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Cubs Legend Santo Passes Away; Legacy Is Overcoming Diabetes, not Being Overlooked by the Hall of Fame

December 3, 2010 by William Juliano

The baseball world, but particularly Chicago, lost another giant figure today when Ron Santo succumbed to bladder cancer at the age of 70. After spending his entire 15-year career in the windy city (14 seasons on the North side and one on the South side), Santo added to his legend in Chicago when he joined the Cubs’ radio broadcast team in 1990. During his 20 years as an announcer, Santo’s vocal on-air support of the team became a hallmark of Cubs baseball, which unfortunately elicited more groans than wild cheers from the team’s number one fan.

As an announcer, Santo introduced his passion for Cubs baseball to a whole new generation of fans

Although Santo’s later tenure as a broadcaster overshadowed his playing career in the eyes of many younger fans, his prowess on the field was not forgotten by either those who saw him play or had the opportunity to seriously scrutinize his record. As a result, Santo is believed by many to be the best eligible player not currently inducted into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, if the All Star and gold glove third baseman is ever able to win enshrinement, it will have to be in a posthumous manner.

After repeatedly falling short of election to Cooperstown, Santo learned to deal with the disappointment. One thing he never seemed able to fully accept, however, was the Cubs repeated failure to at least make, no less win the World Series. Sadly, Santo was unable to see either dream fulfilled.

Santo’s career disappointments paled in comparison to his health-related struggles. In addition to the cancer that eventually claimed his life, Santo also suffered 15 surgeries, including two leg amputations, stemming from his life-long battle with diabetes.

Before he was a Cub, Santo was a diabetic. At the age of 18, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes on the very day he signed his first contract. However, afraid that it might derail his career, Santo kept his affliction a secret. Even after learning the seriousness of the disease, he pushed it to the background and went about becoming an All Star baseball player.

I headed straight to the library. What I read was frightening. Diabetes could lead to blindness, hardening of the arteries and kidney failure, among other things. One book even said, ‘The average life expectancy, from the time of diagnosis, is twenty-five years.’ Does that mean I’m supposed to die when I’m forty-three? – Ron Santo, Guideposts, June 2003

Santo’s retired number #10 is lowered to half staff outside Wrigley Field (Photo: @CubsInsider).

Living in secrecy had become a burden, and Santo eventually decided to make the Cubs and his teammates aware of his condition after the All Star Break in 1963. However, he still wasn’t ready to let the outside world know about his diabetes, and swore those he told to the same silence he had lived with for years.

The public didn’t learn about Santo’s condition until August 1971, around the time the Cubs held a day in his honor. Part of the reason to go public was so Santo could use the event to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a cause he would champion throughout his life. According to Santo, however, the impetus for his revelation dated back three years earlier.

On September 25, 1968, Santo’s Cubs faced the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field. Bill Singer has been pitching a 1-0 shutout against the Cubbies, but the home team had mounted a rally that brought Santo to the plate with no outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. As he awaited his at bat, Santo started to tremble. Then, he broke out into a cold sweat. Finally, he had pains in his stomach, dryness in his throat and blurriness marred his vision. Santo wasn’t suffering from the strain of a pressure-packed situation. He was suffering from hyperglycemia.

He briefly weighed taking himself out of the game. But how would that look? ‘Gutless!’ the fans would scream at him. ‘Hey, Santo, whatsa matter, ya afraid of a knockdown?’ he could hear in his mind. So he settled into the batter’s box.” – Jim Murray, Los Angeles Times (syndicated by the Washington Post News Service), June 13, 1972

Although every shred of his common sense demanded that Santo remove himself from the game, he was afraid of what the reaction from his teammates and the crowd would be. So, instead, he walked to the plate and, after taking a strike, belted the second pitch for a game winning grand slam. The fans went wild and his teammates jumped in celebration. Santo, however, quickly circled the bases. There was no time to enjoy the accomplishment. He was in a race to stave off a diabetic coma.

After revealing to the word that he was a diabetic, Santo became a tireless advocate for the cause as well as an inspiration to other player suffering from the disease. So, instead of mourning his death by lamenting the Hall of Fame’s failure to induct him or the Cubs hapless inability to win a championship, it seems much more appropriate to celebrate his life. And, what better way to do that than by making a donation to the JDRF in his name (perhaps a small prayer for the Cubbies wouldn’t hurt either)?

Santo’s exuberance for baseball was evident even during his playing days.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, Hall of Fame, MLB | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

Re-Enter Sandman: Yanks Go to Mo for Two More Years; Must Now Close Deal for Jeter

December 3, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankees and future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera have agreed to a two-year deal worth $30 million. According to some reports, Rivera actually turned down a more lucrative deal from either the Angels or, of all teams, the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox reportedly extended an offer to make Mariano Rivera a permanent fixture at Fenway Park.

The knee jerk assumption is that the Red Sox offer was merely a means to drive up the price on the Yankees, and that very well could be the case. If you really think about it, however, stealing Mo would have struck the perfect blow and dramatically shifted the balance of power in the AL East, especially because the Yankees currently have no alternative and the market is void of an adequate replacement. From Boston’s perspective, it could have offset some of Rivera’s contract by trading Jonathan Papelbon, who is on schedule for another raise above his $9.4 million salary as he prepares for a big free agent contract next offseason. Even at Rivera’s advanced age, it isn’t a stretch to think he’ll out perform Papelbon over the next three years, so having him hold the spot for Bard would have represented the best of both worlds for Boston. And, if Papelbon’s poor 2010 was more systemic than an aberration, the benefit increases exponentially. What’s more, by trading Papelbon, the Red Sox could have netted significant prospects, whom they then could have used to pry Justin Upton away from the Diamondbacks.

Another factor to consider is the psychological blow that would have been inflicted upon the Yankees. Rivera has truly been a one-of-a-kind closer, so even with time to prepare, the organization is going to struggle during the transition to a mere a mortal. Now, imagine the panic if Rivera’s valuable right arm was suddenly removed from the team and placed in the bullpen at Fenway Park?  With Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner sounding more and more like Red Sox’ executives who have driven away countless team legends (from Carlton Fisk to Wade Boggs to Roger Clemens to Pedro Martinez and then some), maybe Theo Epstein thought Rivera might be ripe for the picking? If any team knows about the overarching impact of losing a legend to your rival, it’s the Red Sox.

Because Rivera decided to turn down a larger offer from Boston (kind of like Bernie Williams did after the 1998 season), his loyalty is likely to be lauded…and with good reason. Unfortunately, you can also bet many of those same people praising Rivera will use his fiscal modesty against the negotiating position of Derek Jeter, who was initially offered a three-year, $45 million deal that has reportedly been sweetened. However, the opposite side of that argument may be just as true. After all, if the Yankees are willing to pay a “41-year old closer” $15 million per year, shouldn’t they be willing to offer an everyday shortstop significantly more?

Ironically, when Mariano Rivera opted for arbitration before the 2000 season, his agent’s main argument was the All Star closer was at least as valuable as Jeter, who was earlier given a $10 million deal. The Yankees disagreed at the time, citing Jeter’s off-field economic contributions as the main reason why he was paid more money. So, unless the Yankees thinking on that has changed, the $15 million award for Rivera seems to demand that a higher figure be offered to Jeter.

Of course, one could argue that the reason Jeter’s value has declined and Rivera’s has not is because of their relative on-field performance. However, that argument is hard to make from a purely statistical standpoint. After all, despite having the worst season of his career, Jeter’s WAR was still 2.5, according to fangraphs.com. By comparison, Rivera, who had an outstanding season, checked in at only 1.7 (his best season was 3.3). Granted, WAR has many flaws for such an evaluation, but it does at least raise an interesting question. At the current stages of their careers, who provides the Yankees with more value?

Because we rely can’t rely on the stats to provide an answer, the question kind of forces us back into the realm of the psychological, or the intangible, if you will. Needless to say, that’s not a playing field the Yankees want to be on in a battle against Jeter. Presumably, these difficult to quantify elements factored into the Red Sox (or Angels) offer to Rivera, so who is to say some other team won’t do the same in a push to sign Jeter? Most observers, and even the Yankees’ front office, seem to think the Hall of Fame shortstop has no other alternative, but nothing can be gained by finding out.

Loyalty is a two-way street, and in this instance, it has led one Yankees’ legend back into the fold. Hopefully, Jeter and the organization aren’t too far down the road.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Red Sox, Yankees | Tagged , , | 4 Comments »

Lengthy Debate: Evaluating Baseball’s Longest and Most Lucrative Contracts

December 2, 2010 by William Juliano

Before the ink had tried on Troy Tulowitzki’s 10-year, $157.8 million contract extension, several pundits questioned the wisdom of the Rockies’ decision to enter into such a long-term pact, especially after the team’s experience with Mike Hampton and Todd Helton (the fallacy of the later suggestion is displayed below). For some reason, it seems as if a conventional wisdom has developed that suggests these mega-deals are inherently bad. However, although all long-term deals are not without risk, especially a 10-year pact, there must be circumstances under which they are appropriate? To test that hypothesis, the 20 largest contracts (defined as at least seven years in length and $90 million in value) are considered below.

Expired Long-Term, High-Value Deals ($ millions)

Player (Term) Total Avg. Salary Value^ Yrs Incl.* Value/ Year Surplus/ Deficit
Albert Pujols (2004-10) $100 $14.3 $226.1 7 $32.3 $18.0
Scott Rolen (2003-10) $90 $11.3 $132 8 $16.5 $5.3
Alex Rodriguez (2001-10)# $252 $25.2 $220 9 $24.4 -$0.76
Derek Jeter (2001-10) $189 $18.9 $151.7 9 $16.9 -$2.0
Manny Ramirez (2001-08) $160 $20 $103.8 7 $14.8 -$5.2
Jason Giambi (2002-08) $120 $17.1 $78 7 $11.1 -$6.0
Kevin Brown (1999-2005) $105 $15 $31.1 4 $7.8 -$7.3
Ken Griffey Jr. (2000-08)+ $116.5 $12.9 $17.6 7 $2.5 -$10.4
Mike Hampton (2001-08) $121 $15.1 $23.8 7 $3.4 -$11.7

^Based on Fangraphs’ calculations of player value.
*Years included in comparison may be less than contract term because data was only available since 2002.
#Arod opted out of this contract after the 2007 season, but his subsequent performance is still considered.
+Approximately 57% of Griffey’s contract was deferred.
Note: Option years are not considered, nor is deferred money factored into the calculations.
Source: Cots Contracts and fangraphs.com

Based on the chart above, Albert Pujols’ contract stands out as the undisputed champion of long-term bargains. In fact, the $18 million per year premium enjoyed by the Cardinals suggests that the organization would have been wise to offer an even longer deal to their immortal first baseman. The other clear cut bargain in the group was Scott Rolen, which comes as a bit of surprise, especially considering four of his seasons were truncated because of injuries.

The baseball word was in shock when Arod signed his first mega-deal with Texas. Little did everyone know that the All Star would not only live up to the value, but sign an even bigger deal seven years later.

The next two contracts that appear to be laggers, but probably should be shifted comfortably to the outperformers belong to Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Arod’s case is an easy one because his annual deficit is already below $1 million. So, when you factor in his strong 2001 (which isn’t included in the analysis), the level of deferred money, marquee value as well as post season contribution, it should be easy to see why Arod’s original contract would have ended up a bargain if served to completion. In the case of Jeter, his $2 million annual deficit also not only ignores post season performance and brand-related value, but also exists largely because fangraph’s calculations incorporate UZR, which tends to treat Jeter rather severely. Considering the unreliability of this metric, there is a lot of wiggle room to give Jeter a bump in terms of value. So, with all caveats considered, Jeter also appears to have been a relative bargain over the past 10 years.

One nebulous case, rather appropriately, belongs to Manny Ramirez. If defense wasn’t factored into the equation, Ramirez’ value would likely exceed his salary. However, as with Jeter, UZR cripples his value. Considering the tendency to underrate left fielders who play most of their games at Fenway Park, it’s probably safe to assume that Manny being Manny was closer to break even than indicated above. However, the $5 million deficit is large enough to prevent Ramirez’ contract from being considered a bargain.

Mike Hampton’s mega-deal stands alone as the all-time worst, thanks to a near $100,000,000 million underperformance (and that’s before factoring in the value of the Denver school system). Although Ken Griffey Jr.’s contract seems to approach Hampton’s in terms of its annual deficit, it should be noted that nearly 60% of the former was deferred (thus significantly lessening its “real” value). Also, two of Griffey’s best seasons under the deal were not included in the analysis. The same is also true of Kevin Brown, whose strong 1999 and 2000 campaigns were omitted. Finally, like Ramirez, Jason Giambi’s value was severely taxed by his weakness on defense. However, that impact is mitigated by his position, making his $6 million annual deficit seem more accurate.

Ongoing Long-Term, High-Value Deals

Player (Term) Total Avg. Salary Value^ Yrs Incl.* Value/ Year Surplus/ Deficit
Matt Holliday (2010-16) $120 $17.1 $27.6 1 $27.6 $10.5
Miguel Cabrera (2008-15) $152.3 $19.0 $63 3 $21 $2.0
CC Sabathia (2009-15) $161 $23 $48.8 2 $24.4 $1.4
Carlos Beltran (2005-11) $119 $17 $105.4 6 $17.6 $0.57
Todd Helton (2003-13) # $151.4 $13.8 $111.9 8 $14.0 $0.22
Alfonso Soriano (2007-14) $136 $17 $59.3 4 $14.8 -$2.2
Mark Teixeira (2009-16) $180 $22.5 $38.2 2 $19.1 -$3.4
Alex Rodriguez (2008-17) $275 $27.5 $62.9 3 $21.0 -$6.5
Vernon Wells (2008-14) $126 $18 $22.6 3 $7.5 -$10.5
Joe Mauer (2011-18) $184 $23 NA NA NA NA
Troy Tulowitzki (2011-20) $157.8 $15.8 NA NA NA NA

^Based on Fangraphs’ calculations of player value.
*Years included are to-date 2010.
#The terms of Helton’s deal were originally 9-years, $141.5 million, but a two-year extension was added along with a deferral of 13.1 million.
Note: Option years are not considered, nor is deferred money factored into the calculations.
Source: Cots Contracts and fangraphs.com

So far, it looks as if Matt Holliday, Miguel Cabrera and CC Sabathia have gotten off to a good start in providing above-contract value. However, those players are still in the infancy of their deals, and value contributed tends to decline, not increase, over the length of long-term contracts. Because Cabrera is already three years into his deal, and still only 27, he seems like the best bet of the three to live up to his monetary expectations.

Despite missing much of the last two seasons, Beltran’s contract has been close to break even so far for the Mets.

Two contracts that have almost run their course belong to Carlos Beltran and Todd Helton, both of whom have pretty much provided equal value. In Beltran’s case, he has one more year to tilt the balance in either direction, while Helton’s deal still has three years thanks to an extension that was added in March 2010. Both players are likely to underperform their average annual salary over the final year years of their current deals, but each should end up close to an acceptable threshold.

The contracts of Alfonso Soriano and Mark Teixeira are in red flag territory as each has already dipped several million dollars below par. In Soriano’s case, the concern is likely merited, but Teixeira’s underperformance is easier to dismiss. Again, the culprit seems to be UZR, which doesn’t think as highly of Teixeira’s defense as other metrics and evaluators. Also, Teixeira is four years younger than Soriano, and thus more likely to maintain a prime-level of performance.

Alex Rodriquez’ second contract has not fared as well as his first. Despite delivering an impressive annual value, Arod’s inflated salary makes the contract look destined to be a bust. Of course, that’s really a relative concern. Although some of his off field value was likely lessened by steroid revelations, brand equity is an important consideration in Arod’s deal. It remains to be seen how fervently the baseball world will be follow Rodriguez’ pursuit of homerun milestones, but even a small ratings bump on YES could mitigate some of the perceived overpayment in salary.   Vernon Wells’ contract, however, appears to be a lost cause. Although he did have a bounce back year in 2010, the Blue Jays centerfielder is already 31, making him a good bet to challenge Hampton for the worst long-term deal of all time.

In 2011, at least two more long-term mega-deals will commence: an eight year deal for Joe Mauer and the aforementioned 10-year extension for Tulowitzki. Because the latter contract was signed four years prior to free agency, and Tulowitzki is still only 25, the smart money says it will end up in the bargain column. In fact, it seems to be in the mold of Arod’s and Jeter’s long-term deals referenced above (an athletic, mid-20s shortstop with a plus bat). Mauer also has age on his side (he is only 28), but his salary, which was negotiated only one year away from free agency, is a much higher $23 million. Also, as a catcher, Mauer is more prone to injury and more likely to experience a sharper, more rapid decline. Nonetheless, the early years of Mauer’s contract could provide enough of a buffer to net out above par by the time 2018 rolls around.

Although there have definitely been some colossal-sized busts, there have also been a few bargains from among baseball’s longest and most lucrative contracts. One rule of thumb seems to be that if a team signs a young player at a skilled position to a long-term deal, it should come out ahead. However, the closer the players gets to (and then from) 30, as well as the farther he gets from the middle of the diamond, the less likely it becomes that the contract will earn equal or greater value. Keep that in mind this offseason when players like Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth sign their inevitable big money deals

Posted in Alex Rodriguez, Arod, Baseball, Baseball History, Business and Finance, Mets, MLB, Yankees | 3 Comments »

Tulowitzki Signs Extension While Hero Jeter Still Waits for His

November 30, 2010 by William Juliano

While the Yankees continue to bicker with their legendary shortstop, the Colorado Rockies have taken a dramatic step to lock up a player who they think will become one.

Tulowitzki wears #2 in honor of Derek Jeter, his boyhood idol.

Yankees’ fans probably first took notice of Troy Tulowitzki back in June 2007, when he went 5-12 in the Rockies’ three game sweep of the Bronx Bombers.  Even as all eyes in that series were taking notice of Tulowitzki, the young shortstop was still fixated on his counterpart in pinstripes. According to Tulowitzki, who wears number two to honor Derek Jeter and used to hang a pitcher of the future Hall of Famer in his locker, the specter of playing the Yankees was a key motivation for making the ballclub out of spring training that season. Before the series, the Rockies’ rookie even bought bottles of Jeter’s cologne, Driven, for all of his teammates, and went so far as to ask for an autograph from the Yankees’ shortstop.

He’s a winner, you know what I mean? Growing up, I always saw the Yankees in the World Series. He was always the guy coming up with the clutch hit. He just seemed like a good leader out there, and a very good player at that.” – Troy Tulowitzki, The New York Times, June 21, 2007

Since he was selected seventh overall in the 2005 draft, Tulowitzki has inspired expectations of greatness. After an impressive rookie campaign in 2007, which was capped by a very strong final two months amid a furious pennant race, it seemed as if all of those predictions were coming to fruition. As a result, the Rockies decided to lock Tulowitzki up to a six year/$31 million deal after the season. Unfortunately, an injury in 2008 set the promising young star back in his development, but by the second half of 2009 (.344/.421/.622), he was back on track to the stardom everyone had been expecting.

In case anyone had forgotten his promise, Tulowitzki put on another second half show in 2010, including a historic September in which he hit 16 HRs and knocked in 40 runs as the Rockies tried in vain to catch the Giants and Padres. Once again, the Rockies responded to their shortstop’s continued emergence with another large contract extension. According to published reports, the new deal will pay Tulowitzki an additional $134 million from 2014 to 2020. When combined with the years remaining on his previous deal, the annual value will end up a shade below $16 million.

Incredibly, some have already characterized the deal as bad for both sides, and even questioned Tulowitzki’s fortitude for not trying to break the bank in free agency after the 2014 season. Although it is true that the 25-year old shortstop likely would have earned a significant amount more by waiting for free agency, it seems absurd to question his decision to not only ensure his family’s financial security for generations to come, but also make it possible to remain in a city that he seemingly enjoys.

From the Rockies standpoint, they are betting that Tulowitzki’s 2009 and 2010 performances are only the beginning of his path toward stardom. It isn’t a stretch to imagine the shortstop as being among the best players in the game by 2014, so preemptively signing him to a new deal could wind up saving the team millions of dollar per season over what they would have had to bid in free agency.

It’s only natural to compare the value of Tulowitzki’s new contract to the amount being sought by Jeter, but the comparison really isn’t fair. For starters, the Rockies’ shortstop was not a free agent, and therefore lacked the leverage that Jeter has now. Secondly, Jeter’s stature in the organization has led his agent to argue that the Yankee legend contributes equity to the team’s brand, something that doesn’t quite exist in Colorado. So, although Tulowitzki’s value on the field should far surpass Jeter’s going forward, it is much too simple to compare each player’s salary on that basis alone.

Tulowitzki’s connection with Jeter makes the juxtaposition of each player’s current situation all the more interesting. With all of the reports about the Yankees looking to hold the line on three additional years for Jeter, don’t doubt for a second that the Rockies desire for an extension wasn’t at least in part due to the expectation that the pinstripers would be a major player for Tulowitzki in free agency. And, even if the thought never occurred to the Rockies, you can bet it has crossed the minds of many Yankees fans who envisioned the talented Tulowitzki as an heir apparent to Jeter. With the signing of this extension, however, that dream has been dashed.

When his10-year deal expires in 2020, Tulowitzki will be a ripe old 36, just as his idol is right now. It remains to be seen how he will measure up to Jeter over the course of his career, but come that time, we could have another dicey negotiation on our hands. Perhaps, if Jeter has time in between crafting his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he’ll be able to provide Tulowitzki with some advice on how to handle the situation. In the meantime, Jeter is the one who could probably use some words of wisdom. Does anyone have Cal Ripken’s phone number?

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Rumors, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged | 1 Comment »

Awkward to All Star: Yankees’ Swing Man McDougald Dead at 82

November 30, 2010 by William Juliano

(In addition to appearing at The Captain’s Blog, this post is also being syndicated at TheYankeeU.)

The Yankee family has lost yet another member in 2010 with the passing of Gil McDougald at the age of 82.  McDougald, whose 10-year Yankee career included five world championships and eight pennants, was best know for his versatility, a quality that made him a favorite of Casey Stengel, who once called him “the best second baseman, the best third baseman, and best shortstop in the American League”.  

McDougald's unorthodox batting stance didn’t make a good first impression with manager Casey Stengel.

McDougald broke into the majors alongside two other notable New York rookies: Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Although that centerfield duo would reach legendary status, in 1951, the Yankees’ understated swing man was the toast of the town. Not only did he have a better season than both Mantle and Mays, but he also won the American League Rookie of the Year award and became the first freshman to belt a grand slam in the World Series.

The irony of McDougald’s immediate superiority over his Hall of Fame counterparts was just as evident in 1951 as it is now. While Mantle and Mays both inspired predictions of greatness, the only thing McDougald elicited was laughter…literally. His unique batting style, which now would be called an open stance, was often referred to as a “school girl swing”, leading Stengel and several Yankee coaches to doubt his ability to hit major league pitching. After hitting .306 with 14 home runs, however, it was McDougald who had the last laugh. In fact, after hitting the grand slam against the Giants in game five of the World Series, Stengel proudly told AP, “He’s the lousiest looking ball player in the world, but he’s splendid”.

Everything he does looks wrong but it comes out right. He bats funny but he hits like heck. He’s got a peculiar way of throwing but his arm is strong and accurate. He runs like a pacer but he is fast and knows how to run the bases. He’s only a rookie but he’s done as much for me as any of the veterans”. – Yankees manager Casey Stengel, quoted by Joe Reichler of AP, October 10, 1951

Unfortunately, McDougald’s career was also notable for two infamous beanings. On August 3, 1955, he was hit in the left hear by a batting practice line drive off the bat of Bob Cerv. Although the ball caused significant swelling and a severe laceration, the early diagnosis from team doctors was that the injuries weren’t serious. So, after a visit to the hospital for x-rays, McDougald was back on the field only three days later. Eventually, however, the injuries he sustained would lead to a gradual loss of hearing in not only his left ear, but the right as well. By the mid-1970s, McDougald, who was then a coach for the Fordham University baseball team, was almost completely deaf, and remained so until receiving a cochlear implant in 1994. After having his hearing restored, McDougald once again proved his versatility by becoming a tireless advocate for both the hearing-impaired and the cochlear technology capable of helping them.

In the second incident, which took place on May 7, 1957, Indians’ pitcher Herb Score was the victim of a screaming line drive off the bat of McDougald. Only 12 pitches into the game, the Yankees’ short stop sent a rope back to the mound that ricocheted off Score’s right eye toward third base for a 1-5-3 groundout. The young left hander immediately began to bleed profusely from his eye and was eventually carried off the field on a stretcher. McDougald, who along with teammates Yogi Berra and Hank Bauer went to Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland immediately after the game to check on Score’s condition, was so shaken by the incident that he told reporters he would quit baseball if the pitcher went blind. Although Score’s vision was completely restored, he didn’t get back on the mound until the following season and was never effective again. After the 1962 season, Score retired at the age 29.

It’s amazing how many things can go through your mind when a thing like that happens. Before I hit the ground, I thought about being blinded for life, that my teeth were knocked out, that my nose was broken and that something had happened to my tongue”. – Indians left hander Herb Score after being hit in the eye by a line drive, quoted by AP, May 8, 1957

Spending more time with his family was a driving force behind McDougald’s early retirement (Photo: Life).

McDougald’s career also came to a premature end after the 1960 season. His early retirement at age 32 was partly due to his gradual hearing loss, but mostly borne of the desire to spend more time with his family and manage his building maintenance business in New Jersey. After ruminating on the decision since the end of the 1960 World Series, McDougald finally made his announcement upon learning that he would be left unprotected in the upcoming expansion draft. According to the Yankees’ infielder, he didn’t want one of the new teams to waste a selection on him in case he decided to hang it up. It was a typical display of class from a man who had become well known for exhibiting that quality.

McDougald brought more than physical skills to the Yankees. He brought them an extra touch of class, honesty, decency and integrity. He announced his retirement when he did because ‘it was the honorable thing to do’. It was typical of him”. – New York Times columnist Arthur Dailey, December 16, 1960

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged | 2 Comments »

RIP Leslie Nielsen; Comedic Actor Was “Surely” Serious About Baseball

November 29, 2010 by William Juliano

To many baseball fans, Leslie Nielsen, who died yesterday at the age of 84, is better known as “Enrico Palazzo”, the dysfunctional national anthem singer turned home plate umpire that he portrayed in a scene from The Naked Gun. Nielsen’s outrageous parody yielded one most memorable comedic depictions of the game in movie history. However, the former dramatic actor, whose career turned toward parody-based comedy after being cast in Airplane, was also a big baseball fan. In addition, during the 1960s, Nielsen also regularly played in a weekend baseball league along with numerous other Hollywood actors. According to a February 10, 1966 article appearing in the Toledo Blade, the actors involved in the league took it so seriously that they were regularly scouting their studio sets for new talent as well as soliciting tips and advice from L.A.-based major leaguers. Perhaps that’s how former major league infielder John Beradino (or Johnny Berardino, as he was known during his playing days) earned his role opposite Nielsen in the short-lived crime series The New Breed?

Click the following links for Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day promos recorded by Nielsen for radio station 700 WLW:  promo 1, promo 2 and promo 3.

Posted in Baseball, Culture, MLB, Movies | Tagged | 2 Comments »

Yankees’ 2010 Bargains and Busts

November 26, 2010 by William Juliano

Black Friday has become synonymous with deals and discounts, so what better time to take a look at the Yankees’ best bargains and biggest busts from 2010.

Player Value Versus Salary, Offense

Name WAR Value ($mn) Salary Difference Premium/ Discount
Brett Gardner 5.4 21.5 $452,500 $21,047,500 4751%
Francisco Cervelli 1.1 4.4 $410,800 $3,989,200 1071%
Austin Kearns* 0.3 1.2 $249,975 $950,025 480%
Robinson Cano 6.4 25.5 $9,000,000 $16,500,000 283%
Curtis Granderson 3.6 14.3 $5,500,000 $8,800,000 260%
Marcus Thames 0.6 2.3 $900,000 $1,400,000 256%
Nick Swisher 4.1 16.4 $6,850,000 $9,550,000 239%
Jorge Posada 2.4 9.7 $13,100,000 -$3,400,000 74%
Mark Teixeira 3.5 14 $20,625,000 -$6,625,000 68%
Alex Rodriguez 3.9 15.4 $33,000,000 -$17,600,000 47%
Derek Jeter 2.5 9.8 $22,600,000 -$12,800,000 43%
Juan Miranda 0 0.1 $400,000 -$300,000 25%
Nick Johnson 0.1 0.3 $6,850,000 -$6,550,000 4%
Lance Berkman* 0 -0.2 $4,828,500 -$5,028,500 NA
Randy Winn -0.3 -1 $1,100,000 -$2,100,000 NA
Ramiro Pena -0.2 -0.8 $412,100 -$1,212,100 NA

*Based on pro-rated salary.
Source: fangraphs.com, Cots Contracts and Baseball-reference.com

On offense, Brett Gardner gave the Yankees the biggest bang for their buck by providing over $21 million in value, according to fangraphs.com, while only being paid a shade above the minimum. Interestingly, the Yankees four highest paid offensive players underperformed their salaries by at least 25%. Even if you take into account the flaws in UZR that make up a portion of fangraph’s player values, the upside down nature of the chart above is still rather striking. Aside from Gardner’s extraordinary outperformance, the biggest surprise on the list is Cervelli, who provided value at over 10x his salary. However, that assessment seems to be one that is out of whack with both Cervelli’s real performance and the market value for players of his ilk.

Player Value Versus Salary, Pitchers

Name WAR Value ($mn) Salary Difference Premium/ Discount
Phil Hughes 2.4 9.5 $447,000 $9,053,000 2125%
Ivan Nova* 0.5 1.8 $98,765 $1,701,235 1823%
Joba Chamberlain 1.4 5.5 $487,975 $5,012,025 1127%
David Robertson 0.7 2.9 $426,650 $2,473,350 680%
Boone Logan 0.4 1.5 $590,000 $910,000 254%
CC Sabathia 5.1 20.4 $24,285,714 -$3,885,714 84%
Andy Pettitte 2.3 9.2 $11,750,000 -$2,550,000 78%
Mariano Rivera 1.7 6.7 $15,000,000 -$8,300,000 45%
Kerry Wood* 0.4 1.5 $3,499,965 -$1,999,965 43%
A.J. Burnett 1.3 5.2 $16,500,000 -$11,300,000 32%
Sergio Mitre 0 0.1 $850,000 -$750,000 12%
Javier Vazquez -0.2 -0.8 $11,500,000 -$12,300,000 NA
Damaso Marte -0.1 -0.6 $4,000,000 -$4,600,000 NA
Chad Gaudin -0.7 -3 $737,500 -$3,737,500 NA
Dustin Moseley* -0.4 -1.7 $217,500 -$1,917,500 NA
Chan Ho Park -0.2 -0.7 $1,200,000 -$1,900,000 NA

*Based on pro-rated salary.
Source: fangraphs.com, Cots Contracts and Baseball-reference.com

Not surprisingly, Phil Hughes provided the most value in excess of his salary. The premium contributions of the next four pitchers on the list, however, are eyebrow raising. Otherwise, every other member of the staff underperformed their paycheck. It should be noted, however, that both C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte provided immense value, while closers like Mariano Rivera tend to be undervalued using WAR. By far, the Yankees biggest bust was Javier Vazquez, who actually provided negative value despite earning a hefty $11.5 million. Salary aside, Chad Gaudin proved to be the biggest drain on the team by posting a negative contribution of $3 million, or $1 million more than the salaries of the Hughes, Nova, Chamberlain, Robertson and Logan…combined.

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