Monday, May 24, 2004
Q&G Report
As you may know, the two biggest things I complain about here are Michael "Backwards" Kay, and the whole "Quantrill & Gordon" thing. Which refers to the fact that the entire media, NY and otherwise, has decided that thee two pitchers drastically improve the yankee team, and combined with Rivera, make games 6 innings long.
My opinion is that this is a completely unproven method, using a has-been and a could-have-been. But everyone else completely bought into it in the off-season, while I just figured it was George snatching up ex-Red Sox. But people talk about these two like they're some kind of proven tandem, that everyone wanted but the yanks got.
So we're a quarter of the way through the season, let's sum up the dynamic duo so far: Quantrill has been injured ever since A-Rod ran into him in spring training, but he's so stubborn that he'll just keep pitching. They've gotten 30 innings out of him--only Mussina, Vasquez, and Brown have pitched more--and he's given up exactly 30 hits. And has two losses. And has really stunk lately. He'll give 'em lots of innings, but that trend could end this year, we'll see what happens in September.
Gordon, he's done well for the most part, until this weekend when he completely crapped the proverbial bed. And he also has two losses. (So together, the two have 4 losses, the same amount as the entire Sox pen--and three of the Sox losses were by guys who aren't on the active roster.) Oh, and he's still old.
But the keys are: The "system," despite how flawless Charlie Steiner so arrogantly claims it is, still isn't an automatic by any means. The starters aren't good enough to put them consistently where they want to be--like, say, up 3-1 after 6. When they are up by 2, it's usually 9-7, which means they've already wasted a lot of innings from the rest of the bullpen. Maybe with the old starters from the last few years, this plan would be pretty good, except for the fact that we're still talking about Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon. Of 2004, not 1997.
Right now, even with what Torre calls his "best bullpen since '96," I'd still take the Red Sox pen. Rivera's ERA is 1.08--and Foulke's is still 70 points lower. Even a yankee fan would have to say the pens are about even--oh, unless they're falling into the Q&G trap. Because if you listen to NY Sports Radio, you'd think these two were hall-of famers.
The point is, I think we're lookin' real good right now. A game and a half up without Trot and Nomar is so key.
The magic number is 118 after an awesome weekend.
The next team up for the Red Sox is the Athletics. And what does that mean?
Bad news for the Athletics!!!
My opinion is that this is a completely unproven method, using a has-been and a could-have-been. But everyone else completely bought into it in the off-season, while I just figured it was George snatching up ex-Red Sox. But people talk about these two like they're some kind of proven tandem, that everyone wanted but the yanks got.
So we're a quarter of the way through the season, let's sum up the dynamic duo so far: Quantrill has been injured ever since A-Rod ran into him in spring training, but he's so stubborn that he'll just keep pitching. They've gotten 30 innings out of him--only Mussina, Vasquez, and Brown have pitched more--and he's given up exactly 30 hits. And has two losses. And has really stunk lately. He'll give 'em lots of innings, but that trend could end this year, we'll see what happens in September.
Gordon, he's done well for the most part, until this weekend when he completely crapped the proverbial bed. And he also has two losses. (So together, the two have 4 losses, the same amount as the entire Sox pen--and three of the Sox losses were by guys who aren't on the active roster.) Oh, and he's still old.
But the keys are: The "system," despite how flawless Charlie Steiner so arrogantly claims it is, still isn't an automatic by any means. The starters aren't good enough to put them consistently where they want to be--like, say, up 3-1 after 6. When they are up by 2, it's usually 9-7, which means they've already wasted a lot of innings from the rest of the bullpen. Maybe with the old starters from the last few years, this plan would be pretty good, except for the fact that we're still talking about Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon. Of 2004, not 1997.
Right now, even with what Torre calls his "best bullpen since '96," I'd still take the Red Sox pen. Rivera's ERA is 1.08--and Foulke's is still 70 points lower. Even a yankee fan would have to say the pens are about even--oh, unless they're falling into the Q&G trap. Because if you listen to NY Sports Radio, you'd think these two were hall-of famers.
The point is, I think we're lookin' real good right now. A game and a half up without Trot and Nomar is so key.
The magic number is 118 after an awesome weekend.
The next team up for the Red Sox is the Athletics. And what does that mean?
Bad news for the Athletics!!!
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