Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It should be remembered that one of the driving forces behind North Korea developing nuclear weapons in the first place was as a deterrent to China... The struggle for Democracy in Hong Kong continues. Let's not forget... Can't wait for football to come back so we can get all those "Jameis Winston is in the best shape of his life" stories coming out of Saints camp... Who knew? Hall of Famer Andre Dawson now works as a mortician... Part of me would like to create Chemistry Trading Cards of all the elements of the periodic table plus one scientist per pack (along with a stale piece of gum). Probably won't do it because the realist in me recognizes this would appeal to a limited niche market... Speaking of science related business ideas - instead of a Jack in the Box toy how about an Einstein in a Box toy? But instead of Pop Goes the Weasel we would need a better tune... 

Derek Jeter

Joel Sherman has a column up on Derek Jeter that got me thinking. The point of Sherman's piece is that Jeter's contract is up after 2010 and:

After all, what team official wants to tell Jeter he has to take a pay cut or has to move positions or - gulp - just has to move on? How would you like that on your baseball epitaph: You were the Yankee executive who told Derek Jeter thanks for the memories?

Of course, the alternative is not too appetizing either. Because kowtowing to Jeter's legacy by paying him lavishly and keeping him at short means tying yourself to a late-30s icon well beyond his expiration date.

As if the matter needs complications, Jeter will conclude his current 10-year, $189 million contract on the doorstep of 3,000 hits, a total never reached by a Yankee.

At first I thought Sherman was being premature but the goal of any good column is to get you thinking and this one succeeded at that.

My guess is that 3,000 hits or no 3,000 hits - Jeter will probably retire after 2010 instead of sullying himself by going the Varitek route. Of course I could be wrong and Jeter could go the Wade Boggs route and try to hang on for 3,000 hits. I mean he could average just better than .232 for the next four years and that would still be good enough for him to finish with both over 3,000 hits and a better than .300 career batting average.

If Jeter does call it quits after 2010 then that begs the question "Is Derek Jeter a Hall of Fame player?" The gut reaction seems to be "Yes!" but I'm not so sure.

Jeter will probably finish in the top 30 in career runs scored and in the top 50 for hits. If you ask me - Andre Dawson has much better credentials - 8 Gold Gloves that aren't tainted, an MVP award and Dawson can match Jeter's "intangibles". Jeter will probably get in due to his popularity but I'm thinking it won't be the slam dunk that many people expect.

Jim Rice and Andre Dawson - Poster Children for the Clean Player

Nick Cafardo opens today's column with the following:

NEW YORK - Poster child for the clean player?

That's precisely what Jim Rice's legacy might be.

While I agree with the sentiment - I think Jim Rice will be the just the first poster child. The next will be Andre Dawson of whom Ryne Sandberg went out of his way to say the following during Sandberg's own induction speech:

Andre Dawson, the Hawk. No player in baseball history worked harder, suffered more or did it better than Andre Dawson. He's the best I've ever seen. Stand up Hawk. The Hawk. I watched him win MVP for a last place team in 1987 and it was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen in baseball. He did it the right way, the natural way and he did it in the field and on the bases and in every way, and I hope he will stand up here someday.

Emphasis mine. Jim Rice and Andre Dawson the poster children for "the natural way."

Mark McGwire got the numbers and he also got paid over $74 million during his career. Steroids helped McGwire get his numbers but being clean helped Jim Rice earn the Hall of Fame. Same will be true for Andre Dawson.

The Hall of Fame Vote

Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice were elected to the Hall of Fame yesterday. I've come to accept the flaws involved in the Hall of Fame voting. How can 28 people leave Rickey Henderson off their ballots? It's because it's a flawed process. How can it take the voters 15 years to decide that Jim Rice is a Hall of Famer? It's because it's a flawed process. How can Jay Bell get 2 Hall of Fame votes? It's because it's a flawed process.

Too bad that the title I Am Third was already used by Gale Sayers for his biography because that title would have been perfect for Jim Rice. He's third in almost every hitting category in Red Sox history behind Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. Rice is also the 3rd best left fielder in Red Sox history behind those two greats. In addition - Jim Rice is the 3rd best player ever to come out of the state of South Carolina (behind Shoeless Joe Jackson and Larry Doby).

Many people will question the election of Jim Rice. I won't argue that the steroids backlash probably helped Rice get elected but I would argue that is the way it should be. Comparing Jim Rice's numbers to steroids era guys had been a huge detriment to Rice's candidacy. When I look at the list of all-time home run hitters - I have to question at least 9 of the players from the steroids era who are ahead of Jim Rice. In his prime was almost always in the top 10 in total bases and top 5 in MVP votes six times. When I saw him play - I said to myself "There's a Hall of Famer" and that to me has always been the key indicator.

I thought that Andre Dawson was also a Hall of Famer when I saw him play and I fully expect Dawson to eventually get to the needed 75% for induction. I have to wonder if Dawson had played for a single team whether he'd have been inducted by now.

Top 5 - Baseball Players from Florida

Here are who I consider the top 5 baseball players born in Florida.

1. Steve Carlton - Hall of Fame pitcher - 329 career wins and 4 Cy Young Awards
2. Andre Dawson - should be in the Hall of Fame -as Ryne Sandberg said "he played the game the right way"
3. Fred McGriff - another guy who should be in the Hall of Fame - lead both the AL and NL in HR in separate years
4. Chipper Jones - will be in the Hall of Fame - not a ton of HR but top 25 all-time in OPS
5. (tie) Tim Raines - 5th all-time in stolen bases (tie) Gary Sheffield - closing in on 500 HR

I was surprised that there was only one Hall of Famer from Florida. You would think that a state that is always in the top 3 (with California and Texas) in producing athletes would have more than one. Florida does have a number of players who either should be in the Hall of Fame or are the most borderline of cases. You could actually arrange the last four players on my list in any order and I would not argue with it.

I was also surprised to learn that Wade Boggs was not born in Florida but instead was born in Omaha, Nebraska.

Florida is also home to the player who perhaps blew the most talent in the history of MLB - Doc Gooden. Conversely it is also home to the player who has probably maximized his God given gifts more than any other in Tim Wakefield.