Kuzul

In an article written yesterday, it was suggested that Major League Baseball must eliminate two teams and realign into two seven-team divisions for each league (Eliminate Florida and Seattle).

There were many comments indicating that eliminating the Florida Marlins was a poor choice, especially since they have been World Champions twice since they were created in 1993. The fact that they are challenging the overrated Philadelphia Phillies this season was another factor.

Many who commented wanted to eliminate the Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox, which is ridiculous.

Both teams are excellent draws at the gate, are among the original teams that have existed for well over 100 years in their original city and ball park and have a tremendous following in their city and in the country.

In 2010, the Cubs and Red Sox each drew over three million fans. The Marlins attendance was about 1.5 million, a figure that used to be excellent, but one that the greedy owners now consider almost unacceptable.

Only the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland A’s (about 1.4 million each) drew fewer fans than the Marlins. Both the Indians and A’s are among baseball’s original 16 teams, although the A’s were originally in Philadelphia and then in Kansas City. Both teams have too much tradition to be eliminated.

Yes, it is paradoxical to radically realign both leagues yet claim that tradition should prevent the Indians or A’s from being contracted, but there is another factor.

Having the A’s in the same division with the San Francisco Giants and the Indians in the same division with the Cincinnati Reds would boost attendance and intensify existing rivalries.

An acceptable move would be to keep the Marlins and eliminate the Toronto Blue Jays.

Last year, the Jays drew a little over 1.6 million fans, which was the fifth-worst attendance figure in baseball. They are an expansion team in a foreign country. They have no real rivals since the Montreal Expos moved.

Blue Jays players are paid in Canadian dollars, which is a problem. The currencies are close ($1 U.S. to $.95 Canada), and players have complained.

Now that America and Canada are involved in a life and death struggle against terrorism, there are often passport or related problems when American teams visit Toronto. This is not an attempt to limit baseball teams to the United States, but not traveling to Canada might be helpful.

Tampa Bay is another good choice for elimination. They have had attendance problems despite putting winning teams on the field. Last season, they drew a little over 1.8 million.

More important than the owners’ greed is the fact that there are many players without the talent to be Major Leaguers. Eliminating two teams would strengthen the remaining 30 teams.

It was stated before that many of today’s top players could hold their own with players from any era. Today’s top pitchers probably have more talent than pitchers of any other era.

The problem is that there are too many teams, which weakens every team. Two teams must be eliminated.

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Barry Bonds holds the following major league records:

* Home runs in a single season (73), 2001
* Home runs against different pitchers (449)
* Home runs since turning 40 years old (74)

* Home runs in the year he turned 43 years old (28)
* Consecutive seasons with 30 or more home runs (13), 1992-2004
* Slugging percentage in a single season (.863), 2001

* Slugging percentage in a World Series (1.294), 2002
* Consecutive seasons with .600 slugging percentage or higher (8), 1998-2005
* On-base percentage in a single season (.609), 2004

* Walks in a single season (232), 2004
* Career Walks 2,558
* Intentional walks in a single season (120), 2004

* Consecutive games with a walk (18)
* MVP awards (7—closest competitors trail with 3), 1990, 1992-93, 2001-04
* Consecutive MVP awards (4), 2001-04
* National League Player of the Month selections (13—second place in MLB is Frank Thomas with 8; second place in NL is George Foster, Pete Rose and Dale Murphy)

* Only player to have at least 500 career home runs and at least 500 career stolen bases
* Oldest player (age 38) to win the National League batting title (.370) for the first time, 2002

Barry Bonds shares the following major league records:

* Consecutive plate appearances with a walk (7)
* Consecutive plate appearances reaching base (15)

* Tied with his father, Bobby, for most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases (5) and are the only father-son members of the 30-30 club
* Home runs in a single postseason (8), 2002

Barry Bonds was the greatest player of all time. It hurts to say, but he was a greater slugger than even Babe Ruth:

Career home runs: Ruth 714, Bonds 762
Season home runs: Ruth 60, Bonds 73

Career slugging: Ruth .690, Bonds .607
Single season slugging: Ruth .847, Bonds .863

Career on base percentage: Ruth .474, Bonds .444
Single season on base percentage: Ruth .545, Bonds .609

Career walks: Ruth 2,062, Bonds 2,558
Single season walks: Ruth 170, Bonds 232

Even those who rank Ruth ahead of Bonds admit it is a close call. Bonds stole more bases, was a great defensive player until later in his career and was such a feared hitter than he once had at least one walk in 18 consecutive games.

Bonds received an unbelievable 120 intentional walks in 2004, a mark that is only 50 fewer than the most walks Ruth ever received in a season.

Many smugly claim they “know” Bonds took steroids, comparing the young Bonds to the one who became the greatest slugger of all time after the age of 35.

Those who denigrate Bonds don’t accept the fact that the government has never proven its allegation that he used steroids.

In the America that used to exist, an individual was innocent until proven guilty. Try telling that to the TSA or the friendly policemen at a traffic checkpoint.

Barry Bonds was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice, which is “an attempt to interfere” with the judicial process. A jury decided he didn’t grovel enough before a grand jury, nor did he confess to any of the many accusations brought by government prosecutors.

He remains innocent though of using any performance-enhancing substances.

It is estimated that the government spent close to $100 million in its persecution of Barry Bonds. Do you want to guess how much the commission investigating the bombing of the World Trade Center spent? Try $14 million.

In most cases, government prosecutors have evidence to support their accusations before they initiate a prosecution. The opposite occurred with Bonds. Federal prosecutors indicted first, then continued their investigation, which turned out to be an exercise in futility.

Bonds’ courageous trainer, Greg Anderson, stood up to the federal government by refusing to testify. He has been jailed a number of times. Without his testimony, the government could not prove Bonds used steroids.

Barry Bonds has been “convicted” of steroid use only in the court of public opinion.

Go to web sites such as Baseball Reference. All of Bonds’ records listed above are in tact. Why hasn’t MLB done something to change the ruling of the court of public opinion?

It has never been shown Bonds used performance-enhancing substances on his way to becoming the greatest slugger and player of all time.

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Manny Ramirez is a man of great courage. He has retired from baseball rather than allow Major League Baseball to unjustly suspend him for 100 games.

Major League Baseball announced on April 8, 2011 that Ramirez has been forced to retire in order to avoid addressing a drug “issue” raised by the league. In its usual fashion, MLB has refused to identify the substance it has accused Ramirez of using.

Manny is no dummy. By retiring, he avoided having MLB formally announce that he’d violated the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The greatest offensive player of his era tested positive for a female fertility drug that is used to restore testosterone production to normal levels during spring training in 2009. The substance, human chorionic gonadotropin, had been banned by MLB. In May of that year, Ramirez was suspended for 50 games.

The banning of human chorionic gonadotropin, which is used to trigger testosterone production in individuals whose testes no longer are functional, assumes that the cause of the testes not working properly is steroid use. Of course, there are other causes. What arrogance by MLB.

Ramirez followed his doctor’s orders. He acquired a prescription for luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin, He did not know that MLB had banned the hormones, which explains why he never applied for a therapeutic exemption.

This is not a case of, as those who enforce the laws claim, “ignorance is no excuse.” In this instance, it is an accurate explanation.

In his statement to the media when he learned about the suspension, Manny stated:

“Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I’ve taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.”

The Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program is a joke from a scientific perspective.

The human pituitary gland produces human growth hormone (HGH), which affects growth in youngsters and muscle development. It is, and this cannot be emphasized enough, a naturally occurring substance that is essential.

At about the age of 30, the production of HGH starts to decline, which is part of the aging process.

The first biosynthetic growth hormone, which is produced using recombinant DNA technology was approved as safe and effective for use in growth hormone deficient children by the Food and Drug Administration in October of 1985. What could be better than FDA approval?

There are many negative psychosocial results of children being “too short.” Without elaborating, it suffices to state that many of those children are treated with HGH.

If an adult, with a physician’s approval, takes HGH, it is her right and it is nobody’s business except for the doctor and her patient.

Yes, MLB is a private cartel and can dictate rules that are not based on science or common sense.

We don’t know what banned substance Ramirez allegedly used this past spring. According to MLB, he violated the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Forget Manny for a second. The fact that MLB has banned a hormone that the human pituitary gland produces is as inconsistent as it gets.

Research studies have concluded that in young people, exercising increases HGH production, but its effectiveness decreases with age. MLB approves wholeheartedly of exercising.

Ah, if Manny and others had only exercised more.

References:

Manny Ramirez Retires

Manny Ramirez Suspended for 50 Games

Human Growth Hormone

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Most of the self-proclaimed “experts” have already conceded the 2011 American League pennant to the Boston Red Sox. Some more conservative pundits have held back, predicting that the Red Sox will win only the Eastern Division crown, but cautioning their audience that, as Joe Torre was fond of saying, the playoffs are a crap shoot, meaning that a pennant cannot ever be predicted.

This season, the Red Sox have gotten off to their worst start since 1945, by losing three games to the Texas Rangers and three more to the Cleveland Indians. Many fans who lack perspective and who either don’t know or don’t learn from history could certainly learn from the 1951 New York Giants.

The “experts” picked the Giants to win the 1951 National League pennant. They also picked the Red Sox to win the American League pennant that year, while the 13-time defending World Champion New York Yankees finished a distant second in the voting.

As we all should know, the Yankees squeaked by the Cleveland Indians to win the pennant. The Red Sox finished third; 11 games behind the Yankees, who would go on to win their third consecutive World Championship.

But this is about the 1951 Giants. They won two of their first three games in Boston against the Braves.

They then lost 11 games in a row.

Panic was rampant among the players and fans after that 11^th consecutive defeat. Larry Jansen, considered the Giants’ ace, had just been rocked for five runs, 11 hits, and three home runs as the Brooklyn Dodgers coasted to a 6-3 victory.

The Giants were in last place, seven and one-half games behind the first place Boston Braves.

But the “experts” were right in the end. Of course, it took the greatest miracle in sports history for their prediction to come true, but the then 2-12 Giants, who trailed the Dodgers by 13 and one half games on Aug. 13, ended up finishing in a first place tie with Brooklyn.  

During the deciding game, and with the great Willie Mays in the on-deck circle, Bobby Thomson hit a three-run home run off Ralph Branca, as Giants’ radio announcer kept telling us, “The Giants Win the Pennant!”

An interesting side note is that Willie was a bit confused as he walked toward the batters’ box after Thomson hit his home run. He later told reporters that he hadn’t realized that Thomson’s shot had really won the pennant.

The point is, that to draw too many conclusions after six games is ridiculous. If a losing streak starts on Opening Day, its importance is exaggerated compared to a losing streak in June or July.

The Red Sox are a good team. The “experts” may have overrated them, but they should win at least 90 games this season, which will put them in the playoffs.

On the other side of the ledger, the 1982 Atlanta Braves won their first 13 games in a row and barely edged the Los Angeles Dodgers by a single game to win the Western Division title. They were swept in the playoffs by the St. Louis Cardinals.

One week into the season is much too early to evaluate anything. But, going out on a limb that is about to be cut off—how good are the Baltimore Orioles?

Reference:

“Giants, Red Sox Picked.” New York Times. 13 Apr. 1951. p.37.

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Minnie Minoso was one of the best players of the 1950s. He had a Hall of Fame career, although he will never be voted into the Hall of Fame.

Minnie was born in Havana, Cuba in 1922 (or as some believe, 1925) and played his first full major league season with the Chicago White Sox in 1951. Saturnino Orestes, as he didn’t like being called, played eight games for the Indians in 1951 when he was traded to the Sox in a three-team deal also involving Philadelphia.

Minnie batted .326 with 10 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .500 slugging average and a .422 on-base average in his rookie season of 1951.

“What Can I Say, I’m Black”

Minoso was the first black to play for the White Sox, and like other black players, he was reminded of his skin color. He tells the story of the time he hit a home run off Hall of Fame left-hander Hal Newhouser.

The next time Minnie faced Newhouser, the left-hander threw a fast ball right at him. The pitch broke the sunglasses Minnie had in his pocket, and Newhouser shouted, “You n—–, you’re not supposed to hit a homer.”

When he was asked about it after the game, Minnie responded. “What can I say? I’m black.”

Minoso Was Fearless

The game and attitudes were different. Minoso led the league in hit by pitches 10 seasons, due in part to the fact that he hit out of a crouch and stood close to the plate.

His manager, Paul Richards, said that Minnie was fearless and that he didn’t care if he got hit. In those days, pitchers wouldn’t let batters crowd the plate and hitters who were thrown at would usually retaliate.

Jackie Robinson and Minnie Minoso Retaliated Differently

Jackie Robinson was not a man to throw at. If he thought a pitcher was throwing at him, Jackie would push a bunt between the mound and first base, forcing the first baseman to field it and making the pitcher cover first base.

For some reason, Robinson often crashed into the pitcher on such a play.

Minnie Minoso went about things differently. Minnie sometimes had a problem holding onto his bat, which usually occurred after a pitch came close to his head. Halfway through his swing, Minnie would inexplicably lose his grip on the bat, sending it flying towards the pitcher.

Minoso Broke the Precedent in Memphis

In 1954, the White Sox were playing an exhibition game against the Cardinals in Memphis. It was the first time that black players faced white players in that city.

The New York Times reported that “A Negro outfielder, Minnie Minoso of the White Sox, broke the precedent when he took the field in the first inning. A crowd of more than 11,000 made no demonstration when Minoso’s name was announced in the starting lineup. The fans mostly cheered when Minoso took his first time at bat.”

A Better Season Than Gil McDougald?

From 1951 to 1961, Minoso hit .305 with a .395 on base average and a .471 slugging percentage. He averaged 16 home runs, 89 RBIs and 18 stolen bases a season.

If the 1922 birth year is correct, then Minoso lost many seasons to racism. He was the Sporting News 1951 Rookie of the Year, out-hitting the Baseball Writers Association of America winner Gil McDougald, .326 to .306, outslugging Gil .500 to .488 and topping Gil in on base average, .422 to .396.

Only Williams and Musial Were Better

While there is doubt with respect to Minoso being a Hall of Famer, there is no doubt that he was a great player.

He was the third best left fielder in baseball, behind Ted Williams and Stan Musial during the 1950s—and he was to Hispanic players almost what Jackie Robinson was to American players.

Minnie Minoso belongs in the Hall of Fame.

References:

What Can I Say, I’m Black

“White Sox Use Minoso, a Negro, In 6-to-2 Triumph at Memphis; Crowd of 11,000 in Tennessee City Takes Breaking of Precedent Calmly During Cards’ Game — Braves Win, 5 to 3.” New York Times. 9 April 1954, p. 28.

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Well, the “Phil Hughes Rules” are really paying off for the New York Yankees.

Limiting the number of innings the New York Yankees allow Hughes to pitch has not helped his career. Some believe it has hurt him. They may be right.

Hughes, who is a power pitcher, had a fast ball that was timed anywhere from 92-95 mph. This spring, it has been measured between 87-89 mph.

The New York Yankees’ pitching coach, Larry Rothschild, has stated that Hughes must increase his arm strength. The best way to do that is to pitch, but that is something the Yankees have been hesitant to allow their young pitchers to do.

The most innings Hughes ever worked in the minors was 116 in 2006. He allowed only 73 hits and struck out 138 batters.

Hughes joined the Yankees in 2007 after pitching a meager total of 37 and two-thirds innings for three minor league teams. He started 13 games for the Yankees, pitching 72 and two-thirds innings.

In 2007, at the age of 21, Hughes pitched 110 and one-third innings.

In 2008, appearing in only eight games with the big club, Hughes pitched 34 innings. He worked an additional 35 and two-thirds innings in the minors.

The following season, Hughes pitched six innings for the Yankees and 19 innings in the minors.

Hughes has suffered a number of injuries, including a broken toe in 2004, shoulder tendinitis in 2005, a pulled hamstring in 2007 and a rib stress fracture in 2008, but even when he has been healthy the Yankees have limited his innings.

Finally, in 2010, Hughes pitched close to a full season, but it was a season hampered by the “Phil Hughes Rules.”

The big right-hander started 29 games, winning 18 and losing only 8, but he still worked only 176 and one-third innings because Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi and then-pitching coach Dave Eiland had a plan.

They would give Hughes as much rest as possible, sometimes skipping his turn in the rotation and sometimes giving him one or more extra days of rest.

The “Hughes Rules” were idiotic. Hughes had been in an excellent groove and ranked among the best pitchers in the league. That ended once his routine was upset.

Young pitchers must be allowed to pitch, either in the minors to prepare to face major league hitters, or in the majors if they have the necessary skills.

Twenty three-year-old Andy Pettitte started 26 games, working 175 innings for the Yankees in 1995. The following season he pitched 221 innings. That was followed by 240 innings at the age of 25.

Pettitte never lost velocity off his fast ball, which was necessary to make his cutter his most effective pitch. Buck Showalter and then Joe Torre were careful with Pettitte, but he was allowed to pitch, and his elbow problems did not arise as a result of his working too many innings when he was young.

The Yankees’ current ace, C.C. Sabithia, shows no signs of deterioration. At the ripe old age of 20, yes, 20, good old Carsten Charles pitched 180 and one-third innings. When he was 22 years old, he pitched 210 innings.

Felix Hernandez, who may be the best pitcher in baseball this side of Roy Halladay, pitched 191 innings at the age of 20. 190 and one-third innings at the age of 21, and at the age of 23, his load increased to 238 and two-thirds innings.

In 2010, at the age of 24, Hernandez’ arm strength was enough for 249 and two-thirds innings and a Cy Young Award.

From Hank Steinbrenner to Randy Levine to Brian Cashman down to Joe Girardi, the Yankees management believe they have all the answers.

Sadly, for Phil Hughes, it is becoming obvious that they don’t.

References:

Phil Hughes’ Lack of Velocity

Baseball Reference

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Baseball’s most arrogant team is in top form. This week, there were four items that support that fact.

FIRST ITEM: Pay for an Interview

A radio sports show host who can be heard on Sirius/XM was told by the New York Yankees public relations head that manager Joe Girardi would appear for a spring training interview on Monday, March 21.

When the radio host arrived at the Tampa ball park named after an individual who pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions to a presidential candidate’s campaign, he discovered that there was a problem.

According to the radio sports show host, “We get down there and find out (from Yankees PR) it’s a problem, Joe won’t do it. I said: ‘What do you mean he won’t do it?’ They tell me he has to get paid. His agent said Joe is the Yankees manager and he’s not talking for free.”

A Yankees official explained that Mr. Girardi’s agent was in the process of negotiating a contract for him to appear on SXM’s MLB channel during the regular season. They didn’t want Girardi to appear on a sports show until the deal was sealed.

Baseball needs publicity. The Yankees need publicity. Refusing to grant interviews with the media is the ultimate in arrogance. The Yankees are saying that they are so big, that they are so popular, they can demand payment for certain interviews.

No one is sure who was the first to say it, but as either P.T. Barnum, Mae West, George M. Cohan, Will Rogers or W.C. Fields said, “I don’t care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right.”

The radio sports show host blasted Girardi, saying he should not allow his agent to dictate terms and that it was his place to decide if he wanted to grant interviews.

“Show some guts. It makes you look like an idiot.”

The current Yankees ownership has forgotten that day in 1965 when the last place Yankees played a rescheduled game against the White Sox late in September. Red Barber told the television audience,

“I don’t know what the paid attendance is today, but whatever it is, it is the smallest crowd in the history of Yankee Stadium, and this crowd is the story, not the game.”

There were 413 paying fans.

Barber asked the cameras to pan the empty stands. The head of Yankees’ media relations refused. Sounds familiar.

Remember when New York’s most beloved sports team, the New York Mets, ruled New York during the late 1960s and most the 1980s? Maybe you do, but the Yankees certainly don’t.

SECOND ITEM: Who Cares About the Vendors?

The least expensive beer at the Yankees ball park will increase in price from $9 to $9.50. While not a great increase, the vendors will often have their tip reduced from $1 to fifty cents when they are handed a 10 dollar bill. So much for concern for employees.

THIRD ITEM: Parking Rate Increase

Parking rates will increase from $35 to $45. As in the past, there will be no refunds if the game is not played. So much concern for the fans.

FOURTH ITEM: So Much For Equal Opportunity

Bartolo Colon had a better spring than Freddie Garcia, but Garcia will be the Yankees’ fifth starter. Joe Girardi admitted that Colon was probably the Yankees’ best pitcher this spring, but that is not enough for the Yankees manager.

Because it is believed that Garcia will give the Yankees more innings than Colon, the former gets the job.

Hey, Joe, does quality count?

Reference:

Raissman, Bob. “Sports talk host Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo angry with Yankees manager Joe Girardi for calling off spot” New York Daily News. 25 March 2011.

The New York Yankees Don’t Like the Truth

Freddie Garcia Yanks’ Fifth Starter

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Power often is correlated with arrogance.

There have been many complaints about the quality of umpiring today, but getting the call right has always been a problem.

Many years ago, the Brooklyn Dodgers were playing the Milwaukee Braves in Milwaukee. In the fourth inning, Brooklyn right-hander Bob Milliken was facing Braves’ shortstop Johnny Logan with runners on first and second. There were two outs.

With the count two balls and two strikes, Milliken checked the runners and delivered a fast ball low and away for ball three.

Umpire Lee Ballanfant waved Logan to first base, indicating that it was ball four.

Logan’s was completely surprised as he remained at home plate instead of going immediately to first base. After the game, Brooklyn’s legendary statistician, Allan Roth, showed his record of Logan’s at-bat to the press, as presented in the New York Times.

“Foul, strike one. Strike two swinging. Ball one. Foul. Ball two. Foul. Ball three”

Ballanfant called the last pitch ball four.

Braves’ announcer Earl Gillespie, had the count as three ball and two strikes.

“When I saw Logan going to first base,” he told reporters, “I thought I was crazy. Couldn’t believe I missed a pitch.”

What is even more unbelievable is that the scoreboard had the count as 2-2 when Ballanfant signaled the score board keeper that the count was full.

The correct count was changed.

The call stood. The Braves had the bases loaded with Eddie Mathews at the plate. Mathews hit a grand slam home run. The Dodgers were livid.

Jackie Robinson led off the fifth inning. He turned to Ballanfant with fire in his eyes and laced into the umpire.

“That was the worst call I ever saw, giving a man first bases on three balls.”

Ballanfant responded with equal venom. “Get in there and hit or I’ll throw you out”

Robinson told the umpire that he had already messed up everything so he might as well throw him out; Ballanfant complied.

Jackie Robinson had a temper, which he was forced to control, but when he knew that he was right, his anger showed.

As he walked to the Dodgers’ dugout after being ejected, Robinson tossed his bat toward the bat rack, but it had been raining. The bat slipped out of his hand and hit the dugout roof, skidding into the box seats. It hit a woman, Mrs. Peter Wolinsky, who was sitting next to her husband, Peter.

Mrs. Wolinsky’s lawyer had the seats directly behind her seats. He was at the game and claimed that getting struck by the bat had left a bump on her head.

The lawyer, James Stern, said neither he nor his client was interest in the money. They were upset, but didn’t hold Robinson responsible.

Stern was quoted as stating: “There is no question but it was ball three on which Logan was given a base on balls by the umpire. The game was a disgrace and should not have a place in the standings of the clubs”

Robinson immediately apologized. A few days later, he was fined $50 by the National League.

Of course, lawyers are similar to umpires. Stern filed a $40,000 lawsuit against the Robinson and the Braves, claiming both Wolinskys were struck in the head by Robinson’s bat.

The claim was dismissed on Feb. 4, 1957.

The Wolinsky’s settled out of court for $300 each.

References:

McGowen, Roscoe. “Robinson, Dodgers Face Threat of Suit in Sequel to Bat Tossing.” New York Times. June 4, 1954. p.30.

“Fans Settle Suit Against Robinson.” New York Times. Feb. 4, 1957. p.28.

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You want controversy? I’ll give you controversy. Jackie Robinson was better than Derek Jeter.

Every American knows why Robinson played in the major leagues for only 10 years. Meanwhile, Jeter is starting his 17th season with the New York Yankees.

Robinson was “given permission” to start to his major league career at the age of 28 in 1947 as the first black player admitted to Major League Baseball. Jeter joined the Yankees when he was 21 in 1995, his first full season coming in 1996. Each was the Rookie of the Year, and though Jeter did not have an opportunity to win it for both leagues, that is what Robinson had to do to gain the honor back in ’47.

Robinson brought an excitement to base running that had not been seen since the halcyon days of Ty Cobb. He revolutionized the game as much as Babe Ruth had done almost 30 years before.

“I saw what Jackie Robinson did with his stealing home plate, and his daring base running,” Hank Aaron once said, according to The New York Times. “He brought excitement to the game. When I was in Milwaukee, we used to play that old, dull game. But, with the influx of more talented black athletes, that Jackie Robinson style caught on.”

Robinson would dance off first base, going just far enough so that he could get back if the pitcher attempted to pick him off.

He was in constant motion. It didn’t matter if Robinson was at first, second or third. He dared the pitcher to throw over to the bag.

Pitchers felt harassed. They lost their composure, which helped the Brooklyn hitters. Pivotmen on attempted double plays hesitated a split second, giving Dodger baserunners that much more time to reach safety.

This is not what Derek Jeter brings to the table.

Robinson had just over 1,500 career hits, but Jeter will soon become the first Yankee to have 3,000 career hits, in just under twice the years played.

Jeter’s defense is extremely difficult to evaluate.

Some consider him an above-average defender who positions himself well, while some have rated him among the worst defensive shortstops of all time.

Robinson played all over the diamond, making it even more difficult to compare their defensive merits, so let’s look at some offensive numbers.

Jeter has batted .314, with a .385 on-base average and a .452 slugging average.

Robinson’s triple-slash line reads .311/.409/.474.

Each averaged 23 stolen bases a season. Caught stealing records were not kept until 1951, but both players have been effective base stealers.

Since Robinson couldn’t start his major league career until he was 28 years old, one can compare Robinson and Jeter from the time the latter reached his 28th birthday.

Again, Robinson only played 10 years.

Jeter has batted .310/.380/.441, in nine seasons since he was 28 in 2002.

Jackie Robinson edges Jeter statistically, both for their careers and after the age of 28.

As great as Jeter has been with respect to “intangibles,” no one in the history of the game had more “intangibles” than Jackie Robinson in my opinion.

It is not difficult to imagine the results if Robinson had started his major league career at the age of 22. The fact that he accomplished so much in a relatively short time period is remarkable.

Derek Jeter is one of the all-time greats. He has avoided controversy, which has helped cement his career as one of the classiest individuals to have played the game. With all that he endured and nonetheless produced, Jackie Robinson had a different kind of class and deserves to be considered on another echelon altogether.

References

Johnson, Roy S. “Jackie Robinson to Now: A Growing Dominance.” New York Times. Oct. 28, 1982. p. 17.

Baseball Reference

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There are 18 first basemen in the Hall of Fame. Lou Gehrig ranks first by a wide margin, but this is not about Lou Gehrig.

This is about the second-greatest of all first basemen, an almost forgotten player named George Sisler, whose career spanned parts of both the dead ball and lively ball eras.

Whether one evaluates Sisler based on statistics or by how he was viewed by his peers and baseball writers, Sisler ranks ahead of Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg and even the great Albert Pujols, who will become a Hall of Famer five years after he retires.

Sisler played for 15 seasons. He batted .340, had a .379 on-base average and slugged .468. Sisler was not a home run hitter, but he was more than a singles hitter, averaging 34 doubles and 13 triples over a 162-game season. He hit 18 triples three consecutive seasons from 1920-22.

Suffering from a sinus infection that resulted in double vision, Sisler missed the entire 1923 season.

In 1922, he batted .420, led the American League with 51 stolen bases and won the American League Trophy, which was the first MVP award. He also hit in 41 consecutive games. Remarkably, he didn’t consider it his best season.

In 1920, he had batted .407, setting a record with 257 hits in a season. Sisler had 49 doubles, 18 triples, 19 home runs and 42 stolen bases. Only Babe Ruth, with 54, hit more home runs.

Although he remained a dangerous hitter after he returned for the 1924 season, his accomplishments from 1917-22, before his eye problems, are close to amazing.

He hit .377, had an on-base average of .420, slugged .541 and averaged 40 stolen bases a season.

From 1924-30, Sisler hit .320 with a .354 on-base average. He slugged .426 and played his usual flawless first base.

In today’s offensive game (and in many ways, baseball today is quite offensive), defense is valued too little. Sisler was one of the two greatest defensive first basemen in baseball history. Only the great Hal Chase might have been his superior. Yes, both were better defensively than Keith Hernandez.

Sisler was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939, getting named on 235 of the 274 ballots. He was the first first baseman elected to the Hall.

Ty Cobb, who is considered the greatest player of all time by many, considered Sisler “the nearest thing to a perfect ballplayer.”

Baseball writer Leonard Koppett, author of the acclaimed A Thinking Man’s Guide to Baseball, wrote that Sisler is ranked with Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker and Grover Cleveland Alexander among the all-time greats.

Cobb, Ruth and Hornsby were quoted as saying that Sisler was their equal.

Christy Mathewson, possibly the greatest pitcher of all time, wrote the following:

“He is every bit as valuable as Ruth, some people think more valuable. But he has another temperament. When he makes a great hit or a great play and the crowd is ready to idolize him, he modestly touches his cap and fades out of sight.”

The Sporting News, which used to be referred to as “Baseball’s Bible,” quoted a New York writer who covered the New York Yankees and saw Sisler and the St. Louis Browns 22 times a season.

“If there is anything he cannot do in the national pastime I would like to see it. Whether it is hitting the ball, playing first base, sliding into a bag or beating out a throw, it makes no difference. He can do one just as well as the other. I rate him the greatest player we have ever had in the baseball sport.”

This was from a writer whose hometown team included Babe Ruth.

It was the same in St. Louis. Bob Broeg, the great baseball writer who covered baseball for 40 years, wrote that the man he called “The Sizzler” was just about the least appreciated and maybe the best player in baseball history.

George Sisler has the statistics. His career was as lengthy as that of Lou Gehrig, and he was a fantastic defensive player. Sisler was universally praised by those who saw him play. Only Gehrig was better.

References

Baseball Reference

Hall of Fame

Huhn, Rick. The Sizzler. Missouri: University of Missouri Press. 2004.

Warburton, Paul. Fifteen Signature Seasons. McFarland Publishing. 2010.

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