against the Cardinals in the World Series winning the first three games and finally on Wednesday October 27, 2004 the Red Sox won Game 4 and broke the curse that had haunted them for the past 86 years.

It took the Red Sox three seasons from when the team was sold to John Henry to win the World Series.  They were ahead of the curve in their statistical analysis while most other teams were still using the old school method of scouting and evaluating.  They were not the only team doing this with the Athletics and Indians being the other prominent teams but the Red Sox had the money to spend that these teams didn’t.  They used their methods to have one of the most efficient off seasons in 2003 and in trading Nomar but also were bold and weren’t afraid to go after a big guy which they did when they landed Schilling.  The publication of Moneyball has tipped off everyone else in baseball about what teams like the Athletics, Red Sox, and Indians were doing and now teams like the Yankees are using their methods.  The Red Sox added another title in 2007 and are poised to add more.

Some infromation in this article is from The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.

A-ROD in New York

The knee injury that Aaron Boone suffered while playing a game of pick up basketball created a need at third base for the Yankees.  That paved the way for Alex Rodriguez who arrived in New York in February of 2004.  Alex was unlike the players on the championship teams during the Torre tenure.  He craved the attention.  He was motivated by stature and status and that certainly changed the feel of the club.  In the middle of his first season Torre told A-Rod that he’ll be fine and it takes time getting used to New York and his response “Well, my numbers are about the same as last year” shocked Torre.  But that was just type of player A-Rod is.  Always worrying about his stats, what other people think of him, and his legacy.  Obviously that it tainted now but at the time no one knew about his steroid use.

He did try and fit into the Yankee culture though but everyone could tell it was an act and that led to infamous inside joke “A-Fraud.” He finally realized that he could be himself but would revert back once in awhile.  To his credit though Torre does call Rodriguez the hardest worker he has ever seen.  A-Rod also didn’t fit the Yankee culture because of his high maintenance.  He asked for his own personal clubhouse assistant, his over the top mannerisms on the field, and his phoniness in the media was a big turnoff to his teammates.  A-Rod and his me first attitude left him out of place in the Yankee clubhouse trying to hang on to the core values of the championship teams.

The relationship between A-Rod and Jeter has been an interesting one to say the least.  They were close friends in the 90’s and hung out with together when their teams played against each other.  Then in in an article in Esquire magazine in 2001 A-Rod blasted Jeter saying he’s never had to lead, had so much talent around him, and is never your concern when playing against him.  This created a rift in their friendship.  Though, once A-Rod came to the Yankees the article didn’t seem to be that big of an issue.  The issue became the mindsets of the two players and their versions of what it took to win.   They were just two very different people.  Jeter didn’t care about stats or his legacy, all he cared about was winning while A-Rod cared about his stats and status in baseball.  This separated the two players who were not only two of the best players on the team but also played right next to each other in the field.  Torre sums it great by saying that Rodriguez was “riding an uncomfortable shotgun to Jeter.”

A-Rod did not stop putting up number in New York though.  In his five full seasons in New York A-Rod hit 208 home runs and won two MVP’s.  But the Yankees have also won zero World Series and that is the only number that matters in New York.  While it is not solely A-Rod’s fault the Yanks haven’t won since he came he certainly hasn’t helped with his dreadful postseasons.  He hit .245 in the post season as a Yankee which was 61 points below his career average.  This included an ugly 59 at bat stretch where he hit .136 where at one point had a 0 for 27 stretch in it.  The low point was in Game 4 in the 2006 ALDS against the Tigers where Torre batted A-Rod eight in the lineup and went 0 for 3.  A-Rod’s post season struggles only made his demeanor and attitude seem worse and not worth the trouble.

A-Rod has clearly not worked out so far in New York.  The recent steroid admission has not helped his status and has crushed his legacy.  It will be interesting to see how he responds now following his steroid admission and recent further allegations.  He still has time to make it work though.  He is only 33 years old and including this year has nine years left on his contract.  All it takes is a championship in New York, which is starving for one, and all of the bad mouthing of A-Rod will stop and he will finally be liked which I’m sure A-Rod will love but only if he has good numbers to go along with it.

Some information in this article is from The Yankee Years by Joe Toree and Tom Verducci.

Were the 1998 Yankees the Best Team Ever?

In 1998 the Yankees won 114 games in the regular season which at the time was an American League record (it would be broken in 2001 by the Seattle Mariners).  The ‘98 Yankees were not the most talented team ever but were the best complete team.  1998 was the season of home run with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both breaking Roger Maris’ record hitting 70 and 66 home runs respectively.  No one on the Yankees hit more than 28 home runs that season but they still managed to lead the league in runs.  The pitching staff that was comprised of David Cone, Andy Pettitte, David Wells, Orlando Hernandez, and Hideki Irabu combined for a 79-35 record during the regular season.  Their bullpen, anchored by Mariano Rivera, was lights out as well going 28-9 in the regular season.  Rivera was such a force at the end of games giving opposing teams anxiety of having to have a lead after seven innings because they knew Rivera was coming in after that.

Each one of the 25 guys on the team had a role and they each executed it.  They were a team that lacked nothing.  They had a great combination of youth and experience, power and speed, and right-handed and left-handed pitching.  They had different leaders in batting average, home runs, hits, total bases, and walks.  The bench was key as well and even had a higher on base percentage (.370) than the starters (.364).  This was a team that had no individual agendas.  They cared about wins and not individual stats.  They were driven by a desperation to win.  They were supposed to win and they knew that and it showed in the playoffs when they flat out dominated.

In the Divisional Series against the Texas Rangers the Yankees surrendered only one run and 13 hits all series to them.  They lost a little steam against the Indians in the League Championship Series when they were down two games to one but a first inning home run by Paul O’Neill gave the Yankees the lift they need and they won the next three games to advance to the World Series.  They faced adversity again in Game 1 of the World Series against the Padres losing 5-2 in the seventh inning before a Chuck Knoblauch three run home run and a Tino Martinez grand slam catapulted the Yankees to a win.  The Yankees cam back once again in Game 3 when Scott Brosius hit a three run home run in the eight inning off Trevor Hoffman to give the Yankees the lead.  The Yankees won the next game finishing the sweep and post season record of 11-2.  That gave the Yankees a total of 125 wins for the season which is an MLB record that still stands today.  Going by that stat alone you could claim the Yankees are the best team ever and even the boss, George Steinbrenner, agreed “… as good as any team I’ve ever seen.  There’s never been anyone better.”  But the Yankees were more than their record.  They were a group of unselfish, tough, ferocious guys who trusted each other and wore you out and pounded you but did it all with class.

Some information in this article is from The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.

Why the Yankees Haven't Won

The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2000.  That is over 8 years and an eternity in Yankee land.  They made it back to the World Series in 2001 and 2003 losing to the Diamondbacks and Marlins respectively.  The 2001 was an especially tough series as they lost in Game 7 after blowing a lead in the 9th inning.  After that game the dynasty that was the New York Yankees had effectively ended but no one knew at the time.  After that season the Yankees lost Tino Martinez and Chuck Knoblauch to free agency and also lost Paul O’Neill and Scott Brosius to retirement.  They had also lost David Cone after the 2000 season.  It was clear that nucleus of the championship winning teams was not coming back and the Yankees were shifting toward a different direction.

When the Yankees won they won on a core of cheap, homegrown players.  Free agents are supposed to complement the core.  After the 2001 season the Yankees completely abandoned that ideal.  The first of the many mistakes that would follow was in free agency that winter the Yankees made their first splash by signing Jason Giambi to a 7 year 120 million contract.  They also had to take on Giambi’s personal trainer as part of the deal, a clear shift from the low maintenance guys they Yankees used to have.   The Yanks also decided to sign Rondell White over Johnny Damon.  White was terrible in his first season with the Yanks and traded for next to nothing after that.  They also signed Robin Ventura to play third base and replace Scott Brosius.  Another signing was Steve Karsay, who actually pitched well for one year, then got hurt and only pitched 12 2/3 innings but collected 17 million dollars.  It continued into the season when they traded for Raul Mondesi and one of their biggest gaffs trading Ted Lilly for Jeff Weaver, who was the first of many starting pitchers who failed in New York.  Javier Vasquez, Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Kei Igawa, and Randy Johnson followed suit.  The Yankees lost their core and their playing values and couldn’t replace that in the open market or from their porous farm system because baseball had changed.

Baseball established as increased revenue sharing system that funneled more money from the richer teams such as the Yankees to the poorer teams.  Baseball also decided to equally share all revenue generated from in internet as MLB.com was launched in 2001.  While the extra money other teams were receiving wasn’t stopping the Yankees from spending it did allow these smaller market teams to lock up their young talent and postponing their free agency.  This made the free agency pool a lot weaker when the Yankees went to plug their holes because of their scarce farm system.   It also makes those young players older when they finally do hit free agency and thus are not in their prime years when signed.  An example of this is instead of signing Roy Halladay, who was signed to a long term deal by the Blue Jays who might not have been able to in the past; the Yankees were left to sign Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright.  The Yankees were paying big bucks for players that were past their prime.

In the following 7 World Series since the 2001 World Series 12 different teams played in them with the Red Sox and the Cardinals being the only teams that have been there more than once and they’ve only been there twice.  Also in 2007 for the time since 1988 no division winners repeated.  The big teams are still big but are no longer dominant and teams such as the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and Florida Marlins have won or been in the World Series; a thought that would have seemed impossible ten years ago.  There is definitely parody in baseball and it isn’t going away any time soon.  The Yankees have come close to winning recently but unless they start changing their spending way in free agency and rebuild the farm system they will continue to get beat by teams with payroll’s that are a fraction of the Yankees.  The old Yankee teams back in the mid to late 90’s were “teams” while the most recent editions of the Yankees have been more of a collection of individual stars.

Some information in this article is from The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.