Call me Jason. Or Jordan. Or Dustin, Ricky, Bubba, Rory, or any other name you want. I'm a pro golfer out on the PGA tour.
But unlike all the other guys, I'm not consumed by the desire to win majors. Tiger was obviously the worst, He was obsessed by it. For that matter, even winning lesser tournaments doesn't particularly concern me.
Sure, I give it my best when I play in one, and would love to win it. But if I don't, something else takes a much higher priority.
Making the cut.
It's not cheap doing what I do. Flying all over the country (and sometimes abroad) to various tournaments (while paying for my caddy too) comes with a cha-ching. So do motel rooms or rental houses for a week. And we have to eat. Sponsors are a god-send, but not everybody has them. To those without, we have to cough up dough for golf clothes, shoes, thousands of balls, gloves, and all the rest. It can get expensive.
Everybody seems to be caught up in the hype of statistics, wins, particularly majors, and the ever-fanatical press keeps feeding the flames of the gullible masses.
Hey, I get it. Though Jack was the best, and Eldrick had his decade of dominance, I don't kid myself that I'll ever approach that level.
And you know what? That's fine. We can't all be superstars.
I'm just out here trying to make a living and I'm very cool with knocking down a few million a year while playing golf on some of the finest courses in the world. The food and accommodations at such places are absolutely fabulous.
And c'mon, it surely beats supersizing people at a drive-through window somewhere or being a prison guard, much less an inmate.
Life is good, and my caddy is pretty happy too. Every time I make a cut and get a check, he gets his cut and check as well. I'm pretty sure he'd rather be doing this than his old job of carrying bags for old rich people that can't break 100 at their local ritzy country clubs.
So let the media rant and rave about titles all they want. And let the golf fans continue to eat it up. Further, I wish the best for my compatriots out here on tour that are also obsessed with winning, winning, WINNING, dammit, and their legacies eventually.
I couldn't care less. So I feel no pressure standing over a 3 foot putt that might get me a win. If it goes in -- great.
But if it doesn't, that's OK too. Second place at any tour event comes with a pretty hefty paycheck, as in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And who cares about trophies? I had a bunch of those from when I used to play little league baseball as a kid, and a few when I was a halfway decent bowler as a teenager. I'm not even sure where they are any more. Maybe my mom threw them out or sold them in a garage sale for a couple bucks. No big deal. The same will be true of any hardware I might win as a professional golfer someday.
Such things come and go and nobody else cares, so why should I?
This whole mania about winning is vastly overrated, and for those that I suspect have some sort of inferiority complex, thereby making them feel like they always have to prove the elusive "something".
Personally, I'm comfortable with myself. I'm a nice guy, have a wife and a couple kids which I love more than anything, and just so happen to be a pretty decent golfer or else I wouldn't have qualified to be out on the PGA tour.
Sure, wins would be great, but if I can make more cuts than I miss, or even rack up a handful of top-10 finishes in any given year -- everything is just peachy, especially when it comes to the financial thing. I'm happy, my wife is happy, my caddy's happy, and the kids are well taken care of.
No worries.
So what's the problem?
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Thursday, August 10, 2017
The (wink, wink) Tiger Woods affair
Everything about this developing story seems to be horribly wrong.
We know that dear Eldrick was found asleep and subsequently incoherent in his vehicle a few months ago. It was damaged, had two flat tires, but glory be, nobody seems to know, or wants to, how that could have come about.
Well OK, he had no alcohol in his system. But by his own admission was maxed out on pain killers and anti-depressants. In other words, a menace on the highway. Driving under the influence. Big time.
As the story goes, only a not guilty plea can be entered without the defendant, Tiger, being present in the court room. So said his attorney to the judge.
But wait a second. In the same paragraph, the prosecutor said Tiger had already agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of reckless driving. So which is it?
At that, presto, Tiger went off into rehab somewhere. Again. No doubt, this was another celebrity justice condition of his plea. Go into a country club facility, behave yourself for a month or two, and everything will be just fine.
Worse, he'll only be fined a couple hundred bucks, chump change, be on joke probation for a short time, and have his "record" completely cleared if he can act like an upright citizen for a few months.
This is wrong, though the prosecutor, as if she's fooling anybody, stated that Woods isn't being treated any different than a common citizen would be.
Hogwash. The average John or Jane Doe, under the exact same conditions, would not, repeat NOT be afforded the same VIP treatment Eldrick is about to receive. Even if a first time offender, their record would be forever and the system would come down a lot harder on them.
A few hours of community service? That's a joke as well. Tiger can probably spend them giving bimbos putting lessons at one of Trump's fancy golf resorts. Anybody else would likely have to pick up trash on the side of interstates somewhere. Or mow lawns at churches. Can you picture Eldrick pushing a mower around? Not me. Ain't gonna happen.
And there's the thing. The penalty should be commensurate with the financial status of the perpetrator.
Sure, a couple hundred dollar fine would hurt your average minimum wage earner, or someone unemployed trying to barely scrape by.
But it's a joke to a guy worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Want to get his attention? Hit the almost billionaire with a $100,000,000 fine, make him "drop" every other day or so like anybody else would have to, and no, his record NEVER goes away. Good enough for the common man/woman -- good enough for Eldrick.
Anybody that thinks the double standard doesn't still exist in a large way -- is crazy. A rich person committing the exact same crime as a poor person might get sent off to a Club Fed somewhere. You know, tennis courts, pools, saunas, hot tubs, masseuses, gourmet food, and definitely no bars.
The poor guy will get thrown in a slammer. Brutal guards, a community shower every three days or so, good luck with that, and trying to merely survive among the animals that would just as soon stab or rape him as an every day occurrence. This, while having to eat food most dogs would turn their noses up at, and bars everywhere.
Would I wish harm to come to poor Eldrick? Of course not. He made a mistake and should pay for it.
Yet the punishment should not only fit the crime, but also be tailored to the ability to pay.
I mean, c'mon. If the Prez, a multi-billionaire, is eventually found guilty of colluding with the Russians to fix the election last fall, do you really think fining him a few hundred bucks, clearing his record if he miraculously behaves himself for a few months, and doesn't otherwise wreak havoc during any probationary period would get his attention?
Please....
We know that dear Eldrick was found asleep and subsequently incoherent in his vehicle a few months ago. It was damaged, had two flat tires, but glory be, nobody seems to know, or wants to, how that could have come about.
Well OK, he had no alcohol in his system. But by his own admission was maxed out on pain killers and anti-depressants. In other words, a menace on the highway. Driving under the influence. Big time.
As the story goes, only a not guilty plea can be entered without the defendant, Tiger, being present in the court room. So said his attorney to the judge.
But wait a second. In the same paragraph, the prosecutor said Tiger had already agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of reckless driving. So which is it?
At that, presto, Tiger went off into rehab somewhere. Again. No doubt, this was another celebrity justice condition of his plea. Go into a country club facility, behave yourself for a month or two, and everything will be just fine.
Worse, he'll only be fined a couple hundred bucks, chump change, be on joke probation for a short time, and have his "record" completely cleared if he can act like an upright citizen for a few months.
This is wrong, though the prosecutor, as if she's fooling anybody, stated that Woods isn't being treated any different than a common citizen would be.
Hogwash. The average John or Jane Doe, under the exact same conditions, would not, repeat NOT be afforded the same VIP treatment Eldrick is about to receive. Even if a first time offender, their record would be forever and the system would come down a lot harder on them.
A few hours of community service? That's a joke as well. Tiger can probably spend them giving bimbos putting lessons at one of Trump's fancy golf resorts. Anybody else would likely have to pick up trash on the side of interstates somewhere. Or mow lawns at churches. Can you picture Eldrick pushing a mower around? Not me. Ain't gonna happen.
And there's the thing. The penalty should be commensurate with the financial status of the perpetrator.
Sure, a couple hundred dollar fine would hurt your average minimum wage earner, or someone unemployed trying to barely scrape by.
But it's a joke to a guy worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Want to get his attention? Hit the almost billionaire with a $100,000,000 fine, make him "drop" every other day or so like anybody else would have to, and no, his record NEVER goes away. Good enough for the common man/woman -- good enough for Eldrick.
Anybody that thinks the double standard doesn't still exist in a large way -- is crazy. A rich person committing the exact same crime as a poor person might get sent off to a Club Fed somewhere. You know, tennis courts, pools, saunas, hot tubs, masseuses, gourmet food, and definitely no bars.
The poor guy will get thrown in a slammer. Brutal guards, a community shower every three days or so, good luck with that, and trying to merely survive among the animals that would just as soon stab or rape him as an every day occurrence. This, while having to eat food most dogs would turn their noses up at, and bars everywhere.
Would I wish harm to come to poor Eldrick? Of course not. He made a mistake and should pay for it.
Yet the punishment should not only fit the crime, but also be tailored to the ability to pay.
I mean, c'mon. If the Prez, a multi-billionaire, is eventually found guilty of colluding with the Russians to fix the election last fall, do you really think fining him a few hundred bucks, clearing his record if he miraculously behaves himself for a few months, and doesn't otherwise wreak havoc during any probationary period would get his attention?
Please....
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
The Justin Verlander debacle
Sound the trumpets, send in the dancing girls, and by all means declare another national holiday. Something truly momentous has occurred in the world of sports.
What could it be? Has Tiger come roaring back on the golf tour and reclaimed his rightful, ahem, cough, gag, place as the #1 player in the world?
Not exactly. He just went into rehab. More about that later.
But Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers, glory hallelujah and bring on the rose petals, has finally got his record over .500 this year.
Yessirree, the Virginian is now the proud owner of an 8-7 record. It only took 113 games in the 2017 season to get there.
And hey, you can have him for the low, low price of only 28 MILLION dollars a year. Such a deal.
But why would any other (sane) baseball club want to touch this guy with a ten foot pole? His ridiculous contract runs for another two years and at age 34 is clearly on the back side of his career.
Let's not forget dear Justin only plays in every fifth or sixth game. He can't hit or field a position. Nobody knows if he can run, because he's never had to. Yet for his valiant efforts as a starting pitcher, JV rakes in roughly a cool million every time he takes the mound. Guaranteed, win or lose. Then gets 4-5 days off. This has to be one of the greatest jobs in the world.
Add in the fact Detroit Tiger fans continue to idolize this vastly overpaid and underworked "athlete", who is nothing more than an average pitcher, and JV is defecating in tall cotton indeed.
This is also why the typical family of four likely has to skip a house payment to attend a game. There's a reason why ticket prices are so high, watered down beers cost 10 bucks, nasty hot dogs another 8, and whatever that glop they call nacho cheese they put on stale chips will set you back another Abe or so.
That reason is Justin Verlander and his ilk. You, as fans, have to pay for this guy making such a ridiculous salary. And he's struggled all year to finally get his record -- barely -- above .500?
The absurdity of it all is mind-boggling. It ranks right up there with those ever-lovable folks at the Pentagon being exposed a while back for charging the taxpayers $800 for a manually operated fastener impeller (hammer), and $600 for a pivoting hygienic insulator (toilet seat). Remember that? And the people wonder why their country continues to wallow in debt? HELLO??
As for dear Eldrick Tont Woods, no, he won't be returning to the PGA golf tour any time soon, if ever, let alone recapturing any glory. His day has come and gone and he'd get his brains beat out on the tour by the bevy of young studs out their today, much like what he once did to a former generation during his ten years of dominance.
But wait a second. Tiger got busted for DUI (driving under the influence of drugs) while obviously dazed and confused at the time? Way back in May?
And it took him 3 months to finally decide to enter rehab when by his own admission he's had a problem with an addiction to pain killers for years?
Probably a good thing he got popped by the cops, or else he might still be out there as a menace on the highway somewhere.
Yet dang, even after that messy (and costly) divorce from Elin, Eldrick still had plenty of dough. Hundred of millions of it.
So why, tell me WHY, he didn't have enough sense to hire a driver to cart him around town or wherever he wanted to go in one of his luxury cars?
Good grief, lots of guys or gals would jump at the chance to be his chauffeur, and he could certainly afford to pay one $100,000 a year or so. What a great job that would be and only chump change in the world of Eldrick.
But no, he had to get stupid about it.
Just like the fans that keep going to games when somebody like Verlander happens to be pitching. A million bucks for every start for a clearly average pitcher these days?
Get outta here......
What could it be? Has Tiger come roaring back on the golf tour and reclaimed his rightful, ahem, cough, gag, place as the #1 player in the world?
Not exactly. He just went into rehab. More about that later.
But Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers, glory hallelujah and bring on the rose petals, has finally got his record over .500 this year.
Yessirree, the Virginian is now the proud owner of an 8-7 record. It only took 113 games in the 2017 season to get there.
And hey, you can have him for the low, low price of only 28 MILLION dollars a year. Such a deal.
But why would any other (sane) baseball club want to touch this guy with a ten foot pole? His ridiculous contract runs for another two years and at age 34 is clearly on the back side of his career.
Let's not forget dear Justin only plays in every fifth or sixth game. He can't hit or field a position. Nobody knows if he can run, because he's never had to. Yet for his valiant efforts as a starting pitcher, JV rakes in roughly a cool million every time he takes the mound. Guaranteed, win or lose. Then gets 4-5 days off. This has to be one of the greatest jobs in the world.
Add in the fact Detroit Tiger fans continue to idolize this vastly overpaid and underworked "athlete", who is nothing more than an average pitcher, and JV is defecating in tall cotton indeed.
This is also why the typical family of four likely has to skip a house payment to attend a game. There's a reason why ticket prices are so high, watered down beers cost 10 bucks, nasty hot dogs another 8, and whatever that glop they call nacho cheese they put on stale chips will set you back another Abe or so.
That reason is Justin Verlander and his ilk. You, as fans, have to pay for this guy making such a ridiculous salary. And he's struggled all year to finally get his record -- barely -- above .500?
The absurdity of it all is mind-boggling. It ranks right up there with those ever-lovable folks at the Pentagon being exposed a while back for charging the taxpayers $800 for a manually operated fastener impeller (hammer), and $600 for a pivoting hygienic insulator (toilet seat). Remember that? And the people wonder why their country continues to wallow in debt? HELLO??
As for dear Eldrick Tont Woods, no, he won't be returning to the PGA golf tour any time soon, if ever, let alone recapturing any glory. His day has come and gone and he'd get his brains beat out on the tour by the bevy of young studs out their today, much like what he once did to a former generation during his ten years of dominance.
But wait a second. Tiger got busted for DUI (driving under the influence of drugs) while obviously dazed and confused at the time? Way back in May?
And it took him 3 months to finally decide to enter rehab when by his own admission he's had a problem with an addiction to pain killers for years?
Probably a good thing he got popped by the cops, or else he might still be out there as a menace on the highway somewhere.
Yet dang, even after that messy (and costly) divorce from Elin, Eldrick still had plenty of dough. Hundred of millions of it.
So why, tell me WHY, he didn't have enough sense to hire a driver to cart him around town or wherever he wanted to go in one of his luxury cars?
Good grief, lots of guys or gals would jump at the chance to be his chauffeur, and he could certainly afford to pay one $100,000 a year or so. What a great job that would be and only chump change in the world of Eldrick.
But no, he had to get stupid about it.
Just like the fans that keep going to games when somebody like Verlander happens to be pitching. A million bucks for every start for a clearly average pitcher these days?
Get outta here......
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
The floundering puddy tats
That would be the Detroit Tigers, of course. It's laughable how gullible their fans and the local scribes that keep feeding them the Kool-Aid remain.
Since before the season started, yours truly has been preaching these guys aren't any good. Playoffs? Forget about it. They might -- MIGHT -- be a .500 club if everything goes their way.
But the Motown sappies just keep on coming. Amazing.
After getting broomed at home by the visiting KC Royals a little more than a week ago, things seemed to die down a bit. Even the hard-cores started to recognize the possibility their beloved Tigers might not be a very good team.
Then bam. The puddy-tats improbably won 2 games at the Yanks and the first two games at Baltimore. Presto, a four game winning streak. Enter the dreaded hope again.
After all, as one scribe put it, the Tigers were ONLY five games out of a wild-card berth. And I laughed again. Fool.
Just as quickly, the O-Birds took the next two games and the Tigers went to Pittsburgh where they've lost the first two games in that series as well.
BAM. Right back to 10 games under .500 and taking on water fast.
The pollyannas still see the Tigers having a shot at a post-season berth.
I see them as slugging it out with the Oakland A's for 14th place out of 15 teams in the American League, with only the woeful Chisox being any worse.
In fact, out of 30 total Major League teams, the Tigers check in at #23. Ten will make it to the playoffs.
With only 50 games remaining, does any sane person REALLY think the Tigers are capable of rattling off a big-time winning streak to get back into semi-contention?
Not I.
Look at their roster. What few decent players they still have are aging and obviously on the back sides of their career bell curves. Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Ian Kinsler for starters. Plus, these players have whopper contracts the Tigers are evidently stuck with. They've gone from "stars" to "journeymen", and why would any other team be interested in their services when they'll surely continue to digress as they get even older?
In the meantime, the Tigers have been plugging in a few no-names, basically whatever they can drag up from their looted farm system, and hoping they can contribute.
To be fair, some of these guys have had shining moments. But just as often, if not more so, they appear overwhelmed by the Big League atmosphere and will likely fade back into oblivion before long.
The Tigers seem to be one of those teams, rarely successful, that refuses to acknowledge it's time to blow it up and start over. Other highly successful professional sports franchises have done just that over the years. See the Dallas Cowboys, and mostly recently the Boston Celtics. They both took trips into the nether regions, only to emerge stronger than ever.
Yet the Tigers and Detroit faithful are never willing to wave the white flag of today, so tomorrow can be more promising. Pride rules the day, if horribly misguided.
In sum, these guys are going nowhere this year, or in any year soon given the current make-up of the team. It will only get worse.
True, they went for the proverbial gusto not long ago, spending big bucks on temporary free agents passing through town, but also shot their future in the foot by depleting their farm system to obtain them. They never quite made it over the hump and now they have to pay the price for such short-sightedness.
Was it worth the shot? Maybe. But given it didn't work, now they have to face a large dose of cruel reality.
And that is -- just like I've been saying all along -- these guys just flat out aren't any good.
Only in Detroit could the ever-elusive "hope" remain. Kind of like the Lions. Every year just might be the one they make it to the Super Bowl -- but it never is, of course. Nor will it be this year.
Tease, tease, tease. Chug, chug, chug the Kool-Aid.
But it is what it is, and it ain't pretty.
P.T. Barnum was absolutely right. There's one born every minute.
But they seem to be breeding even faster in Detroit.
Pity, but laughable.
Since before the season started, yours truly has been preaching these guys aren't any good. Playoffs? Forget about it. They might -- MIGHT -- be a .500 club if everything goes their way.
But the Motown sappies just keep on coming. Amazing.
After getting broomed at home by the visiting KC Royals a little more than a week ago, things seemed to die down a bit. Even the hard-cores started to recognize the possibility their beloved Tigers might not be a very good team.
Then bam. The puddy-tats improbably won 2 games at the Yanks and the first two games at Baltimore. Presto, a four game winning streak. Enter the dreaded hope again.
After all, as one scribe put it, the Tigers were ONLY five games out of a wild-card berth. And I laughed again. Fool.
Just as quickly, the O-Birds took the next two games and the Tigers went to Pittsburgh where they've lost the first two games in that series as well.
BAM. Right back to 10 games under .500 and taking on water fast.
The pollyannas still see the Tigers having a shot at a post-season berth.
I see them as slugging it out with the Oakland A's for 14th place out of 15 teams in the American League, with only the woeful Chisox being any worse.
In fact, out of 30 total Major League teams, the Tigers check in at #23. Ten will make it to the playoffs.
With only 50 games remaining, does any sane person REALLY think the Tigers are capable of rattling off a big-time winning streak to get back into semi-contention?
Not I.
Look at their roster. What few decent players they still have are aging and obviously on the back sides of their career bell curves. Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Ian Kinsler for starters. Plus, these players have whopper contracts the Tigers are evidently stuck with. They've gone from "stars" to "journeymen", and why would any other team be interested in their services when they'll surely continue to digress as they get even older?
In the meantime, the Tigers have been plugging in a few no-names, basically whatever they can drag up from their looted farm system, and hoping they can contribute.
To be fair, some of these guys have had shining moments. But just as often, if not more so, they appear overwhelmed by the Big League atmosphere and will likely fade back into oblivion before long.
The Tigers seem to be one of those teams, rarely successful, that refuses to acknowledge it's time to blow it up and start over. Other highly successful professional sports franchises have done just that over the years. See the Dallas Cowboys, and mostly recently the Boston Celtics. They both took trips into the nether regions, only to emerge stronger than ever.
Yet the Tigers and Detroit faithful are never willing to wave the white flag of today, so tomorrow can be more promising. Pride rules the day, if horribly misguided.
In sum, these guys are going nowhere this year, or in any year soon given the current make-up of the team. It will only get worse.
True, they went for the proverbial gusto not long ago, spending big bucks on temporary free agents passing through town, but also shot their future in the foot by depleting their farm system to obtain them. They never quite made it over the hump and now they have to pay the price for such short-sightedness.
Was it worth the shot? Maybe. But given it didn't work, now they have to face a large dose of cruel reality.
And that is -- just like I've been saying all along -- these guys just flat out aren't any good.
Only in Detroit could the ever-elusive "hope" remain. Kind of like the Lions. Every year just might be the one they make it to the Super Bowl -- but it never is, of course. Nor will it be this year.
Tease, tease, tease. Chug, chug, chug the Kool-Aid.
But it is what it is, and it ain't pretty.
P.T. Barnum was absolutely right. There's one born every minute.
But they seem to be breeding even faster in Detroit.
Pity, but laughable.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Really dumb baseball stats
As any baseball fan knows, the geeks (and not a few scribes) have been hard at work lately coming up with stats from hell. Here are a couple and why they don't matter.
OPS. This supposedly stands for "on base percentage plus slugging". Gone are the days when we judged hitters on such things as batting average, homers, and RBIs.
OPS was created to make even marginal players look good in the stats department. The last guy on the bench typically has one of at least .700. That sounds a whole lot better than saying he's batting a woeful .200.
But if a guy hits a solo homer in a game, then comes up the next three times with the bases loaded and strikes out every time to see his team lose by a single run -- presto -- his OPS is a whopping 1.000. Four times up and four bases, even though he pretty well stunk it up.
Another scenario. Same guy gets hit by a pitched ball. Next time up, whiffs at strike three but the ball gets by the catcher and he makes it to first base. Then reaches base on an error by an infielder. Then grounds into a fielder's choice with less than two outs, so he's on first again.
Four times up, and four times getting on base. A perfect 1.000. Looks great on the stat sheet, but what has he actually done? Nothing.
Even more offensive is the dreaded WAR. This supposedly stands for "wins above replacement". The logical question would seem to be -- who is the replacement such player is being compared to?
Take Nick Castellanos, third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, as an example. His WAR is somewhere around one, which is supposedly not so good. But we never hear of a negative WAR, as in this guy is costing his team games. NC is batting around .240, and has been a butcher as a third sacker. He may as well have a meat cleaver on his left hand as a fielder's glove. Plus he's slow of foot on the basepathes and prone to bonehead decisions.
It is telling that the Tigers recently offed a decent hitter, though pitiful outfielder in J.D. Martinez, and a so-so reliever in Justin Wilson -- to get back a couple "prospects", both of which are third basemen. Dear Nick's days in Detroit would seem to be numbered.
Comparing Castellanos to a really good third baseman via WAR would seem to dictate he show up far on the negative side. Conversely, comparing him to a cardboard cut-out playing third would likely have the opposite effect. Maybe.
Good grief, put a cardboard cut-out in the batter's box, and it will probably get hit or draw a walk once in a while too. Did I mention "on base percentage"?
Yet another is how pitchers get blamed for "mistakes". This typically happens when a batter smokes a pitch into the bleachers somewhere. But are they really mistakes?
Hey, somewhere along the line every pitcher has to throw pitches in the strike zone, or else every opposing batter would gladly take a walk.
I don't want to hear about 95 MPH fastballs. Every major league hitter can catch up with those.
But there's the thing. A pitcher can make the "perfect pitch", say on the outside corner at the knees, and a batter might hit it for a homer anyway. It happens. Or they can leave a hanging breaking ball up in the strike zone, typically a batting practice pitch, but the batter might swing and miss at it. So which was a mistake indeed?
Forget all this stat nonsense. Good pitchers find a way to get batters out. Good hitters find a way to hammer the ball. Good fielders make sparkling defensive plays. Good runners find a way of taking an extra base here and there.
None of that has changed.
It's like the political polls these days. Stats can be shaped to make somebody look good when they're actually terrible at their job.
Give me a starting pitcher that wins twice as many games as he loses and I'll call him a star. Give me a hitter that's batting somewhere around .300, can occasionally go deep, fields his position well, has a decent arm, a bit of speed, or lacking that, brains on the basepathes.
It's not the proverbial brain surgery, though the "metrics" zealots would have us believe so.
Baseball and its players are what it's always been.
Some guys are just better than others, and all the geek-stats in the world trying to make the below average ones into heros is nothing more than Pollyannish propaganda.
Such is the politically correct world these days, which yours truly thoroughly detests and will always rail against in the name of calling em like I see em, and let the chips fall where they may.
Thou shalt not call a bum a bum any more. So they say.
Ah, how I yearn for the good old days. because the da bums are still out there making WAY too much money.
OPS. This supposedly stands for "on base percentage plus slugging". Gone are the days when we judged hitters on such things as batting average, homers, and RBIs.
OPS was created to make even marginal players look good in the stats department. The last guy on the bench typically has one of at least .700. That sounds a whole lot better than saying he's batting a woeful .200.
But if a guy hits a solo homer in a game, then comes up the next three times with the bases loaded and strikes out every time to see his team lose by a single run -- presto -- his OPS is a whopping 1.000. Four times up and four bases, even though he pretty well stunk it up.
Another scenario. Same guy gets hit by a pitched ball. Next time up, whiffs at strike three but the ball gets by the catcher and he makes it to first base. Then reaches base on an error by an infielder. Then grounds into a fielder's choice with less than two outs, so he's on first again.
Four times up, and four times getting on base. A perfect 1.000. Looks great on the stat sheet, but what has he actually done? Nothing.
Even more offensive is the dreaded WAR. This supposedly stands for "wins above replacement". The logical question would seem to be -- who is the replacement such player is being compared to?
Take Nick Castellanos, third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, as an example. His WAR is somewhere around one, which is supposedly not so good. But we never hear of a negative WAR, as in this guy is costing his team games. NC is batting around .240, and has been a butcher as a third sacker. He may as well have a meat cleaver on his left hand as a fielder's glove. Plus he's slow of foot on the basepathes and prone to bonehead decisions.
It is telling that the Tigers recently offed a decent hitter, though pitiful outfielder in J.D. Martinez, and a so-so reliever in Justin Wilson -- to get back a couple "prospects", both of which are third basemen. Dear Nick's days in Detroit would seem to be numbered.
Comparing Castellanos to a really good third baseman via WAR would seem to dictate he show up far on the negative side. Conversely, comparing him to a cardboard cut-out playing third would likely have the opposite effect. Maybe.
Good grief, put a cardboard cut-out in the batter's box, and it will probably get hit or draw a walk once in a while too. Did I mention "on base percentage"?
Yet another is how pitchers get blamed for "mistakes". This typically happens when a batter smokes a pitch into the bleachers somewhere. But are they really mistakes?
Hey, somewhere along the line every pitcher has to throw pitches in the strike zone, or else every opposing batter would gladly take a walk.
I don't want to hear about 95 MPH fastballs. Every major league hitter can catch up with those.
But there's the thing. A pitcher can make the "perfect pitch", say on the outside corner at the knees, and a batter might hit it for a homer anyway. It happens. Or they can leave a hanging breaking ball up in the strike zone, typically a batting practice pitch, but the batter might swing and miss at it. So which was a mistake indeed?
Forget all this stat nonsense. Good pitchers find a way to get batters out. Good hitters find a way to hammer the ball. Good fielders make sparkling defensive plays. Good runners find a way of taking an extra base here and there.
None of that has changed.
It's like the political polls these days. Stats can be shaped to make somebody look good when they're actually terrible at their job.
Give me a starting pitcher that wins twice as many games as he loses and I'll call him a star. Give me a hitter that's batting somewhere around .300, can occasionally go deep, fields his position well, has a decent arm, a bit of speed, or lacking that, brains on the basepathes.
It's not the proverbial brain surgery, though the "metrics" zealots would have us believe so.
Baseball and its players are what it's always been.
Some guys are just better than others, and all the geek-stats in the world trying to make the below average ones into heros is nothing more than Pollyannish propaganda.
Such is the politically correct world these days, which yours truly thoroughly detests and will always rail against in the name of calling em like I see em, and let the chips fall where they may.
Thou shalt not call a bum a bum any more. So they say.
Ah, how I yearn for the good old days. because the da bums are still out there making WAY too much money.
Friday, August 4, 2017
Colin Kaepernick. Conspiracy?
Everybody knows that Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Fran 49ers, has been the subject of much discussion recently. On and on go the talking heads with their different theories as to why he hasn't been signed by any other NFL team.
Some suggest he has been "black-balled" by the league owners -- which would constitute the dreaded "collusion" for his refusal to stand for the national anthem in games last year. Good luck ever proving that one.
To be sure, the NFL and its fans are quite the patriotic, red, white, and blue bunch. How else to explain the giant American flags displayed on the field before many games, the presence of the military "color guard", and the fly-overs by fighter planes?
Actually, the latter is no more than a colossal waste of jet fuel at taxpayers expense. There's no good reason -- none -- for this to happen.
Taking history into account, it appears America has come full circle in it's appreciation for the folks that serve in the armed forces. Everybody's a hero now days. This stands in stark contrast to the attitude the returning soldiers of the horribly misguided Viet Nam war faced upon returning home. They were spat upon and demonized as "baby killers".
Though other political wars continue and many innocents continue to die -- see "collateral damage" -- there is little doubt the American public has come to see things quite differently.
Politics and the revival of hawkish nationalism aside, the Kaepernick question remains. Why is he still in a form of purgatory?
Sure, he had every right to do what he did regarding his "stance", or lack thereof, regarding the anthem. But that doesn't mean everybody else had to like it either. And most certainly, millions definitely did not.
Another question so many continue to dance around, but you just know they want to imply, is -- has the ugly head of racism popped up again, and this is only happening to Kaepernick because he's black?
That would appear to be the proverbial double edged sword. It could be there is some merit to that line of thought.
After all, if Kaepernick were a white man in the same situation, do you really think such a fuss would continue to be made over his plight? Likely not.
One Jay Cutler, former QB of the Chicago Bears, with similar not-so-good stats over the last couple years remains in purgatory and unsigned by any other team as well. But you don't hear the outrage over Cutler.
The point is well taken that teams such as the NY Jets have a handful of QBs on their roster, none of which can be mistaken for stellar, or even average. So why, indeed WHY haven't they reached out to Kaepernick and offered him a roster spot? Or Cutler for that matter? Remember the double-edged sword.
Well OK, let's look at some stats.
In 2014, arguably the high point of Kaepernick's stint with the 49ers, he threw for 19 touchdowns, gave up 10 interceptions, 3 fumbles, and had an overall quarterback rating of 67.7. The team went 8-8. A mediocre year for both CK and the 49ers.
2015. Six TDs, 5 picks. 1 fumble, and a QBR of a woeful 46.5, while the team slid to 5-11.
2016. 16 TDs and only 4 "picks", a dramatic improvement, but he coughed up 7 fumbles. QBR of 55.5. Meh. And the 49ers were a horrific 2-14 with CK at the helm.
So at his best, Kaepernick was actually only average as NFL quarterbacks go. And lately he's been terrible.
Whether or not he would be a "locker room cancer" for any team that signed him is an open question, but there can be little doubt him exercising his freedom of expression rights would create quite the backlash among fans in most any NFL town.
The LAST thing owners want to do is alienate their fans. This is not to say CK was wrong in what he did, but there are two possible valid reasons why he remains unemployed.
First, it would be a public relations nightmare for any team.
And second, it might just be that he flat out isn't good enough. His recent performances and stats speak for themselves. But nobody wants to talk about that.
Hey, when it comes to race, remember Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens was allowed to keep playing after he escaped a murder conviction by the skin of his teeth -- because he was still a terrific linebacker.
Ray Rice, of the very same team, after that pesky elevator incident with his wife -- was not. Because his production as a running back had taken a nose dive.
Looked at another way, does anybody seriously think Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Matt Ryan would be on the outside looking in if they had done the same thing as Kaepernick? Of course not. These are premier QBs. CK was decidedly not. A difference. Big one.
So for those that continue to protest Kaepernick not being offered a job by another NFL team -- I would offer the following ----
Yep, a lot of factors may be in play, some perhaps dubious.
But it might just be other teams have taken a hard look and determined, gasp, he's....just.... not... good... enough.
Or worth the hassle -- take your pick.
Some suggest he has been "black-balled" by the league owners -- which would constitute the dreaded "collusion" for his refusal to stand for the national anthem in games last year. Good luck ever proving that one.
To be sure, the NFL and its fans are quite the patriotic, red, white, and blue bunch. How else to explain the giant American flags displayed on the field before many games, the presence of the military "color guard", and the fly-overs by fighter planes?
Actually, the latter is no more than a colossal waste of jet fuel at taxpayers expense. There's no good reason -- none -- for this to happen.
Taking history into account, it appears America has come full circle in it's appreciation for the folks that serve in the armed forces. Everybody's a hero now days. This stands in stark contrast to the attitude the returning soldiers of the horribly misguided Viet Nam war faced upon returning home. They were spat upon and demonized as "baby killers".
Though other political wars continue and many innocents continue to die -- see "collateral damage" -- there is little doubt the American public has come to see things quite differently.
Politics and the revival of hawkish nationalism aside, the Kaepernick question remains. Why is he still in a form of purgatory?
Sure, he had every right to do what he did regarding his "stance", or lack thereof, regarding the anthem. But that doesn't mean everybody else had to like it either. And most certainly, millions definitely did not.
Another question so many continue to dance around, but you just know they want to imply, is -- has the ugly head of racism popped up again, and this is only happening to Kaepernick because he's black?
That would appear to be the proverbial double edged sword. It could be there is some merit to that line of thought.
After all, if Kaepernick were a white man in the same situation, do you really think such a fuss would continue to be made over his plight? Likely not.
One Jay Cutler, former QB of the Chicago Bears, with similar not-so-good stats over the last couple years remains in purgatory and unsigned by any other team as well. But you don't hear the outrage over Cutler.
The point is well taken that teams such as the NY Jets have a handful of QBs on their roster, none of which can be mistaken for stellar, or even average. So why, indeed WHY haven't they reached out to Kaepernick and offered him a roster spot? Or Cutler for that matter? Remember the double-edged sword.
Well OK, let's look at some stats.
In 2014, arguably the high point of Kaepernick's stint with the 49ers, he threw for 19 touchdowns, gave up 10 interceptions, 3 fumbles, and had an overall quarterback rating of 67.7. The team went 8-8. A mediocre year for both CK and the 49ers.
2015. Six TDs, 5 picks. 1 fumble, and a QBR of a woeful 46.5, while the team slid to 5-11.
2016. 16 TDs and only 4 "picks", a dramatic improvement, but he coughed up 7 fumbles. QBR of 55.5. Meh. And the 49ers were a horrific 2-14 with CK at the helm.
So at his best, Kaepernick was actually only average as NFL quarterbacks go. And lately he's been terrible.
Whether or not he would be a "locker room cancer" for any team that signed him is an open question, but there can be little doubt him exercising his freedom of expression rights would create quite the backlash among fans in most any NFL town.
The LAST thing owners want to do is alienate their fans. This is not to say CK was wrong in what he did, but there are two possible valid reasons why he remains unemployed.
First, it would be a public relations nightmare for any team.
And second, it might just be that he flat out isn't good enough. His recent performances and stats speak for themselves. But nobody wants to talk about that.
Hey, when it comes to race, remember Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens was allowed to keep playing after he escaped a murder conviction by the skin of his teeth -- because he was still a terrific linebacker.
Ray Rice, of the very same team, after that pesky elevator incident with his wife -- was not. Because his production as a running back had taken a nose dive.
Looked at another way, does anybody seriously think Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Matt Ryan would be on the outside looking in if they had done the same thing as Kaepernick? Of course not. These are premier QBs. CK was decidedly not. A difference. Big one.
So for those that continue to protest Kaepernick not being offered a job by another NFL team -- I would offer the following ----
Yep, a lot of factors may be in play, some perhaps dubious.
But it might just be other teams have taken a hard look and determined, gasp, he's....just.... not... good... enough.
Or worth the hassle -- take your pick.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Why the NY Yankees won't win
Basically, it's because they're too dumb.
Yeah, I get it. They've been flirting with the AL East lead all year and recently acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray -- definitely a keeper -- from the Oakland Athletics to hopefully put them over the top.
But it's not going to work. Stupidity rarely prevails, though that pesky Dubya did get elected Prez and, incredibly, re-elected back in the 2000s. Go figure. Ahem.
However, the Yanks went into full-blown duh mode in a game against the hapless Detroit Tigers. Here was the scenario ----
At home, the Bronx Bombers, after a long rain delay, found themselves trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning. They had put runners on first and second and up came rookie slugging sensation Aaron Judge.
On the mound for the puddy tats was one Bruce Rondon. Detroit can't seem to figure out whether Rondon belongs in the majors or minors, but keeps giving him chances to prove his worth with the big boys.
To date, BR is sporting an ERA of a whopping 12.00. Not good as pitching goes. To be fair, that number is likely higher than some IQs in the White House and Congress these days, but not so good when it comes to a major league pitcher.
Per usual, Rondon was all over the place in his first three pitches to Judge and the count ran to 3-0.
This is when the obtuse factor kicked in, but first a little history from a legend.
Former Bosox slugger Ted Williams once famously said a batter is probably only to get one good pitch to hit in any at bat. Don't take it. Don't foul it off, and don't miss it. Hit it and hit it hard somewhere. Sounds reasonable enough.
So you just knew what was going to happen on Judge's 3-0 count. And yep, there it was. A thigh high fastball right down the middle. He took it for strike one.
The next pitch was a slider down and away, out of the strike zone -- that Judge swung at and missed. 3-2. Ditto on the following pitch. Another slider in the same place with the same whiff. Yer out. He had missed his one good chance at 3-0..
Next up was one Gary Sanchez. He's capable of "leaving the yard" as well. Same scenario. 3-0 count and again you just knew what was coming next. Same thing. Fastball down the middle that he took for strike one. Then more junk sliders out of the strike zone he swung and missed at.
So two Yankee sluggers, with their team down 2-0 in the 8th inning, and two men on base in front of them inexplicably stood in the batter's box and watched the "one good pitch" they were going to see sail past them for strikes.
One would think Yankees manager Joe Girardi and his coaching staff would have enough firing neurons and synapses to recognize the obvious was coming and turn his hitters loose on 3-0 counts knowing full well they'll get a prime pitch to hit -- likely the only one.
But no. As the late, great, famed Detroit Tiger announcer Ernie Harwell was fond of saying -- they stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched them go by.
And this is just dumb baseball.
Somewhere in his cryogenic state, Ted Williams likely twitched as well.
"Whatzamattuh with you guys? The one good pitch was right there for both of you and you didn't have common sense enough to pound it? Then you wound up striking out on junk pitches, which should have been ball fours and a walk?"
Arrgh.
Yeah, I get it. They've been flirting with the AL East lead all year and recently acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray -- definitely a keeper -- from the Oakland Athletics to hopefully put them over the top.
But it's not going to work. Stupidity rarely prevails, though that pesky Dubya did get elected Prez and, incredibly, re-elected back in the 2000s. Go figure. Ahem.
However, the Yanks went into full-blown duh mode in a game against the hapless Detroit Tigers. Here was the scenario ----
At home, the Bronx Bombers, after a long rain delay, found themselves trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning. They had put runners on first and second and up came rookie slugging sensation Aaron Judge.
On the mound for the puddy tats was one Bruce Rondon. Detroit can't seem to figure out whether Rondon belongs in the majors or minors, but keeps giving him chances to prove his worth with the big boys.
To date, BR is sporting an ERA of a whopping 12.00. Not good as pitching goes. To be fair, that number is likely higher than some IQs in the White House and Congress these days, but not so good when it comes to a major league pitcher.
Per usual, Rondon was all over the place in his first three pitches to Judge and the count ran to 3-0.
This is when the obtuse factor kicked in, but first a little history from a legend.
Former Bosox slugger Ted Williams once famously said a batter is probably only to get one good pitch to hit in any at bat. Don't take it. Don't foul it off, and don't miss it. Hit it and hit it hard somewhere. Sounds reasonable enough.
So you just knew what was going to happen on Judge's 3-0 count. And yep, there it was. A thigh high fastball right down the middle. He took it for strike one.
The next pitch was a slider down and away, out of the strike zone -- that Judge swung at and missed. 3-2. Ditto on the following pitch. Another slider in the same place with the same whiff. Yer out. He had missed his one good chance at 3-0..
Next up was one Gary Sanchez. He's capable of "leaving the yard" as well. Same scenario. 3-0 count and again you just knew what was coming next. Same thing. Fastball down the middle that he took for strike one. Then more junk sliders out of the strike zone he swung and missed at.
So two Yankee sluggers, with their team down 2-0 in the 8th inning, and two men on base in front of them inexplicably stood in the batter's box and watched the "one good pitch" they were going to see sail past them for strikes.
One would think Yankees manager Joe Girardi and his coaching staff would have enough firing neurons and synapses to recognize the obvious was coming and turn his hitters loose on 3-0 counts knowing full well they'll get a prime pitch to hit -- likely the only one.
But no. As the late, great, famed Detroit Tiger announcer Ernie Harwell was fond of saying -- they stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched them go by.
And this is just dumb baseball.
Somewhere in his cryogenic state, Ted Williams likely twitched as well.
"Whatzamattuh with you guys? The one good pitch was right there for both of you and you didn't have common sense enough to pound it? Then you wound up striking out on junk pitches, which should have been ball fours and a walk?"
Arrgh.
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