Cash Can’t Do Math
Posted by Steve L. on July 19th, 2006 · Comments (7)
From Jon Heyman -
[Brian] Cashman went on to wonder why Mets third baseman David Wright gets positive publicity while lately A-Rod’s seems all negative, despite the two having similar years. “He’s having the same season as David Wright,” Cashman said. “He’s not getting the same love because of the money he makes. Bottom line.”
Really? Their stats, to date, from the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:
OPS and RC/G above are “vs. the league average.”
I’m a Yankees fan, so, I hate to admit this, but, this season, to date, Wright is a lot better than A-Rod. Anyone who says different is not looking at the stats.
All due respect, but we care because?
If you read the Selena Roberts/NY Times article that also makes use of that quote, I think Cash wasn’t trying to get into a statistical analysis of the two players, he was more trying to defend his guy from the ridiculous and unjust amount of scrunity and negative coverage he receives. True, by the numbers, ARod hasn’t been as good as Wright, but he’s still being treated as though those stats were BELOW AVERAGE, instead of above average.
Not to re-hash this again, but you don’t have to be an ARod apologist to simply admit that the circus has run wild and that people are simply being irrational about him.
“He’s having the same season as David Wright.”
I dunno. I read/hear that and it sounds like a direct compare effort.
“I’m a Yankees fan, so, I hate to admit this…”
What’s your take on A-Rod’s ground out in the 9th today?
MJ is right; Cashman wasn’t actually doing analysis, he was defending his player. Offering encouragement. Trying to get the media to shut up about A-Rod’s sub-A-Rod season. His point was that there is a lot of negativity in the NY air, and I can see why you missed that.
I dunno. What did you expect Cash to say about his superstar 3rd baseman? “Well, there is actually a statistical basis for the booing. These fans aren’t all mindless tabloid headline readers. In fact, if you check out the well-regarded Was Watching, the esteemed Steve Lombardi has been making the argument that A-Rod has been stinking up the joint this whole year.” Of course, he’s going to obscure the facts to support A-Rod.
Show me one time where I said A-Rod stinks.
Under-performing? Yes.
And, he is – that’s why I said it.
But, did I ever, once, say that he stinks?
Let’s be fair guys.
Semantics. For A-Rod he’s stinking up the joint. For most other players he’s doing well. Most, if not everyone, agrees on that point in this site. Where I disagree with you is the idea that the booers are divided 50-50 between the fans who have noticed his poor performance and fans who let the newspapers do their thinking for them. I might be misremembering this, but I think you divided the “fanbase” of booers into that ratio. I think most of the booers (and I’ll put it at a 85-15 split) are engaging in mob mentality character assasination which originated in the national press, filtered through beat reporters and onto tabloid back pages. Why do I think that? Because last year, when A-Rod carried the Yanks he was the sole target of people’s scorn when they got booted by the Angels. Consider that Sheffield and Matsui probably had worse series, and consider that their paid handsomely, why was it only A-Rod who was shred to pieces? Moreover, Hideki’s and Sheff’s start of the 2006 season were pretty weak (Hideki was putrid, Sheff was quiet). Why did they get a free pass? Did you boo Matsui the first month of 2006? I didn’t..because I wanted him to turn it around.
Nick, for the record, this is what I said last month on the booing:
“In the first camp are those who were always looking for a reason to boo him all along – and Alex’s recent (and terrible) slump is just a great opportunity for them to let loose on him.”
“In the second camp there are those who see something specific to this season. They’re most likely to have never booed A-Rod in the past. In fact, they probably championed him during his Yankees MVP season. But, there are things happening this year that they see which are upsetting enough to make them want to boo.”
I never said it was 50-50. I have no idea what the split is on the two camps. It could be 99:1 for all I know. Or, 1:99. Or, something else.
As far as the ALDS last year, why did A-Rod get the blame? Why not Sheffield or Matsui? Ask the fans. I bet it’s an expectation thing. A-Rod is one of the top ten to ever play the game. Sheff’s not – neither is Matsui. Because A-Rod is one of the best ever, if not the best ever – according to some, then the fans expect him to play like that in the big spots. Is it fair? No, but, that’s the way it goes.
You win 20, and they expect you to do it every year.