Blog Post 2-

Tejada’s Arrival Time

Rob Neyer’s post “Terry Collins Disappointment by Rubin Tejada’s On-Time Arrival” discusses the unrealistic discontent of Tejada’s manager regarding the player’s arrival time to spring training.  Tejada is 22 years old and the up-and-coming shortstop for the New York Mets.  Times reports “Collins was disappointed this week because Tejada, who became the Mets’ starting shortstop this winter, had not arrived early to camp. He said Friday that he would meet with Tejada when he arrived — not to chide or embarrass him, but to let him know that more eyes are on you when you are the starter” (Neyer, 2012). 

Collins’ disappointment seems to me, highly unwarranted.  Tejada did not arrive at training late, but on time.  The young player’s home, and presumably most of his family, is in Panama.  Even though Tejada has stepped into a spotlight starting position in the MLB, expecting him to arrive early is the equivalent of expecting any professional to show up hours early for work, or shave off vacation time simply out of passion for their career. Baseball players already spend an abnormally large amount of time training, traveling, and being away from family.  This on time arrival in should not imply that Tejada is not dedicated to his profession or grateful for his position on the Mets.  As Neyer points out, Tejada may very well have been training and working in Panama.  Whether he was relaxing, or training, it is his own personal time and right to do as he pleases.  

Like Collins, all too often, the public places unrealistic expectations on baseball players.  As highlighted in Ball Four discussed in The Cambridge Companion to Baseball, there is a misconception that all players are “Boy Scouts”, who play because they love the game, and should perhpas even play the sport without pay.  Ball Four exposed baseball players as normal, if not corrupt human beings (Cassuto & Partridge, 2011). While a simple love of the game may motivate a small number of players, (Luke Gafannon in the Great American Novel) the fact is that professional baseball is a job. 

Although showing up early for spring training may have made Collins, and the public, “like” Tejada as a player more, showing up on time should not be anything people make judgments about.  Above being a baseball player, Tejada is a human.  

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/2/24/2822436/terry-collins-ruben-tejada-spring-training

Not Past Their Prime

Blog Post 1-

Not Past Their Prime

Joe Posnanski’s article “Aging (with chart!)” examines the ages at which MVPs and MVP candidates had their “good seasons”. Posnanski’s chart and research certify that most players’ great seasons occur when they are in their mid-to-late 20s, however Posnanski argues further that although many great players peak at this age they then maintain the gained skill level for some years after. From Posnanski’s attempt at a chart, it can even be noted that more players had their best seasons at age 36 than at age 20. Joe Morgan, for example had his best years at age 31 and 32, even though he was considered a failure briefly at age 25 for hitting .236.    

This article presents the overlaying question of “How smart is it to sign a player for big money into his mid-to-upper 30s?” (Posnanski, 2012).  Just as Billy Beane observed the scouts of the Oakland A’s and scouts of the entire league putting unreasonable faith into young high school players, similarly “old” players are unreasonably stigmatized as past their peak and no longer as valuable after a certain age. In Michael Lewis’ Moneyball, Billy Beane is able to gain unimagined success by utilizing the evident skills rather than rely on potential skills that young players may develop.  The appeal of the young players is their potential to improve, and of course the innocent and promising good looks.  Once a player has reached his peak, the thrill of the prospect is lost and thus the high value that has been earned is often forgotten.

Billy Beane uses statistics to choose his favorite players, regardless of age, yet Henry J. Waugh of Coover’s The Universal Baseball Association buys into the myth.  Waugh is deeply disturbed by the death of young Damon Rutherford.  The freak accident that killed this fantasy player particularly upsets Waugh because Damon showed so much promise.  Would this accident have bothered Waugh as much if it had been a 31 year old star that was killed? 

Like body type, arm movement, facial features, and eating habits, age should not be such a determining factor in a player’s value.   Although Joe Pasnanski’s chart shows a definite peak in player ability in the mid 20s, this ability does not immediately disappear once it is mastered. 

 Source- joeposnanski.si.com/2012/02/10/aging-with-chart/