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Darth on the Diamond |
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October 27, 2005
The Mazzone Factor, Joe being Joe and The Truth about A-Rod
By Darth Reagan
It appears to me that if you blink an eye these days the entire landscape of MLB changes….Less than three weeks ago Smoltz was out-dueling Clemens, Joe Torre was leaving the Yankees and A-Rod was the whipping boy for the entire world of sports media.
Today, the Braves are out of the playoffs, thanks to an 18th inning shot by Chris Burke, Leo Mazzone is headed to Baltimore, Joe Torre is staying and A-Rod’s post season struggles have been trumped by Vladimir Guerrero. With all of these recent developments I think it is high time to weigh in on the action.
The Mazzonne Factor
In Leo Mazzone we are talking about a guy who knows pitching and above all else, he knows winning. He has been a part of a World Championship and countless Division Championships during his tenure as pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves. His players love him and he has a knack for getting the most out of his star pitchers, i.e. Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine. However, his greatest accomplishment of years past has been his ability to get more out of his less talented pitchers and in Baltimore he will have to do more of the same. The question is can he do it well enough and quickly enough to challenge for the AL East crown in 2006?
The answer: I doubt it. I don’t doubt Mazzone’s abilities as a pitching coach because he’s always delivered and he has learned under one of the best of all time in Bobby Cox. BUT…..He is inheriting a staff devoid of depth with a franchise equally lacking in team chemistry. Mazzone will be able to help restore order in a dysfunctional clubhouse but he won’t be able to solve the pitching woes immediately. His genius lies within his ability to help players grow into their roles and mature over the course of a season. Look for Baltimore to hover around .500 for the majority of the 06’ season while consistently improving through September. Unlike 05’ where they went 10-18 in September. Unfortunately, Baltimore will have to wait until 2007 to make a legitimate run at the AL East.
Guess Who’s Back? For now…….
I love Joe Torre. He’s a solid game coach with an incredible ability to manage egos. In other words, he fits in perfectly in New York. Since 1996 Yankees baseball has been Joe Torre and Derek Jeter. To me that is quite an improvement over the days of Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson. I think the only question to ask is, “How long is too long for Torre?”.
The answer: He’ll coach until he wins another World Series or is fired by Steinbrenner. I think he made a wise choice by agreeing to come back for next season. For Torre, it isn’t about his boss, his pay or the glamour. Torre wants to come back because he loves the game, but above all else he loves his team. I believe he wants to coach Jeter forever and who wouldn’t want to? I also believe he wants to stay with A-Rod and help him attain the elusive ring. Look, Joe Torre is the consummate professional leader willing to take blame for struggles (much like early 2005) and give the accolades to the players (much like the 2005 AL East Championship). He’s no longer in this for himself; he’s in it for his players. That is why the Yankees will win the American League Championship next season! And you can write that down!
A-Rod’s B-game?
I will never understand the media’s fascination with failure; at least their idea of failure! This year’s following of A-Rod’s post season batting average reminded me of the Chicago Bulls hay days when Marv Albert would update us with Jordan’s shooting percentage after every shot….I can here Marvelous Marv, “Jordan misses from the wing to go to 0 for 2 from the field…..or Jordan is now 7 for 18 from the floor”. Let’s just say that it drove me crazy then and it drives me crazy now watching the same thing happen to A-Rod. I understand the fact that great players will attract such limelight from the media but it doesn’t tell the whole story. In order to get the whole story one must look to a knowledgeable baseball person…..which the media is not….but thankfully, I happen to be.
The Whole Story on A-Rod
A-Rod is the most feared hitter in the AL. Yes, Boston bandwagon, he’s more feared than Big Poppy, and he is one of the best fielders in the game. Bottom line is he’s the best all around player in the entire league. However, the most impressive aspect of his game is not his talent but his unselfishness. We can’t forget that he came to New York as the reigning Gold Glove winner at Shortstop and received the award in Yankee Stadium while playing 3rd. He graciously stepped aside to Jeter and took on a new position while never complaining. He knew it was the best thing for the team. Then in 2005 A-Rod slid into the 2 hole, while batting .321 with 48 jacks and 130 rbi’s. Again, never once bashing his coach or teammates. Finally, he played in all 162 games while never asking for a day off during a tumultuous season full of ups and downs. The guy is a pro, a grinder and a leader that had a bad division series (If you want to call best of 5 a series).
Why did A-Rod struggle? There are many reasons. First, its baseball and a bad 5 game stretch has happened to everyone, including media superheroes Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. Secondly, he didn’t see anything to hit because Mike Scioscia knew better. A-Rod batted 2nd but had only 15 official ab’s while drawing 6 walks. The pitch sequences I saw from the Angels were horrifying. 0-0 sliders, 2-0 sliders, 3-0 and yes, 3-2 sinkers. Scoscia wasn’t going to let A-Rod beat him. Scioscia won. Lastly, the Angels’ pitchers were on…….and good pitching beats good hitting every time. Simply put; that’s baseball.
For all of you A-Rod haters out there please enjoy this opportunity to stand on him now because he is going to bounce back better than ever. Why? Because he’s a professional and that’s what pros do.
To read UT Volunteer’s MLB notes, click here...
Contact Darth Reagan at darthreagan@thehighcourtofsports.com. |