Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Jeter Looks to Make Rebound in 2011, but History Could Be Biggest Hurdle

February 8, 2011 by William Juliano

For the first time since 1996, Derek Jeter has something to prove during spring training. After suffering the worst season of his career, followed by a stinging offseason contract negotiation, Jeter seems to be approaching 2011 with just a little bit extra determination. Never one to lack confidence, the Yankee Captain will undoubtedly be motivated to prove his detractors wrong.

Will Jeter be able to overcome the hurdles that history places before him?

Reporting early to spring training isn’t uncommon for Jeter, who owns a Tampa home that is close to Steinbrenner Field. However, the shortstop has been in the swing of things, literally, since just after the New Year. At the end of January, Jeter even went so far as to meet with hitting coach Kevin Long. In what was described as a three-day tutorial, the future Hall of Famer worked with Long on a few minor adjustments to his stride at the plate.

Although many view Jeter as a touch stubborn, he has been open to making adjustments in the past. Despite winning gold gloves from 2004 to 2006, Jeter’s defensive statistics were in steady decline during that period. Even scouts started to whisper about a noticeably slower first step. Then, in 2007, he turned in his worst season in the field; not only was his UZR/150 an abysmal -17.9, but his declining range had become evident to the untrained eye. So, heading into the 2008 season, Jeter adopted a new training regime designed to improve his flexibility in the field. And, sure enough, his defense registered an immediate improvement. In 2009, Jeter’s UZR/150, a stat that had never been kind to him, registered an impressive 8.0. This time, when Jeter won the gold glove, there weren’t many snickers.

The Yankees hope that Jeter’s adjustments with Long will pay the same dividends at the plate. Although it wouldn’t be wise to bet against Jeter’s determination, the fact remains that the soon-to-be 37-year old shortstop is entering unchartered territory. For starters, since 1901, there have only been 14 seasons in which a shortstop over the age of 36 played at least 140 games at the position. In other words, Jeter’s first challenge will simply be to stay in the lineup (and the Yankees’ challenge will be to make sure he gets needed rest). Interestingly, as Jeter chases his milestone 3,000th hit in 2011, he could actually be making history just by taking the field.

Players with At Least 140 Games at Shortstop, Age 37 or Older, 1901-Present

Player G Year Age Tm PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Dave Concepcion 155 1985 37 CIN 620 0.252 0.314 0.330 78
Omar Vizquel 153 2006 39 SFG 659 0.295 0.361 0.389 93
Omar Vizquel 152 2005 38 SFG 651 0.271 0.341 0.350 82
Maury Wills 149 1971 38 LAD 654 0.281 0.323 0.329 91
Luke Appling 149 1946 39 CHW 659 0.309 0.384 0.378 117
Dave Bancroft 149 1928 37 BRO 591 0.247 0.326 0.303 66
Omar Vizquel 148 2004 37 CLE 651 0.291 0.353 0.388 99
Larry Bowa 147 1983 37 CHC 544 0.267 0.312 0.339 78
Rabbit Maranville 146 1929 37 BSN 634 0.284 0.344 0.366 80
Omar Vizquel 145 2007 40 SFG 575 0.246 0.305 0.316 61
Honus Wagner 145 1912 38 PIT 634 0.324 0.395 0.496 144
Bill Dahlen 144 1908 38 BSN 588 0.239 0.296 0.307 94
Bill Dahlen 143 1907 37 NYG 529 0.207 0.291 0.254 69
Luke Appling 142 1949 42 CHW 619 0.301 0.439 0.394 125

Source: Baseball-reference.com

From a performance perspective, only 12 shortstops (players appearing at the position in at least 80% of total games) in 23 seasons compiled a WAR higher than Jeter’s 1.3 total in 2010. In other words, simply improving a little from 2010 would be considered historically significant. 

Shortstops, Age 37 or Older, with a WAR of 1.3 or Greater, 1901-Present

Player WAR Year Age Tm G PA BA OBP SLG OPS+
Honus Wagner 8.1 1912 38 PIT 145 634 0.324 0.395 0.496 144
Luke Appling 5.3 1946 39 CHW 149 659 0.309 0.384 0.378 117
Luke Appling 4.6 1949 42 CHW 142 619 0.301 0.439 0.394 125
Honus Wagner 4.5 1915 41 PIT 156 625 0.274 0.325 0.422 126
Ozzie Smith 4.3 1992 37 STL 132 590 0.295 0.367 0.342 105
Bill Dahlen 3.9 1908 38 BSN 144 588 0.239 0.296 0.307 94
Luke Appling 3.8 1947 40 CHW 139 572 0.306 0.386 0.412 125
Omar Vizquel 3.1 2006 39 SFG 153 659 0.295 0.361 0.389 99
Omar Vizquel 3.1 2004 37 CLE 148 651 0.291 0.353 0.388 93
Honus Wagner 2.9 1913 39 PIT 114 454 0.3 0.349 0.385 113
Larry Bowa 2.7 1983 37 CHC 147 544 0.267 0.312 0.339 78
Honus Wagner 2.7 1914 40 PIT 150 616 0.252 0.317 0.317 92
Ozzie Smith 2.5 1993 38 STL 141 603 0.288 0.337 0.356 88
Pee Wee Reese 2.5 1956 37 BRO 147 648 0.257 0.322 0.344 74
Luis Aparicio 2.3 1973 39 BOS 132 561 0.271 0.324 0.309 75
R. Maranville 2.3 1929 37 BSN 146 634 0.284 0.344 0.366 80
Maury Wills 2 1971 38 LAD 149 654 0.281 0.323 0.329 91
Omar Vizquel 1.9 2005 38 SFG 152 651 0.271 0.341 0.350 82
Ozzie Smith 1.9 1994 39 STL 98 433 0.262 0.326 0.349 78
Luis Aparicio 1.9 1972 38 BOS 110 474 0.257 0.299 0.351 88
Monte Cross 1.7 1907 37 PHA 77 301 0.206 0.316 0.282 89
Omar Vizquel 1.4 2007 40 SFG 145 575 0.246 0.305 0.316 61
Billy Jurges 1.3 1946 38 CHC 82 270 0.222 0.351 0.281 82

Source: Baseball-reference.com

One thing evident from the chart above is that most of the positive WAR contributions stemmed from defense, which is at least a small cause for concern. Even in his best defensive seasons, Jeter, unlike Ozzie Smith and Omar Vizquel for example, has primarily been known for his hitting. What’s more, WAR can be somewhat unreliable when it comes to measuring defense, so using it as the basis for this comparison can be misleading. Instead, it seems more appropriate to isolate the offensive contribution of shortstops in the tail end of their careers.

Shortstops, Age 37 or Older, with Positive Rbat, 1901-Present

Player Rbat  Year Age Tm G PA BA OBP SLG
Honus Wagner 34 1912 38 PIT 145 634 0.324 0.395 0.496
Luke Appling 23 1949 42 CHW 142 619 0.301 0.439 0.394
Luke Appling 15 1946 39 CHW 149 659 0.309 0.384 0.378
Luke Appling 14 1947 40 CHW 139 572 0.306 0.386 0.412
Honus Wagner 11 1915 41 PIT 156 625 0.274 0.325 0.422
Honus Wagner 10 1913 39 PIT 114 454 0.300 0.349 0.385
Luke Appling 8 1945 38 CHW 18 70 0.368 0.478 0.526
Omar Vizquel 3 2006 39 SFG 153 659 0.295 0.361 0.389
Ozzie Smith 3 1992 37 STL 132 590 0.295 0.367 0.342
Eddie Joost 2 1953 37 PHA 51 224 0.249 0.401 0.384
Omar Vizquel 1 2004 37 CLE 148 651 0.291 0.353 0.388
Bobby Wallace 1 1915 41 SLB 9 18 0.231 0.444 0.385

Note: Rbat is defined as “the number of runs better or worse than average the player was as a hitter.”
Source: Baseball-reference.com

As you can see, only two shortstops in the history of baseball were able to contribute meaningfully on offense after their 37th birthday. Over the course of his career, Jeter has been about 21 runs better than the average hitter, so attaining that standard doesn’t seem likely. Even reaching the half way point on that barometer would be historically unique.

Before Yankees’ fans fret too much over the daunting history that stands before Jeter’s potential rebound, it’s worth pointing out that he isn’t just a normal player. Although he may never again attain the high standards set over his career, those hoping for a rebound can take some solace from knowing that fellow Hall of Fame shortstops Honus Wagner and Luke Appling were able to keep piling up strong seasons as they approached the age of 40. Obviously, that would put Jeter in the truly elite class, which, after all, is exactly where he belongs.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Yankees | Tagged | 5 Comments »

Even Without Ramparts, Super Bowl Anthem Joins List of Infamous Renditions

February 7, 2011 by William Juliano

Perhaps anxious to get right to the game, Christina Aguilera’s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner before the Super Bowl not only improvised a few words, but removed one line altogether. Considering that the NFL has turned the game into a reality TV show (Janet Jackson has become a more notorious figure in Super Bowl history than Scott Norwood), rather than just a sporting event, the publicity following the botched Anthem probably has league suits beaming.  Not only does the NFL seem to relish every last crumb of media attention, but for at least one more day, postseason focus was diverted from the impending lockout that could shut the sport down for some time to come.

Questionable performances of the National Anthem are not unique to the NFL. Baseball, with its thousands of games each season, has had more than its fair share of debacles ever since the tradition first started during the turn of the 20th century (the custom of singing the Anthem before every game began during World War II). Undoubtedly, the worst rendition of the national song took place before a San Diego Padres game on July 25, 1990, when the team inexplicably decided to invite comedian Roseanne Barr to do the honors. In what could only be described as a desecration, Barr not only completely mangled the lyrics with a shrill vocal delivery, but then she proceeded to make lewd gestures while walking off the field to a serenade of boos.

Before Barr’s disgraceful peformance, one of the most controversial renditions of the Anthem took place before game 5 of the 1968 World Series. Amid the backdrop of a very tense time in Detroit, which had been ravaged by social unrest and racially motivated riots, Tigers’ announcer Ernie Harwell booked a young, blind Puerto Rican singer named Jose Feliciano to perform the National Anthem. In the past, very little liberty was taken with the song’s delivery, but on this evening, Feliciano chose a soulful rendition inspired by his Latin jazz roots.

Only moments after the unorthodox version was completed, hundreds of outraged viewers flooded television station switchboards. In the ensuing days, Harwell was widely criticized, with some even suggesting he was a Communist. Things were even worse for Feliciano, whose music was blackballed for sometime to come. Despite the controversy, both Harwell and Feliciano persevered and went on to enjoy very successful careers, and in the process, their involvement in what was once a moment of scorn was turned into a source of pride. Feliciano’s rendition is still remembered to this day, but the recollections are now mostly positive. In fact, the singer was invited back to Tiger Stadium on May 10, 2010 to once again sing the Star Spangled Banner during a tribute to the recently deceased Harwell.

Although Feliciano’s singing of the National Anthem paved the way for the more creative renditions often song today, resistance to some interpretations still remains. Of course, with the exception of debacles like Barr’s, just about any performance would probably be preferable to forgetting the words. That’s a lesson Aguilera found out the hard way…ramparts and all.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, Culture, MLB, NFL | Tagged , , | 7 Comments »

100 Years of Ronald Reagan and Baseball

February 6, 2011 by William Juliano

One hundred years ago in Tampico, Illinois, Ronald Wilson Reagan began an improbable road to the presidency that culminated in one of the most successful political careers in American history. Admittedly, I have a profound admiration for the Gipper, but The Captain’s Blog likes to steer clear of politics, so this centennial tribute will focus on Reagan’s strong link to the great American past time of baseball.

Before calling the shots as commander-in-chief, Ronald Reagan did play-by-play reenactments for the Cubs.

Although Reagan’s pre-political background as a movie actor is widely known, not many people realize that his first entertainment career was in radio, most notably as the reenactment voice of the Chicago Cubs on Iowa’s WHO during the early-to-mid 1930s. In this role, Dutch Reagan, as he was known to listeners, would receive game updates via telegraph and then, accompanied by sound effects, bring the action to life with a vivid description of the details. In one famous instance, the telegraph feed went down in the ninth inning of a tight ballgame, forcing Reagan to improvise on the spot. With no updates forthcoming, Reagan anxiously described the action as Augie Galan battled Dizzy Dean in an epic batter/pitcher confrontation. Foul ball after foul ball was broadcast to the audience until the telegraph messages finally resumed. Even at an early age, the comfort and ease with which Reagan worked a microphone was evident.

Curly started typing. I clutched at the slip. It said: ‘Galan popped out on the first pitch’. Not in my game he didn’t. He popped out after practically making a career of foul balls”. – Ronald Reagan, excerpted from his 1965 autobiography “Where’s the Rest of Me?”

Reagan left radio behind for the bright lights of Hollywood, but his baseball reenactment days were far from over. In 1952, Reagan starred alongside Doris Day in “The Winning Team”, a movie about pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander, who balanced a Hall of Famer career and alcoholism. Although not as famous as his portrayal of George Gipp in the classic “Knute Rockne All American”, a role that included the “win one for the Gipper” line that would give the future President one of his more endearing nicknames, Reagan’s performance as Alexander was well received.

Reagan portayed Hall of Famer Pete “Grover Cleveland” Alexander in the 1952 film, “The Winning Team”.

Unfortunately for Reagan, his love of the game was not matched by his ability to play it. In his trademark self deprecating manner, he once admitted that a fear of the ball prevented him from hitting and ensured that he was always the last boy chosen in every game. In this one regard, Reagan likely wasn’t being modest. In 1938, he injured his Achilles tendon during a celebrity baseball game, and then, in 1949, upped the ante at a charity event by breaking his leg in a collision at first base with fellow actor George Tobias. In addition to a damaged ego, the latter injury not only cost the actor a $100,000 salary for an upcoming film, but also forced him to use crutches or a cane for almost an entire year. After the accident, Reagan didn’t play much baseball.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, Culture, Hall of Fame, MLB, Movies, Yankees | Tagged | 12 Comments »

Yankee Fans Guide to the Super Bowl

February 5, 2011 by William Juliano

The best part of the Super Bowl is it serves as the unofficial starting point for the baseball season. Although the majority of those tuning in are probably more concerned about the spread (both the final Vegas line as well as the food and drink being served), there may be a few viewers actually interested in the game. Because Yankees’ fans who fall into that category could have a hard time picking a team to support, listed below is some data to help them make a choice.

Yankees’ Record in Seasons Following Packers’ and Steelers’ Championships

      Yankees
NFL Champion MLB W L Finish
1929 Green Bay Packers 1930 86 68 3rd
1930 Green Bay Packers 1931 94 59 2nd
1931 Green Bay Packers 1932 107 47 WS
1936 Green Bay Packers 1937 102 52 WS
1939 Green Bay Packers 1940 88 66 3rd
1944 Green Bay Packers 1945 81 71 4th
1961 Green Bay Packers 1962 96 66 WS
1962 Green Bay Packers 1963 104 57 AL
1965 Green Bay Packers 1966 70 89 10th
1966 Green Bay Packers 1967 72 90 9th
1967 Green Bay Packers 1968 83 79 5th
1974 Pittsburgh Steelers 1975 83 77 3rd
1975 Pittsburgh Steelers 1976 97 62 AL
1978 Pittsburgh Steelers 1979 89 71 4th
1979 Pittsburgh Steelers 1980 103 59 AL East
1996 Green Bay Packers 1997 96 66 WC
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers 2006 97 65 AL East
2008 Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 103 59 WS

 

  Yankees
NFL Champion W L Pct Playoffs WS
Green Bay Packers 1079 810 0.571 5 3
Pittsburgh Steelers 572 393 0.593 4 1

Note: For NFL, end of season champions from 1920-1932; NFL champions from 1933 to 1965; Super Bowl champions from 1966-Present.
Source: baseball-reference.com and pro-football-reference.com

Although the Yankees have won more World Series following a Packers’ championship, the team’s record following a Steelers’ title has historically been better. Also, the Yankees have made the playoffs in a higher percentage of seasons following a Steelers’ championship (67% to 42%), so it seems as if Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi will probably be pulling for Pittsburgh.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, NFL, Yankees | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

When to Say When? A Look at How Other Yankees’ Legends Have Said Goodbye

February 4, 2011 by William Juliano

Usually, when one thinks of a podium in the Bronx, it’s there to say hello to a new million dollar acquisition. This time, however, the media hordes were assembled to say goodbye to one of the team’s all-time greats. That’s why, as Andy Pettitte answered questions about his decision to retire, the proceedings took on somewhat of a surreal feeling. After all, if Pettitte was healthy enough to pitch, capable of performing at a high level (his ERA+ of 130 was the fourth highest in his career), and greatly needed by the Yankees, why exactly was he walking away?

As expected, Pettitte’s reasons for retiring centered on his family. According to the lefty, his heart simply wasn’t into returning because the other aspects of his life were pulling on its strings. Considering that Pettitte’s heart has always been in the right place (although Yankees’ fans might not like where it is now), his reasoning was perfectly understandable. And yet, it is still hard to imagine a great player voluntary walking away from the game when he still has the ability to perform.

Andy Pettitte and wife Laura field questions at press conference announcing his retirement (Photo: Getty Images).

At the beginning of the proceedings, Jason Zillo, the Yankees director of media relations, made an interesting comment about Pettitte’s press conference being a unique event in his 15-year tenure with the team (which is almost as long as Pettitte’s). In fact, the validity of the comment extends well beyond Zillo’s time in the Bronx. Despite having scores of superstar players who spent the bulk of their careers with the team, the Yankees have not hosted many press conferences to announce the retirement of a legendary figure.

Since 1901, the Yankees have had 22 position players (minimum 1,000 games) and 10 pitchers (minimum 200 games started or 400 games) compile a WAR greater than 30 during their time in pinstripes. However, from that illustrious group, only three have had a formal press conference to say goodbye on their own terms: Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and now Andy Pettitte.

When the Yankees faced the Dodgers in the 1952 World Series, Joe DiMaggio was sitting in the bleachers instead of playing centerfield (Photo: Life)

Like Pettitte, DiMaggio had been hinting at retirement for some time before eventually making his final decision. During the course of his injury plagued career, Joltin’ Joe would often hint at walking away, but he finally formalized his intentions during the spring of 1951. Despite the dramatic announcement, not too many people expected DiMaggio to actually retire, and the doubts lingered even after he had a subpar year by his standards (OPS+ of 115 in 482 plate appearances). However, after winning the World Series against the cross-town Giants, DiMaggio again told reporters that he probably wouldn’t be back in 1952. Most people still shrugged off the statement, and even Yankees’ owner Dan Topping didn’t seem convinced, telling DiMaggio, “you might feel differently a month from now”. Almost 60 years later, Cashman would be telling Pettitte the same thing.

When baseball is no longer fun, it is no longer a game and so I’ve played my last game of ball.” – Joe DiMaggio, quoted by UP at his retirement press conference, December 11, 1951

As things turned out, DiMaggio was serious. On December 11, 1951, Joltin’ Joe assembled the media and officially retired from the game, much the same way that Pettitte did this morning. At the time, however, such an event was unheard of. “The press conference in which Joe announced his retirement was without precedent in size and confusion,” stated The Sporting News’ Dan Daniel. “The writers were far outnumbered by the newsreel, radio and TV specialists. The sandwiches, coffee and cheese cake had to be replenished thrice.”

Continue Reading »

Posted in Alex Rodriguez, Arod, Baseball, Baseball History, Hall of Fame, MLB, Yankees | Tagged , , | 9 Comments »

Benefit of the Doubt: Pettitte’s HGH Admission Should Be No More than Footnote to a Great Career

February 4, 2011 by William Juliano

Glowing tributes were the initial reactions to Andy Pettitte’s retirement, but since then a deeper look into his admitted use of HGH has begun to emerge (and Larry’s examination at IIATMS is not surprisingly one of the most thorough). Some have questioned why Pettitte has been given the benefit of the doubt regarding his admission, while others have hinted that his confession could be a black mark when his name appears on the Hall of Fame ballot. Unfortunately, that’s the reality of the post-steroid era.

The other members of the core four look on as Andy Pettitte conducts a press conference (February 18, 2008) to detail his admitted use of HGH (Photo: UPI).

Without going into too much detail on the whole performance enhancing drugs debate, there is an important distinction that needs to be made in the case of Pettitte. There is no accusation alleging or evidence suggesting that the Yankees’ lefty used anything other than HGH. That’s significant for two reasons. From a performance standpoint, there is no evidence to suggest that the drug yields a performance enhancing benefit. In fact, all of the best evidence points to the contrary. So, regardless of whether Pettitte took HGH three times or 30, and whether his motive was to heal from an injury or throw a 100mph fastball, his actions would not have had an impact on his mound performance.

There were instances, like (Yankee pitcher) Andy Pettitte’s, where they have an injury and they take HGH to try to recover more quickly. Pettitte may well have been told that it works by a trainer and fell for it. Who knows, getting an injection is an incredibly powerful placebo effect.” – Dr. Thomas Perls of Boston University, Popular Science, February 20, 2008

Secondly, the legality of HGH is a very murky topic. Under some circumstances, the drug can be used with a prescription, so distributing it is not inherently illegal. What’s more, most of the punitive aspects of the law deal with distribution, not use, so in a sense, taking HGH isn’t necessarily a crime. Because baseball’s drug policy prohibits the use of prescription drugs without a doctor’s consent, that possibility is mostly irrelevant, but it may have some meaning to those who moralize about criminal behavior (ironically, many of those same moralists turn a blind eye toward amphetamine use as well as alcohol consumption during prohibition).

There really isn’t much of a basis to suggest that Pettitte cheated, which seems to be the buzz word of the day. Although he did violate a MLB rule, his actions weren’t any different from a player taking antibiotics obtained without a prescription, and certainly more benign than one who used either amphetamines or narcotics. Also, if his stated intention is believed, his motive wasn’t to enhance performance, but heal more quickly from an injury. Again, that really isn’t morally different from seeking an unapproved treatment, which I don’t think most people would consider cheating. Of course, baseball’s morality regarding cheating is convoluted anyway, as evidenced by Gaylord Perry’s legendary status as a Hall of Fame spitballer.

One other criticism of Pettitte is that his story has changed over the years, suggesting a level of dishonesty that contradicts his reputation. That claim is also dubious. The smoking gun in this argument is Pettitte’s denial about using PEDs when quizzed on the subject back in 2006. Below is the money quote (h/t IIATMS):

I guess reports are saying that I’ve used performance-enhancing drugs. I’ve never used any drugs to enhance my performance on the baseball field before. Like I said, I don’t know what else to say except that it is embarrassing that my name would be out there with this.” – Andy Pettitte, Houston Chronicle, October 2, 2006

Continue Reading »

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Yankees | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Hometown Call: Pettitte Finally Gives in to the Lure of Home, Officially Bids Farewell

February 3, 2011 by William Juliano

Andy Pettitte always seemed to be a family man first and a big league pitcher second. His career began with an impatient desire to support his young wife and five month old son, and now, with word that he will officially retire tomorrow during a press conference at Yankee Stadium, it concludes in large part because of his ever growing desire to return to the home he provided.

Andy Pettitte has a 5-month-old son and a wife living with his in-laws in Deer Park, Tex. He would love to buy his own house so Josh could have a backyard and Laura could have a picket fence. First, Pettitte must build a pitching career with the Yankees. – Jack Curry, New York Times, April 11, 1995

Although there will be some speculation that Petttitte’s announcement is related to Roger Clemens’ recent decision to waive the conflict of interest issue in his pending court trial, it seems as if the Yankees’ ace lefty could simply no longer resist the lure of spending more time with his family. By retiring, however, Pettitte is leaving behind another family of sorts, so you can bet the decision wasn’t easy, which probably explains why it was so long in coming.

Andy Pettitte is expected to officially waive goodbye to the Yankees at a Friday press conference.

Besides the obvious hole that Pettitte’s departure leaves in the team’s 2011 rotation, one of the biggest regrets resulting from the decision is Yankees’ fans weren’t able to bid him a proper farewell. There was no “Andy” serenade like Paul O’Neill received during the 2001 World Series, nor were there the daily standing ovations that greeted Bernie Williams before his final at bats (the fans seemed to realize Williams was nearing retirement even before the centerfielder did). Instead, there was just one more solid postseason start from a man who had developed a reputation for reliability. When Pettitte walked off the mound on October 18, 2010, after throwing seven innings of two-run, five-hit ball in game 3 of the ALCS, all eyes were on Cliff Lee. Ironically, on that night, the winningest pitcher in postseason history ended his career with an October loss. Instead of fanfare, there was anonymity. Although hardly a fitting end to a great career, being relegated to an afterthought probably suited Andy just fine.

Over the next few months, there will be plenty of opportunities to look back at the value of Pettitte’s career as well as look forward to what his absence means to the Yankees’ rotation. For now, however, the most appropriate reaction seems to be appreciation. Although hundreds of great players have worn the pinstripes, this recent generation of Yankees’ legends has still managed to stand out. Among them all, Pettitte has been front and center…not only as a great Yankee, but also as a good man.

Pettitte’s Place in Yankees History

  Value Rank
WAR 42.7 6
Wins 203 3
GS 396 2
Innings 2,535 2/3 4
Strikeouts 1,823 2

Source: Baseball-reference.com

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Yankees | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »