Daily Archives: November 3, 2004

Is this the begining of a new day for the Red Sox or will 2004 look a lot like 1980 did for the Phillies before long? Allen Barra throws his hat into the ring with an essay on the Sox (and Yanks) in the current edition of The Villiage Voice. Check, check it out.

When I previewed the ALCS, “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis predicted that should the Red Sox win it all, Theo Epstein would down play the significance sabermetrics had on the team’s success. I haven’t followed Epstein’s comments closely, but I certainly haven’t noticed the mainstream media giving props to Boston’s sabermetric qualities, have you? In his column yesterday, Jim Baker, who used to assist Bill James, wrote:

In the wake of the Red Sox winning it all, there has been precious little mention of Bill James and his role in their success, even as Theo Epstein is getting plenty of credit. Why is this? As my friend Tim Walker says, “It doesn’t fit the story line.” The whole “idiots” thing is far more intriguing to the typical media outlet than the intelligence invested in piecing together the Red Sox.

This is extremely disappointing to me because it bespeaks an anti-intellectualism that permeates our culture. Yes, the players had to execute–as is always the case–but attention must be paid to the braintrust that gathered them there and did things like limiting the team to 12 sacrifice bunts. One of two things is happening: either the media doesn’t understand the extent to which James contributed, or they do and can’t bear the thought of it.

I think that the media may not understand the extent of James’ contributions. I know that I don’t know how much influence he has or doesn’t have. Clearly, sabermetrics is a valued tool by the current Boston regime. At the same time I suspect that Baker is right, many guys in the mainstream press probably can’t bear the thought of giving an outsider like James credit where credit is due.

Heard any good rumors yet? The Newark Star Ledger floated one the other day about the Yankees moving Jorge Posada to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Randy Johnson. Now, it’s just a rumor, but shoot, that must mean the Hot Stove League is starting to bubble. Steven Goldman, a longtime Posada advocate doesn’t think it would be a wise deal for New York:

Posada is the kind of player who should age well. He is going to strike out more and hit for less of an average, but the power should maintain and so should the walks. The other two are going to be team leaders and “great handlers of pitchers.”

The trick is to trade up, not down, and this would be a huge step down, not to mention a further dilution of the team’s identity. You could more easily replace Derek Jeter — with A-Rod, who is already here — than you can Posada, so maybe Jeter should be offered up for the Big Unit or Tim Hudson and his vanishing strikeouts. Trading Jeter for a top pitcher and signing a free agent third baseman like Adrian Beltre would leave the Yankees a stronger club than trading Posada for a lesser pitcher and signing Varitek. Why is that somehow unthinkable? Maybe it’s because the difference between perceived value and actual value with Jeter and Posada is so large.

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According to Jack Curry in the New York Times:

Mel Stottlemyre, the pitching coach who has been at Manager Joe Torre’s side since the Yankees hired him in 1996, will not return in 2005. A person who spoke to one of Stottlemyre’s colleagues said this week that Stottlemyre would not be back for a 10th season as coach.

The Yankees will promote Neil Allen, the Class AAA Columbus pitching coach the past two seasons, to replace Stottlemyre. Not having Stottlemyre will be a major adjustment for Torre, who has basically entrusted the pitching decisions to Stottlemyre during their successful tenure together.

Woody Allen once said, “Change equals death.” But in this case, the Yanks should make out like Biggie Smalls and find out that indeed there is life after death.