Wednesday, March 31, 2004
The Curse Continues
Ah...just what I wanted to hear. The Red Sox now have 3 regulars on the DL. Nomar Garciaparra was put on the DL on Wednesday, to join Trot Nixon and Byung Hyun Kim. Another Red Sock (is that what you would call one?) on the DL is Reynaldo Garcia, who, to be honest with you, I've never heard of.
The shortstop formerly known as Anthony is, for those of you who don't know, my all-time favorite player. There is always a guy that everyone roots for, and I'm guessing that a fair share of people root for him. How could you not? I can't think of one thing not to like about him. But that's just me.
Nevertheless, the Red Sox opening day lineup looks a lot thinner. They still got Pedro and Curt (if Pedro can be called by his first name only, why not Schilling?) to anchor the rotation. While the loss of Kim and Garcia aren't devastating, especially considering each won't be watching from the bench for too long, the staff's depth is that much less. Here's their projected offseason lineup compared to their lineup now.
The first third of their lineup is the same, but after that it gets shaky. The only good thing about this lineup is that David Ortiz bats cleanup in this new lineup, who is on my fantasy team, and, if nothing else, should increase his power numbers for the first month of the season.
Then Now
CF Johnny Damon CF Johnny Damon
3B Bill Mueller 3B Bill Mueller
LF Manny Ramirez LF Manny Ramirez
SS Nomar Garciaparra DH David Ortiz
DH David Ortiz 1B Kevin Millar
RF Trot Nixon C Jason Varitek
1B Kevin Millar RF Gabe Kapler
C Jason Varitek 2B Mark Bellhorn
2B Pokey Reese SS Pokey Reese
Now, I'm not panicking, since the guys on the DL are only out for a month at the most. And, they still have their entire pitching rotation in tact, with Pedro, Curt, Derek Lowe, Tim Wakefield, and Bronson Arroyo. Kim was set to be in the rotation in the offseason, but he has been injured for a while and his absence from the starting rotation didn't come as quite of a surprise as Garciaparra's announcement did.
While the Red Sox are not in trouble by any means, it could be harder for them to start the season on the right foot. With all the injuries to overcome, it will be hard to build some momentum. Their opening day lineup isn't bad, but I certainly would be less nervous without all the injuries. You never know when Nomar's achilles tendon and put him out until the all-star break. For now, I guess the Red Sox will have to play the cards they're dealt.
For comments, questions, suggestions, or whatever, feel free to email me
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Don't expect another dream season
As much as I hate to say it because I love the Marlins (not as much as the Red Sox, though), Don't expect a repeat this year. I mean let's face it. The Marlins had the baseball gods smiling down on them last year. Everything went right for them, especially down the stretch. But unfortunately, these things don't happen two years in a row. That's not the only reason they are destined to be a weaker team. Take a look at their offseason losses and acquisitions.
Their only significant acquisition was Armando Benitez, who is set to be their closer. Other than that, the only other guy who I can really say will make any impact this year is Hee Seop Choi, a promising prospect who could do some things this year, but not enough to make too much of a difference. I guess Damion Easley could do something, since he is so good (since sarcasm isn't too easily displayed through writing, I will just go out and tell you that I am being sarcastic, and laying it on pretty thickly). In my opinion Easley is (or was, I'm not so sure about people's opinion of him now) the most overrated and overpaid player in the game. But that's a whole different story.
Players Acquired Players Lost
RP Armando Benitez C Ivan Rodriguez
1B Hee Seop Choi 1B Derek Lee
SP/RP Darren Oliver LF Todd Hollandsworth
RP Mike Neu RF Juan Encarnacion
1B/OF Wil Cordero SP Mark Redman
RP Bryce Florie CL Ugueth Urbina
RP Matt Perisho RP Braden Looper
RP Scott Sanders OF Chad Allen
IF Felipe Crespo RP Armando Almanza
2B/3B Damian Easley RP Vladimir Nunez
OF Ryan Christenson SP Rick Helling
OF Armando Rios RP Kevin Olsen
Compare those players to the players they lost, and you will see my point. Among the players who packed up and headed out were 3 offensive starters (Lee, Encarnacion, and Rodriguez, their team captain), a solid starter (Redman), and their two best relievers (Looper and Urbina). Some of the guys, like Lee and Rodriguez, were more or less irreplaceable. Benitez pretty much takes the place of Urbina and Looper, as far as being a closer, but two heads are always better than one.
You also can't expect guys like Mike Lowell, who had career highs in HR, RBI, OBP, and SLG last season, Dontrelle Willis, who was successful early but then faded towards the end of the season, and Redman, who had career highs in wins, K's, and ERA last season, to keep up their success. These guys won't have the same season as they did last year, with the exception of maybe Willis. He just isn't experienced enough and is too inconsistent to convince me that he will put up similar numbers this year.
Alright, enough with the bad. The Marlins do have plenty of things going for them, just not as much as they have going against him. But, that's what we were saying all last year when they were making their run, and all year in '97. Up and coming star Miguel Cabrera is primed for a breakout year after his success in the playoffs last year and his experience, both in the playoffs and regular season. This guy has enormous talent, and I think we'll see some of it this year. Also, Juan Pierre has suddenly become one of the best leadoff men in the game, with his combination of speed and contact power, striking out only 131 times in his 2077 career AB. His defense is also superb and he brings a spark to the team.
Luis Castillo couldn't have been more inconsistent on the basepaths last year, but I'm expecting him to go back to his 2002 form. He should add a lot to the team. The Marlins will also welcome back the return of AJ Burnett, who was considered the team ace before his season ended after an elbow injury after only 23 IP. The Marlins also have a sparkling team chemistry, which led to their success last year.
Don't get me wrong, the Marlins have plenty of things going for them. But I just don't think it's enough to override all the players they lost in the offseason. I wish the best for the Fish, but I'm not expecting anything big. 90 wins isn't out of the question, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they made the playoffs, but they won't get as far as they did last season.
For comments, questions, suggestions, or whatever, feel free to email me
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Good Company
I can't remember a player who got as good as he is as fast as he did as Albert Pujols. It's simply amazing what he has done, and even more so when you consider that he is only 24.
Most players begin their careers with a couple years of 'training,' where they get limited playing time, and their numbers are usually mediocre. This is usually because of their age - most players simply can't adjust from the minors or college/high school to the majors without some time and experience. That wasn't the case with Pujols, however. Take a look at some other similar players' first season and their stats, compared to Pujols.
If you're picky and checked the numbers, you will notice that with most of the players, I disregarded the very first season that they played in, since the numbers on that year mostly consisted of 20-30 games and less than 100 AB, which would be unfair to compare with. So, most of these numbers are a player's second actual season, where they put together a more complete season.
Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG
Frank Thomas 60 191 39 63 11 3 7 31 44 54 .330 .454 .529
Vladimir Guerrero 90 325 44 98 22 2 11 40 19 39 .302 .350 .483
Todd Helton 35 93 13 26 2 1 5 11 8 11 .280 .337 .484
Barry Bonds 113 413 72 92 26 3 16 48 65 102 .223 .330 .416
Manny Ramirez 91 290 51 78 22 0 17 60 42 72 .269 .357 .521
Jim Thome 40 117 8 24 3 1 2 12 10 34 .205 .275 .299
Alex Rodriguez 48 142 15 33 6 2 5 19 6 42 .232 .264 .408
Albert Pujols 161 590 112 194 47 4 37 130 69 93 .329 .403 .610
But not with Pujols. Going into 2001, Pujols had a grand total of 0 major league AB. He had absolutely no major league experience going into that season. He didn't know what to expect, how much better the defense and pitchers were in the majors compared to the minors, and the mental and physical drain it puts on you. Yet he still doubled and in some cases tripled or more in the major stat categories compared to the other players on that list, most of whom already had some prior major league experience in his first year.
What makes Pujols' splash on the major league scene even more remarkable is Pujols' minor league numbers, which relatively, weren't too eye-popping. Certainly not enough to predict his instant success in the majors. Pujols only played one year in the minors:
Those numbers aren't bad, but they aren't staggering. So, before his 2001 breakout season, he had 0 major league AB and only one minor league season under his belt. This guy was pretty much straight out of college, which is remarkable considering how many players have to spend 3 to 4 years in the minors before even making the Major League roster. Add the fact that he was drafted in the 19th round of the amateur draft and it makes his success even more surprising.
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA SLG
133 490 74 154 41 7 19 96 40 47 .314 .543
To go along with his exceptional offensive abilities, Pujols isn't a slouch on defense either. He's played 4 different positions during his 3 seasons, something that is harder to do than it may seem. Lots of players experience offensive droughts if they change positions, due to many different factors. A player may lose confidence on offense after making lots of errors on defense. A player may have a harder time focusing on offense if they are learning a new position. That hasn't been the case for Pujols. He has a career .978 defensive percentage combined at his positions. He seems to have found a home in left field, for now.
The bottom line is that Pujols is definitely headed on the right track. Take a look at similar players to Pujols by age, you will find a pretty nice looking list.
Each player on the list is a hall-of-famer, with the exception of Hal Trosky, and Vladimir Guerrero, who in my opinion is well on his way to a place in Cooperstown. That's some pretty good company to be in.
Joe DiMaggio (951)
Jimmie Foxx (917)
Hal Trosky (902)
Joe Medwick (893)
Hank Aaron (893)
Vladimir Guerrero (889)
Frank Robinson (882)
Orlando Cepeda (878)
Ted Williams (877)
Stan Musial (873)
Most people don't realize just how good Pujols is, and just how remarkable his succes has been. No other player has had more success so early in his career, and the only similar one I can think of off-hand is Joe DiMaggio. The thing that makes it so incredible is the fact that Pujols had no major league experience, only one minor league season, and was never a highly heralded prospect going into his first Major League year. He still managed to put up MVP numbers despite all these opposing factors and despite the fact that he was 21, which to put in perspective is barely old enough to hit the bars after a game. I'm not sure if we'll ever see a player like Pujols again in baseball.
For comments, questions, suggestions, or whatever, feel free to email me
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Clutch Time
When you think of clutch hitters in the playoffs, more specifically the World Series, who comes to your mind first? Reggie Jackson? Derek Jeter? Joe Carter? Kirk Gibson? Bobby Brown?
Wait wait wait wait...Bobby Brown? He didn't come to mind? Believe it or not, Brown has the all-time leading postseason and World Series batting average, with a 40 AB minimum. No, not Bobby Brown the rapper. But Bobby Brown the New York Yankee, who played from 1946-54. Take a look at Brown's career numbers.
Whatever the reason, Brown found a way to step it up in the postseason, when it counts most. Which brings up the question. Is playoff performance overrated? I'm not saying that what you do in the playoffs shouldn't count towards how good of a player someone is, but I am saying that you can't judge a player solely on their clutch ability or playoff performance. You are just as likely to hit a hot streak in the playoffs, like Brown, or you could just as easily hit a cold streak. Which brings me to the conclusion that maybe the term 'clutch' is overrated. Bobby Brown wasn't necessarily clutch, but he happened to get hot during the playoffs.
Reg Season Playoffs Diff
BA .279 .439 +.160
OBP .367 .500 +.133
SLG .376 .707 +.331
There is a time when a player needs to get a hit. And if he does, we usually deem him a 'clutch player.' But most of the time, it's just getting a hit at the right time. It's not like a person with a higher 'clutch rating' will perform much better 'in the clutch' than he does during any other normal at-bat. Was Gibson's game-winning homerun in 1988 clutch? We like to think so, but I like to call it luck. Gibson was hobbled over, walked with a limp, and had no business being in that game. How did he hit the homerun? Was it clutch? Some of it depends on the pitcher, some of it depends on the pitch, but a lot of it depends on luck. Gibson hadn't had a plate appearance during the whole World Series up until that at-bat. Luck had to have played a part in it, not some abstract attribute inside a player, "clutch."
Obviously, some players seem to do a lot better in the playoffs consistently. Derek Jeter is one example. Does that make him clutch? Well, I guess you could call it that, but I'm sure it has to do with some other factors. I would bet that Jeter prepares more for playoff games, both mentally and physically, than he does with regular season games. This, in combination with more pressure on the pitcher, results in Jeter getting more hits in playoff games. He just finds a way to focus and prepare more than his opponent at the time.
Another example that clutch isn't really a good measurement of a player's performance. The player with the second best BA in postseason history is, you guessed it, Jose Offerman. With a .279 career batting average working against him, Offerman has managed to post a .429 career postseason BA. To go along with that, his OBP is .520, compared to his ..361 career regular season number. Does Offerman have more clutch ability? In a word, no. He just happened to hit some hot streaks in the postseason, due to luck or preparation.
An example of a player with great career regular season numbers but poor postseason numbers is none other than Ty Cobb. Cobb, in fact, is the all time leader in career BA. But it's a different story in the postseason.
Granted, Cobb only had 65 postseason AB, so the results may be a little misleading. But, it's not like Cobb had less clutch ability than a guy like Offerman or Brown. He just happened to get into a cold streak during the playoffs, whether it be because of preparation, opposing pitchers, or just plain bad luck. Whatever the reason, Cobb will never be known as a 'clutch player,' even thought that the term is overused and overrated.
Reg Season Playoffs Diff
BA .366 .262 -.104
OBP .433 .314 -.119
SLG .512 .354 -.158
So the next time you see a player get a hit in the crunch time of a game, specifically a playoff or World Series game, consider the numbers before you consider him a 'clutch player.' Clutch may be a formula of 1/3 luck, 1/3 focus and composure, and 1/3 pitching, not a separate attribute.
For comments, questions, suggestions, or whatever, feel free to email me
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Fantasy Baseball is Sweet
Every year, I try to have at least one fantasy baseball team. This year is no different than the rest, except for the fact that I had a great draft, something I have bombed the past couple years. I bought my team over at Sportingnews.com. In my opinion, Sportingnews gives you the best bang for your buck. It's only $20 ($25 now, I got an 'early-bird special'), so it's relatively cheap. Plus, it gives you a handy research site for free. Anyways, here is my team.
FYI, 10 team league, 5x5 Rotisserie Rules, 4th pick in the draft.
Pitchers
Mark Prior- I love this guy. I took him with my first pick, fourth overall. Only 23 years old, and already considered one of the top at his position. He had a freakish season last year, especially considering how young he is. 2.43, 18, 245/211.3. Sickening, for a guy who's barely old enough to go out for a drink after the game.
Barry Zito- I got Zito in the 7th round, so in my opinion he was a huge steal. Even though he had a bad year last year (although I'm not sure if you can call a 3.30 ERA and 14 wins a 'bad year'), but if he didn't have the great 2002 campaign and came out with a Cy Young to compare the 2003 season to, you would say he had a very solid year. His K's have also taken a dip, from 8.2/9 in 2001, to 7.1/9 in 2002, to 5.3/9 in 2003. His numbers aren't overpowering, but regardless, I like his chances to 'rebound' this year.
Johan Santana- If you have read anything on Aaron Gleeman, then you know that he loves Santana. Well, I share the same opinion as him. Santana finally earned a starting spot halfway through the 2003 season for the Twins, and he didn't disappoint. He went 12-3 in 18 starts, and averaged over 9.6 K/9 all the while posting a solid 3.07 ERA. All signs point to a breakout year for the 25 year old southpaw.
Vicente Padilla- Another solid pitcher primed for a breakout year. He's only 26, and, like Zito, he's not an overpowering pitcher, but he has a 3.61 career ERA and should get me at least 15 wins.
Matt Mantei- My first closer taken, he isn't in the elite category for closers, but he is definitely in the second tier. He should get me 30 saves and post a decent ERA with a few K's here and there. The only thing that scares me is that he is a big injury risk.
Kip Wells- Why the White Sox ever traded this guy is beyond me (along with Josh Fogg and Sean Lowe for Todd Ritchie, of all people. Todd Ritchie.) He posted a 3.28 ERA last year, and a 3.58 ERA the year before. He won't help me too much in any category, but he definitely won't hurt me, which sometimes is good enough.
Francisco Cordero- Cordero is penciled in as the Rangers closer. Hopefully, his health can hold up and he can give me 25-30 saves, but I'm not holding my breath, since he does play for the Rangers. Without A-Rod, I'd be surprised if they got 20-30 wins.
David Riske- Again, like Cordero, he plays for an awful team. But, he is the official closer, and at worst he'll get me 20 saves, and I'll take all the saves I can get.
Rafael Soriano- He is considered one of the top emerging youngsters in the game, and if he gets a shot in the Mariners' rotation or even as a closer, he could do some damage.
Byung Hyun-Kim- It remains to be seen if Kim will remain in the Boston rotation, but for right now, he is. He always posts a solid ERA and is durable. He should be a solid addition.
Ben Sheets- A former Olympic hero for the States, it remains to be seen if Sheets can be consistent in the majors. He's worth a shot, though, since he does have the potential.
Hitters
C Jason Phillips- Phillips won't even play catcher this year, but he still qualifies there because of his action last year. He had a pretty solid year last year and is a pretty good option for a catcher.
1B Carlos Delgado- A true fantasy stud, Delgado's power numbers are some of the best in the game. He's pretty much a guaranteed 35/110/115 guy at worst, and is average isn't too shabby. And considering I got him in the fifth round, when he went in the first or second in most other drafts, it makes everything even sweeter.
2B Jose Reyes- Truly an outstanding prospect, Reyes broke into the scene last year. He put up solid numbers, but his potential is what drew me. He should steal 20+ bases and score 90+ runs, with a handful of homeruns, if he stays healthy.
3B Corey Koskie- Although he's an injury waiting to happen, Koskie is one of the more consistent players in the game. Hopefully, he still has some speed remaining in him from 2001 when he swiped 27 bags.
SS Edgar Renteria- Renteria had a career year last year and although I'm not expecting quite the same numbers, he still should be a huge fantasy producer. Consistency is his major strength, which is sometimes the best asset of a fantasy player.
1B/3B David Ortiz- Ortiz also had a career year last year, good enough to earn him some MVP votes. He's only 27, so he should be entering the prime of his career. Plus, he plays for my beloved Red Sox.
2B/SS Adam Kennedy- He's a durable, every-day player who should get me 20 steals and a decent amount of runs.
OF Manny Ramirez- ManRam, another fantasy stud. When he tries, he could be at the top of the league in nearly every power category. As it is, he still should get me Delgadoesque numbers, and a great average to boot. Also, I gotta add in the fact that he also plays for the Sox.
OF Brian Giles- Another very consistent player, Giles is often overlooked. He puts up great numbers year in and year out, and I think that he will have a huge season in San Diego. It's not much of a better lineup than Pittsburgh, but it's a little better, so his power numbers should improve some.
OF Jim Edmonds- I cringe every time Edmonds lays out or jumps into a wall for a flyball, but offensively Edmonds is a consistent power threat. If he gets a full season under his belt, which I am not counting on because of his injury history, Edmonds could get 35 homeruns and 100+ RBI. Either way, he should be somewhat close to those numbers.
OF Rocco Baldelli- Baldelli came out of nowhere last year to be a legitamate fantasy threat. He bats for average, steals bases, and hits a homerun here and there. Plus, you can't go wrong with a guy named Rocco.
OF Cliff Floyd- I don't think Floyd will ever have a season like the one he put together in 2001, where he hit 31 homers while stealing 18 and batting .317. But Floyd has potential and he plays in a solid Mets lineup where he should get some decent numbers.
OF Jason Bay- Bay is another promising prospect and he is set to have a breakout year eventually. Why not this year?
OF Juan Encarnacion- A key cog in the Marlins 2003 championship run, Encarnacion is a streaky player who gets his fair share of steals and homeruns. He will be a good addition off the bench to ride during his hot streaks.
3B Shea Hillenbrand- Another guy off the bench who I can use when Koskie is hurt or in a slide. Hillenbrand puts up decent power numbers, and 100 RBI is definitely not out of his range.
My team is built around consistency and youngsters. I am taking some big risks with Prior (on DL to start season, don't know how that will affect him), Edmonds, Reyes, and Koskie, who can all have bad seasons if injuries or inexperience gets to them. But overall, I am happy with my draft. I got a number of steals, like Zito and Delgado, and a fair share of sleepers like Bay and Soriano. We'll see how it turns out, but I am expecting nothing less than first place and a $125 prize.
For comments, questions, suggestions, or whatever, feel free to email me
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Boston = Success?
As I was browsing Baseball Reference, I came across some stats that surprised me, but maybe they shouldn't. It's about the Red Sox, my team. When I think of Boston and its history, I think of one thing, and one thing only:1918.
1918. The last time the Sox won the Series. The third longest drought in all of baseball, next to the Chicagos. But, as I look at the numbers, the Red Sox are one of the most successful franchises in baseball.
Historically, besides the World Series tidbit, the Red Sox are in the top third in win percentage and overall wins. Check out the numbers.
FRANCHISE WINS
1. San Francisco Giants (1883-2003) 9871-8390
2. Chicago Cubs (1876-2003) 9667-9130
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (1884-2003) 9542-8658
4. St. Louis Cardinals (1882-2003) 9478-8915
5. Cincinnati Reds (1882-2003) 9371-9029
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (1882-2003) 9350-9012
7. Atlanta Braves (1876-2003) 9347-9418
8. New York Yankees (1901-2003) 8996-6901
9. Philadelphia Phillies (1883-2003) 8505-9729
10. Boston Red Sox (1901-2003) 8165-7753
10th overall in wins, with about 15 less years than the rest of the top 10, minus the Yankees. These 10 teams have dominated baseball since 1903.
World Series champions since 1903
Top 10 in Wins: 75
The Rest: 26
That's a pretty large difference, considering it's 10 teams versus 20 or so. The point is, Boston belongs to a pretty prestigious group. But, the majority of those championships came before 1969, and recently, the rest of the field is catching up. Since 1969 the rest of the field has had 18 World Series champions and the Big Ten has 17. This is the balance that makes baseball more interesting today than 50-100 years ago.
Anyways, I'm getting offtrack. The Red Sox have been successful despite their lack of a certain jewel since 1918. Take a look at this.
FRANCHISE WIN %
1. New York Yankees (1901-2003) 8996-6901 0.566
2. San Francisco Giants (1883-2003) 9871-8390 0.541
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2003) 524-448 0.539
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (1884-2003) 9542-8658 0.524
5. St. Louis Cardinals (1882-2003) 9478-8915 0.515
6. Chicago Cubs (1876-2003) 9667-9130 0.514
7. Boston Red Sox (1901-2003) 8165-7753 0.513
Seventh in win percentage, but I'm just gonna say sixth, because it's hard to count the D-Backs, with only 6 years under their belt. Nevertheless, the Red Sox are more successful than people may think, they just can't seem to get it done when it really counts. When you ask people about the history of the Red Sox, most people will say they were a disappointment, or unsuccessful. Even though World Series' is a big factor in judging success, if you look at the numbers, the Red Sox are near the top 5 of the most successful franchises in baseball history.
Any way you look at it, Boston still manages to draw a sellout crowd to every home game, no matter who they play or how they are doing at the time. They are also wildly popular, and they are fun to root for. Like me, for example, I don't live in Boston or anywhere near Boston, yet I still follow them closer than any other team and even own some Red Sox memorabilia.
It pains me that the Sox have recently become a laughingstock, for lack of a better term, of baseball. Are they ever gonna win the Series again? That question has been thrown around the baseball universe for 25 years now. So, until they win the World Series again, the Red Sox will always be remembered for not winning. But, as the numbers show, they do win, and they win often.
Monday, March 22, 2004
What happened to Pat Burrell?
Once upon a time, Pat Burrell was one of the most promising youngsters in the big leagues. Drafted #1 overall in the 1998 draft by the Phillies, Burrell was expected to do great things.
And he did. For a while.
Last year was a complete disaster for Burrell. Just check out his numbers, compared to the previous two years.
2001: .258, 27 HR, 89 RBI, 70 R, .346 OBP, .469 SLG
2002: .282, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 96 R .376 OBP, .544 SLG
2003: .209, 21 HR, 64 RBI, 57 R, .309 OBP, .404 SLG
Ouch. Okay, okay...he just had a down year. Maybe, but I doubt it. The change in his numbers are so staggering, it's very hard to call it a 'down year.' What went wrong with Burrell?
In my eyes, it's confidence. I mean, admit it. We all know that Burrell didn't somehow lose his talent or love of the game. He should for all intents and purposes should have had more talent than ever before going into last season. But, somewhere through the course of the 2003 season, Burrell seemed to have lost all confidence. His swing looked lazy. He looked lost at every at-bat. He was almost painful to watch. With nearly a 75 point drop in batting average, a 15 homerun drop, nearly half the RBI's, and a significant decrease in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage, Burrell turned into a future superstar into a future J.D. Drew. He may put up decent numbers again but as of now he looks like he will be another potential superstar to fade into a disappointment.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Burrell will never have another good season. In fact, he could turn it all around this season and return to his 2002 form. But, a season like he had in 2003 does long-term damage. It will be a wonder if his confidence ever returns.
This may not be too uncommon though. How do you explain how Jason Giambi sunk into a hitting abyss last season? Again, it's not like Giambi lost his talent. It had to have been something from within. Again, people may bring up the fact that he was in a slump, or had a down year. With Giambi, that may be explainable. But, I don't know how his batting average could dip nearly a hundred points in just two years. Maybe he's not as happy at New York as he was at Oakland. No one can say for sure.
So, if you can come out with one thing from this rant, it's that baseball is just as much of a mental game as it is a physical one. Confidence and desire are just as important as strength and speed. Sometimes, these things are overlooked, both by the fans and by the players.
Welcome to my Blog
Hello, and welcome to my 'blog.' I'm Ty, as my header would indicate, and I'm here to write about all things baseball, which is also indicated by my header.
I got this idea from Aaron's Baseball Blog. I will be the first to admit that my stuff isn't as well-written or even as creative as his, but I do my best. Check out his site if you have time, because it is very entertaining.
I will try to update as often as I can. Whether that means daily, weekly, monthly, I'm not sure. But, I will try and have at least 3 or 4 posts a week, but everything depends on my schedule. After all, I still have high school to worry about.
So, enjoy my site, and feel free to email me if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, criticism, or just to tell me what's on your mind. Anything is welcome! Thanks!
