The Ones That Got Away
Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA) is the amount of runs that a pitcher saved versus what an average pitcher would have allowed. A negative Runs Saved Above Average indicates a below average pitcher in this category.
Here are the 2005 RSAA totals, coming into today’s games, for some recent ex-Yankees pitchers:
Roger Clemens 51
Andy Pettitte 28
Brad Halsey 7
Esteban Loaiza 5
Chris Hammond 5
Jose Contreras 5
Gabe White 2
Mike Stanton (with Wash.) 2
Paul Quantrill (with SD) 1
Brandon Claussen 1
Jon Lieber -1
Orlando Hernandez -2
Javier Vazquez -3
David Wells -4
Jeff Weaver -8
For a point of comparison, here are the RSAA marks, again, coming into today’s action for the current Yankees hurlers:
Mike Mussina 14
Shawn Chacon (with NY) 11
Randy Johnson 8
Al Leiter (with NY) -1
Jaret Wright -9
Mariano Rivera 21
Tom Gordon 13
Aaron Small 5
Tanyon Sturtze 3
Felix Rodriguez 0
Scott Proctor -1
Alan Embree (with NY) -2
In terms of the ones that got away, the one that bothers me the most is Brandon Claussen. That could be Doug Drabek Part II. But, in a way, without that deal, maybe the A-Rod deal never happens for New York? So, in the end, maybe Brad Halsey is the one that perhaps they should have found a way to keep?
A talented, very young lefty hurler for a aging, and quite disappointing one…makes sense to me:(
I’m of the mindset that you stockpile as much arms as you can, given that pitching’s so tough to develop. I would’ve tried to find a way to keep Halsey, but I understand the reason behind the trade…
I don’t care what anybody says, it’s my opinion and can’t be proven one way or the other, if the Yankees keep Pettite and Clemmens last year it’s 27 WS for the Yanks and 87 years and counting for the Sox.
Were they supposed to handcuff them to the Yankees bullpen and release them for their starts? Pettitte and Clemens didn’t want to stay.
Yeah, JJay is right on.
Bozo, Pettite’s season ended early last year. Would his positive attitude have made the difference last year?
Brad, the RJ trade was not unreasonable. His #’s were absolutely staggering last year. It was a risky move which hasn’t worked out. Your beloved Sox made a very similar trade two years ago for an older pitcher. It worked out. Both teams are in the business of winning now. When the Yanks made the trade it made sense because the Unit was not yet a “disappointing” lefty (following the hindsight-in-present logic of your post).
There is not a team in the league who, given the resources and opp., would not have made the trade for RJ. All these Monday morning QBs now questioning the move were the same people crying for the Yanks to get a Randy Johnson type last offseason. And Brad Halsey is not exactly Johan Santana. The fact that Moonlight Graham, Eddie Gaedel and Pete Gray all could have gone deep on RJ yesterday is beside the point.
Handcuffing. Damn, why didn’t the Yankee brass try that.
FWIW, I would have given up Halsey for Johnson (albeit reluctantly). Randy’s a dominating pitcher who’s having a poor (by his standard) season. Probably he’ll bounce back next year.
The mystery is why we counted on Kevin Brown. He’s had a long history of being hurt, and declining performance.
I’m not even trying to dispute Johnson’s worth to the NL west, which is an offensive dumpster and should be relegated to play in the minor leagues, but rather the cost of the trade.
What are the chances that Johnson gets better next year, while a year older? The Yanks lost Nivarro (sp) and Halsey and Vasquez for Johnson who at the time was 40 (schilling was 36) and then gave him a three year deal.
Not only is it a bad move financially (not that that matters to the Yanks), but it’s stupid for what you gave up.
The Schilling contract was much more sensible, as the third year was only an option if he won the world series, which he did.
Schilling did what he was supposed to, and he did it beautifully. If he never pitches another game for Boston, he will forever be a success to us. Not that he’s not a dick, but he has done absolutely everything he was asked to do…which is so much more than you can say for RJ to date
And, if Randy Johnson wins Game 7 of the 2005 World Series for the Yankees, no one will care about what he did this year, or does on the rest of his contract. That’s the way it goes.
I don’t care what anybody says, it’s my opinion and can’t be proven one way or the other, if the Yankees keep Pettite and Clemmens last year it’s 27 WS for the Yanks and 87 years and counting for the Sox.
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Same can be said if Giambi was around for a complete season or if Brown didn’t take on a wall…
If “ifs and buts were candies & nuts, we’d all have a wonderful Christmas” – some crazy old person (:
And, if Randy Johnson wins Game 7 of the 2005 World Series for the Yankees, no one will care about what he did this year, or does on the rest of his contract. That’s the way it goes.
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Understood, but that’s a foolish way to evaluate a player.