Mussina To Retire
Posted by Steve L. on November 7th, 2008 · Comments (7)
Peter Abraham has the scoop.
Good for Moose. He went out on the highest possible personal note – with his first 20-win season in his last year.
I wonder who will get into Cooperstown first – Mike Mussina or Curt Schilling? Could be a fun race…
Unfortunately, it comes down to the decision of sportswriters. Sportswriters who value the few, singular moments that define a career. Sportswriters who scoff at statistics for supposed ‘clutch’ performances and ‘big-game’ statistics. When viewed over an entire career, Moose’s resume is as Hall-worthy as anyone else who hasn’t one 300 games (except for the Pedro’s and the Koufax’s.) Moose’s career numbers, in the AL East, should definately get him into the Hall. If he doesn’t get in, then all of the current pitchers who won’t even sniff 250 wins don’t deserve to get in. He isn’t Maddux, or Randy, or Roger, or Pedro. But he is certainly a model of consistency… premier consistency, in the toughest division in baseball. I think he makes it after a year or two. It’s a shame if he doesn’t.
Schilling gets in first. And for a few reasons.
First, while Mussina has more career wins Schilling has more “big years.” Three years in which he won 20+ games with a .760+ WP, 200+ SO, and an ERA of around 3.25 or lower. Mussina doesn’t have one year like that.
Second: the Post season. Schilling was an integral part of 3 World Championship teams, going 10-2 with a 2.23 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 133 1/3 post season innings and was named the MVP of the 1993 NLCS and the Co-MVP of the 2001 World Series. Mussina has never pitched for a World Championship team. He has a record of 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in 139 2/3 post season innings. He also has no post season awards.
There are also other reasons I could add—reputation, black and grey ink and the whole HOF monitor thing—but the best may be the very compelling image of Curt Schilling, his socks bloodied by his injured ankles, mowing down the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. There is no such image of Mike Mussina we can conjure up to match it.
Well, TF made a stronger case than I could have, but honestly I think they’ll both wait more than a couple of years, and because of the belief that they are both marginal candidates and not slam-dunks, they’ll go in together or within a year of each other, if it turns out the sportswriters really do have a favorite.
But aren’t we putting the cart before the horse here? If Moose was committed to retiring, he’d have announced it. There’s been no announcement, just the so-called “scoop” that he told Girardi he “wants” to retire. If he’s committed to that, why is he waiting to say so? This isn’t definitive news about Mussina.
But I thought the only reason he had a good year was to get another big contract?
“Mike Mussina told him after the season that he planned to retire.”
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Obviously, this was Moose’s feelings at that time, and smart money bets on retirement. However, as Once says, it ain’t ovah till the Fat Lady sings. He hasn’t announced because he is giving himself time to make sure.
My thing ia this. If Moose goes for 300, he feels he needs 3 years. And this is true. However, even if he goes for just 1 more, as far as him being a borderline HOFer, 282 Wins is a lot better then 270. How about a full year in 2009 and a Clemens year in 2010? That might be 288-290 Wins. It would be nice to get 300, but obviously, 3 years seems like too much work. But at this point, HOF wise, every Win, every accomplishment, every PS performance helps to make his case.
Plus, he’s not just looking at the HOF. The guy would like a ring too.
~But I thought the only reason he had a good year was to get another big contract?~
Maybe that was his thinking when he got ready for this season – and did all his working out, etc. – and then he changed his mind when he realized that no one, despite the 20 wins, would give him a three year deal?
Steve, you have got to be kidding me. It’s an insult that you think the only reason he had a good year was to make a cash grab. If he really wanted the cash and nothing more, you really don’t think he’d take a one or two-year deal? There was a point in this season when I thought you were over your Mussina grudge or hatred or whatever you want to call it, but I guess not.