Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Hello Goodbye
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
--John Lennon & Paul McCartney
The 2003 World Series will not only be remembered for the improbable victory by the Florida Marlins over the New York Yankees in six games but also the arrival of baseball's newest star, Josh Beckett, and the departure of its oldest star, Roger Clemens. In a touch of irony, Beckett's complete-game, five-hit shutout last night ended the career of Clemens, the player he grew up idolizing.
Beckett and Clemens have a lot of similarities. Both are Texans. Both are approximately the same height (Beckett, 6'5", and Clemens, 6'4"). Both are power pitchers, throwing fastballs in the mid- to high-90s. Both were highly touted as amateurs (Beckett, 1999 All-USA High School Baseball Player of the Year; Clemens, two-time All-America honors at the University of Texas and the winning pitcher of the 1983 College World Series). Both were drafted in the first round (Beckett, #2 in 1999, and Clemens, #19 in 1983). Both had outstanding minor league records. And both showed glimpses of stardom in their first couple of injury-plagued years in the big leagues.
Let's take a closer look at their records.
MINOR LEAGUE COMPARISONS
Totals:
G IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Beckett 43 215 142 51 42 51 295 1.76
Clemens 23 151 104 28 26 37 178 1.55
Rate Stats:
H/IP WHIP K/IP K/BB
Beckett 0.66 0.90 1.37 5.78
Clemens 0.69 0.93 1.18 4.81
The minor league records of Beckett and Clemens are eerily similar in terms of ERA, H/IP, and WHIP. Josh and Roger also struck out well in excess of one batter per inning and their strikeout/walk ratios were both around 5:1. Beckett's superiority in strikeouts is probably more a function of the difference in the eras in which they pitched than anything else.
MAJOR LEAGUE COMPARISONS:
Totals Through Age 23:
G IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Beckett 51 274 239 119 101 111 289 3.32
Clemens 36 232 229 105 100 66 200 3.88
Rate Stats:
H/IP WHIP K/IP K/BB
Beckett 0.87 1.28 1.05 2.60
Clemens 0.99 1.27 0.86 3.03
Again, there are more similarities between Beckett and Clemens than differences. Through age 23, Beckett has generated more strikeouts per inning than Clemens did although the latter had much better control than the former. All in all, one might give a slight edge to Beckett.
Going forward, Beckett will need to step up his regular season totals next year in order to stay abreast of Clemens as far as age comparisons are concerned because The Rocket broke through the following year (1986) with one of the premier seasons of the past 20 years.
1986 Totals:
G IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Clemens 33 254 179 77 70 67 238 2.48
Rate Stats:
H/IP WHIP K/IP K/BB
Clemens 0.70 0.97 0.94 3.55
Clemens won the first of his six Cy Young Awards in 1986 and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player as well. Clemens is the only starting pitcher in either league to win the MVP since Vida Blue captured the A.L. MVP in 1971.
Does Beckett have it in him to put up a 1986 Clemens-type year in 2004? The answer is a definitive "yes" based on his postseason performance.
2003 Postseason:
G IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Beckett 6 42.2 21 10 10 12 47 2.11
Rate Stats:
H/IP WHIP K/IP K/BB
Beckett 0.49 0.77 1.10 3.92
Whether Beckett comes through or not is an entirely different question. He certainly has the talent and the makeup to take the next big step, but he will need to remain healthy over the course of a full season to have a chance. Skeptics may point out that Beckett has never started more than 23 games or thrown more than 142 innings in a year. However, it should be noted that Clemens had never started more than 20 games or pitched more than 133 innings prior to his breakthrough season in 1986.
Given Beckett's meteoric rise during the postseason, I would not want to bet against him. To wit, Beckett entered the playoffs with 89 professional starts and no complete games. Less than a month later and the big righthander has two, both shutouts.
Roger, Over and Out
When Clemens took the mound in Game Four, he became the third oldest pitcher ever to start a World Series game. The Rocket was 41 years, 2 months, and 18 days old. Only Jack Quinn (45 years) and Grover Cleveland Alexander (41 yrs., 7 mos., 13 days) were older when they started World Series games. Clemens was also only the sixth pitcher with 300 or more wins to start a World Series game. In fact, Clemens and Steve Carlton are the only two pitchers to have 300 wins at the time of a World Series start in the past 80 years.
Pitcher Team 300th Win World Series
Cy Young Boston (A.L.) 7/6/1901 1903
Christy Mathewson New York (N.L.) 7/5/1912 1912, 1913
Walter Johnson Washington (A.L.) 5/29/1920 1924, 1925
Grover Alexander St. Louis (N.L.) 9/20/1924 1926, 1928
Steve Carlton Philadelphia (N.L.) 9/23/1983 1983
Roger Clemens New York (A.L.) 6/13/2003 2003
Prior to The Rocket's start in Game Four, only nine members of the Hall of Fame appeared in their final game as an active player in the World Series. The only pitcher to accomplish that feat was Sandy Koufax, the starting and losing pitcher in Game Two of the 1966 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles.
Player Team Year
Frank Baker New York (A.L.) 1922
Travis Jackson New York (N.L.) 1936
Bill Terry New York (N.L.) 1936
Joe DiMaggio New York (A.L.) 1951
Johnny Mize New York (A.L.) 1953
Jackie Robinson Brooklyn (N.L.) 1956
Sandy Koufax Los Angeles (N.L.) 1966
Eddie Mathews Detroit (A.L.) 1968
Willie Mays New York (N.L.) 1973
No Joshing
From a Josh Beckett questionnaire in 1999:
Major leaguer I admire most: "Curt Schilling (Philadelphia Phillies) and Roger Clemens (New York Yankees). I know we are in different leagues, but we're the same kind of pitchers. I don't consider myself them yet, but I think I can get there."
Yes, indeed.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
Friday, October 17, 2003
...And Then There Were Two
2003 World Series Preview
Florida Marlins vs. New York Yankees
The fourth and final leg of the season...Youth and speed vs. experience and power...The hottest team vs. the team with the most wins during the regular season and postseason combined...Home field advantage goes to the Yankees, thanks to Hank Blalock's game-winning home run in the All-Star game...The Yankees have won 26 titles in their storied franchise...The Marlins are trying to win the team's second title in its 11-year history...Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Bernie Williams are seeking their fifth World Series ring in the last eight years...Jack McKeon, 72, is the oldest manager to lead a team into the World Series...The Marlins have a chance to become the first team since the 1914 Miracle Braves to win a World Series after being 10 games below .500...Including the postseason, Florida is 79-46 since hitting bottom on May 23...The Marlins and Yankees each used three starting pitchers in Game 7 of their league championship series, including the first relief appearance of Mike Mussina's career after 400 regular and postseason starts...New York is 8-6 vs. Florida in interleague play, but the last time these teams met in 2001 Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrera, and Dontrelle Willis were barely out of high school and Ivan Rodriguez was donning his catcher's gear in Texas...Let's play ball!
SCHEDULE
#1 Sat Oct-18 at NY 8:06 PM EST Penny vs. Wells
#2 Sun Oct-19 at NY 8:00 PM EST Redman vs. Pettitte
#3 Tue Oct-21 at FLA 8:32 PM EST Mussina vs. Beckett
#4 Wed Oct-22 at FLA 8:24 PM EST Clemens vs. TBD
#5 Thu Oct-23 at FLA 8:24 PM EST TBD
#6 Sat Oct-25 at NY 7:55 PM EST TBD
#7 Sun Oct-26 at NY 8:00 PM EST TBD
2003 TEAM TOTALS
Hitting Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR BB SO SB CS
Marlins 162 5490 751 1459 292 44 157 515 978 150 74
Yankees 163 5605 877 1518 304 14 230 684 1042 98 33
Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Marlins .266 .333 .421 .754
Yankees .271 .356 .453 .810
Pitching Totals:
G W L Sv IP H ER HR BB SO
Marlins 162 91 71 36 1445 1415 648 128 530 1132
Yankees 163 101 61 49 1462 1512 653 145 375 1119
Rate Stats:
H/9 K/9 WHIP ERA
Marlins 8.81 7.05 1.35 4.04
Yankees 9.31 6.89 1.29 4.02
A position-by-position breakdown follows:
CATCHER
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Rodriguez 144 511 90 152 36 3 16 85 55 92 10 6
Posada 142 481 83 135 24 0 30 101 93 110 2 4
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Rodriguez .297 .369 .474 .843
Posada .281 .405 .518 .922
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Rodriguez .333 .434 .600 1.034
Posada .250 .298 .432 .730
Two of the best catchers in baseball. Posada walks more often and has better home run power. Rodriguez, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, is superior defensively and is swinging the bat as well as anyone heading into the World Series.
Edge: Even.
FIRST BASE
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Lee 155 539 91 146 31 2 31 92 88 131 21 8
Johnson 96 324 60 92 19 0 14 47 70 57 5 2
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Lee .271 .379 .508 .888
Johnson .284 .422 .472 .894
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Lee .208 .283 .333 .616
Johnson .179 .289 .308 .597
Derrek Lee and Nick Johnson are both struggling in the postseason, but Lee is the more productive all-round player at this point in their careers. Lee runs better than Johnson and is one of the best defensive first basemen in the game. Johnson's only discernible edge is his ability to get on base via walks. Lee hits lefthanders well (1.062 OPS) and could be a key batsman vs. David Wells and Andy Pettitte after having not faced any lefties in the Chicago series. Johnson may be replaced by Jason Giambi at first base in games three, four, and five at Florida when the designated hitter will not be in force.
Edge: Marlins.
SECOND BASE
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Castillo 152 595 99 187 19 6 6 39 63 60 21 19
Soriano 156 682 114 198 36 5 38 91 38 130 35 8
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Castillo .314 .381 .397 .778
Soriano .290 .338 .525 .863
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Castillo .244 .358 .333 .692
Soriano .224 .255 .265 .520
Alfonso Soriano's superior power makes up for his inferior on base ability. On the other hand, Luis Castillo is unquestionably a better defensive player than Soriano. Both players run well, but Soriano's stolen base percentage (81.3%) is substantially higher than Castillo's (52.5%). Neither player has enjoyed a strong postseason with Soriano's lack of plate discipline (17 Ks with only one BB) getting the better of him in the ALDS and ALCS.
Edge: Yankees.
SHORTSTOP
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Gonzalez 150 528 52 135 33 6 18 77 33 106 0 4
Jeter 119 482 87 156 25 3 10 52 43 88 11 5
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Gonzalez .256 .313 .443 .756
Jeter .324 .393 .450 .844
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Gonzalez .100 .122 .150 .272
Jeter .295 .380 .477 .857
Alex Gonzalez gives the Marlins the upper hand in the field although Jeter provides the Yankees a similar advantage offensively. Jeter's World Series experience (2000 WS MVP) and baserunning skills tilts the table in his favor. Gonzalez has been an out machine at the plate in the postseason (4-for-40 with 9 Ks and one BB) and is unlikely to find the going any easier against the strong Yankees staff.
Edge: Yankees.
THIRD BASE
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Lowell 130 492 76 136 27 1 32 105 56 78 3 1
Boone 160 592 92 158 32 3 24 96 46 104 23 3
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Lowell .276 .350 .530 .881
Boone .267 .327 .453 .780
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Lowell .174 .269 .435 .704
Boone .188 .235 .313 .548
Mike Lowell and Aaron Boone have only been shells of their former selves and a resurgence by either could prove decisive in the World Series. Boone's ALCS-winning home run and Lowell's pair of homers in the NLCS after missing the last month of the regular season with a broken left hand could give them a boost in confidence on the eve of the Series.
Edge: Marlins.
LEFT FIELD
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Conine 149 577 88 163 36 3 20 95 50 70 5 0
Matsui 163 623 82 179 42 1 16 106 63 86 2 2
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Conine .282 .338 .459 .797
Matsui .287 .353 .435 .788
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Conine .385 .447 .538 .985
Matsui .293 .333 .463 .797
Jeff Conine and Hideki Matsui had similar counting and rate stats during the regular season. Matsui may rate ahead of Conine defensively although the latter has been a pleasant surprise in the field during the playoffs. Conine's late-season acquisition has already paid dividends for the Marliins, and it should give the team much-needed depth in New York when the DH will be in use.
Edge: Even.
CENTER FIELD
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Pierre 162 668 100 204 28 7 1 41 55 35 65 20
Williams 119 445 77 117 19 1 15 64 71 61 5 0
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Pierre .305 .361 .373 .734
Williams .263 .367 .411 .778
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Pierre .288 .327 .404 .731
Williams .268 .354 .341 .696
Williams carries a better stick than Juan Pierre, but he is not nearly as valuable as he once was. Pierre is much more dangerous on the basepaths although this advantage has been overplayed by the media. Pierre covers slightly more ground in center but neither has what could be called a good arm.
Edge: Even.
RIGHT FIELD
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Cabrera 87 314 39 84 21 3 12 62 25 84 0 2
Garcia 76 244 25 64 6 0 11 35 14 52 0 2
Rivera 57 173 22 46 14 0 7 26 10 27 0 0
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Cabrera .268 .325 .468 .793
Garcia .262 .302 .422 .724
Rivera .266 .304 .468 .773
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Cabrera .318 .375 .568 .943
Garcia .250 .368 .250 .618
Rivera .286 .333 .286 .619
OK, I will say it here first. Cabrera might be the best player on either team. I don't mean down the road. I mean right now. The 20-year-old is oozing with talent and is getting better everyday. I would not be surprised one bit if Cabrera were the MVP of the Series. In fact, his play in the postseason thus far is reminiscent of Andruw Jones and Francisco Rodriguez when these players made themselves nationally known when thrust onto center stage at a similar age. Karim Garcia and Juan Rivera will platoon with the former starting against RHP and the latter vs. LHP.
Edge: Marlins.
DESIGNATED HITTER
2003 Totals:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS
Encarnacion 156 601 80 162 37 6 19 94 37 82 19 8
Giambi 156 535 97 134 25 0 41 107 129 140 2 1
2003 Rate Stats:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Encarnacion .270 .313 .446 .759
Giambi .250 .412 .527 .939
2003 Postseason:
BA OBP SLG OPS
Encarnacion .185 .241 .444 .686
Giambi .238 .333 .500 .833
Jason Giambi's productivity at the plate (1st in the A.L. in walks, 4th in HR, and 7th in OPS) far outsurpasses Juan Encarnacion's more pedestrian rate stats, giving the Yankees a huge edge in games one and two and perhaps six and seven when the DH will be in effect. Giambi is one of the few "difference makers" on either side and how he handles Beckett in their power vs. power confrontations will be extremely important and entertaining.
Edge: Yankees.
STARTING PITCHERS
2003 Totals:
G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L ERA
Penny 32 32 0 196.1 195 96 90 21 56 138 14 10 4.13
Willis 27 27 2 160.2 148 61 59 13 58 142 14 6 3.30
Beckett 24 23 0 142 132 54 48 9 56 152 9 8 3.04
Redman 29 29 3 190.2 172 82 76 16 61 151 14 9 3.59
2003 Rate Stats:
K/9 K/BB AVG OBP SLG OPS
Penny 6.33 2.46 .264 .313 .426 .739
Willis 7.95 2.45 .245 .313 .385 .698
Beckett 9.63 2.71 .246 .316 .352 .668
Redman 7.13 2.48 .239 .297 .363 .660
2003 Totals:
G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L ERA
Wells 31 30 4 213 242 101 98 24 20 101 15 7 4.14
Mussina 31 31 2 214.2 192 86 81 21 40 195 17 8 3.40
Pettitte 33 33 1 208.1 227 109 93 21 50 180 21 8 4.02
Clemens 33 33 1 211.2 199 99 92 24 58 190 17 9 3.91
2003 Rate Stats:
K/9 K/BB AVG OBP SLG OPS
Wells 4.27 5.05 .286 .304 .442 .746
Mussina 8.18 4.88 .238 .275 .372 .647
Pettitte 7.78 3.60 .272 .310 .402 .713
Clemens 8.08 3.28 .247 .298 .396 .694
The starting four for each side are about as good as it gets in all of baseball. Although only 23, Beckett is the best of the bunch and the most likely starter to single handedly dominate the opposition. Conversely, Brad Penny is probably the weakest of the eight--at least based on his recent performances. The Marlin pitchers have more upside and the Yankees staff is more dependable.
Edge: Even.
BULLPEN
2003 Totals:
G IP H R ER HR BB SO W L Sv ERA
Urbina 72 77 56 25 24 8 31 78 3 4 32 2.81
Looper 74 80.2 82 34 33 4 29 56 6 4 28 3.68
Rivera 64 70.2 61 15 13 3 10 63 5 2 40 1.66
Nelson 70 55.1 51 25 23 4 24 68 4 2 8 3.74
2003 Rate Stats:
K/9 K/BB AVG OBP SLG OPS
Urbina 9.12 2.52 .204 .275 .361 .637
Looper 6.25 1.93 .264 .323 .363 .686
Rivera 8.02 6.30 .235 .271 .300 .571
Nelson 11.06 2.83 .248 .329 .350 .679
The Marlins have no one in the bullpen with Mariano Rivera's talent or experience. Braden Looper and Jeff Nelson offset each other, while Carl Pavano and Jose Contreras give each club a solid long or middle reliever or even a fifth starter, if need be.
Edge: Yankees.
Summary: The hitting edge goes to the Yankees. The defensive edge goes to the Marlins. And the pitching is relatively even.
Prediction: New York in seven. The Yankees warrant a slight edge due to the team's World Series experience, home field advantage, and Mariano Rivera.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
The Rocket vs. Pedro: The Sequel
Does it get any better than the game three matchup? Well, I guess it does! How 'bout The Rocket vs. Pedro, game seven?
Roger Clemens vs. Pedro Martinez. The New York Yankees vs. the Boston Red Sox. American League Championship Series. Game seven. Winner goes to the World Series. Yankee Stadium. The Bronx Zoo. The House that Ruth Built. The Curse of the Bambino. Rematch of game three, otherwise known as Beanball in Beantown. The Rocket's final start against his former team. Maybe the last game of his major league career. Two of the ten best pitchers in the history of baseball going head to head once again.
Clemens and Martinez have faced each other five times, including last Sunday's game. The Red Sox have won three and the Yankees have won two. Pedro is 2-1 and Roger is 1-2. Will the Yankees and The Rocket even the score on Thursday?
TELL OF THE TAPE
Roger Clemens Pedro Martinez
Height 6'4" 5'11"
Weight 235 180
Birthdate 8/4/1962 10/25/1971
Throws Right Right
2003 17-9, 3.91 14-4, 2.22
Career 310-160, 3.19 166-67, 2.58
Cy Youngs Six Three
Which pitcher would you want on your side starting the big game? Mychael Urban in his Full Count column for mlb.com asked 95 players representing all 30 teams who they would vote for as the "Best Clutch Starter in the Game". The respondents selected Pedro number one with more than one third of the votes. Clemens tied for seventh with 5% of the votes.
Pitcher Team Votes
Pedro Martinez BOS 32
Roy Halladay TOR 19
Curt Schilling ARI 11
Randy Johnson ARI 9
Kevin Brown LA 9
Mark Prior CHC 6
Esteban Loaiza CWS 5
Roger Clemens NYY 5
Mike Mussina NYY 4
Tim Hudson OAK 4
Russ Ortiz ATL 3
Bartolo Colon CWS 3
Jason Schmidt SF 3
Roy Oswalt HOU 2
Jamie Moyer SEA 2
Greg Maddux ATL 2
Eleven tied with 1.
Note: Some of the players polled mentioned more than one pitcher, so the number of answers is higher than the number of respondents.
At their respective peaks, the above question would have made for a much livelier debate. I don't think Pedro has ever been as dominant as Roger was in the latter's 20-strikeout, no walk, three-hit shutout vs. the Seattle Mariners in 1986. On the other hand, as great as Clemens has been for 20 years, he has never pitched as well over a full season as Pedro did in 2000 (1.74 ERA vs. 4.97 for the league with only 128 hits allowed and 32 walks in 217 IP while striking out 284 for a K/BB ratio of nearly 9:1 and a WHIP of less than .75).
Load up the VCRs and DVD recorders. This is one you may want to show your grandchildren.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 11, 2003
The Rocket vs. Pedro
Does It Get Any Better Than This?
American League Championship Series. New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox. Game Three. Series Tied 1-1. Roger Clemens vs. Pedro Martinez. Red Sox aces past and present. Nine Cy Young Awards. Clemens scheduled to pitch at Fenway Park for the last time. Tickets going for more than $1,000 on eBay. A surefire ESPN Sports Classic.
Clemens and Martinez have faced each other four times in their careers but only once in the postseason. The following is a brief review of their matchups:
The first time they went head to head was in the ALCS on October 16, 1999. Clemens lasted only two-plus innings and allowed five runs on six hits and two walks. Martinez pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out 12 as the Red Sox pummeled their arch rivals 3-1 at Fenway Park.
The second head-to-head confrontation took place on May 28, 2000. Martinez outdueled Clemens in a 2-0 Red Sox victory, tossing a complete game shutout while scattering four hits and striking out nine. Clemens also pitched a complete game, allowing only five hits while striking out a season high 13 batters. Trot Nixon hit a two-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to beat Clemens and the Yankees. After hitting two batters, Pedro induced Tino Martinez to ground out to second with the bases loaded to end the game.
The third matchup occurred less than three weeks later on June 14, 2000 but failed to fulfill the excitement of the previous game as The Rocket left the game after only one inning with a strained groin, an injury that placed him on the disabled list the following day. Pedro went six innings and allowed one run but did not get credit for the victory as Boston rallied late to defeat New York, 2-1.
The last time Clemens and Martinez paired up was on April 14, 2001. The Yankees won, 3-2, but neither Clemens (6 IP, 2 R, 5 K) nor Martinez (7 IP, 2 R, 9 K) were involved in the decision.
Boston Red Sox, 3-1. New York Yankees, 1-3. Pedro Martinez, 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA. Roger Clemens, 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA.
Rather than writing a preview of this afternoon's game (several of which can be found on espn.com, mlb.com, and a multitude of baseball blogs), I thought it made more sense to provide a Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT stamp on this historic matchup.
The Rocket vs. Pedro:
CAREER TOTALS
G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L
Clemens 607 606 117 4278.2 3677 1672 1517 321 1379 4099 310 160
Martinez 355 288 41 2079 1553 667 597 149 554 2426 166 67
CAREER RATE STATS
ERA WHIP BAA OBP SLG OPS
Clemens 3.19 1.18 .231 .295 .339 .634
Martinez 2.58 1.01 .206 .266 .315 .581
ALL-TIME LEADERS (1900-2003)
RUNS SAVED ABOVE AVERAGE RSAA
1 Lefty Grove 668
2 Walter Johnson 643
3 Roger Clemens 613
4 Greg Maddux 540
5 Grover C Alexander 524
6 Randy Johnson 461
7 Pedro Martinez 453
8 Christy Mathewson 405
9 Tom Seaver 404
10 Carl Hubbell 355
Clemens has led the league in Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA) six times (1986, 1990-1992, 1997, and 1998). Martinez has led the league four times (1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003). [The RSAA totals are the amount of runs that a pitcher saved vs. what an average pitcher would have allowed under the same conditions. It's essentially the same stat as Total Baseball's Pitching Runs. The stats are adjusted for the year, league, and home ballpark in an attempt to compare the player's performance to the average player in his environment.]
The following rankings are based on the pitchers' statistics vs. the league average, both in terms of the absolute difference and the ratio. A minimum of 1,500 innings pitched was required for inclusion.
ERA DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 1.87 2.58 4.46
2 Lefty Grove 1.36 3.06 4.42
3 Randy Johnson 1.25 3.10 4.35
4 Hoyt Wilhelm 1.24 2.52 3.76
5 Roger Clemens 1.20 3.19 4.39
6 Lefty Gomez 1.16 3.34 4.50
7 Greg Maddux 1.16 2.89 4.05
8 Kevin Brown 1.12 3.16 4.29
9 Whitey Ford 1.10 2.74 3.84
10 Walter Johnson 1.07 2.17 3.24
ERA RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 173 2.58 4.46
2 Ed Walsh 152 1.82 2.76
3 Walter Johnson 149 2.17 3.24
4 Hoyt Wilhelm 149 2.52 3.76
5 Three Finger Brown 148 1.93 2.85
6 Lefty Grove 144 3.06 4.42
7 Addie Joss 144 1.89 2.72
8 Randy Johnson 140 3.10 4.35
9 Greg Maddux 140 2.89 4.05
10 Whitey Ford 140 2.74 3.84
11 Roger Clemens 138 3.19 4.39
Clemens has led the league in ERA six times (1986, 1990-1992, 1997, and 1998). Martinez has led the league five times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003).
HITS/9 IP DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 2.55 6.72 9.27
2 Nolan Ryan 2.19 6.56 8.75
3 Randy Johnson 2.11 7.02 9.13
4 Sandy Koufax 1.95 6.79 8.74
5 J.R. Richard 1.89 6.88 8.77
6 Sid Fernandez 1.85 6.85 8.70
7 Lefty Gomez 1.62 8.23 9.85
8 Andy Messersmith 1.57 6.94 8.51
9 Hoyt Wilhelm 1.56 7.02 8.58
10 Bob Feller 1.55 7.69 9.24
12 Roger Clemens 1.49 7.73 9.22
HITS/9 IP RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 138 6.72 9.27
2 Nolan Ryan 133 6.56 8.75
3 Randy Johnson 130 7.02 9.13
4 Sandy Koufax 129 6.79 8.74
5 J.R. Richard 127 6.88 8.77
6 Sid Fernandez 127 6.85 8.70
7 Andy Messersmith 123 6.94 8.51
8 Hoyt Wilhelm 122 7.02 8.58
9 Bob Turley 121 7.19 8.71
10 Bob Feller 120 7.69 9.24
13 Roger Clemens 119 7.73 9.22
Clemens has led the league in hits per nine IP three times (1986, 1994, and 1998). Martinez has led the league five times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003).
BASERUNNERS/9 IP DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 3.46 9.55 13.01
2 Mike Mussina 2.68 10.55 13.23
3 Curt Schilling 2.49 10.19 12.68
4 Walter Johnson 2.33 9.85 12.18
5 Tiny Bonham 2.19 10.41 12.60
6 Cy Young 2.19 9.33 11.51
7 Bret Saberhagen 2.18 10.47 12.65
8 Carl Hubbell 2.14 10.62 12.77
9 Ed Walsh 2.13 9.16 11.29
10 Addie Joss 2.11 8.94 11.05
14 Roger Clemens 2.03 10.93 12.96
BASERUNNERS/9 IP RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 136 9.55 13.01
2 Mike Mussina 125 10.55 13.23
3 Curt Schilling 124 10.19 12.68
4 Walter Johnson 124 9.85 12.18
5 Addie Joss 124 8.94 11.05
6 Cy Young 123 9.33 11.51
7 Ed Walsh 123 9.16 11.29
8 Christy Mathewson 121 9.64 11.67
9 Tiny Bonham 121 10.41 12.60
10 Bret Saberhagen 121 10.47 12.65
18 Roger Clemens 119 10.93 12.96
Clemens has led the league in baserunners per nine innings twice (1986 and 1997). Martinez has led the league five times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003).
STRIKEOUTS DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Nolan Ryan 2536 5714 3178
2 Randy Johnson 1705 3871 2166
3 Roger Clemens 1279 4099 2820
4 Walter Johnson 1191 3509 2318
5 Rube Waddell 1090 2267 1177
6 Dazzy Vance 1086 2045 959
7 Steve Carlton 981 4136 3155
8 Bob Feller 963 2581 1618
9 Sandy Koufax 958 2396 1438
10 Pedro Martinez 943 2426 1483
STRIKEOUTS RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Dazzy Vance 213 2045 959
2 Rube Waddell 193 2267 1177
3 Nolan Ryan 180 5714 3178
4 Randy Johnson 179 3871 2166
5 Sandy Koufax 167 2396 1438
6 Pedro Martinez 164 2426 1483
7 J.R. Richard 163 1493 918
8 Dizzy Dean 160 1163 725
9 Van Lingle Mungo 160 1242 775
10 Bob Feller 160 2581 1618
22 Roger Clemens 145 4099 2820
Clemens has led the league in strikeouts five times (1988, 1991, 1996-1998). Martinez has led the league three times (1999, 2000, and 2002). Clemens has led the league in strikeouts per nine innings three times (1988, 1996, and 1998). Martinez has led the league five times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003).
STRIKEOUTS/WALKS DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Pedro Martinez 2.49 4.38 1.89
2 Cy Young 2.30 3.74 1.43
3 Curt Schilling 2.29 4.22 1.93
4 Bret Saberhagen 1.89 3.64 1.75
5 Mike Mussina 1.82 3.56 1.74
6 Dennis Eckersley 1.68 3.25 1.57
7 Christy Mathewson 1.68 2.96 1.29
8 Jon Lieber 1.67 3.60 1.93
9 Deacon Phillippe 1.60 2.88 1.28
10 Ferguson Jenkins 1.53 3.20 1.67
25 Roger Clemens 1.25 2.97 1.72
STRIKEOUTS/WALKS RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Cy Young 261 3.74 1.43
2 Dazzy Vance 239 2.43 1.02
3 Pedro Martinez 232 4.38 1.89
4 Christy Mathewson 230 2.96 1.29
5 Deacon Phillippe 226 2.88 1.28
6 Walter Johnson 225 2.57 1.14
7 Curt Schilling 218 4.22 1.93
8 Dizzy Dean 212 2.57 1.21
9 Lefty Grove 211 1.91 0.90
10 Bret Saberhagen 208 3.64 1.75
34 Roger Clemens 173 2.97 1.72
Clemens has led the league in strikeouts divided by walks four times (1987, 1988, 1990, and 1992). Martinez has led the league three times (1999, 2000, and 2002).
WINS DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Christy Mathewson 108 373 265
2 Walter Johnson 90 417 327
3 Grover C Alexander 87 373 286
4 Lefty Grove 80 300 220
T5 Eddie Plank 71 305 234
T5 Warren Spahn 71 363 292
7 Roger Clemens 70 310 240
8 Greg Maddux 67 289 222
9 Whitey Ford 59 236 177
10 Three Finger Brown 58 208 150
T17 Pedro Martinez 49 166 117
WINS RATE PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Andy Pettitte 148 149 100
2 Pedro Martinez 142 166 117
3 Christy Mathewson 141 373 265
4 Three Finger Brown 139 208 150
5 Sam Leever 138 173 125
6 Dizzy Dean 137 150 110
7 Lefty Grove 136 300 220
8 Lefty Gomez 135 189 140
9 Whitey Ford 134 236 177
10 Mike Mussina 133 199 149
25 Roger Clemens 129 310 240
Clemens has led the league in wins four times (1986, 1987, 1997, and 1998). Martinez has led the league once (1999).
WINNING PERCENTAGE PCT
1 Pedro Martinez .712
2 Sam Leever .692
3 Whitey Ford .690
4 Lefty Grove .680
5 Randy Johnson .669
6 Vic Raschi .667
7 Christy Mathewson .665
8 Roger Clemens .660
9 Sal Maglie .657
10 Andy Pettitte .656
Clemens has led the league in winning percentage three times (1986, 1987, and 2001). Martinez has led the league three times (1999, 2002, and 2003).
Source: Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia
Roger Clemens has won a record six Cy Young Awards (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, and 2001), while Pedro Martinez has won three Cy Young Awards (1997, 1999, and 2000). Clemens has also won a Most Valuable Player Award (1986).
Conclusion: We're looking at two of the ten best pitchers of all time. Clemens has better career totals and Martinez has better rate stats. One could argue that The Rocket could be ranked as high as third all time based on quantitative stats, while a case could be made that Pedro is number one all time based on qualitative stats. As it currently stands, Roger's combination of cumulative and rate stats are superior to Pedro's. The latter's cumulative totals will obviously grow over time, but his rate stats may slip slightly as he ages. In any event, Clemens and Martinez rank high enough in both departments to warrant inclusion among the Top Ten Pitchers of All Time.
Getting back to the matchup at hand, October 11, 2003 may not be Ali vs. Frazier (III)--aka The Thrilla in Manila--but it has the potential of becoming one of the most talked about baseball games ever. As famed boxing announcer Michael Buffer would say, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble".
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 04, 2003
Make Room For MVP #6 In The Bonds Portfolio
My National League MVP top ten list (excluding pitchers) is as follows:
Rank Player Team Pos
1 Barry Bonds SF LF
2 Albert Pujols STL LF
3 Gary Sheffield ATL RF
4 Javy Lopez ATL C
5 Todd Helton COL 1B
6 Marcus Giles ATL 2B
7 Scott Rolen STL 3B
8 Edgar Renteria STL SS
9 Jim Thome PHI 1B
10 Richie Sexson MIL 1B
"THE QUAD" STATS
Rank Player Team Pos TOB OBP TB SLG
1 Barry Bonds SF LF 291 .529 292 .749
2 Albert Pujols STL LF 301 .439 394 .667
3 Gary Sheffield ATL RF 284 .419 348 .604
4 Javy Lopez ATL C 187 .378 314 .687
5 Todd Helton COL 1B 322 .458 367 .630
6 Marcus Giles ATL 2B 244 .390 290 .526
7 Scott Rolen STL 3B 251 .382 295 .528
8 Edgar Renteria STL SS 260 .394 282 .480
9 Jim Thome PHI 1B 269 .385 331 .573
10 Richie Sexson MIL 1B 272 .379 332 .548
BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) STATS
Rank Player Team Pos BA OBP SLG OPS
1 Barry Bonds SF LF .341 .529 .749 1.278
2 Albert Pujols STL LF .359 .439 .667 1.106
3 Gary Sheffield ATL RF .330 .419 .604 1.023
4 Javy Lopez ATL C .328 .378 .687 1.065
5 Todd Helton COL 1B .358 .458 .630 1.088
6 Marcus Giles ATL 2B .316 .390 .526 .916
7 Scott Rolen STL 3B .286 .382 .528 .910
8 Edgar Renteria STL SS .330 .394 .480 .874
9 Jim Thome PHI 1B .266 .385 .573 .958
10 Richie Sexson MIL 1B .272 .379 .548 .927
While everyone seems to have a favorite A.L. MVP (A-Rod for the sabermetrically inclined and anyone from Shannon Stewart to David Ortiz to Miguel Tejada for the touchy feely crowd), the choice in the N.L. comes down to Barry Bonds vs. Albert Pujols. Rate stats vs. cumulative stats in the eyes of many. The major difference for me is that Bonds' rate stats are historically significant whereas Pujols' cumulative stats are not.
BARRY BONDS:
2003 All-Time Rank
OBP .529 5th
SLG .749 11th
OPS 1.278 7th
TA 1.731 5th
ALBERT PUJOLS:
2003 All-Time Rank
TOB 301 >100th
TB 394 37th
RC 174 54th
RCAA 101 T47th
As great as Pujols' numbers were this year, Bonds' were even better. Another way of looking at their relative values is to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Would a Giants team with Albert Pujols and without Barry Bonds been better off or worse off?
2. Would a Cardinals team with Barry Bonds and without Albert Pujols been better off or worse off?
According to Lee Sinins of the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia and Around The Majors report, Barry Bonds created 115 runs above average (RCAA), while Pujols had 101. The next best player on the Giants had 8. The next best player on the Cardinals had 42 and Pujols had five teammates who had more RCAA than Bonds' best teammate.
The bottom line is that the magnitude of Barry's stats and significance to his team this year were superior to Albert's contributions, no matter how hungry voters may be to come up with an MVP other than Bonds.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
National League "Quad" Leaders
As a follow-up to the American League article, I have prepared lists of those National Leaguers who did the best job of getting on base and accumulating bases (both in terms of the number of times as well as the percentage of times). The four categories of "The Quad" are times on base, on base percentage, total bases, and slugging average.
The leaders are as follows:
Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies led the National League in the number of times on base with 322. Helton also led major league baseball in this category. He had a fantastic season, ranking first in TOB; second in BA (.358), OBP (.458), TB (367), R (135), and BB (111); third in SLG (.630) and OPS (1.088); and sixth in RBI (117). The third or fourth best offensive stats in the league, unadjusted and adjusted.
N.L. LEADERS TIMES ON BASE
Rank Player Team TOB
1 Todd Helton COL 322
2 Albert Pujols STL 301
3 Barry Bonds SF 291
T4 Bobby Abreu PHI 284
T4 Gary Sheffield ATL 284
6 Luis Gonzalez ARI 273
7 Richie Sexson MIL 272
8 Lance Berkman HOU 271
9 Jim Thome PHI 269
10 Jason Kendall PIT 265
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants led the N.L. in on base percentage with .529, .071 higher than Helton's second place finish and .102 above the A.L. leader. Bonds had another season for the ages, ranking first in OBP, SLG (.749), OPS (1.278), and BB (148); second in HR (45); third in TOB (291) and BA (.341); and sixth in R (111). And to think that Barry did all this playing half of his games at Pac Bell Park rather than Coors Field or some other hitter friendly stadium.
N.L. LEADERS ON BASE PERCENTAGE
Rank Player Team OBP
1 Barry Bonds SF .529
2 Todd Helton COL .458
3 Albert Pujols STL .439
4 Brian Giles SD .427
5 Larry Walker COL .422
6 Gary Sheffield ATL .419
7 Lance Berkman HOU .412
8 Bobby Abreu PHI .409
9 Chipper Jones ATL .402
10 Luis Gonzalez ARI .402
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals led the N.L. in total bases with 394. Pujols also led the major leagues in this category. Albert had a great year, ranking first in TB, BA (.359), and R (137); second in TOB (301), SLG (.667), and OPS (1.106); third in OBP (.439); fourth in HR (43); and fifth in RBI (124). First or second on every voter's MVP ballot.
N.L. LEADERS TOTAL BASES
Rank Player Team TB
1 Albert Pujols STL 394
2 Todd Helton COL 367
3 Gary Sheffield ATL 348
4 Richie Sexson MIL 332
5 Jim Thome PHI 331
6 Preston Wilson COL 322
7 Jeff Bagwell HOU 317
8 Javy Lopez ATL 314
9 Luis Gonzalez ARI 308
10 Jay Payton COL 307
Bonds not only led the league in on base percentage, but he also finished atop the leaders in slugging average with a mark of .749. Bonds beat out Pujols by .082 and crushed the A.L. leader by a remarkable .149. Barry's rate stats for 2003 place his season among the very best ever. Only Babe Ruth (1920, 1921, and 1923), Ted Williams (1941), and Bonds (2001 and 2002) have had years with a higher OPS than the 1.278 that Barry posted this year.
N.L. LEADERS SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
Rank Player Team SLG
1 Barry Bonds SF .749
2 Albert Pujols STL .667
3 Todd Helton COL .630
4 Jim Edmonds STL .617
5 Gary Sheffield ATL .604
6 Jim Thome PHI .573
7 Richard Hidalgo HOU .572
8 Sammy Sosa CHC .553
9 Richie Sexson MIL .548
10 Geoff Jenkins MIL .538
Helton, Pujols, and Gary Sheffield are the only three players who finished in the top ten in all four categories, and it should be noted that Helton and Pujols were in the top three across the board. Bonds, Jim Thome, Richie Sexson, and Luis Gonzalez made the top ten three times. As explained in the A.L. Quad article, I would give strong consideration to these seven players in my MVP voting as well as Javy Lopez and Jason Kendall given the difficulty of their positions and perhaps Jim Edmonds and Preston Wilson for their play in center field--the most demanding outfield position. Of these eleven, I would discount Helton, Wilson, and Gonzalez the most for the benefits of their home ballpark.
I will post my top ten for the N.L. MVP (excluding pitchers) on Saturday.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Time To Give A-Rod The Nod
My American League MVP top ten list (excluding pitchers) is as follows:
Rank Player Team Pos
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B
5 Jorge Posada NYY C
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF
"THE QUAD" STATS
Rank Player Team Pos TOB OBP TB SLG
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS 283 .396 364 .600
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B 300 .426 338 .593
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF 290 .427 334 .587
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B 258 .366 333 .535
5 Jorge Posada NYY C 238 .405 249 .518
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF 264 .359 373 .550
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B 237 .398 283 .540
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS 248 .345 345 .524
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B 248 .338 358 .525
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF 259 .367 353 .555
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF 256 .380 331 .546
BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) STATS
Rank Player Team Pos BA OBP SLG OPS
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS .298 .396 .600 .996
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B .302 .426 .593 1.019
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF .325 .427 .587 1.014
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B .294 .366 .535 .901
5 Jorge Posada NYY C .281 .405 .518 .923
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF .317 .359 .550 .909
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B .326 .398 .540 .938
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS .301 .345 .524 .869
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B .290 .338 .525 .863
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF .311 .367 .555 .922
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF .317 .380 .546 .926
No Ichiro Suzuki, everyone at ESPN's favorite one month ago. No Shannon Stewart and how he awoke the Twins. No David Ortiz and his clubhouse presence. No Miguel Tejada and his intensity. No Garret Anderson and his coolness. I'm just going by the facts. Pure and simple. Stats. Productivity. Objectivity. Cutting to the chase, A-Rod's stats are as good as anyone else's--and he plays a Gold Glove shortstop to boot. 'Nuff said.
Check back on Friday and Saturday for the National League "Quad" honorees and MVP top ten.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
American League "Quad" Leaders
The regular season has concluded and the major newspapers and cable networks were quick to list the leaders in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in--the favorite stats of the media and casual baseball fan. But how many sources listed the real leaders, those who performed the best quantitatively and qualitatively in getting on base and driving runners around the bases?
The way to win baseball games is to score runs when at bat and prevent runs when in the field. With respect to the offensive end of the game, the four components of "The Quad" (times on base, on base percentage, total bases, and slugging average) are the true determinants of run production. The traditional Triple Crown stats are OK, but they have become a lazier way of determining value in this day and age of more sophisticated analysis encompassed in the study of sabermetrics.
Let's drill down into the stats and take a look at the American League players who did the best job of getting on base and accumulating bases (both in terms of the number of times as well as the percentage of times).
Carlos Delgado of the Toronto Blue Jays led the American League in the number of times on base with 300. Delgado had an outstanding season, ranking first in TOB, OPS (1.019), and RBI (145); second in OBP (.426), SLG (.593), HR (42), and BB (109); fourth in R (117); and seventh in TB (338). A top two or three MVP candidate no matter how one slices or dices it.
A.L. LEADERS TIMES ON BASE
Rank Player Team TOB
1 Carlos Delgado TOR 300
2 Manny Ramirez BOS 290
3 Jason Giambi NYY 284
4 Alex Rodriguez TEX 283
5 Vernon Wells TOR 264
6 Aubrey Huff TB 259
T7 Bret Boone SEA 258
T7 Frank Thomas CWS 258
9 Magglio Ordonez CWS 256
10 Ichiro Suzuki SEA 254
Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox led the A.L. in on base percentage with .427. Ramirez had an excellent year, ranking first in OBP; second in TOB (290), BA (.325), and OPS (1.014); fourth in SLG (.587); fifth in R (117) and BB (97); seventh in HR (37); and eighth in TB (334). One of the top three seasons in the league offensively but his contributions need to be discounted somewhat for his less than exemplary attitude and missing important games down the stretch.
A.L. LEADERS ON BASE PERCENTAGE
Rank Player Team OBP
1 Manny Ramirez BOS .427
2 Carlos Delgado TOR .426
3 Jason Giambi NYY .412
4 Edgar Martinez SEA .406
5 Jorge Posada NYY .405
6 Bill Mueller BOS .398
7 Trot Nixon BOS .396
8 Alex Rodriguez TEX .396
9 Doug Mientkiewicz MIN .393
10 Derek Jeter NYY .393
Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays led the A.L. in total bases with 373. Wells had a breakthrough season, ranking first in TB; third in R (118); 4th in BA (.317) and RBI (117); fifth in TOB (264); eighth in SLG (.550); and tenth in HR (33). Given the importance of his defensive position and play, Wells should be listed among every voter's top ten in the MVP balloting.
A.L. LEADERS TOTAL BASES
Rank Player Team TB
1 Vernon Wells TOR 373
2 Alex Rodriguez TEX 364
3 Alfonso Soriano NYY 358
4 Aubrey Huff TB 353
T5 Garret Anderson ANA 345
T5 Nomar Garciaparra BOS 345
7 Carlos Delgado TOR 338
8 Manny Ramirez BOS 334
9 Bret Boone SEA 333
10 Magglio Ordonez CWS 331
Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers led the A.L. in slugging percentage with a mark of .600. Rodriguez had another superb year, ranking first in SLG, HR (47), and R (124); second in TB (364) and RBI (118); third in OPS (.995); fourth in TOB (283); and eighth in OBP (.396) and BB (87). The combination of A-Rod's offensive and defensive contributions should warrant winning the MVP Award although I wouldn't hold my breath on this happening given the number of times he has been overlooked in the past.
A.L. LEADERS SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
Rank Player Team SLG
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX .600
2 Carlos Delgado TOR .593
3 David Ortiz BOS .592
4 Manny Ramirez BOS .587
5 Trot Nixon BOS .578
6 Frank Thomas CWS .562
7 Aubrey Huff TB .555
8 Vernon Wells TOR .550
9 Magglio Ordonez CWS .546
10 Garret Anderson ANA .541
Delgado, Ramirez, and Rodriguez are the only three players who finished in the top ten in all four categories. Wells, Aubrey Huff, and Magglio Ordonez made the top ten three times. My preference for MVP voting is favoring those players who ranked first in these four categories the most times, the top ten the most times, and giving utmost consideration and respect to all catchers, second basemen, and shortstops (and perhaps third basemen and center fielders) who make any of these lists, especially those who also field their positions well. In that regard, I would point out the six players mentioned above as well as Bret Boone, Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Alfonso Soriano, and possibly Bill Mueller. Of these twelve, I would rate Jeter's overall contributions the lowest given his less than stellar defensive play as well as the fact that he only played in 119 games.
I will post my top ten for the A.L. MVP (excluding pitchers) this evening. I will also post "The Quad" leaders for the National League tomorrow morning, followed by my top ten for the N.L. MVP (excluding pitchers) Friday night.
Stay tuned.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com
