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Related articles

• Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed (baseballreflections.com)
• Fantasy Baseball Players on the Verge of a Monster Season in 2012 (baseballreflections.com)
• Disaster Relief: Fantasy Baseball Closers on the Waiver Wire (baseballreflections.com)

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Takahiro Sato

I recently had the honor of interviewing Takahiro Sato, a former college baseball player in Japan and has coached baseball and taught mental skills in U.S. as well as in Japan. He thought that Sport psychology was such an intriguing area where athletes can learn how to prepare for competition and how to handle pressure or stress, so he studied it & received his Ph.D. in sport psychology at the University of Tennessee in May of 2011. His goal is to help baseball players learn the mental game so that they can reach their potential.

What follows is the five questions I was able to ask Dr. Sato along with his thoughtfully in-depth answers…

1. What is the main difference in how the game of baseball is played in Japan (NPB) as opposed to how it is played in the US?

This is the most difficult question for me to answer. I would say that it depends on the manager or teams because each manager will manage a team differently depending on what style of baseball he embraces or what kind of players he has on his team…. I know that you’re probably not happy with that answer. To be honest with you, I have mixed thoughts. In general, I think that it is said that NPB is more likely to embrace “small ball” whereas MLB plays power baseball. It may be true. Japanese baseball players usually specialize in only baseball from childhood, and high school baseball is very intense especially if you choose a school with a strong baseball program (You may have heard about “Koshien”). They are very well trained with a wide variety of baseball techniques such as bunt, base-running, or tricky tactics. Thus, it is understandable that these players are still dedicated to the baseball skills they learned when they become professional players or managers.

However, we should keep in mind that any team, whether they are in MLB or NPB, have kind of a similar structure of their lineups, such as they have a few power hitters, some high average hitters, leg hitters (Speedster?), or defensive players on a team. My point is that since the structure of the lineup is similar, the game of baseball wouldn’t be so different.

I also want to point out that there have recently been some managers in MLB who had played/managed in NPB such as Charlie Manuel, Bobby Valentine, Ken Macha, Jim Tracy, and Troy Hoffman. Do you think that they managed their teams or played in MLB and NPB so differently? I think that many American players who play in NPB point out the difference of training methods, especially length of practice. They may also have pointed out the difference of baseball itself, but I think these are subtle things. I may need to research their comments about NPB more.

By the way, to my knowledge, it is said that the person who started (or made popular) small ball in NPB were the Tokyo Giants in the 1960′s. The Tokyo Giants went to Vero Beach to join the Dodgers’ spring training and were enthusiastic about learning the systematic style of baseball the Dodgers were known for, namely what is known as small ball today, such as bunting or the hit and run. Then, small ball was successfully “imported” to NPB by the Tokyo Giants which people called the “Dodgers Way” at that time. In fact, it is said the manager read the book “The Dodger way to play baseball” as a textbook (http://www.amazon.com/Dodger-Way-Play-Baseball/dp/B001AVALB6). The Tokyo Giants seemed to have successfully mastered “the Dodger Way and won the Japan Series for nine consecutive years between 1965 and 1973 & that is one of the monumental records in NPB history. However, whether or not the Tokyo Giants actually played only small ball is controversial because of the fact that the Giants had several talented hitters including two legendary power hitters, Sadaharu Oh and Shigeo Nagashima, during those outstanding nine seasons.

It is still difficult for me to reach a conclusion. Small ball looks prevalent in NPB more than MLB but it was originally introduced by a MLB team. Interestingly enough, some of the successful MLB managers that I listed earlier have actually played/managed in NPB before. It seems that they can blend the best multiple factors and optimize team chemistry to become successful. In that sense, it is hard to point out difference in the game of baseball in MLB and NPB. Sorry my answer is not very clear but hope I gave you at least some discussion questions.

2. Why do you think pitchers, especially starting pitchers, have difficulty with long-term success coming to play in the US from the NPB? Is it the length of the season, different style of play, the size difference of the ballparks (if any) or just a difference in the quality of the competition (or a mixture of it all)?

First of all, I want to make sure what the definition of long-term success is. It seems to me that being successful for a long period of time is not easy for everyone. Thus, I don’t know if only Japanese pitchers have struggled to succeed for several seasons. Second, if it is true that Japanese pitchers have difficulty with long-term success, one thing I want to point out is the age when they come to MLB. I think some pitchers started their careers in MLB when they were already in their early or mid 30′s (e.g., starters: Kenshin Kawakami, Koji Uehara; Relievers: Kaz Sasaki, Shingo Takatsu). I think that made it harder for their long-term success.

Also, one of the biggest differences a starting pitcher between MLB and NPB is the rotation cycle. They usually have to pitch every 5 games in MLB whereas they used to pitch once a week in NPB. Therefore, they have to make good  physical and mental adjustments to pitch in a shorter rotation cycle. For instance, Japanese pitchers usually throw in the bullpen between outings in NPB whereas I don’t think they do so much of that in MLB. I have heard that some Japanese pitchers got nervous with “a lack” of practice. As another possibility, if Japanese pitchers pitch as many between outings in MLB as they used to in NPB, they would be exhausted. I read an article that Kuroda adjusted his style that started keeping him in physically good condition between his outings instead of pitching as much as he used to in NPB. Looking at his success in past years, he seems to have found how to survive in MLB. However, as long as I read media reports, Daisuke still stuck with what he used to do in NPB. I’m looking forward to seeing how Darvish can handle this difference.

3. Do you think Japanese position players have a better chance of long-term success playing in the US as opposed to pitchers? Why?

In my opinion, Japanese position players have more disadvantages for success in MLB than pitchers. First, the difference of physical strength (e.g. power) is huge. I know that hitting is not necessarily all about weightlifting type of power. However, the difference of power between American players (or Caribbean players) and Japanese are huge…(I can personally realize how different Americans are inherently from Japanese in terms of physical power).

Also, it is said that what Japanese position players have struggled with in MLB is the moving fast ball (e.g., cutter, two-seam fastball). I think that we haven’t seen moving fast balls until recently. For instance, when I played college baseball in 1993-1996 (I played for a big time school, and we played against some MLB players such as Hiroki Kuroda, Kenshin Kawakami, or Tadahito Iguchi, back then), I don’t think I saw these pitches in games. You might remember that Hideki Matsui was nicknamed the “Ground Ball King (or something like that”) in his first season on the Yankees. That may be a good example how Japanese players have struggled with these types of fastballs.

4. What is the biggest adjustment/obstacle for Japanese players coming to play in the US from the NPB? How can this be improved upon?

I guess that one of the biggest challenges for Japanese players would be the demanding travel schedule. I don’t know if Japanese players can imagine how tough it is to fly from the East Coast to the West Coast, cross four different time zones, considering the fact that the land of Japan is as big as the state of California. Some Japanese players may be intolerant of food. A lack of language skills may cause them not only to feel isolated from their team but also to have critical problems such as misunderstandings or a lack of communication with coaches and other teammates. These things might be a tiny stress at first, but would become more serious trouble just like a snowball effect.

As a possible solution, Japanese players may need an interpreter who is (1) knowledgeable about baseball and, ideally, an expert about training (e.g., strengthening and conditioning) or athletic training, (2) personable to smooth relationship between these Japanese players and coaches and/or other teammates, and (3) resourceful or astute to help players relieve the stress Japanese players face on and off the field. However, to be honest with you, I think Japanese players should learn English better. Looking at Shigetoshi Hasegawa, having enough language skills would reduce stress and make him easier to get along with his coaches and other teammates.

As long as I learn about Japanese players in MLB, those who are oversensitive tend to struggle more with MLB. On the other hand, those who have been successful usually don’t care about subtle difference (e.g., size or quality of baseball, mound, and so on) between MLB and NPB.

Also players’ perception might make them different. For example, there might be a difference between those who had “dreamed of” playing in the MLB and those who see MLB as just another place to pitch. The former might be overwhelmed by pressure whereas the latter can just focus on what they need to do.

5. What do you think about US players (especially former MLB players) playing in the NPB?

Looking back to the NPB history, I think that US players need to adjust more to the cultural things in general than baseball itself. It might include human relationships, food, weather (humidity back in 1990 until dome stadium became more common), language, and so on. When I remember successful American players in NPB, I don’t know if there is consistency in terms of skill levels. Some players who had been highly reputed couldn’t do well maybe because of a lack of ability to adjust to Japanese life or age issues, whereas other players did better than expected. Here are some successful American players in NPB that I randomly came up with: Randy Bass, Warren Cromartie, Bob Horner, Ken Macha, Charlie Manuel, Robert Rose, Tuffy Rhodes, Greg “Boomer” Wells, Bobby Marcano, Orestes Destrade, Leron Lee, Leon Lee, Roberto Petagine…. I know I missed many players, though… Also here are those who didn’t do so well as expected: Bill Madlock, Jr., “Pete” Incaviglia, Kevin Mitchell, Dan Miceli, Mike Greenwell. Interestingly, some players hadn’t done well in MLB but did well in NPB, and then returned to US such as Cecil Fielder. Alfonso Soriano wasn’t so impressive in NPB, but has done well in MLB.

Introduction

This article is a follow up to the one published here on Monday, December 12th. In this article I will delve in more detail into the Red Sox current Pitching situation. Here we will break things down by talking about the current list of injured pitchers and the effect that has on the team, the 2011 pitchers that are currently free agents, the rotation, the bullpen, pitchers that were not on the Red Sox in 2011 that are now free agents & pitchers that might be available via trade.

The Injuries

Almost like a team plague, Tommy John Surgery seems to have hit the Red Sox like a virus over the past two years. First, I believe, there was Junici Tazawa who had returned late last season from his surgery & since his there have been three more players that have succumbed to it…

SP Rich Hill – Recovering from Tommy John surgery (on June 9th) and was recently non-tendered. His recovery will probably result in him being out until after the start of 2012, but with Boston having so many lefties under team control (Morales, Doubront and Miller) without the ability (options) to sent them to Pawtucket (AAA), they had to release him. Although, if one of those guys were involved in a possible trade, that would open the door up to the Red Sox re-signing him. I personally think he’s be a better option for them than two of them if not all three.

SP Daisuke Matsuzaka - will miss at least half of the 2012 season due to recovery from his Tommy John surgery. It is hoped that his return will be the equivalent of a trade deadline acquisition as he might be back sometime after the All Star game. Although, given the tendency of pitchers returning from this procedure having control problems coupled with Dice-K’s insistence on nibbling around the plate sounds like a recipe for some scary innings of work (hopefully the Red Sox can keep him in AAA Pawtucket during that awkward time is his rehab). I don’t see him being a reliable option at the major league level until the All Star break at the earliest.

Picture of John Lackey taken by Tony Molica

SP John Lackey - He is the last pitcher to succumb to this injury as of late and because he didn’t address this injury until after the 2011 season, he will miss all of 2012. On the bright side, it looks like the injury that made this procedure a necessity was directly related to Lackey’s poor 2011 performance (it seems as if he may have pitched with this injury most of the season knowing that he couldn’t hurt himself further), one that was the worst by any Red Sox starting pitcher in the team’s storied history for a full season.  Some have also reported that he stayed off the DL for the team’s sake given the state of the staff and took one for the team so to speak. So, maybe he will look more like the pitcher we saw with the Angels in 2013!

Former Red Sox Pitchers that are now Free Agents
RP Trever Miller (age: 38) - Miller only pitched in 2 innings for the Red Sox (in 3 outings) while recording 1K without giving up a hit, a walk or a run. In all of 2011 between the Blue Jays, Cardinals and the Red Sox he only pitched in 21.1 innings over 48 outings and had an 0-1 record with 1 SV 3 blown saves and 5 holds, while maintaining a 3.80 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP.

RP Dan Wheeler (age: 34) - Wheeler is a Type B free agent. He declined the Red Sox offer of arbitration. He was on and off the DL during the 2011 season posting a line of 2-2 with 4 Holds, 0 blown saves, 39 K, 1.11 WHIP, 4.38 ERA in 49.1 IP. For his career he boasts a 3.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP with 43 saves, a 25-43 record with 553K in 628.1 IP.

SP Tim Wakefield (age: 45) - With Wakefield’s reoccurring back problems over the past few years and his painful-to-watch attempt to get his 200th victory last year, it is probably only a 50/50 chance at best that the Red Sox re-sign him for the 2012 season. And the latest news is that Theo (I mean Jed Hoyer) may seek to sign Wakefield (and possibly even Varitek) with the Cubs. 2011 saw Wakefield go 7-8 with 93Ks, a 1.36 WHIP, .267 BAA and a 5.12 ERA in 154.2 innings pitched with 1 CG in only 23 starts (10 relief appearances) while giving up a whopping 25 HRs. In contrast to those numbers, he has a career average of a 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP (so that didn’t change) with 2156 Ks in 3226.2 innings pitched over 463 starts (164 relief appearances) with 33 CGs with 6 of those being shutouts. Bottom line: I’d bring him back even if it was just for insurance. He’s a great team player, can both start and pitch in the bullpen and can eat up innings. On top of all of that, when he gets going (if), he can string together a bunch of consecutive wins (if you have a catcher that can catch him and not many can).

The Rotation

Jon Lester - In my opinion Lester is the Ace of this staff! He has won 15 or more games in his last four seasons (19 in 2010) and 2012 should see him pitch in over 200 innings once again (he had only 191.2 IP last year, the first time under 200 in those same four seasons) and be in contention for the Cy Young Award once again with  also hitting the 200K mark again.

Josh Beckett - If Beckett has post another sub 3.00 ERA he might be in line to go head to head with Lester for that Cy Young Award, but he will more likely have an ERA under 4.00 and 190 or more Ks. Last year, for at least half of the season, he proved that he can still be a co-Ace on this staff and Bobby V might be the type of manager that can motivate him to do so once again, but his best years are behind him at this point, I’m affraid.

Clay Buchholz - I see Clay as being, realistically speaking, a solid number two pitcher on this staff with a performance that is in between his 2010 (.708 winning percentage) and 2011 (.667 winning percentage) seasons if he can stay healthy.

Daniel Bard – At first, I wasn’t sure how to take the news of Bard joining the rotation, but with the acquisitions of Melancon and Bailey I have to agree with it. I think Bard, if the opinion of Curt Young (Red Sox 2011 Pitching Coach) is accurate, is well suited to transfer into the rotation like the Rangers have done recently with CJ Wilson, Alexi Ogando, etc. Young mentions the addition of a newly mastered changeup to go with his fastball and slider as reasons that back a move to the rotation. I think he’ll do just fine and might end up in the pen three quarters of the way into the season due to the added workload after being a short reliever up until now.

Picture of Alfredo Aceves taken by Tony Molica

Alfredo Aceves - If no one besides one of the slew of low risk starters the Sox have signed to this point pans out, Alfredo should be the fifth starter (or at least the first guy out of the pen to spot start). His 2011 performance when called upon has earned him that right.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (DL: Tommy John Surgery) - Dice-K might just be the equivalent to a mid season aquisition when he returns from Tommy John surgery. With Bobby V at the helm, it just might be what the doctor ordered for Dice-K in his final months as a member of the Red Sox due to Bobby’s time spent managing in Japan. I expect the best performance we’ve seen up to this point upon his return if he is healthy enough post-surgery to accomplish it.

The Bullpen

Bobby Jenks - In December, Jenks has lower back surgery to remove bone fragments and less than a month later has had a second operation on his back and will probably miss the start of spring training. If he can stay healthy he would be a valuable 7th or 8th inning option along with Malanson; otherwise, he’s sure to be DFA’d or traded during the season.

Scott Atchison - Atchison has his best numbers in the following categories in 2011: ERA (3.26) and WHIP (1.20), but his SO/9 were at a career low at 5.0. He also had very good command as seen with a BB/9 rate of 1.8 and he did not give up even one HR. I’d keep him, but would monitor his SO/9 and H/9 rates to see if they loose any more ground. If they do, I’d expect that to affect his ERA and WHIP numbers, too and if that happens I’d cut ties with him. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options). Due to the signing of OF Cody Ross, Atchison has been designated for assignment. In my most humble opinion, this should have been Albers. Sorry Matt!

Matt Albers - The only thing I like about Albers stat line for 2011 was his increase in SO/9 which was almost 3 points higher than his previous season high. What I don’t trust is a RP with a WHIP of 1.43, which sadly enough was his second best total in his career. I’ll see if there were any takers on him & try to get a decent prospect out of it. Maybe put him into a package to the Cubs in an attempt to land a better compensation deal for Theo.

Franklin Morales – His totals in Boston were his best since his rookie year of 2007. In Boston he posted a 3.62 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, a 2.82 SO/BB and a SO/9 of 8.6 second only to his 9.2 in 2009. That and the fact that he’s a lefty and only 25 years old tells me that he is a keeper. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Michael Bowden - If Bowden can continue to lower his H/9, ERA and WHIP as well as increase his SO/9 while he continues to adjust to pitching in relief, he might have his best year in a Red Sox uniform in 2012. But even if he does, it might not be enough unless it is more significant than his progress thus far seeing his WHIP was 1.50. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Junichi Tazawa - There’s not much to go on here so it all depends upon his efforts in spring training, but I don’t see a situation where he breaks camp with the big club. He’ll probably wind up in Pawtucket for some more seasoning of his game and see how he progresses as the season goes on. After all, he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Felix Doubront - Doubront’s numbers last year in Boston were not very good as can be seen over at Baseball-Reference.com and unless he can show signs of bouncing back in 2012, I would add him in with Albers and try to flip him to the Cubs in the Theo compensation deal. It’s time to cut bait on him or change the way they are using him (which may be the best route to travel if they cannot find a taker for him). The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Andrew Miller  - I don’t see where they can use him in Boston except in mop up duty unless he turns a corner in 2012 and starts living up to his potential. After all, he is just 26 years old. Just look at his numbers over at Baseball-Reference.com to see what I am talking about. His WHIP alone scares me away. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

RP Rich Hill - Was recently resigned to a minor league deal with the Red Sox that will pay him $750K if he makes it to Boston in 2012 after recovering from Tommy John surgery he had back in June 2011. I see him as a big part of the Red Sox bullpen if he can bounce back from the surgery.

Currently Available Free Agent Pitchers

SP’s

Rich Harden – I think they have gotten enough players like Harden already; therefore, I do not see them going after him, too! Although he can be dominant when healthy, but the problem is, lately, he rarely is…

Edwin Jackson - is going to cost too much for them to sign him this off season both in years and overall salary. He’d be a good number 4 or 5 starter though (much like Paul Maholm who was signed by the Cubs to an affordable one-year contract, darn you Theo!).

Roy Oswalt – On a one-year contract under $10M (probably around the $8M mark), I do that deal in a heart beat even if it means trading a few minor pieces to get it done! Come on Ben, sign him already!

Brandon Webb – He is damaged goods that I don’t think even the Red Sox would take a flyer on at this time. Let’s see what he can do on a one year contract for someone else before we jump to a final assessment on him for the long haul…

Chris Young – I still think that Young would be a good back end of the rotation kind of guy, but the question is…can he handle playing in Boston with the media frenzy and all? We may never know…the Sox may be done shopping for the rotation at this point.

RP’s

I have only listed the available arms I’d be interested in. If you would like to know my opinion on another name not listed here, please ask me in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Mike Gonzalez - If Gonzalez can get back to his 2009 form, he would be a nice lefty out of thre pen, but his ERA and K/9 are both trending in the wrong way, he is not a groundball pitcher and even his xFIP was over 3.7 which is a bit high for my taste for a bullpen arm.

Chad Qualls – My main concern with Qualls is the drop in his K/9 last year. He went from being over 7 and 8 (with a low of 7.47 in 2010) over the last four years, to a 5.21 in 2011. In fact, it has been dropping ever since it’s height in 2008 at 8.67. Although 2010 saw his ERA spike at 7.32, his xFIP was actually 3.72. Another bonus is that his groundball percentages have been 55% or more his whole career, which fits into the new GM’s mold for pitchers.

DFA List

SP Micah Owings – He’s coming off a year that saw him hit his best numbers in ERA (3.57), appearances (33, with 4 starts) and BABIP (.258) in the majors, but his xFIP was 4.51 (but even that was his best thus far in his career). I’d like to see him get his K/9 back up around 9.45 (2010 with the Reds). He can also be a long reliever, another spot start option or might be useful pitching in the 7th inning right in front of Melancon. A role he has not been in up to this point in his early career, but is something that could rejuvenate his career and allow him to regain those high K/9 numbers.

What I like most about his is his ability to be another right handed bat off the bench, something you don’t normally think about with a pitcher these days! Read this: in only 217 PA he has hit .286 with 27 R, 35 RBI, 9 HR, .313 OBP, .507 SLG a 106 wRC+, .222 ISO, .389 BABIP and holds a 3.8 WAR as a hitter. It’s almost like carrying an extra bench player! This move is a no brainer to me, especially when you consider that he only made around $423K last year.

Pitchers that Might be Available via Trade

If 3B prospect Will Middlebrooks sets AAA ablaze offensively and maintains his deffensive prowess, we might see Kevin Youkilis jettisoned out in a trade for one of these guys. If not, then a multi-player deal surrounding the likes of Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson, Matt Albers, Felix Dubront, Andrew Miller, Bobby Jenks or Michael Bowden (pick a few from this list, but there are others not mentioned that could be had) might pry one of these guys loose.

SP Matt Garza (Cubs) – Probably the least likeliest of trade possibilities, but it could happen. I just don’t think Theo and Jed would do it unless they were blown away (including Middlebrooks, Iglesias or Brittan) and I don’t see Cherrington doing that. The Cubs could use Youk, too.

SP Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) – I’m sort of luke-warm on Wandy…I just am not sold on him and I have no idea if we could handle the pressure cooker that is pitching in Boston. He also could be had on the cheap!

SP Brett Myers (Astros) – My least favorite choice. Myers is a poor mans Schilling and simply not good enough in my estimation, but could probably be had on the cheap.

SP – Tom Gorzelanny (Nationals) - Although I’d take Masterson or Garza ahead of him, Gorzelanny would work out well (if healthy) at the end of the rotation if he could handle the pressure in Boston. The deal that would net him wouldn’t be as costly either!

SP – Justin Masterson (Indians) – Probably my favorite choice on this list (which is admittedly short). I was disappointed to hear that he was a part of the Victor Martinez trade to begin with, although I would have never admitted to thinking he’d be this good as a starter. I always projected him as a long-to-short reliever. But after seeing what he’s doing in Cleveland, I’d be tickled pink to have him at the end of the Red Sox rotation! And…the Indians are looking to upgrade at 1B (Youk’s best position), too.

SP – Gavin Floyd (White Sox) - If the remaining free agent starting pitchers sign elsewhere or are asking for more (in terms of either years or dollars) than what the Red Sox are willing to shell out, then maybe the speculated trade for Floyd would be a nice option. The “other” Sox team has been either trading away players(Carlos Quentin) letting them walk (Buehrle) or signed to a long term contract (John Danks); making it difficult to understand what direction they are going in at the  present time. But seeing what the asked for in exchange for Quentin, Boston might be able to put a deal together either before the start of the season or by the trading deadline in July. I like this idea, but it would depend upon what they’d need to give up. The price might still be too high.

Hot Stove Season Transactions To Date

RP Mark Melancon - He was obtained via trade for INF Jed Lowrie and P Kyle Weiland. Melancon is primed to become a late inning arm that will be a big threat in either the 7th, 8th or 9th innings for Boston in 2012. He is young (will turn 27 during the season), comes inexpensive and will be under team control until after the 2016 season. He became the Astros closer after an injury to Brandon Lyon in May saving 20 in 25 opportunities over 74.1 innings (in 71 appearances) with an ERA of 2.78 and a 1.22 WHIP with 3 Holds. His other stats include a 7.99 K/9, .234 BAA and 2.54 K/BB. With the trade for Bailey, Melancon becomes the set up man for him taking over for Bard who will now be free to convert to the starting rotation.

Closer Andrew Bailey - He was obtained (along with OF Ryan Sweeney) via trade for OF Josh Reddick, 1B/3B Miles Head and P Raul Alcantara. Bailey, who is also 27 (like Melancon) is a two-time All Star as the A’s closer & will remain under team control until 2014.

Aaron Cook – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Cook, Silva and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Cook has only had 10+ wins twice in his career (16 in 2008 and 11 in 2009).

Carlos Silva – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is a long shot who will probably start the season in AAA and be kept as insurance, but might help out in long relief if he regains his accuracy. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Silva, Cook and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Silva has only had 10+ wins in a season four times (2004, 2006-2007 and 2010). I like the possibility of Silva regaining his touch over Cook. Silva has also been better more recently than Cook, too.

Justin Germano - Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, but after seeing his numbers per Baseball-Reference, and the signings of Cook and Silva, I don’t see him making the big club out of spring training.

Vicente Padilla – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is my favorite choice out of the pack obtained to vie for the 4th & 5th spot in the rotation because he’s had more recent success than the others. He has also had four seasons with 10+ wins, but in those seasons he has been more consistent (14 wins three times in 2003-04 and 2008 and 15 wins in 2006) and his xFIP (3.40 and 3.47 in 2011 and 2010 in LA) has been more consistent throughout his career.

John Maine – Was recently signed to a minor league deal and will probably start off the season at AAA as a relief pitcher.

The Free Agent Pitchers, To Date, Who They Should Have Signed

The following pitchers all signed one year deals that the Red Sox could have afforded and should have made.

Hiroki Kuroda (SP) - Signed for $10,000,000 with the Yankees and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. This is the one fish I am really sad to see get away and the fact that he went to the arch rival Yankees makes it hurt even worse!

Paul Maholm (SP) - Signed for $4,750,000 with the Cubs and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. Why the Red Sox didn’t beat Theo to the punch on this one is beyond me unless they had no idea he could be had for so cheap and for just one year!

Jon Rauch (RP) – Signed for $3,500,000 with the Mets. He’d have been a nice addition to the pen…

George Sherrill (RP) - Signed for $1,100,000 with the Mariners. He would have been a nice guy to pitch to lefties (as much as I hate this tactic) out of the pen.

Joel Zumaya (RP) - Signed for $850,000 with the Twins and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. At this price, he was so worth the risk!

In closing, if you have any questions about a player I have either mentioned or neglected to mention, but should have, let’s discuss that in the comments below. I look forward to seeing you there!

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Join us next Tuesday, January 31st at 9pm EST over on BBA Baseball Talk, a podcast that I host every 5th Tuesday of the month (once every quarter). You can listen to the show online by following this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ivieleagueproductions/2012/02/01/bba-baseball-talk-the-cba

or feel free to be part of the excitement by calling into the number above!

Image via CrunchBase

On this show I will be joined by Baseball Reflections writers Matt Whitener of (his main site is Cheap Seats Please) & Tim McClelland (whose 17 year old son, 6-5 235 lb RHP who’s touched 92 will be drafted this year).

As we get closer to the show, I will try to post the talking points of the show once Matt, Tim and I nail that down!

Photo taken from Google Images

After reading the recent article on SB Nation by Wendy Thurm entitled, “Will Expanded Replay Lead to More Women Umpires?” I just had to ask my friend, professional umpire Ms. Perry Lee Barber what her take on this article was and this was her “classic” response to it!

First, the title. Hilarious! “Will Expanded Replay Lead to More Women Umpires?“ More? How about ANY? Other than this minor quibble with the title – which implies that there are women umps already in pro ball, which as we both know is currently (and has been for the last four years, going on five) not the case. I found the article to be excellently researched and presented, particularly by someone who isn’t an umpire herself and hasn’t experienced firsthand the double whammy we women encounter of having to earn respect from both our peers/partners as well as from spectators and athletic administrators used to viewing umpires in general as enemy aliens rather than allies. I find Ms. Thurm’s insights into Tim McClelland‘s take on the possibilities of women becoming successful pro umpires quite amazing, since she interprets them as being negative when most people who read them will think they’re a positive endorsement of women as umpires. They’re not, and Ms. Thurm nails it, and this is why.

I’ve met Tim on quite a few occasions, although I won’t say I “know” him, at least not well; he was on a crew with one of my Wendelstedt instructors, John Hirschbeck, for awhile many years ago, so that’s how I met him and socialized with him a few times on a limited basis. He seems to be a nice fellow, very gracious, intelligent, almost old-school “gentlemanly,” if you get my drift, someone with whom anyone would enjoy having a beer and a conversation. But what’s interesting about his reply to Beth, the woman who wants to become a pro umpire but is concerned she will “encounter opposition to [her] entry” is the entrenched sexism implicit in his words, a sexism he is apparently unaware of in himself, at least as I infer from his cheery “go to school, try your best, and get put in the minor leagues” exhortations (As if it were ever that simple, even for the guys). His very next comment speaks volumes more than the previous one: “…It’s a long road to haul — I wouldn’t wish it on a female because not only do they have the complaints and problems you go through as an umpire, but then they have to deal with working in a male-dominated sport.”

Wow. That one made my head spin (and I’m not even getting into the incorrect idiom he uses: it’s a long row to hoe, not haul, although I concede that perhaps it’s a typo or other mistake on the part of the writer or editor rather than incorrect usage on his part. The image of a woman hauling a row [of crops] while a man merely hoes it certainly seems apt, at least from my perspective, as we often have to do way more of the “heavy lifting” out there just to keep up and prove our competence to our male counterparts). Anyway, McClelland has just encouraged a young woman to go for it, implying that “it can be done,” and then in the very next sentence he undermines his own ginned-up optimism by immediately laying out one of the world’s oldest and most tired canards concerning women and our capabilities: that we are not strong enough either mentally or physically to withstand the rigors of “working in a male-dominated sport.” That we are too weak, too frail, too… well, unmanly. We’re just not up to the task, only a man could possibly handle the physical and psychological weight of an umpiring career.

Give me a break. It’s these small, constant, everyday, subliminal digs at our capabilities, the implied attitude that we are still, in this day and age, not worthy, not equal, not up to the task of shouldering the burdens of “complaints and problems you go through as an umpire,” that are a much greater impediment to our progress in baseball than the loud, overt, obviously sexist and disrespectful attitudes that are much more easily identified and dispelled than the thousand tiny slings and arrows similar to McClelland’s comment that we must suffer and deflect every day. It’s infinitely harder to fight something that’s nearly invisible than something you can point a finger at and say positively, “Aha! That’s sexist or racist, and it’s not acceptable.” How does one point a finger at inertia? At not doing something? When it comes to our progress in the pro baseball arena, it’s these implicit, under-the-radar attacks on our physical and emotional capabilities that are much more difficult to identify and weed out than the loudmouth idiocy you hear coming from someone who has an obvious problem with women in higher positions of authority than his. It’s the same principle pro baseball and its current administrators use to camouflage their total inertia and ambivalence about allowing women to penetrate their sacrosanct inner sancti. “We don’t discriminate!” they crow, pointing to the six women who have worked as pro umpires since 1972, the year courageous Bernice Gera finally won her protracted discrimination lawsuit against minor league baseball and bestowed upon the rest of us the right to umpire professional baseball. Six women umpires in the last thirty-nine years: that’s one every six or seven years, as many as baseball, apparently, is capable of handling. As if that’s a statistic to be proud of. And goddess forbid there should be two of us out there at the same time (there were, once, briefly, when Ria Cortesio and Shanna Kook worked simultaneously, although never on the same crew, during 2003 and 2004, but the powers-that-be put a stop to that hellish little experiment by firing Shanna after only two seasons). The men – and it is mostly men – currently in positions to actually DO something about the pathetic absence of women umpires from the pro baseball arena, but who choose to do nothing (because to them, there’s nothing wrong with the way things are, they’re perfectly satisfied with the status quo), love to say how baseball now embraces women’s participation, that women go to umpire school all the time, that the opportunities are there for us! It’s all smoke and mirrors, just as McClelland’s comment about “not wishing [a pro umpiring career] on a female because blah blah blah…” is near-perfect camouflage for his real feelings about women as partners. He says we should “go for it,” but in the very next sentence he makes it clear that he really doesn’t regard us as capable or worthy of working alongside him or any other “real” umpire. Do you think he has ever said to a young man asking for advice about an umpiring career, “Well, I wouldn’t wish it on you because it’s so hard and there’s no way you’ll ever be up to the task”? That’s basically what his pearls of wisdom here are transmitting, what he’s telling “Beth,” the woman who asked the question about going to umpire school and having to face “opposition to her entry” simply because she’s female. And I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts that McClelland would object to the high heavens if anyone accused him of being sexist or having an attitude towards women that’s anything less than respectful and welcoming; he probably has no idea how revelatory of his true feelings his comment is, and in all likelihood sees himself as some kind of champion for even suggesting we should try.

The inconsistency between what he says and how he obviously feels about women umpires is vast, and I love it that Wendy Thurm gets this about his remarks and rebukes them, not angrily or rudely, but with a graceful clarity. I think the thrust of her article points to the fact that replay will open more opportunities for umpires in general and that since the pool of umpiring candidates will necessarily be expanded to meet this growing need, women may have more of a chance to join the ranks of professional umpires. And just to be clear, the way I read it is that she is not implying that the women who may wind up being hired would be relegated to the video booth as opposed to given actual on-field jobs; I don’t believe that is her implication, although it probably is McClelland’s or anybody else’s in a position to actually hire women to fulfill these new technology-mandated roles. Their attitude, if past is prologue, is more than likely, well, women may not be “up to it” on the field where it counts, but maybe in the booth where it won’t matter that we’re so weak and incapable, we’ll somehow manage to do okay and not screw it up too badly for the real umpires.

Very, very interesting article on multiple levels, Peter, and thank you for asking me about it.

Perry

umpireplb@aol.com

Photo taken from Google Images

Photo taken from Google Images

When I was younger I had a great eye for pitches thrown for balls & strikes. I almost never got called out on strikes, but over the last 2 seasons (and over 20 years later) in my over 30 baseball league I have been called out on pitches thrown on the outside corner (some teammates agree that some of these were off the plate, too). That brought me to ask my friend, professional umpire Perry Lee Barber for some pointers. So I asked her if I should stick to my guns or start swinging at anything close with two strikes on me? I’m leaning towards swinging more times than not on those pitches even though I may end up with similar results (a swinging strike 3 rather than being called out looking). Here was her reply…

In brief, my philosophy is this: baseball is a game of adjustments, for both players and umpires. And now for the not-so-brief, my typically long-winded way of explaining my thinking about this particular question. Umpires’ adjustments do not come in the form of adjusting to a pitcher’s strike zone, or a batter’s; rather, in the form of constant recalibrations of movement, positioning, and focus so as to make the best, most accurate determinations of the outcomes of pitches and plays. The adjustments a batter must make in order to maximize his or her success potential at the plate and on the bases should, and often MUST, take into account multiple factors, including the propensities of plate umpires to call a wide strike zone or one the size of a pinhead, or something in between. Failing to do so will run the risk of resulting in, as you point out, being called out on strikes or otherwise making out (sometimes two!) when just a microscopic and momentary re-tooling of one’s philosophy, batting stance, bat grip, focus, position within the batter’s box, et al., can mean the difference between a strikeout and a base hit. I tell batters all the time: plate umpires will NOT adjust to YOU; it’s your job, and greatly to your advantage, to adjust to US.

Think of it this way: in my capacity as an umpire, specifically a plate umpire, I call an average of 250 to 300 pitches per game. For those pitches, I see a minimum average of, say, twenty different batters multiple times during any given seven-, nine-, or extra-inning game. Each of those twenty batters sees the SAME plate umpire, me, back there for every at-bat during a single game – so who do you think it makes more sense to assign the job of “adjusting” to changing factors and circumstance, the hitters or the plate umpire? if I as the umpire regard it as my job to do the adjusting, I’d be doing it every at-bat, every time a new batter comes up to the plate. This would place an “adjustment” burden on me that would be nearly impossible to bear, as my focus needs to be on the PLAYS, not the playERS. Conversely, a player who routinely comes to the plate an average of four times per game must make a batting adjustment only during each of those at-bats, and based on far more limited parameters than an umpire would have to deal with if it were he or she doing all the adjusting. So it just makes sense for hitters to adopt a philosophy that allows them to adjust to an umpire’s known style of identifying balls and strikes (for instance, I’m a “pitcher’s umpire,” as I steal every strike I can – although I do so within the restrictions of the rule book definition of strike – so hitters familiar with my umpiring “style” know to be swinging the bat when they come up to the plate.) I use as much of the plate, including the black, or the “corners,” as I can to determine whether a pitch is a ball or a strike. I also tend to call a “higher” strike than many umpires, and hitters will sometimes complain or look shocked when I call a strike above the belt – but the good ones, the smart ones, will incorporate this information (“Okay, she calls strikes a little above the belt) into his or her arsenal of baseball knowledge and use it to, say, protect the upper outside corner, especially with two strikes, or otherwise formulate a slightly recalculated strategy for getting on base or driving in a run, or whatever it is he or she hopes to accomplish during the time at bat. I see this all the time! A batter will get angry that I’ve called a strike he considers “too high,” and rather than using the information to his own advantage, making the necessary mental and physical adjustments (which are, for the most part, as I already pointed out, microscopic in nature as opposed to any grand re-figuring of an attitude or a stance,) he will allow his flash of anger to control what he does for the remainder of his at-bat, and will, in many instances, wind up striking out looking or swinging, or flailing ineffectively at pitches and making out some other way. And then, of course, blaming ME for his failure. (“You took the bat out of my hands!”) I always wonder why a hitter would wish to deliberately invest such power over his performance in an umpire; it’s the same thing as saying, “What I as a hitter do out there doesn’t matter; the only thing that matters is what the plate umpire does.” On the other hand, an intelligent hitter will think, “Hmmm, okay, she’s calling that pitch a strike,” make the necessary adjustment, and wind up smacking a double down the line or driving in a run with a sac fly. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to me as an umpire to observe this phenomenon at work, and how disheartening it can be to learn that some hitters are just constitutionally incapable of making the adjustments that would serve them so much better than an unyielding adherence to a “my way or the highway” type of philosophy. One of the best, most consistent hitters I ever saw was Rod Carew; when I first fell in love with baseball, my mom and I would drive to Anaheim from her home in Palm Springs whenever the Angels were home and watch him at work in the batter’s box. It was an amazing revelation, seeing him make all these mental calculations and adjusting his stance, his position in the box, the way he held his bat, the angle at which he held his HEAD, tiny little things like that, not just from one at-bat to the next one, but from one PITCH to the next. And with a .328 lifetime batting average, I’d say Carew is a pretty good barometer of whether adjusting to a pitcher or an umpire, or both, can make an appreciable difference during a hitter’s time at bat.

Here’s a little story for you. When I was umpiring in the Atlantic League, Sparky Lyle was the manager for the Somerset Patriots. He loved this one relief pitcher he had named John Briscoe, who had seen some limited ML time with Oakland during the 1990s, but I absolutely hated him because he would throw this slider at the knees that would wind up too low as it crossed the plate for me to call it a strike. (Bottom of the knees is as far as I go, I tell catchers if they ask.) I refused to reconfigure my strike zone to accommodate the fact that Briscoe’s best, “out” pitch was this knee-high slider that tailed downward, and Briscoe refused to adjust his pitching philosophy to adapt to “my” strike zone. So we were always at odds whenever he would come out of the bullpen, and I’m sure he wound up believing I’m the world’s shittiest umpire because I wouldn’t call as many strikes for him as other umpires did. Sparky hated me too, for that reason and others too numerous to go into, but we had a sort of love-hate relationship anyway, not just over the Briscoe thing. He loved to fuck with me when I was on the bases and he’d come out to make a pitching change, waving his right arm weakly or surreptitiously, then claiming he’d signaled for the lefty or some such nonsense, although he eventually got it that his shenanigans were hurting him a lot more than they did me. Twice when he pulled this stunt I told him the pitcher he originally signaled for (the righty) wouldn’t be able to pitch later on, as he was already officially in the lineup and switching him with the lefty, the one Sparky claimed he allegedly signaled for, would eliminate him from the lineup for the rest of the game. (Not to mention which, the righty, the one he claimed he didn’t want, would be required to pitch to a batter or get an out before he could legally leave the game.) Anyway, Briscoe never seemed able to adjust; Sparky eventually did. Guess which one is still in baseball? (Sparky’s held the Somerset managerial job since the league’s inception in 1998.) And one more short story for your elucidation: the best advice I ever heard a dad give his son, who was about to pitch a game for which I was the plate umpire? The dad was giving the son a pep talk before the game started, and saw me standing there in my plate gear getting ready to call the managers to the plate for the pre-game conference. As he walked away, the dad looked at me, turned to his son the pitcher, and said: “THROW THEM WHERE SHE’S CALLING THEM.” Wow. I felt like running over and kissing that dad! Not, “Throw your game,” or “Stick to your best pitch” or anything like that: it was, throw it where she’s calling it. So simple, so brilliant – and yet….

A little parable for your edification, with my compliments, Peter. In essence, I would advise you to be willing to adjust to multiple factors during any given at-bat; but don’t go up there fearing that if you don’t swing at everything you’ll be called out on strikes. Stay within yourself, but always reach farther than your grasp? Sort of paradoxical, I know, but that’s one of the beautiful and mysterious things about baseball. Go up there looking to swing at strikes or pitches you like, the ones that are within your “zone,” and occasionally an umpire will call you out looking on a pitch that isn’t a true strike, but more often than not you will achieve some measure of success, whether it’s by actually hitting the ball or by learning something valuable you can use later on to help you hit the ball. And isn’t going down swinging at a bad pitch you thought the umpire might call a strike less traumatic than being called out looking at a pitch that’s off the plate anyway? At least by swinging the bat, it’s YOU who controls the outcome of the play, not the umpire, whether you miss it or hit it.

So there you have it boys and girls, a professional opinion to my problem, and one that I’m sure many of you might benefit from as well!

Play Ball!

I’d like to thank Perry once again for first answering my question and then allowing me to post it here for all our readers to benefit from. Let’s see if I can hit .300 in 2012, my third year back in the game.

Photo taken from Google Images

Albert Pujols opens up about his decision to sign with the Angels, noting that he brings experience to a young club.