Comments on: Today in The Journal News

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:19:10 +0000

I was checking stuff out and I came across this. It’s not meant to be compared to Mo, but it is such a sick stat, those who weren’t around at the time should know about it.

Bob Gibson, 1968:
IP: 304.7 {ouch!)
CG: 28 (are you kidding me?)
SHO: 13 (un-f*ckin-believeable!)
HRs: 11 (or 1 every 27.7 IP or 1 every 3 CGs!)
WHIP: 0.853 (under 8 total baserunners a game)
ERA: 1.120 {that’s not a typo… and over 305 IP!)
ERA+: 258 (just nuts… lg avg ERA was 2.90)

I do believe that 1968 was the lowest offensive year in modern history. Yaz won the BA title with a .301 avg. They lowered the mound the next year.

By: Fredo Corleone

Fredo Corleone — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:11:42 +0000

“Thatâ€™s good to hear about the Chisox”

You know what’s not good to hear about the Chisox??? Their announcers.

Anyone hear the call of Alexei Ramirez’s grand slam the other night by Hawk Harrelson and clown he sits with??? Sounded like an Obama rally was going on right there in the booth.

By: saucY

saucY — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:03:54 +0000

Frank Catalanatto (sp)

i like him because i hate him…

By: Doreen

Doreen — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:02:11 +0000

randy l -

That’s good to hear about the Chisox. I have a place in my heart for that team. We lived outside Chicago for a couple of years, and we went to see both the Cubs and the White Sox play. I know a lot of people don’t like the White Sox stadium, but at the time our girls were small, and my youngest daughter was not too apt to sit still, and that stadium was very conducive to being able to walk around and still enjoy the game. Plus, she got a real kick out the way the announcers would say Paw-ul-Kon-er-ko and Mag-li-o-Or-don-yez! Still cracks us up. (We hated Wrigley, by the way – the fans were snooty, didn’t like the ushers and the place was filthy. It didn’t help that we went early in the season and the ivy was still brown – yuck!)

So, I think it would be neat to have a White Sox vs. Cubs WS, with the White Sox winning. Chicago Cubs fans would NEVER survive that.

If it’s the Cubs vs. anyone else, though, I go for the Cubs to kill the goat curse.

By: rover

rover — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:59:18 +0000

Would seem to me, that the importance of roles between the starter and the closer become exactly the same once the ball changes hands. As I understand things it is the starters job to hand the ball over in a meaningfull situation, close game, winning or losing but close enough that more runs must be prevented to possibly gain a victory or retain a victory. Unless a closer simply needs to throw due to lack of work it is unlikely he ever gets the ball during a meaningless or out of reach game. In that instance the closers importance to that game is negated. However if the ball is handed over to the closer in a meaningful situation regardless of the number of outs required. During that particular stretch his importance is very equal to the starters. The only thing that implys more importance to the job is when one or the other fails.
If the starter goes 7 innings a reliever goes 1 inning and the closer shuts the opponent down in his inning. The closer wss every bit as important for 1 inning as the starter for 7 and the reliever for 1. The importance of doing their job is the same. Which is most valuable? I would say that starters capable of doing their job are fewer and farther between than closers but not elite closers. Elite closers are not a dime a dozen and found in every farm system. However when you talk about elite pitchers, then the fun begins. Mo in the least is elite, there are what 14 consecutive years of proof.

By: TKinDC

TKinDC — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:57:40 +0000

“Dr, Alcheck is the best shoulder guy in the business. He did Posadaâ€™s shoulder surgery earlier in the year and is the preferred choice by players in the game who need shoulder surgery.

Mo is in great hands.”

That is very good news. Thanks SJ.

By: raymagnetic

raymagnetic — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:56:03 +0000

Just passing by with some random thoughts and questions.

When is it okay to score more runs? Isn’t every run past the first run a ‘tack on’ run? Should teams stop scoring runs once they get a 2 run lead?

What makes anyone think that Gardner can hit well enough to play everyday? Despite his ‘hot’ 2 weeks at the end of September he still hit under .230 in over 120 at bats and slugged .300.

I’m in agreement with Fredo with the closer argument, not that it matters of course.

By: TKinDC

TKinDC — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:55:27 +0000

“Very good chance that both Cabrera and Gardner could hit close to replacement level production next year in center.

That is just unnacceptable. So how much risk are you willing to take in letting them fight it out in spring training?”

Good point CB -

It is similar to the year where Cashman was saying that Bubba Crosby was going to be the opening day starter at CF. Until he wasn’t and Johnny Damon was signed to the team.

We need a 1 to 2 year guy who can be productive and catch the ball until AJax is hopefully ready. An Abreu type deal would be good – short years, high production.

By: Wave Your Hat

Wave Your Hat — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:54:16 +0000

We have so few offensive players in the minors, and relatively speaking so many pitchers (as least as compared to fielders), that it doesn’t make much sense trading AJax.

Plus, AJax is good.

It seems to me, if anything, the Yanks ought to be looking at trading some of the minor league pitching talent for young offensive talent.

By: Mike R

Mike R — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:52:02 +0000

The best part about Mo is that if he ever can’t pitch anymore, we can just stick him in center field. He’d probably win a gold glove.