Kuzul

Roy Halladay ranks among the best pitchers in the game today. He pitched a perfect game during the 2010 regular season and followed that with a no-hitter in the playoffs. But just how good is Halladay compared to some of the “recent” greats?

Following the 1969 season in which New York’s most beloved team, the New York Mets, pulled off one of the greatest surprises in sports history, Tom Seaver was considered baseball’s premier pitcher. He was even better than even the great Bob Gibson or the equally outstanding Juan Marichal.

Seaver was 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA in 1969. He joined the Mets 1967, won 16 games and was the Rookie of the Year. Seaver’s last season as a great pitcher was probably the strike-shortened season of 1981, when he was 14-2 with a 2.54 ERA.

The following represents a typical Seaver season from 1967-81:

W L ERA GS IP SO BB ERA+ WHIP
17 10 2.60 33 253 205 72 136 1.079

Roy Halladay became Roy Halladay when he returned from the minors in 2001. From 2001-10, Halladay has the following statistics:

W L ERA GS IP SO BB ERA+ WHIP
16 7 3.05 29 207 158 36 147 1.122

The numbers are extremely close. Seaver averaged one more win a season than Halladay, but he averaged three more losses.

Seaver has a big edge in ERA, but Halladay had to face teams with the designated hitter when he was in the American League. Halladay actually has a better ERA.

In 1967 and 1968, Seaver pitched off mounds that were 15 inches high, which was an advantage never enjoyed by Halladay.

Seaver started more games, worked more innings and struck out many more hitters than Halladay. There were fewer league strikeouts during Seaver’s career, which makes his edge even more impressive. Of course, National League pitchers had to hit against Seaver, which helped his strikeout totals.

Seaver walked almost twice as many in a typical season as did Halladay, but he worked more innings. Seaver allowed about 2.6 walks per nine innings, while Halladay allowed only 1.6 walks per nine innings.

Finally, Seaver’s 1.079 WHIP ranks among the lowest in history. For his entire career, the greatest pitcher in Mets’ history had a 1.21 WHIP, compared to Halladay’s 1.81.

Both were workhorses. The only reason Halladay has relatively few complete games is that games are turned over to closers today. If he pitched today, the same idiotic approach would be used with Seaver.

The statistics of each are so close that it is impossible to prove which pitcher was better. Both rank among the best of all time and possibly the best of his era.

I saw most of Seaver’s games until he was sent to Cincinnati. I have seen almost as many of Halladay’s games thanks to modern means of watching baseball.

It is a judgment call. The pick here is Seaver over Halladay.

Reference:

Baseball Reference

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The Chicago Cubs have not been world champions since the glory days of 1908. They have not won a pennant since 1945.

Some individuals are optimistic that 2011 will be the year that the Cubs finally win the pennant. No one dares to predict that they will win the World Series.

The Cubs may challenge for the Central Division crown, but they will have to do it without a fifth starter.

What, you say? Isn’t Carlos Silva the Cubs’ fifth starter?

That is exactly why the Cubs’ pitching may be a problem.

The Seattle Mariners, an organization that, like the Cubs, managed to win a record 116 regular season games and not win the World Series, sent Carlos Silva to Chicago in exchange for Milton Bradley in Dec. 2009. Both teams hoped that a change of scenery would help the players.

In 2010, Silva was 10-6, but as we all know, a pitcher’s won-lost record can be deceiving (see Cy Young Award winner and ERA leader Felix Hernandez). Silva had a 103 ERA+, which is slightly above average, but that’s where it ends.

Silva averaged only 5.4 innings over 21 starts. He worked 113 innings and allowed 120 hits and 24 walks for a 1.274 WHIP.

Today, managers and pitching coaches love pitcher who can “eat up innings.” Forget about effectiveness. He can give us innings. Silva has trouble doing even that.

Overall, 2010 was a season that would rank Silva in the middle of starting pitchers, but it was the best season he has had since 2005 with the Minnesota Twins, when he was 9-8 with a 130 ERA+ and a 1.173 WHIP.

The Cubs are fooling themselves and their fans if they are counting on Silva, even as a fifth starter.

Now 32 years old, Silva is in his eighth full season. He has had ERAs below 4.19 only twice in his career. The first time was during his rookie season with the Philadelphia Phillies in limited duty, and the second time was in 2005 with the Twins.

An examination of Silva’s lifetime record is revealing. He has won 70 games. He has lost 70 games. Fine—that is acceptable for a fifth starter.

But Silva has a 4.68 ERA and a 93 ERA+. He has allowed 1,496 hits in 1,241.2 innings or 10.8 hits per nine innings.

His WHIP of 1.397 is that “low” only because he has great control. The problem is that batters tee off on him because they know he’s always around the strike zone.

A popular sports site ranks Silva 129th among 150 major league starting pitchers. Ranked just above Silva is Arizona’s young Barry Enright, and ranked just below Silva is Jason Marquis.

Carlos Silva does not project to get any better. He is not the answer to the Cubs’ need for a fifth starter, and if it weren’t for the paucity of starting pitching in baseball, it is doubtful that he would still be on a major league roster.

References

Baseball Reference

Sportsline

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The New York Yankees have had some fine third basemen, but no Yankees third baseman is in the Hall of Fame. Of course, that will change when, five years after he retires, the great Alex Rodriguez will be voted in.

When he joined the Yankees, Alex generously and magnanimously agreed to switch from his shortstop position to third base, since shortstop was and still is the exclusive property of Derek Jeter. A-Rod has played 992 games at third base.

Frank “Home Run” Baker (1916-22), Jumpin’ Joe Dugan (1922-28), Red Rolfe (1934-42), Graig Nettles (1973-83), Wade Boggs (1993-97) and Scott Brosius (1998-2001) are the top Yankees’ third basemen. Rolfe and Nettles are clearly the two best with respect to their Yankees’ careers.

Rolfe played for the Yankees for 10 seasons. He hit .289 with a .360 on base average and a .413 slugging percentage. He helped the Yankees win the World Championship in 1936-39 and in 1941. Until Nettles came along, Rolfe was generally considered the Yankees’ top third baseman.

The Yankees obtained Nettles on Nov. 27, 1972, along with catcher Jerry Moses, in exchange for first baseman Johnny Ellis, infielder Jerry Kenney, outfielder Charlie Spikes and outfielder Rusty Torres.

Nettles spent 11 seasons as the Yankees’ third baseman. He never hit for much of an average, and his best on base average was .343 in 1978, but he had power.

Nettles led the league in home runs with 32 in 1976 and despite being a power threat, especially in Yankee Stadium, his best slugging average was .496 in 1977.

Nettles was one of the greatest defensive third basemen in Yankees’ history. Many believe he was even better than Clete Boyer, whose defensive skills rivaled those of the great Brooks Robinson.

Boyer and Nettles each had one especially memorable defensive World Series game.

Boyer saved Whitey Ford in the first game of the 1961 Series, making a number of great plays. Nettles turned the 1978 Series around with his tremendous play in the third game to help the Yankees get their first win.

Although he was a better player, both offensively and defensively, at shortstop with the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, there is little doubt that Alex Rodriguez was and is the Yankees’ greatest third baseman.

A-Rod has played seven seasons at third base for the Yankees. He’s batted .297 with a .396 on base average, and has slugged .557 (which is Mickey Mantle’s career slugging average).

Rodriguez has averaged about 34 home runs a season strictly as the Yankees’ third baseman, compared to about 38 home runs as a shortstop with Seattle and Texas.

The Yankees have had all-time greats at most positions. First baseman Lou Gehrig, second baseman Tony Lazzeri, shortstop Phil Rizzuto, outfielders Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle and catchers Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra are Hall of Famers .

A-Rod is taking care of third base.

Reference:

Baseball Reference

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Great players do not always mean a winning team. The 1962 New York Mets and the 1928 Philadelphia Athletics are prime examples.

The 1962 Mets, one of sports’ most beloved teams, lost a record 120 games. Mets’ management decided to select mostly “name” players in the expansion draft, which resulted in the team obtaining many great players whose skills had eroded.

Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn, Gil Hodges, Gus Bell, Frank Thomas, Gene Woodling and right-handed pitcher Roger Craig had fine careers, but the problem was that all but Ashburn and Thomas had seen better days,

Ashburn batted .306 with a fine .424 on base average at the age of 35, while Thomas hit 34 home runs.

Hodges, who seven years later would manage the Mets to an amazing season, hit .252 with only nine home runs. The great Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman and Mets manager deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but he will never get in.

Bell, who was an excellent player with the Cincinnati Reds, hit .149. Woodling appeared in only 81 games, but he could always hit and batted .274 with a mere five home runs. Despite his ability, Craig managed to lose 24 games.

The 1928 Philadelphia Athletics stand in stark contrast to the 1962 Mets. They won 98 games playing a 154-game schedule and finished second, only two-and-a-half games behind the New York Yankees. A strong case could be made that that Athletic team had the greatest players to ever play on one team.

Philadelphia’s roster included Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Eddie Collins, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons, Mickey Cochrane and Lefty Grove, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame, which is truly amazing. The problem was that Cobb and Collins were 41 years old, Speaker was 40 and Foxx was only 20.

Cobb batted .323 but appeared in only 95 games, Collins batted only 33 times and Speaker appeared in 64 games, batting .267. Simmons had his usual outstanding season, batting .351, while Foxx, in his first full season, hit .328. Grove, possibly the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time, won 24 games.

Having players who had great careers may help at the gate, which is fine, but timing is everything. The 1928 Athletics and the 1962 Mets had a some great players who were past their primes, a situation that might be good at the box office but one that hurts on the field.

There were no playoffs in 1953. The Dodgers and Yankees made it to World Series by having their league’s best record, but the World Series is a best of seven of series, and the better team does not always win.

Some consider the 1953 Dodgers the best team ever to lose the World Series.

Gil Hodges was at first, Rookie of the Year Jim “Junior” Gilliam took over for Jackie Robinson at second, Pee Wee Reese was at shortstop, Billy Cox was the third baseman, Roy Campanella caught and the outfield had Robinson in left, Duke Snider in center and Carl Furillo in right.

Robinson, Reese, Campanella and Snider are Hall of Famers.

All had fine 1953 seasons as Brooklyn finished 13 games ahead of the Milwaukee Braves.

Brooklyn’s problem was a lack of pitching. The team had a 4.10 ERA, which modern fans might consider decent, but in 1953 that was not very good.

Carl Erskine was the only starting pitcher with an ERA under 4.00, as he won 20, lost 6 and pitched to a 3.54 ERA.

In the World Series against the Yankees, Billy Martin punished Brooklyn pitching for 12 hits in 24 at-bats as the Yankees took the series in six games.

A team composed of very good, but not great, players was the 1998 Yankees, who won 114 regular season games and another 11 in October. Among the regulars, the only Hall of Famer will be shortstop Derek Jeter.

Center fielder Bernie Williams, right fielder Paul O’Neill, first baseman Tino Martinez, catcher Jorge Posada and part-time outfielder Tim Raines fall just short of Hall of Fame caliber.

Closer Mariano Rivera will be a Hall of Famer, but no other pitcher on that staff will make it. Remarkably, both David Wells (1998) and David Cone (1999) pitched perfect games in their careers, and both were fine pitchers, but neither is a Hall of Famer and that is just the point.

In 1998 the Yankees had the right mixture of players, most of whom had an excellent season.

Finally, the 1981 Los Angels Dodgers were World Champions. Currently, no player on that roster is in the Hall of Fame, and none figures to make it. Only Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela, Dave Stewart and Steve Garvey have a slim-to-none chance.

Championship teams don’t always have the game’s greatest players.

References:

Baseball Reference

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It was the game that could turn things around for the 1996 New York Yankees in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

After losing the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees won the next two games in Atlanta thanks to a solid David Cone pitching performance in the third game, and an improbable home run by Jim Leyritz in the fourth game.

The Braves were primed for Game 5. John Smoltz, who finished his career with a 13-2 playoff record and a 2-2 World Series mark, was the Braves’ starter.

During the season, Smoltz went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA and a WHIP of 1.001. He beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first playoff round, beat the St. Louis Cardinals twice in the second round, and won the World Series opener against the Yankees.

Andy Pettitte, whom Smoltz bested in the opener, was the Yankees’ starter. Pettitte had been less than excellent that game as the Yankees suffered an embarrassing 12-1 drubbing, giving up seven runs in only two and two-thirds innings.

During the season, Pettitte had been 21-8 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.362 WHIP in a league with the designated hitter.

After getting belted by the Braves in the Series opener, Pettitte wanted redemption.

“I’m just excited that I’ll have another shot. Obviously, I’m not very satisfied with the outing I had in my first start,” said Pettitte.

Pettitte had major problems in the 1996 playoffs. In the second game of the first playoff round against the Texas Rangers, he gave up four runs, two home runs, and six walks in six and one-third innings. The Yankees managed to win, 5-4 in 12 innings.

In his next start, this time against the Baltimore Orioles in the second playoff round’s opener, the Birds scored four runs in seven innings against Pettitte, who walked four and gave up seven hits. The Yankees won, 5-4 in 11 innings.

Manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre were quite concerned. They and the reporters who had covered the Yankees all season wondered if Pettitte had a bad case of nerves.

But none of them really knew Andy Pettitte.

With the Yankees leading, three games to one, Torre gave the ball to Pettitte. All Andy did was hurl eight solid innings, allowing only a pair of runs, three hits, and one walk to clinch the AL championship series.

Now it was Game 5 of the World Series. Pettitte has worked 60 more innings in 1996 than he had ever worked, but he claimed that it didn’t affect him.

A key to Andy Pettitte was that he emphasized his strengths, not his opponents’ weaknesses.

He told reporters that “I have to change speeds, locate my pitches, and maybe work a little more away.”

The Yankees’ big left-hander was confident despite his recent problems. He knew that Stottlemyre was right when he said that Andy would succeed if he made quality pitches.

And did Pettitte succeed. He pitched eight and one-third scoreless innings, giving up five hits and three walks.

And with the help of John Wettleland, who was saved by a great catch off a Luis Polonia line drive to deep right field by Paul O’Neill, won his first World Series game.

He would go on to win many more October games before he called it quits.

References:

Retrosheet

SMITH, Claire. “Pressure on Pettitte to Win an Edge.” New York Times (1923-Current file)1996: B16. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2006). Web. PROQUESTMS. 7 Feb. 2011 .

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It is often forgotten that the 1998 New York Yankees, the team that won more regular season games (114) than the 1927 Yankees (110), were in a dire situation during the playoffs.

After winning the first game of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees lost Game 2 in 12 innings, 4-1.

Jim Thome led off the Indians’ 12th with an opposite field single to left field. Enrique Wilson ran for him.

Travis Fryman bunted toward first base, where Tino Martinez fielded the ball and threw to second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, who was covering first. Martinez’ throw hit Fryman in the back.

Knoblauch argued that Fryman should have been called out for interference. He continually pointed to where he believed Fryman had run out of the baseline instead of going after the ball as Wilson raced home with the go-ahead run.

The series moved to Cleveland where the recently retired Andy Pettitte faced Bartolo Colon in a game Pettitte had to win.

The Yankees, after setting an American League record for regular season wins, had to win the World Series in order for the season to be successful. Anything less would be a disgrace and an embarrassment, as the 1906 Chicago Cubs, the team that won 116 regular season games, discovered when their crosstown rivals, the “Hitless Wonder” Chicago White Sox, beat them in the World Series.

The Yankees, who were not hitting much (two runs in the last seven innings of the first game and a single run in 12 innings in the second game) needed a strong game from Pettitte. They didn’t get it.

Pettitte fell behind seven of the first 10 batters he faced. He was lucky in the first inning when, with Indians on first and third with two outs, Fryman hit a vicious line drive to left that was right at Shane Spencer.

Leading off the second inning, Jim Thome hit a tremendous 421-foot home run to match the run the Yankees had scored in the first. Mark Whiten doubled, and Hideki Irabu started to warm up.

Roberto Alomar grounded out, moving Whiten to third. With the infield drawn in, Enrique Wilson bounced a hit up the middle for a 2-1 Indians lead.

One writer compared Pettitte to a dazed fighter, completely vulnerable and waiting to be knocked out. It didn’t take long.

The left-hander managed to get through the third and fourth innings unscathed. He retired the first two batters in the fifth.

Manager Joe Torre later said, “It looked like he had straightened himself out and then in the fifth inning, it looked like he started muscling the ball a little bit.”

Pettitte got a quick strike on Manny Ramirez. He turned his back to home plate, rubbed up the baseball and prepared to get the signal from catcher Joe Girardi. He fired a fastball low and away.

Ramirez swung and the Indians had increased their lead to 3-1. Pettitte’s body lurched in anger as he saw the ball land in the Yankees bullpen in right field.

Before the inning was over, Pettitte had given up four runs in an inning for the 11th time in 1998.

Fryman walked after falling behind on the count, 0-2. He scored on a Jim Thome home run. Mark Whiten then blasted a 416-foot home run to left. It was the first time that Pettitte had given up four home runs in a game.

The next day, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez shut out the Indians as the Yankees evened the series. David Wells, seeking payback against Indians fans that had insulted him mother, won Game 5. Back at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees’ bats and David Cone finished off the Indians.

Andy Pettitte has done well in the playoffs and World Series. He pitched a classic game against the Braves in the 1996 World Series and won the clincher in the 1998 Series, but he has had some subpar games as well.

In the World Series, Pettitte is only 5-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 13 starts, allowing 83 hits in 77.2 innings. His WHIP is 1.403.

Andy Pettitte was very good, but he was not great.

References

OLNEY, Buster. (1998, After a long struggle, Pettitte comes apart: A three-homer inning pushes Indians ahead. New York Times (1923-Current File), pp. A1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/109861166?accountid=46260

Retrosheet

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The 1961 baseball season is remembered for the classic home run chase between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, both in pursuit of Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record of 60. However, there were other great accomplishments that season.

On April 30, Willie Howard Mays Jr., whom many consider a better player than either Maris or Mantle, hit four home runs against the Milwaukee Braves to lead the San Francisco Giants to 14-4 victory. Mays became only the ninth player to hit four home runs in a game.

Going into the contest, Willie had hit only two round-trippers all season. He finished the year with 40 home runs.

Facing sinkerball (some claim that it should read “spitball”) pitcher Lew Burdette with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the first, Willie connected for his first home run.

In the third inning, Willie hit a two-run blast, again against Burdette, but it wasn’t a perfect day. In the fifth inning, Mays flied out to center.

His third home run was a three-run shot off journeyman left-hander Seth Morehead, and in the eighth, Mays hit a two-run home run off Don McMahon.

Most of the small crowd of 13,114 was pulling for Willie to set a record of five home runs in a single game, but first Willie had to get to the plate.

Jose Pagan led off the Giants‘ ninth with a ringing single to center. Giants’ pitcher Billy Loes, who had been a mainstay of the hated Brooklyn Dodgers teams of the early and mid-1950’s, sacrificed Pagan to second, but Chuck Hiller grounded out to first for the second out, bringing up Jim Davenport with Mays on deck.

The suspense was short-lived as Davenport grounded out to second, leaving Mays in the on-deck circle where he had been when Bobby Thomson hit an important home run in 1951.

A few days later, in Philadelphia, Willie demonstrated his greatness and versatility with another play that reminds today’s fans how much they have missed by not getting to see him play.

Giants’ ace Juan Marichal faced Frank Sullivan. With the first-place Giants leading 2-1 in the top of the third inning, Mays drew a walk with one out. Willie McCovey then flied out to center, bringing up Orlando Cepeda.

Manager Alvin Dark put on the hit-and-run. Willie took off as Cepeda hit a single to left. Bobby Gene Smith was playing deep against the power-hitting Cepeda and by the time he got to the ball Willie was already around second base.

Smith relayed the ball to shortstop Ruben Amaro who fired to second in order to hold Cepeda at first, but Amaro hadn’t counted on Willie being Willie.

Third base coach Salty Parker put up the stop for Mays, but he ignored it. Everybody was taken by surprise, except of course for Willie, who never had any doubts about taking the gamble.

Many players have scored from first on a single (see Enos Slaughter in the 1946 World Series), but Mays’ feat was unique because the ball had been hit in front of him.

Within a span of six days, the great Willie Mays hit four home runs in a game and scored from first base on a single to left field with what turned out to be the game’s winning run. Mays was a winner who loved the game and had the talent to beat opponents with his bat, legs and arm.

He was as great as those who saw him play say he was, only he might have been even a little bit greater.

References:

Mays wallops four home runs as giants overwhelm braves in milwaukee: RECORD EQUALED IN 14-4 CONTEST mays, ninth to connect 4 times in one game, paces 8-homer giant offense. (1961, New York Times (1923-Current File), pp. 37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/115236131?accountid=46260

Times, By Howard M. Tucker. .Special to The New York TImes. (1961, Giants top phils, thanks to mays: Dash from first to home on single marks 4-2 victory. New York Times (1923-Current File), pp. 37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/115319094?accountid=46260

Retrosheet

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On Dec. 15, 1980, George Steinbrenner, the erstwhile owner of the New York Yankees, thought that he had signed free-agent outfielder Dave Winfield to a 10-year contract for $16 million.

As unbelievable as it seems, Mr. Steinbrenner had misunderstood the contract. The pact, thanks to a cost of living clause, would be valued at $23 million.

It was the beginning of a tumultuous stay in New York for the future Hall of Famer.

The Yankees won the pennant in 1981 after a three-year drought. They faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The Yankees had beaten the Dodgers in 1977 and 1978 to become World Champions.

Winfield went hitless in the first two games at Yankee Stadium, but the Yankees won both.

The teams traveled to Los Angeles for the key third game. Winfield was again hitless as the Dodgers won their first game.

The fourth game was a disaster for Winfield, Reggie Jackson and the Yankees.

The Yankees scored twice in the first with Winfield contributing a walk. Leading off the third, Dave grounded out to second, but the Yankees scored two more runs that inning for a 4-0 lead.

Winfield hit into a fielder’s choice in the fourth and flied out to left in the sixth.

In the Dodgers’ half of the sixth, with the Yankees leading, 6-3, Jay Johnstone hit a two-run home run. Then came the key play of the game, and it didn’t involve Winfield.

Davey Lopes hit a line drive to right field that Reggie misplayed, allowing the speedy Lopes to reach second as the potential tying run. Davey immediately stole third and scored on a Bill Russell single.

In the seventh, the Dodgers scored twice for an 8-6 lead. The game was over, although the Yankees managed one more run, without Winfield’s help.

Dave flied out to center in the eighth, and Reggie’s solo home run was too little too late.

Winfield was hitless in four at-bats, and although Reggie was 3-for-3, his defense, or lack of defense, affected the outcome more than his offense.

The next day, after going hitless in his first 15 at-bats in the series, Winfield managed a single to left off Dodgers starter Jerry Reuss. It was Winfield’s only hit in the series. The Yankees lost, 2-1.

It rained in New York on Tuesday, Oct. 27, which simply postponed the inevitable. Los Angeles romped to an easy 9-2 win as Winfield went hitless in four at-bats.

Needless to say (but we’ll still say it), Mr. Steinbrenner was far from pleased. He made his now-infamous remark, referring to Winfield as “Mr. May,” which contrasted sharply to Reggie Jackson’s “Mr. October.”

Dave Winfield’s first season in New York was disappointing in many ways, but for Dave, the difficult times on and off the field were just beginning.

References

Retrosheet

Baseball Library

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Most Americans (at least before the current depression) retired in their late 60s or early 70s, or not at all. Baseball players, even those with the most longevity, retire while they are still young.

Mickey Mantle retired in 1968 at the tender age of 36. Like old generals, old players never die, but unlike old generals, Mickey Mantle never fades away.

A few years before he passed away, in an interview with a New York newspaper, Mantle revealed that somewhere in the recesses of his brain he never really retired.

Shortly after the end of his career, Mantle had the same dream almost every night. He was in a taxi on his way to the real Yankee Stadium, and he was late.

”I could hear them saying, ‘Now batting, No. 7, Mickey Mantle,’ and I’d try to crawl through a hole into Yankee Stadium, and I’d always get stuck. “Looking through the hole, I could see Casey Stengel and Whitey Ford and all them out there and I couldn’t get in. And I’d wake up, and I’d be sweating like hell. I had that dream a long time.”

That dream went away, but it was replaced with another one which was even more disturbing. The saving grace was that it was sporadic.

“…I dream like I’m trying to pinch hit, and I can’t. I just can’t hit, and if I do hit the ball, I can’t get to first. I don’t even know the guys I’m playing, but I know one thing: they keep waiting for me to hit one out, and I never do. I’m thinking, ‘Jeez, I could at least hit one here,’ and everybody’s saying, ‘He’s really gonna hit one in a minute, boy!’ And then—phtt—I pop up or something. Well, baseball was my whole life. Nothing’s ever been as fun as baseball.”

Mantle is not alone. Almost any retired baseball player would express the same sentiments, at least older retired players.  Money was important, but for many, it was less important than being a baseball player.

In 1968, Mickey’s salary was $100,000, which is equivalent to approximately $627,000 today, an amount that is not much more than today’s minimum salary for players.

To put things in perspective, Derek Jeter’s 2010 salary was $22,600,000, which has the buying power of over $3 million in 1968. Think Mickey was underpaid?

Many modern players love the game. Huge salaries, most of which are deserved, and free agency, which has resulted in few players remaining with one team, has resulted in most recently-retired players not missing the game as much as players of the Mantle era missed it.

They have made enough money to keep them busy for the rest of their lives.

References:

BaseballReference

InflationCalculator

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Enough is enough. There is no comparison between Roy Halladay and Don Larsen. The former is on his way to the Hall of Fame. The latter was a journeyman pitcher who caught lightning in a bottle.

Larsen faced the National League’s defending World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. Brooklyn had won 98 games and lost 55 for a .641 winning percentage.

Roy Halladay faced the National League Central Division champion Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2010 playoffs. Cincinnati won 91 games while losing 71 for a .562 winning percentage.

Roy Halladay pitched a no-hitter against the Reds in the opening game of the playoff series, missing a perfect game when he walked Jay Bruce with one out in the fifth inning. Halladay was not facing the best team in the league. He was facing a division winner.

Don Larsen was facing the best team in the National League in the World Series. There were no playoffs in 1956, so how could Roy Halladay have pitched the second no-hitter in playoff history?

The playoffs started in 1969. Roy Halladay pitched the first no-hitter in playoff history. Don Larsen pitched the only no-hitter and perfect game in World Series history. They are not the same.

Until the playoffs were initiated, the term “postseason” was not used. Each league had a pennant winner, and they met to determine the World Champion. The first goal was to win the pennant, and the second goal was to win the World Series.

Today, most teams consider making the playoffs a successful season. The Reds made the 2010 playoffs, and despite not winning a single game once they got to the playoffs, players and fans consider it to have been a successful season.

Would the 1975 Cincinnati Reds of Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose and Tony Perez have considered it to have been a successful season if they had lost the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Pirates?

In 1954, the New York Yankees won 103 games, which was the most they won under Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel. The most games they won during their streak of five consecutive pennants and World Championships was 99 in 1953.

The Yankees problem that season was that the Cleveland Indians won an American League-record 111 games. The Yankees and their fans considered 1954 an unsuccessful season.

Under today’s playoff system, mediocre teams often qualify for the playoffs. It is recognized that upsets occur, but it cannot be denied that in most cases, the better teams usually win.

Of course it is possible for a pitcher to pitch a no-hitter or even a perfect game in the first or second round of the playoffs and have faced the soon-to-be pennant winner, but it must be (and will not be) recognized that the playoffs and the World Series are not the same. Today, they are all considered playoff games. What a joke.

Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in the history of the World Series. Roy Halladay pitched the only no-hitter in the history of the playoffs. Both are great achievements, but they are not the same.

Reference: Retrosheet

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