Frayed Knot

Not just for an old guy but pretty much all around. A quick-n-dirty search of NL ERA leaders (theoretically, at least, the best of the bunch) showed most averaging in the mid-6's for IP/start meaning that for the most part he's averaging an out, or sometimes two, less than the supposed cream of the crop. IOW, not much indicates that his replacement is going to give you much more. Only Brandon Webb, btw, hit 7+ Look, if he leaves, he leaves, I'm not going to get all broken up over it. But I think they're going to be looking for a starter in addition to Glavine anyway, meaning that his departure would leave them searching for two. And in a staff decorated with question marks & injuries I fail to see the logic in celebrating the potential departure of the most consistent (and unijured) guy from last season ... especially when I think part of the reason childishly involves lingering issues of Brave cooties.

1976RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Jerry Koosman29Jon Matlack28Tom Seaver27Dave Kingman26John Milner25Skip Lockwood24Ed Kranepool23Felix Millan22Jerry Grote21Joe Torre20Bruce Boisclair19Bud Harrelson18Mike Phillips17Mickey Lolich16Bob Apodaca15Wayne Garrett14Del Unser13Craig Swan12John Sterns11Ken Sanders10Roy Staiger9Ron Hodges8Rick Baldwin7Leo Foster6Bob Myrick5Mike Vail4Nino Espinosa3Pepe Maguel2Lee Mazzilli1Leon Brown

1975RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Tom Seaver29Rusty Staub28Dave Kingman27Felix Millan26Jerry Koosman25Jon Matlack24Bob Apodaca23Del Unser22Wayne Garrett21Ed Kranepool20Jerry Grote19Rick Baldwin18Joe Torre17Hank Webb16Ken Sanders15Skip Lockwood14Mike Phillips13Mike Vail12Randy Tate11Tom Hall10George Stone9John Milner8Gene Clines7John Stearns6Harry Parker5Jack Heidemann4Jesus Alou3Bud Harrelson2Craig Swan1Ron Hodges

]in favor of mischaracterizing my position I sincerely apoligize for my misinterpreting the approximate 75 times in the last few months that you've stated (in one form or another) how much Glavine's presence has been a drag on this team and/or your desire to see him pitch anywhere but at Shea next year as an implication that his banishment would be an improvement to the team. I don't know what I was thinking.

Am I the only one who noticed that Glavine was our best starter last year? Now I'm not suggesting giving him a long-term contract at this point, but w/El Duque even older, Pedro already out thru at least July, Perez an untamed maybe, Bannister a virtual unknown, Pelfrey & Humber w/only a few ML innings between them, and Maine a half-year wonder so far (and you wonder if he's got another half) I don't get the view that Glavine departure is some kind of addition by subtraction.

Boy, wouldn't that just solve all our pitching woes if true!

AFAIK, it's always been the managers voting for GG awards - and certainly was when Palmiero won the year he DH'd almost exclusively

1974RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Jon Matlack29Rusty Staub28Tom Seaver27Cleon Jones26Jerry Koosman25John Milner24Ray Sadecki23Bob Apodaca22Harry Parker21Wayne Garrett20Jerry Grote19Tug McGraw18Ed Kranepool17Don Hahn16Bud Harrelson15Felix Millan14Jack Aker13Bob L. Miller12Teddy Martinez11Ron Hodges10Dave Schneck9Ken Boswell8Benny Ayala7Jerry Cram6George Stone5Craig Swan4Duffy Dyer3George Theodore2Randy Sterling1Nino Espinosa

]i really thought the writers gave Palmiero the GG, can you please confirm it was the managers? Yes, GG awards are voted on by managers/coaches - 1 vote per team I believe - and that vote can't be for your own guy. The votes for RoY, MoY, CY & MVP are given to 2 writers (on a rotating basis) per city that has a team in that league. HoF votes go to any BBWAA member who has spent at least 10 years covering baseball.

]... doesn't a player need 10 years in the majors to appear on the ballot at all? That is correct.

]You understand that the players are prohibited from voting for their own teammates? You understand that managers are too and it still hasn't stopped DH's (Palmiero) and mediocre fielders (Jeter) from getting multiple Gold Glove awards. Players play. Asking them to also be the stewards of the game isn't a good idea.

dinosaur jesus wrote: I do believe that Mazzilli could throw every bit as well with his left as with his right. So can my grandmother. He never did do it in an official game, though. Did your grandmother?

1973RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Tom Seaver29Jerry Koosman28Rusty Staub27Jon Matlack26Tug McGraw25Felix Millan24Wayne Garrett23John Milner22George Stone21Bud Harrelson20Ray Sadecki19Cleon Jones18Harry Parker17Ed Kranepool16Jerry Grote15Willie Mays14Teddy Martinez13Don Hahn12Buzz Capra11Jim McAndrew10Phil Hennigan9Ron Hodges8Jim Fregosi7Ken Boswell6George Theodore5Duffy Dyer4Jim Beauchamp3Jim Gosger2John Strohmayer1Dave Schneck

Isn't that where Kennedy started? He, along with brief 20G-winner Kent Bottenfield, were the main bait for Jim Edmonds. On edit: Bottenfield won 18 for the Cards in '99 (and never as many as 9 before or after) and Kennedy was a former StL #1 (20th overall) draft pick.

metsmarathon wrote: what exactly prevented Oh from coming to america to play in the MLB? Don't know that he ever tried, but the ultra-restrictive system in Japan would have made it difficult even if he did. on edit: (FK: even slower and less complete) On McGwire; I tend to agree w/CF in that I prefer proof to innuendo before declaring someone guilty of something (particularly for something w/only quasi-illegal status in baseball at the time) -- but it's also a new issue at this point in which we don't know at least as much as we do, all of which would lead me to casting a 'no for now' vote and deal with it on a year-by-year basis.

1972RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Jon Matlack29Tom Seaver28Tug McGraw27John Milner26Jim McAndrew25Rusty Staub24Tommie Agee23Wayne Garrett22Cleon Jones21Willie Mays20Bud Harrelson19Ray Sadecki18Dan Frisella17Duffy Dyer16Jerry Koosman15Gary Gentry14Ed Kranepool13Jim Fregosi12Ken Boswell11Jerry Grote10Dave Marshall9Teddy Martinez8Jim Beauchamp7Buzz Capra6Bob Rauch5Chuck Taylor4Lute Barnes3Tom Moore2Hank Webb1Dave Schneck

Truer flight = less 'turbulence' = greater speed

I like Bradford -- but I also [u:2cfcf2fd18]dis[/u:2cfcf2fd18]like giving middle relievers 3-year deals which is apparantly what lured him (nothing official yet) to Bal'mer.

Having the players vote would be a really, really, bad idea IMHO. As already mentioned, the coach/manager vote for Gold Glove awards is probably more ridiculed than the ones the writers cast and the coaches aren't as likely to have as many hidden biases and petty reasons behind their votes as the players are, particularly when you consider that some of them have a financial interest in the results. "I'd be lying to say there's not an anti-Jeter sentiment in the Midwest. It's there. But the fallacy here is that the writers would allow that type of feeling among fans get in the way of their voting for the MVP… We're the ones who make a mockery of guys who don't play the game right. More than anybody, we appreciate a guy like Jeter, and the way he plays the game. But it's not like he got beat by some joke of MVP pick. Morneau was a legitimate pick." --Joe Christenson, Minneapolis Star-Tribune Twins beat reporter "To me, Jeter is a special player. I just think Morneau sustained a higher level of production." --BBWAA voter Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune

1971RANKINGSPOINTSPLAYER30Tom Seaver29Tug McGraw28Cleon Jones27Dan Frisella26Tommie Agee25Ed Kranepool24Gary Gentry23Bud Harrelson22Jerry Grote21Ray Sadecki20Jerry Koosman19Nolan Ryan18Ken Singleton17Donn Clendenon16Ken Boswell15Ron Taylor14Jim McAndrew13Charlie Williams12Tim Foli11Bob Aspromonte10Dave Marshall9Teddy Martinez8Don Hahn7Wayne Garrett6Art Shamsky5Duffy Dyer4Mike Jorgensen3Jon Matlack2LeRoy Stanton1John Milner

The funny thing about dealing Manny now is that the money they'll save isn't nearly as substantial as it would have been in recent years. When they first dared someone to grab him by putting him on irrevocable waivers they did so in order to get out from under the risk of his skills turning south with all that time remaining plus having that 5 x $20mil freed up to use on all kinds of players filling all kinds of holes. Now, the risk is down to just 2 seasons left and, with the sudden and recent inflation, a mesely $40mil just doesn't go as far as it used to.

"Can somebody please wake up the baseball writers before they give out more dumb MVP awards based on RBIs? " On this point, I agree with Verducci.

metirish wrote: Danys Baez gets $19 million form the Orioles for three years Imagine what he would have gotten if he actually had a good season this past year?

- I'd be happy enough to see just Gwynn & Ripken get in this year - I once listened to an entire afternoon of phone calls to talk radio from Yanqui fans arguing that Barry Bonds (pre public steroid outings) shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Paul O'Neill; the whole clutch thing don't you know.

"with only a year under his belt" Ummm ... he has two "give him 1 more year" He already has (this) one coming. What'll likely happen is a new deal which replaces this one with a 3-yr deal, essentially adding 2 to what is already his w/a raise based on the results to date.