Kuzul

Texas Rangers fans, get ready to hate me. The same goes for all you fans of the Astros, Angels and Mets!

I’ve had this opinion for a few years now and have no intention of changing it.

This opinion is a controversial one, but I have my reasons for it. Therefore, I’ll get right to it.

Nolan Ryan is one of the most overrated players in baseball history, if not the most overrated.

Now, I probably have about 20 minutes before rabid Texans and crazy Ryan fans storm my front door, ambush me and then leave with my head impaled on a stick, so I’ll do my best to keep this concise.

Let’s start off with Ryan’s career accomplishments. Overall, they’re not bad. He made eight All-Star teams and won a World Series with the New York Mets in 1969. On top of that, his seven career no-hitters are a record that will most definitely never be broken.

Now let’s have a look at his career numbers. Again, they’re pretty good. His career record stands at 324 wins and 292 losses. Regarding ERA, it’s a very impressive 3.19. Yet the number that blows everyone’s mind is the career strikeout total: 5,714. To go with the seven no-nos, this is a number that will never be surpassed. It’s just a fact.

I know, I know. I’ve presented you with amazing statistics but still haven’t changed my opinion. Well, let me tell you why.

First off, despite all of his success, Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young Award. The closest he ever came to winning one was as a member of the then-California Angels in 1973, when he finished with a 21-16 record, 2.87 ERA and a record 383 strikeouts. He ultimately lost the award to Jim Palmer.

Second, let’s analyze his record. The wins are certainly there, but the losses seem a little inflated considering how dominant Ryan was in his prime. The 324-292 record gives us a winning percentage of .526, which, while respectable, is still mediocre. It’s not even in the top 100.

Finally, let’s tie the stats together with Ryan’s career strikeout total of 5,714. Yes, Ryan was a dominant strikeout pitcher throughout most of his career, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that I still think he’s overrated. Why? Because the man pitched for 27 seasons!

Let’s be honest: If Nolan Ryan were pitching today, he would not be as dominant. He was a fireballer, and now everybody in baseball is trying to be one. Combine that factor with today’s pitching coaches monitoring pitch counts, the steroid era and hitters being better prepared for hard fastballs, and he would be just another face in the crowd.

The same can be said about his seven career no-hitters. If I was a pitcher in that era and throwing 98 mph, I could probably throw seven no-hitters. Point being this: I don’t care if Ryan was on a lot of bad teams in his career. His stuff was good enough that he should have wiped the floor with any opposing hitter that stepped up to face him.

On top of that, his career stats are ridiculously inflated. Nobody pitches for 27 seasons anymore, and if they did, they would definitely not be as dominant as Ryan was.

Yet despite my feelings about Ryan as a player, I have to say I’ve come to gain a lot of respect for him in recent years. After stepping away from the field for some time following his retirement, Ryan is now back in the game as owner of the Texas Rangers.

He was the president of the 2010 squad that represented the American League in the World Series, and given the balance of veterans and youth on that team, plus some amazing pitching, Ryan as shown himself to be not just one of the more overrated players in history, but possibly the most underrated executive in baseball as well.

To understand Nolan Ryan’s executive genius, we need to go back to when he first became president of the Texas Rangers in 2008. After he was introduced, he announced his intention to make the team’s pitching into the AL’s best. To start, he would do away with the pitch count philosophy that had consumed all of baseball. There was no pitch count limit when he was a player, so why should there be one now?

Before Ryan took over, the Rangers were an AL West division team that had a lot of good young talent, but whose pitching just wasn’t enough to compete with the division rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Oakland Athletics. The offense was there, thanks in large part to the Ballpark in Arlington being very hitter-friendly, but this also allowed opposing hitters to have a field day against the Texas pitching.

In each of Ryan’s three seasons as president of the Rangers, the team has improved. They finished third in the division in 2008, second place in 2009 and first place in 2010 on their way to the World Series, where they lost to an equally talented San Francisco Giants team.

Much of the Rangers’ 2010 success has been attributed to its pitching, so let’s break it down. In the starting rotation, there were young guns that simply surprised us all. Tommy Hunter came out of nowhere and impressed with a 13-4 record, and C.J. Wilson was impeccable in his transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation. 

After pitching for one season in Japan, Colby Lewis was possibly the biggest sleeper in all fantasy baseball leagues—and of course, we don’t need to go into detail about Ryan trading for Cliff Lee midseason.

The bullpen was just as effective. Rookie standout Neftali Feliz saved 40 games en route to winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

On offense, the team was dangerous. Vladimir Guerrero had a comeback season, silencing his critics. Outfielder Nelson Cruz was effective despite a nagging hamstring injury. Shortstop Elvis Andrus was a pest in the field and an even bigger one whilst running the bases.

Most importantly, outfielder Josh Hamilton put a cap on his inspirational story. A former drug addict, Hamilton batted .359 with 32 home runs and 100 RBI, winning himself the AL MVP Award.

Why are these players significant? Because with the help of his young GM, Jon Daniels, Nolan Ryan brought these men to Texas after most teams had written them off as has-beens and/or underachievers. A World Series appearance later, the Rangers have silenced their doubters.

Will some of their players be on different teams next season? Yes, possibly the most important piece is gone in Cliff Lee. However, I have no doubt that the Rangers will return to the playoffs to once again hush their critics and prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.

When the team is on the field proving its worth to the masses, you’ll find Nolan Ryan in his usual seat, behind home plate.

Sir, while you may be considered overrated by some (myself included), I can only hope that you will one day be commended for your accomplishments as an executive and owner. It’s truly a shame that you’re already in the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a player, and I mean that with all due respect. Regardless, there should be another plaque prepared for you, this time as one who changed the game.

NOTE TO MY READERS: THIS WILL BE MY LAST ARTICLE UNTIL THE NEW YEAR. AFTER CRANKING OUT IDEAS MONDAY-FRIDAY (MINUS YESTERDAY’S BRAIN RECHARGE DAY), IT IS TIME FOR ME TO JOIN MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL BE BACK JANUARY 3, 2011, BRINGING YOU NEW ARTICLES AND OPINIONS THAT I KNOW YOU WILL ALL ENJOY.

SO, TO ALL OF MY READERS: HAPPY BELATED CHANUKAH, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY KWANZAA. BUT MOST OF ALL, HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2011!!!

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In the 2010 World Series, the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers in five games. 

After the immediate celebration, shortstop Edgar Renteria was named World Series MVP, and rightfully so. Over those five games, Renteria batted .412 with two home runs and six RBI.

It was nice to see Renteria win, as he had missed nearly half of the regular season with various injuries. Rather than retire, he chose to come back for one more year, hopefully with the Giants.

Today, Renteria’s chances of returning to San Francisco are slim-to-none, after he turned down a perfectly fair one-year, $1 million contract, calling it “disrespectful.”

“That offer from the Giants was a lack of respect. A total disrespect,” said Renteria.

“To play for a million dollars, I’d rather stay with my private business and share more time with my family. Thank God I’m well off financially and my money is well invested.”

OK, Edgar. You think you deserve more than $1 million a year? Alright, let’s take a look at your numbers over the past couple of seasons and determine just how much you should earn.

Let’s start with Renteria’s stats from 2010. Overall, they’re very disappointing for a contract year: Only 72 games played, three home runs, and a mere 22 RBI. The batting average is a respectable .276, but sadly it cannot be factored into this equation, as Renteria was not a regular throughout the season. 

This leads to my question: How much is an effective postseason worth?

To get an idea of how much Renteria should get, I think it’s fair that we take a look at previous World Series MVPs and the contracts they received after winning the award, beginning with 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.

Overall, Matsui’s 2009 regular season was very effective. He batted .274 in 142 games with 28 home runs and 90 RBI, with his World Series was even better: .615 batting average, three home runs and eight RBI. 

How much did he earn that season? $13 million. How much did he earn in 2010 with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? $6.5 million.

Some of my readers are probably thinking, “Josh, that’s totally unfair! Matsui had a great 2009 and deserves way more than that!”

Well, fans, let me tell you why Hideki Matsui took such a large pay cut. His effective 2009 can be much attributed to him playing in a hitter-friendly stadium, plus he was used primarily as a designated hitter. Thus, his legs were consistently fresh.

On top of that, he had missed much of 2008 due to weak knees and given how his offensive stats aren’t comparable to those of one Big Papi, not many teams were willing to pay him more than $10 million a year just to be a DH. 

Despite a productive 2010 with the Angels, (.274 average, 21 home runs, 84 RBI), Matsui has just taken another pay cut in signing a one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics, worth about $4.25 million.

The case of Matsui is a good reason as to why the Giants would be hesitant to offer Edgar Renteria a bigger contract. An even better example is that of newly retired third baseman Mike Lowell, who received a big contract extension the year after he won the World Series MVP Award and was never as effective again.

In 2007, Lowell simply had an amazing season for the Boston Red Sox. He batted a career-high .324, hit 21 home runs and had another career-high with 120 RBI. He fared even better in the ALCS, batting .333 with one home run and eight RBI as he helped the Red Sox reach the World Series, where the team swept the Colorado Rockies in four games as he garnered MVP honors with a .400 batting average with one home run and four RBI. 

The numbers are modest, but many of his hits were clutch and key in the victories.

After the World Series, Lowell became a free agent. He re-signed with the Red Sox for three years and $37.5 million. The Red Sox proved to overpay him as his offensive stats were effective over those three seasons, but he also had many injury problems. 

During the course of the contract, he had a respectable batting average of .267, but never played more than 119 games in a season. The multitude of injuries he suffered led him to retire at the end of the contract. 

Thus, the Giants should use Lowell’s post-Series performance as a tale of caution in re-signing Renteria.

Now, let’s go back to the man of the hour, Edgar Renteria. He thinks he deserves more than a one-year, $1 million contract because of his performance in the World Series. 

In my opinion, that’s a perfectly fair offer. Over the past few seasons, his effectiveness has dropped off immensely. In 2009, his batting average was a career-low .250 and to add insult to injury, he had the lowest range factor among shortstops.

To put it bluntly, Edgar Renteria’s production over the two years he spent in a San Francisco uniform are not worth the $18.5 million the Giants paid him. Combine that with his gradual decline since 2005 (minus one semi-effective season in 2007 in which he hit .332), he should consider himself lucky that any team wants to offer him a contract at all.

He says that this offseason, other teams have made him offers. OK, then how come we haven’t heard of them? My theory is that no team wants to take a risk on an aging shortstop whose production is very hit or miss, and now it appears he has an attitude problem.

So, Mr. Renteria, you think that the Giants’ offer is disrespectful? Well, this writer thinks that your handling of the situation is disrespectful. 

Considering how much money you have cost the San Francisco Giants so far, including your World Series bonus, you should be grateful that you received a contract offer at all. That all being said, if you love the game as much as you claim, one year for $1 million is perfectly fair. 

If anything, demand a player option for 2012. 

As Brian Cashman said to Derek Jeter at one point, “drink the reality potion,” and maybe then you will see how out of line you are truly being.

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Yesterday, the baseball world lost a legend.  Due to leukemia and pneumonia, plus other health problems, Hall of Fame pitcher, war hero, and Cleveland Indians icon Bob Feller passed away at the age of 92.

Being a New York Yankees fan, I never knew much about Feller’s career growing up.  Honestly, my only experience with him prior to writing this article was meeting him on a summer camp field trip to a minor league baseball game when I was 14 or 15.  I remember fans mobbing him before the game, and he was more than happy to sign autographs.

When I passed him my baseball glove, he of course signed it.  Yet, his attitude wasn’t one that I would have expected of a baseball Hall of Famer: he smiled, asked me my name, shook my hand, and even asked if I did well in school before handing me my glove back and telling me to enjoy the game.

To this day, I can’t remember experiencing that same feeling any other time.  A Hall of Fame pitcher had just taken the time to talk to a kid he’d almost definitely never see again.  Where was the arrogance?  Where was the “just going through the motions” look on his face? 

As he threw out the game’s first pitch (and after learning more about him in the past week), I saw a simple man.  He loved the fans, he loved his life, he loved his country.  But most of all, he loved baseball.

I could go on and on about Feller’s career stats.  266 wins (probably could have hit 300 if not for military service), 162 losses, career ERA of 3.25 and 2,581 career strikeouts. But, instead, I’m going to talk about Bob Feller the man.

Ever since his days growing up on an Iowa farm, Feller seemed to love baseball.  His family even built a baseball diamond on their property so he could practice outside of school, where he was the ace of the team’s pitching staff.  He was drafted by the Indians at age 16, making his debut two years later in 1936.

He of course made an immediate impact and remained humble about his success, but showed a whole new side of himself after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  Immediately after hearing about it, Feller became the first MLB player to voluntarily enlist! 

In four years with the U.S. Navy, he reached the rank of Chief Petty Officer.  To this day, he is the only member of the Hall of Fame with that title.  When asked why he enlisted, his answer was simple: “I don’t consider myself a hero. I did the job that most Americans should have done, and most of them didn’t do. Serving my country was the proudest moment of my life.”

Even after retiring in 1956, Feller stayed close to the city that had embraced him for nearly 20 years.  He and his wife lived in the Cleveland suburb of Gates Mills, and even after his playing days were over, Feller remained involved with the Indians organization.  His number 19 was retired in 1957 and just this past season, at 91 years old, Feller threw out the first pitch at the Indians’ first spring training game.

So, Chief Petty Officer Feller, what can I say that hasn’t already been said?  What honor can I bestow upon you that you haven’t already received?  Eight All-Star berths, one World Series ring, your number retired, and being possibly the most beloved athlete in Cleveland sports history.  That’s quite a list.

I was never an Indians fan.  Heck, most of the time I was cheering for them to lose badly!  Yet, my one short encounter with you proved to me that you weren’t like all the rest.  You loved your work, you loved your country, and most importantly you loved your fans. 

And I’m going to say, if there is “another side,” I hope to see you there someday and would be honored to have a catch with you.  That all being said, Mr. Feller, I salute you!

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If there’s one team that has history, it’s the New York Yankees. For over 100 years, a myriad of players have passed through New York, many of which have ended up in the Hall of Fame. However, while fans give all of their attention to the Jeters, Mantles, and DiMaggios, many forget the effective players who put up great numbers, but stayed out of the spotlight. That being said, I’m giving you readers a list of the 10 most underrated Yankees of the past 20 years!

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Well, here we are.  It’s time to unveil the last spot on my countdown of the five worst trades in baseball history.

For No. 1, I’ve chosen a trade that seemed beneficial to both teams at first, but didn’t have a big payoff on either end.  One team won the World Series the year of the trade, and the other team was mostly mediocre over the next five years or so. 

This is the story of that trade, when one legendary team received an injury prone All-Star, and another received a pitcher who wasn’t bad by any means, but still totally glorified.  I’ve set the stage for you all, now let’s get to the story!

In the 1980s, two teams that consistently made the playoffs in the National League were the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals.  Honestly, what can I say about these two teams that hasn’t already been said.  Two legendary franchises with so much history surrounding them, many World Series titles between the two, and so many Hall-of-Fame players coming out of both systems.

In 1988, the Cardinals certainly had the upper hand regarding overall success.  They had won the World Series in 1982 and had returned again in 1985 and 1987, when they lost to the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins.  The reason behind their success was the perfect balance of role players, from the power-hitting Jack Clark to future Hall-of-Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith.

Their pitching, despite not having many big name players, was remarkably consistent.  Young closer Todd Worrell provided an iron-willed stopper out of the bullpen, and the starting rotation featured a man who despite not having overwhelming “stuff,” went out on the mound and did his job whenever he got the call.  His name was John Tudor.

Before coming to St. Louis via a trade in 1985, John Tudor had established himself as an above average, yet reliable starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.  At best, he was a very Andy Pettitte-like pitcher in the fact that his pitches weren’t overwhelming, yet still got hitters out, and he averaged around 13 wins a season with an ERA mid to high three range.

In 1985, however, he had a breakout season in his first season with the Cardinals.  He finished the season with a record of 21 wins and eight losses (after starting the season 1-7!!), and his ERA was a stellar 1.93.  Had it not been for Doc Gooden’s career year (24 wins, four losses, 1.54 ERA), Tudor would have easily won the NL Cy Young Award.

Tudor did well the following seasons, but was nowhere near as dominant as he was in 1985.  He missed most of the 1987 season with an injury and in 1988, team management chose to trade him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  On one end, it could have been considered a helpful trade, but there was ultimately no payoff for either team.

The 1988 season was a great one for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The team was blessed with a great pitching staff led by young aces Orel Hershiser and Tim Leary, and a tough bullpen featuring a bevy of young arms (Alejandro Pena, Jay Howell and the late Tim Crews, just to name a few).  Their starting lineup, while not overwhelming, was led by veteran outfielder Kirk Gibson and speedy infielder Steve Sax. 

While the team was doing very well and expected to make the playoffs, there was no doubt that they would have to face a powerful New York Mets team that was just two seasons removed from winning the 1986 World Series. So while the Dodgers’ pitching was good, another arm was needed.

In the Dodgers’ trade discussions with other teams, one name that constantly came up was that of outfielder Pedro Guerrero.  Now, regarding stats, Pedro Guerrero was not by any means a bad player.  He consistently hit well for average, had a good power bat and was instrumental in helping the team win the 1981 World Series over the heavily favored New York Yankees. 

However, in the years preceding 1988, team management had grown tired of Guerrero.  He had missed time with injuries and unfortunately had developed a lackadaisical attitude.  With all three outfield positions occupied by Gibson and young stalwarts Mike Marshall and John Shelby, there was simply no room for Guerrero.  Thus, in negotiations with the Cardinals, the Dodgers sent over Guerrero in return for John Tudor.

Now at first glance, this trade appears to have served the Dodgers well.  In nine regular starts with the Dodgers in 1988, Tudor posted a 4-3 record with a 2.41 ERA as the team clinched the NL Western Division. He upset the heavily favored Mets in the playoffs, and beat the Oakland Athletics in the World Series, four games to one.

However, as much as I hate to say it, John Tudor cannot receive any credit for the team’s postseason success.  He was underwhelming in the two starts he made, and didn’t receive a decision in either.  In 1989, he only appeared in six games (three starts) due to a serious elbow injury. 

After that season was over, he was granted free agency and returned to the Cardinals on a one-year contract.  He finished the season with a 12-4 record and a 2.40 ERA, but was forced to retire because of arm problems.  While trading for him might have been a good idea at the time, I ask that you consider this.  The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t been to the World Series since 1988 and after winning then, didn’t win another postseason game until 2004.

On the other end of the trade, history didn’t treat the Cardinals much better.  Although in 1989 (his first full season with the team), Pedro Guerrero played in all 162 games and had an MVP-caliber season in which he batted .311 with 17 home runs and 117 RBI, age caught up with him the remaining seasons and he was never the same player. Subsequently, the Cardinals failed to make the playoffs for all of the seasons Guerrero was part of the team.

Now let’s go back to the Dodgers’ end again.  I’m going to be honest.  As well as John Tudor did for them in the regular season, I still think they would have won the World Series without making the trade.  Their pitching rotation was unbelievable with Hershiser, Leary, and let’s not forget about Fernando Valenzuela! 

Plus, even though Guerrero appeared to have worn out his welcome, that doesn’t take away from the fact that in years past, he was a valuable bat for the Dodgers.  With the DH rule in effect in certain games of the World Series, who is to say that he wouldn’t have been able to help the team as a handy power bat coming off the bench?

The backlash from the trade didn’t hurt the Cardinals as badly.  They regained their stride in the mid-90s and consistently made the playoffs, winning the World Series again in 2006.  Would hanging onto John Tudor have kept them as contenders in the National League throughout the 80s without a slump period?  I’m really not sure. 

Regardless, this trade was a textbook case of teams getting used to one type of performance from the players involved and growing tired of them once they started slowing down.  Looking at it from the players’ perspectives, it’s sad that even in baseball today, many owners and management teams still don’t realize that patience is a virtue.

That’s my countdown of the five worst trades in MLB history.  Hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for more articles coming each day!

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Well, here we are.  Just one more trade until I discuss what I believe is the worst one in baseball history and for No. 2, I’ve picked a good one. 

This trade needs no introduction.  It’s a DOOZY.  Books have been written about it.  Baseball historians have discussed it for decades.  There is nothing else I can say about this trade that would make its introduction any better.  Oh, by the way…it’s when the Boston Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.

I can imagine what most of you are thinking.  This trade dramatically changed the histories of the two teams involved.  One went on to become the most successful franchise in sports history, and the other (up until recently), was for decades considered to be a group of lovable losers.  Yet, while a lot of people know about the trade itself, what they don’t know is the story behind it.  That’s where I come in, so let’s get started

Now, I know that most baseball fans know how Babe Ruth is best known for his years spent with the Yankees and how during that time, he set records with his home run hitting.  But before he was the Sultan of Swat, Babe Ruth was a standout player for the Boston Red Sox.

Making his debut in 1914, Ruth made an immediate impact for the Red Sox not as an outfielder, but rather has a starting pitcher.  Looking at his pitching statistics, I’m honestly surprised that he made the switch.  His career record is astounding: 94 wins compared to 46 losses.  His career ERA is just as impressive at 2.28!   His talent on the mound led the Red Sox to consecutive World Series titles in 1915 and 1916.

So now there are some readers who are probably wondering, “OK, Josh, you’ve shown us Ruth’s pitching statistics and they’re pretty good, but he’s still known primarily as an outfielder.  Why is that?”  I’m glad you asked!

One thing that we need to understand regarding Ruth’s switch to the outfield is the era in which he played.  There were two leagues, American and National, but they were basically one and the same.  Why?  The designated hitter rule wasn’t around yet!  As a result, Ruth was in the batting order whenever he pitched, and his offense was not what people expected of a pitcher at the time.

Team management took notice of Ruth’s talent at the plate, and started playing him in the outfield on days he didn’t pitch.  Boston’s offense became even more powerful as the team won the World Series in 1918, the first season in which Ruth consistently played in the outfield.  However, the team’s successes were short-lived.  The Red Sox finished in sixth place in 1919, and the house fell down.

Even before the collapse of 1919, the Red Sox had been looking for a reason to get Ruth off of the team.  Both on and off the field, he had temper issues.  He drank, smoked, got into fights, and didn’t do a particularly good job of taking care of himself. 

So, after the 1919 season, team owner Harry Frazee finally had a reason to unload his controversial All-Star player.  At the time, the Red Sox were basically trading away all of their star players, and getting other players in return; you know, NORMAL trading practices.

However, Frazee did something a bit unconventional in trading Ruth.  Now, apart from owning the Red Sox, Harry Frazee was also a producer of Broadway shows.  At the time, he needed money to finance a play.  What did he do?  He traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. 

Who did the Red Sox get in return?  Well, it’s more a question of what than who.  The Yankees received Babe Ruth, and in return sent $100,000 cash money to Boston.  No players, no draft picks (since that concept hadn’t been invented yet), just cold hard cash.

Now, given how this is a website frequented by sports fans, I don’t think I need to go into too much detail regarding the aftermath of this trade.  Long story short, Ruth goes on to finish his career with 714 career home runs, sets all sorts of records, retires as the greatest hitter of all time, makes the Hall of Fame. 

The Red Sox spend the next 80-something years as perennial underachievers until they finally win another World Series in 2004.  End of tale.  Yet, I don’t think that we can fully understand how bad this trade is until we look at it compared to some similar ones made in the modern age.

Today, if a team trades a player for “cash considerations,” it usually means that the player involved is a mediocre one at best and that a fair agreement can’t be reached using other players.  A good example of this occurred this past season, when the Cleveland Indians traded relief pitcher Kerry Wood to the Yankees for cash considerations, although low-level minor leaguers were also involved in that deal.  Just the same, it was a case of one team looking to get rid of one player for a low price.

If Harry Frazee tried to trade Babe Ruth today, he could have gotten much more back in return, regardless of whether Ruth was a pitcher or an outfielder.  In 2010, Ruth could have been worth a star outfielder, plus a couple of minor league prospects.  He would be an elite player, and he wouldn’t come cheap if another team was looking to acquire him.  Just imagine how much money he’d demand as a free agent!

If the Babe Ruth trade hadn’t happened, there’s no telling how differently baseball history would have panned out.  Maybe the Red Sox would have gone on to be the most successful team in sports history, rather than my beloved Yankees.  Babe Ruth might not have become one of the greatest home run hitters of all time. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I know that bad trades are bound to happen, but trading a top player to finance a Broadway show?!  Harry Frazee, wherever you are, I hope you’re kicking yourself for this horrible mistake (or blessing, if you’re a Yankees fan like I am!).

Anyway, that’s No. 2, folks.  Tune in tomorrow for No. 1!

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The reason fans take such pride in their team having a hometown hero is rooted in their childhood memories.

Ask any baseball fan what their childhood dream was growing up, and their answer will be that they wanted to be the star player for their favorite team.

Thus, when a particular team has a player on their roster that grew up rooting for them, the fans embrace him so warmly because, in a sense, they’re allowed to live their childhood dream through him.

This relationship is the reason why Minnesota Twins fans may cheer a little harder for Joe Mauer or why Atlanta Braves fans did the same for Jeff Francoeur at one point.

Sometimes, the presence of these players alone is enough to light a spark that ultimately ends with the team contending for a playoff spot. However, some of these hometown heroes end up leaving home, sometimes unwillingly.

It was an instance of this in the 1980s that put one team on the path to greatness and another on the road to perennial mediocrity.

The 1985 baseball amateur draft was one that featured a crop of sure-fire future Hall of Famers. Players selected included outfielder Barry Bonds and pitcher Randy Johnson, among other future stars.

Mixed in with these young athletes was a young pitcher from Waverly High School in Lansing, Michigan—just a stone’s throw away from Detroit, where his favorite team, the reigning World Series champion Tigers, played.

He also played basketball at school, and despite having a wide variety of pitches that most high school athletes had difficulty hitting (let alone seeing), a basketball scholarship being offered by Michigan State University kept him from going in the higher rounds.

His name was John Smoltz, and his childhood dream of playing for his beloved Tigers appeared to have finally come true.

Twenty years later, Smoltz would have a myriad of accomplishments on his baseball resumé—all achieved without throwing one pitch as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

In the summer of 1987, while Smoltz pitched in the minor leagues, the Tigers were in a three-way race for first place in their division. The key to the team making the postseason was effective pitching, so the front office decided to trade for an experienced arm rather than rush Smoltz by calling him up. Thus, on August 12, the Tigers traded Smoltz to the Atlanta Braves for 36-year-old Doyle Alexander.

At first, the trade appeared to be a good move as Alexander went undefeated in all his starts for Detroit, helping the team clinch the division title in the last few days of the season. Yet the Tigers were defeated in the playoffs by the Minnesota Twins and spent the next 20 years as seemingly constant cellar-dwellers, even losing 119 games in 2003 before finally returning to the postseason in 2006.

On the other side of the deal, the acquisition of Smoltz has proven to be one of the best trades in Atlanta Braves history. Twenty years after the trade, Smoltz has established himself as one of the most versatile pitchers in baseball.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2000 after 12 years as a starting pitcher, he returned to the team a year later and spent four seasons as the Braves’ closer before returning to the rotation again in 2005. Along with over 200 wins, he has accumulated 154 saves. He has been to the postseason 14 times, reaching the World Series five times, including helping his team win a championship in 1995.

While the trading of Smoltz in 1987 may have seemed like a good idea at the time to the Detroit Tigers front office, it can still be considered one of the worst trades in baseball history.

Rather than have confidence in the roster that had kept the team in the playoff race all that season, greed got the better of the team executives and made them foolishly trade the potential future “face” of the franchise for an aging veteran who was way past his prime.

It is sad to think that they gave up a player who could have won them multiple championships in exchange for a player they hoped could bring them a championship just a bit quicker.

Experts will say that the key to a successful team is the perfect combination of youth and experience, without sacrificing one to get the other. I guess that the 1987 Detroit Tigers forgot to read that part of the memo when they were going over their five-year plan, which I’m almost positive didn’t include consecutive last-place finishes.

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