Michael Kay Lives Only In The Present

During this afternoon’s Yankees-A’s game, Mark Kotsay comes up to bat against Kei Igawa in the top of the 4th. Kay says:

“Here’s Mark  Kotsay. He does not hit left-handers well – 2 for 24. That’s .083.”

Well, ok. That’s true for this season. Mark Kotsay is indeed 2 for 24 against lefties this season.

But because Michael Kay is wrong about 75% of the time on a whim, I went to this awesome website called baseballreference.com that has all sorts of stats and stuff. I searched for Mark Kotsay, and then went to his career splits. Here’s what I found:

• vs. RHP: 4061 PA, .284 BA, .341 OBP, .420 SLG, .761 OPS, 101 OPS+
• vs. LHP: 1345 PA, .284 BA, .333 OBP, .415 SLG, .748 OPS, 97 OPS+

Mark Kotsay has been, like, exactly the same player against both righties and lefties throughout his career.

Now THIS Is How You Use A Bullpen (I’m Looking At You Joe Torre)

Last night, I witnessed easily the most infuriating loss of the Yankees’ dismal season. I mean, this was epically infuriating. Mere days after Torre cost the Yankees the game against the Giants by refusing to pitch Mariano Rivera in a tie game, Torre did the exact same thing against the Orioles.

It was 2-2 in the 9th, thus creating the dreaded scenario in which Torre manages a tie game on the road. Invariably in these games, Torre will resort to mediocre reliever after mediocre reliever in order to preserve the tie, so that the Yankees can score a run, so that Rivera can get a save. This, of course, means that the greatest reliever in baseball history is picking splinters out of his butt on the bench while inferior pitchers give up game-winning runs. Torre never seems to get that – in these situations – the game ends if the other team scores. But that’s cool with Torre. Scott Proctor, Luis Vizcaino, Kyle Farnsworth, and Mike Myers are all clearly better options than that Rivera guy.

Anyway, my beef is that Torre never puts his best reliever (Rivera) in tie games on the road, because he wants to save him for the save situation that may or may not come. Instead of using his best reliever in the most important of situations, he continually turns to worse options and Rivera rarely gets into the game. Also, the Yankees usually lose.

Why am I writing all this? Well, the Red Sox are playing the Mariners tonight in Seattle. It was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th. Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima opened the inning by allowing a single, a sacrifice bunt, and then another single. Therefore, there were runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Did Terry Francona leave Okajima in, even while knowing that if the Mariners score, the game ends? Nope. He brought in Jonathan Papelbon, his best reliever. Papelbon induced two flyballs, thus ending the inning. Papelbon then proceeded to pitch a perfect 10th inning. He was eventually replaced by Joel Piniero, who gave up a run and lost the game.

The moral of the story is this: it is okay and even preferable to bring in your closer in a tie game on the road. It is the smart tactical move. In this example, Papelbon pitched 1.2 perfect innings, which gave his team a chance to win. In the Torre situation, mediocre relievers pitch imperfect innings, which gives their team less of a chance to win.

Well played, Boston. Well played.

ESPN Is Not Comedy Central

If you have a DVR, set it to record tonight’s Sportscenter. There’s an abortion of a train wreck of a segment wherein analysts Mark Schlereth, John Kruk and Dick Vitale give mock-serious consideration to competitive eater Kobiyashi’s recent injury that may keep him from entering this weekend’s event.

If you don’t have a DVR, God bless you.

Joe Morgan’s Terrible Book: Part I

I’ve taken up the endeavour of critiquing a book called Baseball My Way. Why? It’s written by the namesake of our blogging idols, Joe Morgan. So far I’ve only managed to get through the appallingly written opening remarks. Here are some choice quotations: keep in mind this was published in 1976, the year after Joe won the National League MVP and the Big Red Machine won the greatest World Series of all time (Special K surely has bittersweet memories of the runner-up); astute followers of Joe and his ’stache will note salient Joe-themes emerging already. Lessons learned from the first section of Baseball My Way:

1. Short, simple sentences with short, simple words are good.

2. Small ball is sweet.

I think the single item I enjoy above all others is our scoring without the team getting a base hit or being charged with an at-bat – as when, for example, I walk, steal second, get bunted over to third, and score on a sacrifice fly.

Joe indeed had the plate discipline and base-stealing ability to utilize this strategy. But it’s clear that he prefers this style of play to, you know, hitting home runs. Also, that’s two outs for a run. We are supposed to be comfortable with this exchange rate. Is this why the dollar is so weak?

3. Baseball is not the same as hockey.

4. His Most Valuable Player award was good for the game because he was such a complete player.

5. Joe is a hypocrite.

I feel everyone should learn to do as many things as possible, rather than confine himself to any one area. That goes not only for baseball but for life.

I guess that doesn’t include becoming educated about points of view different from your own – especially when they are backed up by evidence.

6. A player can help his team in many different ways. In order for a team to be good, it has to have players who get on base, players who can move people along, and players who can drive in runs.

Congratulations, you made a point and didn’t mess up horribly.

Others can learn to bunt and move runners along.

Never mind.

7. Players who are good fielders can help just by being good fielders and fielding their positions well.

So they field well is what you’re saying.

8. Joe Morgan foresaw the respective careers of Darin Erstad and David Eckstein. He unloads these next quotes in three separate, unrelated paragraphs.

When people ask me, “How can a little guy like yourself do so many things so well?” my answer is that baseball is a game of skill and not of strength and size. Baseball, more than any other sports, offers a place for the little guy.

In baseball, if a fellow works to do as many things as he possible can, his size doesn’t matter.

The MVP award in 1975 proved that there’s room for a 5-foot-7, 150-pounder in big league baseball.

9. Joe admires other players.

One of the people I admire is Willie Stargell, because of his consistency. To me, Stargell is the only real, legitimate home run hitter left.

I read this on June 25 2007, a week after Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run. Barry Bonds might be in St. Louis next week when he hits career home run 755 (please please please please). There are about eight others within striking distance of 500.

Steve Garvey is another player I admire because of his consistency.

Joe likes the word consistent. It’s his bliss.

I admire Lou Brock for his endurance.

I admire Lou Brock for his supreme overratedness. And his delectable, ivory-skinned trophy wife.

And he’s got to have a shout-out for the other cogs in the Big Red Machine.

Another player I admire is Tony Perez who, to me, is the best clutch hitter in the game today. Having played with Perez, I think he’s more consistent in the clutch than any player I’ve ever seen.

I admire Johnny Bench for his natural ability.

I admire Pete Rose and his desire to excel, his determination always to do a good job.

Tom Seaver is admirable just for being himself.

You ran out of things to say, didn’t you?

I admired Bob Gibson, the greatest competitor I’ve ever seen or played against on a baseball field.

I like this one for some reason . . . .

10. Joe’s pre-game ritual often included three hours of fielding practice and a nap in the clubhouse.

Okay, after the Cardinals beat the Mutts, I must read the section where Joe teaches us how to field. God help us all.

Michael Kay Obviously Does Not Read This Blog

Because then he would have seen my recent post about Miguel Cairo. During tonight’s Yankees-Orioles game, he said:

“Miguel Cairo obviously knows how to handle the bat.” (emphasis his)

For those new to baseball this blog, I will recap. Miguel Cairo, in his 1044 game career, has:

• .267 BA
• .315 OBP
• .359 SLG
• 76 OPS+
• 27 HR
• .245 EqA

Miguel Cairo sucks. He “obviously” knows how to handle the bat in that he doesn’t look at it quizzically, sniff it, tap it, and then use it to pick his nose. He knows that he has to swing it. That’s about it.

Live-Blogging . . . A Book?

Today and tomorrow are my off days from work. I was perusing the vast library of baseball books my step-dad own, and came across this book.

This is my promise to you, loyal reader (I’m pretty sure there’s only one of you): I will read this entire book in the next 48 hours and write regular updates reporting its content.

Wish me luck.

Irrelevant

During tonight’s Giants-Yankees game, play-by-play man Thom Brennaman brought up Omar Vizquel’s recent quote about the possibility of him being traded. To paraphrase, Vizquel said he would be amenable to a trade if he could play full-time with his new team. Otherwise, he’d prefer to stay put.

Brennaman latched on to Vizquel’s stance. Paraphrased:

Brennaman: “Knowing Omar Vizquel as we do, we know he’s not a selfish guy. But what I’m saying is this – if you read that quote in the newspaper, he comes across as selfish.”

Girardi: “You’re right; Omar is not selfish. This is a guy who has 200 sacrifice bunts in his career.”

Sacrifice bunts ≠ moral character.

It’s A Small Difference, But Still

Michael Kay, lamenting the Giants’ offense during tonight’s Giants-Yankees game:

“The San Francisco Giants have a .260 batting average with runners in scoring position.” (emphasis his)

The San Francisco Giants also have a team batting average of .249.

Ya Think?

Just check out the title.

Little Known Fact: The New York Yankees Are Not A Level Of The New York Yankees Organization

During tonight’s Yankees-Rockies game:

Ken Singleton: “Andy Phillips has hit at every level of the Yankees organization”

Andy Phillips has an OPS+ of 77 in his career with the Yankees, with a .228 BA and a .281 OBP.