“You have to understand, back in 1972 you didn’t want to be part of the bullpen…It was looked upon as a junk pile of starters who could no longer start. But I feel fortunate to have been part of the entire evolution and the pioneering of relief pitching. Going to the bullpen was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I can’t even fathom having a career as a starter as I did as a reliever. For one thing, I didn’t like the four days off (between starts) and I loved the opportunity to come to the ballpark to pitch every night.”
—Goose Gossage
(Bill Madden, N.Y. Daily News)
I was talking about the relationship between art and science in sports the other day with a friend of mine, a dynamic, or tension, that I find fascinating. For instance, I understand why the role of the closer is over-stated. On the other hand, I firmly believe that some pitchers have the emotional and psychological temperament to close games while others don’t. Or, that some pitchers are better suited as starters.
The debate between traditional scouting methods and a more emperical approach was sparked by Michael Lewis’ book, Moneyball a few years ago. While the distance between the two is said to be exaggerated, the pull between the old and new has existed for a long time in the game.
Jim McLaughlin, the first scouting director for the Baltimore Orioles (he later ran the scouting operations for the Cincinnati Reds), believed in a scientific approach to scouting way back in the ’50s. McLaughlin devised a chart called “The Whole Ball Player.” The chart consisted of a cirlce that was split in two. The top half of the chart reads:
Can Be Seen with Eye
Pitcher: arm strength, fast ball, curve ball, slider, other pitch, control
Infieder-Outfielder: arm strength, use of arm, speed, hands, fielding, range, hitting, power
Catcher: arm strength, use of arm, hands, receiving, hitting, power, speed
General for all Players: stamina, durability, anticipation, hustle, reflexes, size, coordination, agility, poise, instinct base running, eyesight
The bottom of the chart reads:
Can Not Be Seen with Eye
Attitude: desire, drive, willingness, hunger ambition, aggressiveness
Mental: intelligence, baseball sense, teachability, knowledge of game
Personality: improvement, consistency, maturity, adjustment, stability, temperament, disposition
Winner: stomach, heart, competitiveness, pride, confidence
Background: family, habit.
