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December 30, 2008

All-Star State Teams: New York

Tuesday, December 30, 2008 18:12
Filed under: All-★ State Teams — TommyT
  flag_of_new_york.svg
Pos Player Birthplace Notes
1B Lou Gehrig New York NY-A, MVP ‘27 &’36, 2130 consecutive games, .340 BA, 493 HR, 1990 RBI, BA leader, 3-time HR leader, 1-time hits leader, 2-time 2B leader 1-time 3B leader, 13 consecutive years 100 RBIs, leader RBI 5 times, BB leader 3-times, Triple Crown 1934, 2131 consecutive games played, HOF year he retired
1B Hank Greenberg New York DET-A, PIT-N, MVP ‘35 &’40, 4-time HR and RBI Leader, .313 BA, HOF
1B Big Dan Brouthers Sylvan Lake BUF-N (others), 5-time BA leader, .342 BA, HOF
2B Eddie Collins Millerton PHI-A, CHI-A, MVP ‘14, 3-time runs leader, 5-time SB leader, .333 BA, 3313 hits, HOF
2B Frankie Frisch Bronx NY-N, STL-N, MVP ‘31, 3-time SB leader, 2880 hits
2B Johnny Evers Troy CHI-N, BOS-N, MVP ‘14, “Tinkers to Evers to Chance”
SS Phil Rizzuto New York NY-A, MVP ‘50, HOF
SS Alex Rodriguez New York SEA-A, TEX-A, .309 BA, 189 HR, 519 RBI (at age 24)
3B Rico Petrocelli Brooklyn BOS-A, 210 HR, 773 RBI
LF Carl Yastrzemski Southampton BOS-A, Triple Crown, MVP ‘67, 3-time BA leader, 3419 hits, 452 HR, 1844 RBI, 3308 games played, HOF
CF Willie Keeler Brooklyn NY-N, BAL-N, BRK-N, NY-A, .343 BA, 2-time BA leader, 2945 hits, 3-time hits leader, 495 SB, HOF
RF Rocky Colavito New York CLE-A, DET, A, 374 HRs, 1159 RBI, one-time leader in HRs, RBI and BBs
RF Tommy Davis Brooklyn LA-N many others, .294 BA, 2-time BA leader
RF Ken Singleton New York MTL-N, BAL-A, .282 BA, 246 HR, 1065 RBI
C Joe Torre Brooklyn MIL-N, ATL-N, STL-N, MVP ‘71, BA leader, .297 BA, 252 HR, 1182 RBI
C Moe Berg New York “The Catcher is a Spy”
DH Edgar Martinez New York SEA-A, .320 BA, BA leader ‘92 and ‘95, 1738 hits, 235 HRs, 925 RBIs
LHP Warren Spahn Buffalo BOS-N, MIL-N, 363 wins, 13-time 20-game winner, Cy Young, 63 ShO, 3.09 ERA, 5243.2 IP, HOF, 2 no-hit games (1 after age 40)
LHP Whitey Ford New York NY-A, 236-106, 2.75 ERA, 2-time 20-game winner, 7 WS categories career leader, WS MVP ‘61, HOF
LHP Sandy Koufax Brooklyn BRK-N, LA-N, MVP ‘63, 3-time Cy Young ‘63, ‘65, ‘66, WS MVP ‘653-time 20-game winner, 5-time ERA leader, 4-time K leader, 4 no-hit games (1 perfect game), Youngest elected HOFer
RHP Jim Palmer New York BAL-A, 3-time Cy Young ‘73, ‘75, ‘76, 5-time gold glove winner, 1 no-hit game, 8-time 20-game winner, 2-time ERA leader, 268 wins, 2.86 ERA, HOF
RHP Waite Hoyte Brooklyn NY-A (others), 2-time 20-game winner, save leader, 237 wins 3.59 ERA, HOF
RHP Old Hoss Radbourn Rochester PRO-N, BOS-N, 311 wins, 2.67 ERA, 489 CG, 4535.1 IP, 60 and 49 win seasons, HOF
RHP Mickey Welch Brooklyn TRO-N, NY-N, 308 wins, 2.71 ERA, 4802 IP, 44, 39 and 33 win seasons, 3-time K leader, HOF
Relief El Roy Face Stephentown PIT-N, DET-A, MON-N, 3-time save leader, 18-1 season (.947 win %), 3 saves in ‘60 WS
Manager John McGraw Truxton BAL-N, BAL-A, NY-N, “Little Napolean,” 12 pennant winners, 4 WS winners, 4769 games, 2763 wins .586 win %, HOF

 

(originally published in Baseball Ink Vol. 2, No. 2 – September 2001)




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December 29, 2008

All-Star State Teams: Alabama

Monday, December 29, 2008 18:34
Filed under: All-★ State Teams — SteveM
   
Pos Player Birthplace Notes
1B Willie McCovey Mobile SF, SD/.270, 521 HR, HOF
2B Jackie Hayes Clanton WSH, CHI-A/.267, .976 lifetime F.A.
SS Joe Sewell Titus CLE, NYY/.312, HOF
3B Jim Tabor Millerton BOS-A, PHI-N/.270, Hit 2 grand slams in one game
LF Heinie Manush Tuscumbia DET, WSH/.330, HOF
CF Willie Mays Westfield NYG, SF, NYM/.302, 660 HR, HOF
RF Hank Aaron Mobile MIL-N, ATL, MIL-A/.305, 755 HR, HOF
C Rudy York Ragland DET, BOS-A/.275, 34 HR in 1943
RHP Satchel Paige Mobile CLE, STL-A/reached Majors at age 42, HOF

 

(originally published in Baseball Ink Vol. 2, No. 1 – June 2001)




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December 27, 2008

Parity: The Immaculate Deception

Saturday, December 27, 2008 13:20
Filed under: General — TheUmpire

The New York Yankees announced the signing of Mark Teixeira to an eight-year, $180 million deal.  Teixeira joins pitchers C. C. Sabathia and A. J. Burnett under the tree as part of a Yankees holiday spending spree.

Most in the baseball press have projected the Yankees into the 2009 World Series and have decried that the Evil Empire is pricing out small-market clubs and is buying their way to their 27th championship.  Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio is whimpering that baseball needs a salary cap, despite the fact that his team won one more game than the Yankees — and a wild-card playoff spot — with 40% of New York’s payroll. 

What these same people conveniently fail to mention is that a) Mark Teixeira may not be all that and a bag of chips, and b) even if he were, that’s hardly the point since the Yankees had the highest payroll (and arguably most talent) in baseball last year (~$222 million) yet only managed to stagger home a mere three games above fourth place in their division.  Moreover, since some current contracts have expired (Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano), the Yankees total 2009 payroll will likely be less than what they spent last (successful?!) season.  Still the clamor for parity continues.

A few writers suggest that baseball has already achieved quite a bit of parity, as eight different teams have won the past nine World Series — and eight different teams have played in the last four World Series.

All this “salary cap” and “fairness” rhetoric obscures the real issue.  It is not whether there is parity in baseball, it is that people do not really want parity.

A lot of people hate the Yankees more with every dollar Steinbrenner spends…and isn’t that great?  We feel strongly about the Yankees — both for and against — because of their past successes of excess and their utter failures.

If it weren’t for teams like the Yankees, there wouldn’t be underdogs.  Who better to establish a dynasty…and to have their dynasty ended?  Who better for an underdog to beat?

Fans remember dynasties.  Baseball has its Big Red Machine and the Bash Brothers A’s.  Football has its ’70s Steelers and its ’80s 49ers.  Basketball has its ’60s Celtics.  Nobody remembers when there is a different champion each season.

The opposite is good for the game, too.  Is it not more fun to cheer for the Cubs precisely because they have not won the World Series since 1908?  Doesn’t baseball lose more than a little something when we can no longer harangue Red Sox fans with taunts of “NINE-teen FOUR-teen”?  “TWEN-ty SEV-en” doesn’t sting nearly as much.

Enough of this parity hogwash.  Our pussified society has degenerated into a we-don’t-keep-score, everybody-gets-a-trophy arena of .500 “competition.”  The last thing we should want to see is thirty mediocre teams slogging to 81-81 records. 

Let us instead celebrate the glory of dominance, drink in the sweetness of the upset, and embrace the loveable losers waiting ’til next year.




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December 26, 2008

Little Sluggers

Friday, December 26, 2008 12:25
Filed under: General — DamianM

They may not have a powerful swing, but every Saturday morning these little ones have a ball

Photo by David Shapinsky

Photo by David Shapinsky

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan — It’s not often that you’ll see a baseball player run with the bat after getting a hit, sit on a base and dig in the dirt during the middle of a game, or even try desperately to catch bugs while playing an outfield position — not unless you’re watching the Camp Foster PeeWee League.

The PeeWee League, which includes children between the ages of 5 and 6 years old, is a season of nine games designed to teach children the fundamentals of the game, according to DeAngelo Blount, coach for the Camp Courtney Dragons.

“We want them to develop the skills needed to play baseball at their age,” Blount said. “They learn the basics of how to swing the bat, hit, and, hopefully by the end of the season, catch.” (more…)




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December 24, 2008

If I Had A Million Dollars, I’d Buy A Win

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 14:29
Filed under: General — TheUmpire

The average price of a Major League Baseball win exceeded a million dollars in 2008.   The league cost per victory was $1,185,897.

The New York Yankees had the worst return of investment as each win cost them over $2,500,000.  Expect more of the same in 2009 with the signings of Mark Teixeira and C. C. Sabathia.

The Florida Marlins enjoyed the best bang for the buck at just over $300,000 per win.

The 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies paid more than twice as much per win than the runner-up Tampa Bay Rays.

Team

Payroll

Wins

Cost Per Win

New York Yankees $222,519,480 89 $2,500,219
Seattle Mariners $120,456,113 61 $1,974,690
Detroit Tigers $136,198,404 74 $1,840,519
New York Mets $144,693,962 89 $1,625,775
Boston Red Sox $147,075,645 95 $1,548,165
Los Angeles Dodgers $125,864,496 84 $1,498,387
Chicago Cubs $130,508,691 97 $1,345,450
Atlanta Braves $92,494,314 72 $1,284,643
Los Angeles Angels $128,142,467 100 $1,281,425
St. Louis Cardinals $109,989,046 86 $1,278,942
Chicago White Sox $113,641,026 89 $1,276,865
Philadelphia Phillies $112,654,711 92 $1,224,508
MLB Average $2,879,357,538 2428 $1,185,897
Houston Astros $100,189,948 86 $1,164,999
Baltimore Orioles $78,888,250 68 $1,160,121
Toronto Blue Jays $98,343,520 86 $1,143,529
San Francisco Giants $82,074,873 72 $1,139,929
San Diego Padres $71,212,182 63 $1,130,352
Cincinnati Reds $82,886,440 74 $1,120,087
Washington Nationals $59,699,668 59 $1,011,859
Colorado Rockies $74,791,621 74 $1,010,698
Milwaukee Brewers $90,324,347 90 $1,003,604
Texas Rangers $78,640,138 79 $995,445
Arizona Diamondbacks $80,998,526 82 $987,787
Cleveland Indians $78,663,582 81 $971,155
Kansas City Royals $69,297,547 75 $923,967
Pittsburgh Pirates $50,764,410 67 $757,678
Minnesota Twins $65,096,667 88 $739,735
Oakland Athletics $55,223,294 75 $736,311
Tampa Bay Rays $51,020,720 97 $525,987
Florida Marlins $27,003,450 84 $321,470

Payroll figures from the Chicago Tribune.




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