Players – Page 3 – Threeunassisted

The Glazing of Shohei Ohtani Needs to Stop

Really, I do.

Assuming he pitches to a high level again, we will never see a another player quite like him. The combination of power at the plate, speed on the basepaths and filth on the mound won’t ever be duplicated. We should celebrate him and his role as Major League Baseball’s poster boy is the right marketing call. There is just one issue that continues to gnaw at me (and lots of other fans, including my kids) and it was triggered by an alert I received on my MLB app earlier today.

Shohei is wonderful but there are 51 other guys in a baseball game. Credit: Yahoo Sports

The excess glazing of Shohei Ohtani needs to stop.

The alert I mentioned above read, “Shohei Ohtani ignites Dodgers en route to win over Cubs”. If you watched the game like I did (or at least the action where the Dodgers scored three of their four runs), you know that Ohtani did nothing special other than get his team’s first hit. Equally as important were the following:

Andy Pages‘s walk.

Ohtani’s hustle to score the go ahead run.

Tommy Edman‘s single and slide to break up a double play.

Teoscar Hernandez‘s hustle down to first and then taking second on a throwing error.

Will Smith‘s single.

In other words, it was a total team effort, not the work of one player.

Equally infuriating were the Fox cameras showing Ohtani in the dugout seemingly every third pitch. NFL fans voiced their displeasure for cameras finding Taylor Swift. That was maybe one, two times per quarter. Taylor Swift is invisible compared to Shohei Ohtani.

Of course, nothing beats MLB Network’s Top 100 Players and the logic of selecting Ohtani over Aaron Judge. Bobby Witt Jr. was #3 and Juan Soto was #4. The reason for that order was because Witt was a more complete player than Soto who is much more one dimensional. For making Ohtani #1 and Judge #2, Greg Amsinger used the exact opposite logic in declaring Ohtani the best player in the game as a designated hitter. To boot, he implied you were a moron to think otherwise. No Greg, being a DH with lesser offensive numbers than a guy who played center field does not make for a better player. Judge outperformed Ohtani in in home runs, RBI’s, batting average, on base percentage and slugging. Sorry, but Ohtani is not the better player until he takes the mound again.

I’d like to give the correct Lynch kid credit but I do believe it was Ryan who said baseball didn’t care about stolen bases until Ohtani started going for 50-50 in 2024. I disagree. They made the bases slightly larger to increase the prevalence of the stolen base.. However, if younger fans are noticing how much MLB is forcing Shohei Ohtani down our collective throats, how long before they quit watching Dodgers’ games? Have him pitch Jack in the Box burgers. Give him New Balance cleats to hawk. Make Decoy a pet food spokesdog. Just stop insulting us by making him a singular focus during our viewing of baseball games.

Bryce Harper Switching Positions? Big Deal!

There have been two recent stories regarding Bryce Harper offering to move away from first base in order to help out the Philadelphia Phillies. The first was was when he admitted to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (via SI.com here) that he would have gone back to the outfield had the Phillies signed Pete Alonso. The second was along the same lines per Todd Zolecki of mlb.com, in that should Philadelphia make a move for a first baseman, Harper would be willing to switch positions because of his desire to win a World Series. While it is noble for a player of Bryce Harper’s caliber to be willing to move from his preferred spot, it’s not exactly an unheard concept for a star to move somewhere else.

Bryce Harper switching positions would not be a big deal for him. Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer

In other words, this is not exactly a big deal.

In fact, there are a host of superstars over the last 20 years that have made accommodations for the betterment of the team. That’s what winning players do. Aaron Judge moved to center field in 2024 to make room for Juan Soto. Mookie Betts has changed positions multiple times since coming to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alex Rodriguez was the best player in the game as a shortstop but moved to third base when the New York Yankees acquired him. Craig Biggio was a catcher, a second baseman and an outfielder during the course of his Hall of Fame career. If you want to go back even further, Robin Yount was an MVP at shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers. A shoulder injury would necessitate a move to center field but he was Robin Yount, if he wanted to, he could have stayed put. All he did was win another MVP award as an outfielder.

Bryce Harper willing to move positions to help his team should not come as a shock to anyone. A World Series championship is the only thing missing on his Hall of Fame resume. You can bet he would do anything in his power to win not one World Series, but multiple ones. I am sure if the Player’s Association allowed it Harper would take a pay cut to help the team sign an important free agent. That’s why a story about him changing positions is not a big story at all.

Gerrit Cole, Starting Pitchers and the Hall of Fame

I was enjoying the silence of my drive home from work Monday afternoon. I have given up “Evan and Tikki” for Lent so either I’ll surf for something else on the radio or take in the quiet. Most times, I appreciate the lack of noise and with the weather turning warmer, the window will go down so I can listen to the sounds of birds chirping in slowing traffic. I was about 85% of the way home when I got the alert that all fans of the New York Yankees were dreading: Gerrit Cole will be having Tommy John surgery. Based on reports from Sunday, this was not exactly a surprise. The silence of the remaining drive allowed my mind to ponder an interesting question.

We won’t be seeing Gerrit Cole pitch in 2025. Credit: Northjersey.com

How many of today’s starting pitchers will make the Hall of Fame?

I thought about this because, let’s face it, the best of Gerrit Cole is over. By the time he returns to a Major League mound, he will be 36 years old. It is safe to say that he will not repeat his Cy Young season of 2023. He may not pitch more than 120 innings in a season for the rest of his career. Cole will go down as one of the best pitchers of this era with six top five Cy Young finishes, a two time ERA champion and the leader in strikeouts in two other seasons. His career ERA is 3.18 in an age where an ERA of 3.75 to 4.00 is considered fairly good. If this was 20 years ago, I would say Gerrit Cole would not be going to the Hall of Fame.

Now? He will be elected to Cooperstown. How many others that are pitching this decade will join him? Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer are locks. I can see Jacob deGrom getting in. After that? Your guess is at good as mine. This does not diminish the quality of starting pitching. It’s just the way they are used is not conducive to everlasting greatness. I’m sorry, the Hall of Fame cannot reward a starting pitcher whose career innings pitched per start is less than six, no matter how dominant he is. I honestly believe that once the group of starting pitchers I mentioned above are elected to the Hall, it might be a long time before we see another one enshrined.

I thought of two guys that might have a chance should they continue on their current trajectory: Framber Valdez and Spencer Strider. Valdez has been one of the American League’s best pitchers over the last five years with three top ten Cy Young finishes and a World Series Championship. Strider, despite coming off TJ surgery, is still only 25 and has the makeup and dominance to be a true ace.

How about you? Who do you think has a chance to a great starting pitcher, so great that he might get a plaque in the Hall of Fame?

It’s Spring Training and the Injuries are Piling Up

Has it really been three months since my last post? I mean the last time you heard from me was when Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets. The past 90 days have been extremely busy for me with work, coaching basketball and the distraction of other sports (St. John’s is ranked #6 in the country!). But I am back with the promise I won’t go an additional three months between entries. With the warm sunshine of Florida and Arizona invading our TV’s with Spring Training games, we are getting ready for our favorite pastime. Unfortunately, there are a number of big name players who will have their debuts in 2025 delayed by injuries.

Luis Gil is one of many players who will miss significant time in 2025. Photo from Yahoo Sports

Actually, I feel like this is an usually high number of players who will miss the start of the season because of IL stints.

Start with the two New York teams. Though it’s no surprise that Giancarlo Stanton is hurt, the timing is new. I feel like he is heading for surgery even though that has been described as a last resort. Luis Gil is out for three months. DJ LeMahieu will be out for who knows how long with a calf injury. On the Queens side, Frankie Montas (another shocker) will be out as long as Gil and Sean Manaea might return by the end of April. The Philadelphia Phillies have been relatively unscathed on the injury front. However, Caitlyn is already waffling between excitement and gloom after the Phillies’ staff was torched for 29 runs in two games earlier this week.

As far as the rest of the league goes, key players on playoff contending teams are dropping. MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson could miss the start of Baltimore’s season with an intercostal strain. In addition, the O’s will be minus starter Grayson Rodriguez to start the season with arm trouble and Andrew Kittredge for months after knee surgery. Sean Murphy of the Atlanta Braves will miss four to six weeks with a rib injury. Seattle’s George Kirby, arguably the team’s best pitcher, will start the season on the IL with shoulder inflammation. Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech is dealing with forearm tightness. Detroit’s Parker Meadows (nerve issue) and Matt Vierling (rotator cuff) are both expected to be placed on the IL. Other notable names due to miss significant time are Andrew Benintendi and Anthony Rendon.

Maybe it’s just me and this is a normal amount of injuries we see in Spring Training. Maybe it feels like this is an abnormal amount of hurt players because of the volume of Yankees and Mets that will miss time. It stinks that so many good players will miss Opening Day. I pray for the health of all players and that they return in time to play the majority of games in 2025.

Juan Soto Will Go to…….the Washington Nationals

The definitive question of the Major League Baseball offseason is where will Juan Soto sign? It is the question that, in my opinion, will linger past the New Year. My household is intently following the news about Soto’s meetings with a number of teams in the league. After all, the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies all have the means to pay the exorbitant asking price. However, I believe none of those three teams will be the one to sign the 26-year old Soto. Nor will it be the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Instead, it will be a team that only a few see coming. It actually shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The once and future National? Phot from CBS Sports

He’s going home.

Juan Soto will sign with the Washington Nationals.

I know that’s not the team you were thinking. However, all of the elements are there for Soto to stay in Washington for the rest of his career. Let’s start with the projected Nationals’ payroll. With Patrick Corbin‘s deal set to come off the books, total salaries for 2025 are estimated to be approximately $87 million dollars according to Fangraphs. Soto, even if his number is $55 million, along with some other additions, will put the Nats’ payroll slightly above average relative to the rest of the league. Another reason why I believe a reunion is in order is the fact Washington did offer him a contract extension shortly before trading him 2022. It was reported that the offer was for 15 years and $440 million dollars. I don’t expect Washington to shy away from making a package available just because the overall number has greatly increased. Finally, it’s a location that he is familiar with and where he enjoyed his greatest team success. He owns a World Series ring with the team and his two highest OPS marks came in 2020 and 2021. Why not return to the place where he knows a World Series can be won?

It’s going to be a long offseason with news about Juan Soto meeting with teams on a weekly basis. It will certainly keep baseball fans interested as Fall turns to Winter. In the end, one team will get the prize. That team will be the Washington Nationals.

MLB Election Day: Your Vote Matters!

There is a rumor going around that today we will be electing a new President. Actually, this is an Election Day that far supersedes who will become the leader of the free world. May I present to you the first-ever Threeunassisted vote for the Hall of Fame! Avoid the stress of politics and read on to participate in something a little bit more fun and less aggravating. I have gone through a deep vetting process to choose a nominee for each of the teams that are covered in this blog. I have run the numbers, conducted my own internal polling and have arrived at the three candidates that are most worthy of this inaugural event. These are three players who are steeped in their respective franchise’s history and who may one day get into Cooperstown thanks to either the Veterans’ Committee or the Classic Era ballot. It also just so happens that they all played first base.

The real election is taking place on this blog! Photo from the NY Post

Introducing the nominees:

Don Mattingly-New York Yankees

Despite never winning a World Series championship, Mattingly remains one of the most beloved players in Yankees’ history. Fans regard him as a sympathetic figure. He was the star in arguably the darkest period of Yankee baseball in my lifetime and his back injuries kept him from championships and Hall of Fame induction. For a four or five year span, Donnie Baseball was regarded as the best player in the game. He won a batting title in 1984 and was the American League Most Valuable Player the following season. His 1986 campaign was arguably better as he led the league in hits with 238, doubles with 53, slugging at .573 and OPS at .967. He was a nine time Gold Glove winner and captured three Silver Sluggers. In his one playoff series, he batted .417 in 25 plate appearances. Had he stuck around in 1996 to win a World Series, his Hall of Fame credentials would have been even more enhanced.

Ryan Howard–Philadelphia Phillies

He was the slugger on those great Phillies teams that won five consecutive division titles from 2007 through 2011. Howard was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2005 and captured the National League MVP the following season. When the Phillies became World Series Champions in 2008, Howard led the NL in home runs with 48 and RBI’s with 146. He was also named the MVP of the 2009 National League Championship Series. The Big Piece totaled five other top 10 MVP finishes and ranks second only behind Mike Schmidt in Phillies’ history with 384 home runs. Like Mattingly, injury robbed Howard of his full potential. He tore his Achilles tendon at the end of Game 5 of the 2011 Division series and was never able to eclipse 30 home runs again. His descent as a player coincided with the decline of the Phillies as the team did not finish above .500 again until 2021.

Keith Hernandez-New York Mets

It is hard to believe that Hernandez has been broadcasting Mets’ games longer than his actual Major League playing career. Because first base is primarily known as a power-hitting position, Hernandez’s Hall of Fame voting results have been skewed. He was an MVP in 1979 and is a two time World Series Champion, once with the Mets and the other with the St. Louis Cardinals. He won 11 Gold Gloves and is arguably the best fielding first baseman in baseball history. His on base percentage exceeded .400 six times during his 17 year career. Hernandez had three top ten MVP finishes while with the Mets and was one of the leaders on both of his championship teams. He is a lifetime .296 hitter with a .384 OBP and was a guy you wanted at the plate in a tough situation. His work in the booth alongside Gary Cohen and Ron Darling enhances his Hall of Fame credentials much like it did for Phil Rizzuto.

Put your vote in the comments section along with a simple reason for doing so. I’d love to see how this turns out!

Xavier Edwards and His Magical Night

It’s amazing to me that some things that should get more attention are overlooked. Take triples. To me, the triple is is the most exciting play in baseball. It is also by far, the rarest. In 2023, Bobby Witt Jr led all of baseball with a whopping 11 three baggers. Witt and Corbin Carroll (10) were the only two players to have double digits in triples last season. By contrast, 243 players connected for ten home runs or more in 2023. One would think that because of the rarity and excitement of the triple, we would see more highlights of this special play. The home run is glamour but the triple is the heart and soul of excitement.

Xavier Edwards made baseball history with three triples in a single game. Photo from AOL.com

Xavier Edwards of the Miami Marlins had three triples Friday night, leading his team to a 15-5 drubbing over the Toronto Blue Jays. Edwards is the first player to have three triples in one game since Yasiel Puig did it on July 25, 2014. Edwards is having a really good season for the Marlins, hitting .327 in 257 at bats and is tied for 16th in all of baseball with 31 stolen bases. The 25-year old shortstop is receiving his first extended Major League playing experience and is a building block for the Marlins who are once again starting over at the bottom of the National League East. 2024 is showing us that Xavier Edwards is here to stay and will be providing more excitement for us. After all, he plays in the same division as the Phillies and Mets so we will be seeing a lot more of him in the coming years.

I don’t know what kind of career Xavier Edwards is going to have. It is starting out well. His historic night should be more celebrated. The highlights on MLB’s Quick Pitch certainly didn’t help. We did not hear the call of his second triple which took place in the 4th inning. You can bet if it was a three home run outing all three would have been viewed, complete with the Marlins’ broadcast calls on each shot. There have been less than 50 players that have had three triples in a single game. There have been literally hundreds of times a player has hit three home runs in a game. Give it up for Xavier Edwards as he entered one of the most exclusive clubs in baseball history.

Tommy Pham is Driving My Kids Crazy

I would jump for joy like Tommy Pham if he called New York home. Photo from the Post Register

I have been a big Tommy Pham guy over the last year or so. I wrote an article about him in March, lamenting the fact that he had not found a team so late in Spring Training. I wanted the New York Yankees to sign him and as I sit here it pains me to know that Brian Cashman and company decided on three separate occasions to not pursue the veteran outfielder with a .313 batting average in 120 playoff plate appearances. I’ve spent most of the Summer pleading with Cashman (at least privately) to go after Pham because of his proven clutch performance. I’m sure some of you are tired of my dissertations on this topic.

Oh wait, you don’t live with me.

But my kids do. And I’m pretty sure they have had it with me on this subject.

Pham clutch for the Royals. Photo from my TV

At least Ryan has gone back to school and has received some refuge. However, even he is not safe 140 miles away. See the picture directly above this paragraph? One morning while watching Quick Pitch, I snapped it as a reminder (and to possibly email Brian Cashman) what the Yankees are missing by not signing Tommy Pham. I happened to send this picture to a group chat with my kids and other members of my family. No sooner did I hit the green arrow to grace everyone with my genius, Matthew sent the following reply:

“The moment I saw you take that picture I immediately knew what was happening and my prediction was correct”.

So not only have I become insufferable but I’ve become predictable.

Here it goes, hopefully for the last time.

Pham has been picked up by the Kansas City Royals after starting 2024 with the Chicago White Sox and then dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals. Cashman blew it by not grabbing him when he was available. The Yankees are a championship caliber team. However, they need someone that plays with an edge. This team gives off a no urgency vibe. Pham would change that………..hold on:

Tommy Pham just hit a home run against the Yankees.

I am a freaking genius.

Back to what I was saying. Pham would have been perfect in left field down the stretch. Alex Verdugo has been better lately but I’m sorry, Pham is a much better player with the money on the table. Verdugo would still be a valuable member of the team. He is a good defender with an excellent arm. He could play defense late. But the starter would be Pham.

Now I have to wait until next year to see if the folks running the Yankees smarten up and sign him. I’m not holding my breath. But next year, I won’t be as insistent on him landing in New York.

I promise.

My kids will make sure of that.

Hall of Fame Cases for Joey Votto and Giancarlo Stanton?

Today turned out to have some unexpected baseball talk at work. Now, we talk sports alot so the topic of baseball is not unexpected. However, in the middle of a light schedule today, a couple of things happened over the last 24 hours that sparked some lively discussions. What happened? Longtime Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto announced his retirement and Giancarlo Stanton belted his 21st home run of the year. The topic? Does either player belong in the Hall of Fame?

Joey Votto

We like to think of first basemen as bruising power hitters that can hit the ball a mile. Not so with Votto. He hit “only” 356 home runs over 17 years, eclipsing 30 just three times. What Votto does posses is an obscene on base percentage. He finished with a career .409 mark, including seasons such as an absurd .474 mark in 2012 and .454 in 2017. All told, he led the National League in that category seven times. He has four seasons of over 1.000 OPS with a lifetime mark of .920. He owns an MVP. And if we need some genuinely good and funny people in the HOF, he checks that box. See the time he homered and made the day of a young cancer patient.

The Verdict: 100% yes

Giancarlo Stanton

The New York Yankees’ designated hitter is an elite power hitter. The issue with Stanton is health. He’s appeared in 120 games or more over the course of a season only four times in 15 years. For a fearsome power hitter, he has never walked 100 times in a season, hence the career on-base percentage of .346. There are some things that work in Stanton’s favor. He currently is the active leader in home runs with 423. He has an MVP to his name, winning the award in 2017 with the Miami Marlins. He has led the National League in slugging three times, twice exceeding .600. Big G has slugged at least 30 home runs in a campaign eight times. However, his OBP has not gotten above .300 since 2021 and for all of the home runs hit, he has gotten to 100 RBI’s only three times. I will say this for Stanton. He has one of the most beautiful, yet violent swings I’ve ever seen. Not many people change the channel during his at bats.

The Verdict: No for now, but if he gets to 500 home runs, then it’s a yes.

Don’t Look Now, But Here Comes Rich Hill?

If it’s the end of July, then it’s time for us to be bombarded with around the clock rumors regarding the trading deadline. Actual transactions will be plentiful, as some names (AJ Puk, Randy Arozarena and Zach Eflin) havw already been moved. It’s July 26 and we are just getting warmed up. Among all the names that have been tossed about, the most fascinating one is a guy that is pushing my age: Rich Hill.

Rich Hill is waiting for a call in 2024. Photo from the Boston Globe

According to the great site for all things news, mlbtradrumors.com, the 44-year old Hill is drawing interest from the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In an interview conducted in August 2022, Hill had considered only playing in the second half of the 2023 season and try to hook on with a playoff contender. He ended pitched the entire season, first with the Pittsburgh Pirates and then the San Diego Padres. Hill is sticking with the plan this season, working out and waiting by the phone. This schedule allows him to spend quality time with his family and not have to endure the grind of a full season.

Pitching always sought after at this time of year. Given his tough 2023, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hill doesn’t get a call. However, if you are an American League team, why would you not reach out to him? After all, virtually any left hander will shut down the Yankees. Personally, I hope Rich Hill goes to the Atlanta Braves. Who doesn’t want to see a guy with 14 different organizations?