Baseball, Legends, Time and Money
At work a few days ago, I was talking to a couple of co-workers and friends about how Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers will be making about 30M next season by itself and over that from 2016-2020. The conversation had started before I got to work but I joined in when I was asked who the most dominating pitcher had ever seen was. I answered with Randy Johnson but said in the current era, it’s Kershaw. Then I was asked if he was worth 30 Million dollars to which I answered with a resounding “NO”.
I told them that, as much as I love sports, I don’t think any person is worth 30 million dollars, let alone someone who just plays a sport. I was then asked if I felt the same way if players like CY Young, Babe Ruth, or Ted Williams were alive in this era, to which I swiftly said “they wouldn’t be worth it, they may not be the top players in today’s game!”
Before you just stop reading, let me explain my hypothesis. There is no way to test this, but the old legends of baseball, the ones with records that will never be broken (hitting streak, hitting .400, career wins, etc…) is because the game is so vastly different than it was when those players played, almost 100 years ago.
The rules were different in the game, the teams were different, and the players were different. There was very little, if any at all, racial diversity in the game back when a lot of the legends played. It was predominantly a white man’s sport. Also, there were fewer teams so the talent pool wasn’t as wide and it was a lot easier to stockpile the top talent onto just one team (cough cough Yankees).
Another difference is the information. Teams didn’t scout as much back then, didn’t dive into numbers, didn’t shift the infielders. Lets be honest, do you really think Ted Williams hits over .400 in this era where the defense gets shifted? I don’t. Does DiMaggio’s hitting streak last as long as it does in this information era? I don’t think so.
Finally, other factors of the game are different. When CY Young started pitching, there was no regulated mound size. The ballparks were usually more spacious, both in the outfield and in foul territory, making it easier to either limit home runs or add on some hits by using the extra space. There is more medical information, more training, more players, skills, and an easier way to compile, keep, and access statistical information.
I’m not trying to deny those players what they were in their era. They will always be legends in baseball and they accomplished major feats. However, it might be time to separate what they did almost 100 years ago from what is going on in the modern era. Keep separate books and records for what happened back then from what happened today might be a good place to start. I’m not a fan of the CY Young award being called that, but that’s a story for another time.
Overall, baseball has had plenty of players who have done amazing things. Baseball still does and baseball always will. Does that mean those players are worth 30 million dollars in one season? I don’t think so, but that’s up for General Managers and team owners to ultimately decide.
MLB 2014 Preview: N.L. West
The season has technically started with the Dodgers and Diamondbacks in Australia, but the rest of the teams are still getting ready and are trying to set their rosters for the 2014 season. Now it is time for me to break down each division. I will break it down, going worst to first in my analysis and, after doing all the divisions, I’ll do an award and postseason one. Starting off with the N.L. West…
1st: No surprise here, it’s the Dodgers. However, I don’t see them as quite the tank that a lot of people think they are. They have a great pitching staff; Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu are a very great top three but after that, it falls off a bit. Haren and Beckett are the ending of the rotation and that isn’t impressive. Haren allowed 28 HRs last season en route to a 4.67 ERA (2nd straight of 28 HRs and a post 4 ERA) and Beckett is going to start the season on the DL and that’s after pitching to a 5.19 ERA (25 earned runs in 43.1 IP) in a total of eight starts. Also, OF Kemp will start the season on the DL (I still hold by the stance that he is the most overrated player in baseball, but that’s a different story for a different time), second base and catcher are holes in the lineup, and I don’t have a lot of confidence in the 35 year old Uribe at 3rd. Record at bet: 100-62 Record at worse: 75-87 Record prediction: 92-70
2nd: The Diamondbacks have a few early season injuries to contend with, most notably losing Corbin for the season to TJ surgery, but they have the ability to contend with it. Adding Trumbo’s bat to the lineup either before or after Goldschmidt is going to add a lot of potential to the lineup. Parra and Ross/Pollock in the outfield also isn’t the most intimidating look, but they have some defensive upside and can also be addressed with an in-season trade. Also, their back-up catcher is named Tuffy Gosewisch. Sound familiar? No? Are you sure? Yah I’m not surprised and no, he will hold little to no value to the team, but what a great name. Finally, the bullpen, anchored with the addition of Reed from the White Sox, has a chance to be very strong but still might be something that the Diamondbacks look to improve on. However, I don’t think this lineup has a chance to grab a wild card slot. Record at best: 90-72 Record at worse 72-90 Record prediction: 85-77
3rd: The San Francisco Giants, won two World Series in three years, are starting to slip down the hill. Second base is an issue with Scutaro being healthy, more so with him starting the season on the DL. The outfield is risky with Morse in left field and Pagan and Pence are good players, but not great players. Sandoval is a bit of a mystery but some of the slack could be picked up from Belt as he continues to get better. However, what worries me is the rotation. Cain had a rough season last year; Lincecum hasn’t found his step he had as a two time CY Young winner, Vogelsong imploded last season and Tim Hudson is quite up there in years. I find it hard that this team will contend deep into September. Record at best: 86-76 Record at worst: 73-89 Record prediction: 80-82
4th: This team, the Colorado Rockies, made a move that honestly perplexed me in the trade of Fowler. I see it, honestly and fully, as a salary dump. They follow that up by signing Morneau (which might pay off because Coors Field is such a hitter’s park, he might find his stats rising back up to the top) brining in Stubbs (who would be much better if he wouldn’t strikeout once in every three at bats, approximately) and Brett Anderson (who isn’t terrible, he just can’t stay healthy and had a 6.04 ERA in 44.2 innings last season (30 ER) and 16 games, only five of which were starts). I worry about Colorado’s pitching as a whole as that has been an issue for the team for many years and was the second worst staff in 2013. Record at best: 79-83 record at worst: 59-103 Record prediction: 70-92
5th: The Padres are a mess right now. Quentin and Maybin are starting the season on the DL and will be out long term; Venable is banged up and could also land on the DL soon. Gyorko was a bright spot for the Padres and he could end up being a star on the Padres or will become stagnant and not get better or worse. Alonso also took a step forward last season but is lacking in the power department while Grandal took a step back, but that’s because he was hit with a PED suspension, just as Cabrera was on what was his breakout season, so very little stock in those two. The rotation also looks poor; it’s already beset with the loss of Johnson to the DL and it’s a very young, very sporadic rotation. I don’t see much upside in this team and I see them as possibly the worst team in the NL (fighting for that spot with the Mets and Cubs). Record at best: 78-84 Record at worst: 55-107 Record prediction: 62-100
Cats In The Bleachers 
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