By Knoxbanedoodle
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on August 22, 2001.
The four best shortstops in the NL are, in no particular order, Rich Aurilia, Jimmy Rollins, Ricky Gutierrez and Orlando Cabrera – the last being yet another gem shining in the vacuum that is Montreal.
I am no stats guru, so the following analysis will be kind of soft. Through August 20, among current NL shortstops, Lugo is 5th in total chances and 4th in putouts. His fielding percentage is better by 3 points than Gutierrez, and off the leader’s pace (Cabrera) by 17. Ordered by ABs, Lugo is fifth among NL shortstops in batting average, and 3rd in OBP.
Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Alex Cora and Tony Womack have made as many or more errors than Lugo, who has had more total chances than all of them but AGON. Some might argue that the number of errors committed by a SS is less important than the number of balls he gets to – and common sense tells us that errors rise with chances. So maybe it doesn’t mean much that Lugo compares favorably with many of his peers in errors. However, because it was such a noticeable deficiency in his play last year, I think it’s relevant.
Another thing about Julio that should not be overlooked is that So far he has improved defensively from last year, while his offensive production has tailed off. There is still time for him to get hot in September, but even if he doesn’t maybe the proper question is will he level out next year? And will he get the chance?
For someone making the league minimum, Lugo is doing an exemplary job this year and doing it in two of the most difficult areas a player can find himself: shortstop, and the number two slot in the batting order. Dollar for dollar, he may be one of the best bargains (at his position) in baseball. (Props to Knox on having the cajones to make this statement.)
That last part is, of course, my own rose-colored (orange colored?) yee-hawism erupting onto center stage. Here’s some more: Julio hasn’t shown the same plate discipline thusfar in the second half that he did last year. All year he’s been watching strikes and offering at pitches in the dirt, over his head, etc. In short, he has improved defensively while his offensive production has tailed off. There is still time for him to get hot in September, but even if he doesn’t, maybe the proper question is will he level out next year? And will he get the chance?
Makes Me Mad
Jose Mesa for Comeback Player of the Year? You’re kidding, right? Well, that’s what I heard, anyway – from someone who read an article somewhere by some guy who thought Mesa deserved it, or something.
Look, he may be, like, 87 seven years old. He may even be the best closer in the NL right now (he is), and so he had a 5.36 ERA last year in 66 games with the Mariners… there’s no way this award isn’t correctly given to Craig Biggio.
Not only does Mesa have the advantage of not coming back from injury, he also has the advantage of being an unknown quantity in the National League. No one who follows the Astros needs to be reminded of what an astonishing comeback we are privileged to watch Biggio make right now. But, there may be some outside the loop who could use a nice, subtle kick in the ass.
The campaign begins with you. “Do it for Bidge!”
Completely Pointless
Next time someone makes a comment about the “Comedy Central,” you might (or might not) want to remind him (or her) that the teams in the Central have played more games of baseball than any other combination of teams in the sport. In fact, between the six teams in the Central 553 years of baseball have unfolded. Make a nice line of them and the Indians (the native ones) haven’t even discovered Columbus, yet. Teams from the Central have won 21 world series, or one every 26.3 years. Take the Brewers out of the equation (done pretty much every year, anyhow) and still no other division comes close.
On “Baseball People”
Three things: not too long ago, Dave Campbell mentioned that Kerry Wood was going on the DL and surely baseball people everywhere would bemoan this great – albeit temporary – loss to the game. I grieved by jumping up and down and high fiving total strangers.
Secondly, Campbell (who looks like a boar hog) mentioned that, what with all the great races, baseball people would be having a lot of fun in the last weeks of the season. I think I will determine the amount of fun I’ve had by keeping a chart on the regression of 1. My fingernails, 2. My hairline, 3. My patience with All Things Not Baseball and 4. My relations, as they hide behind chairs and scurry around corners at the first glimpse of my anxiety riddled visage.
Finally, my dad and I had a rather nice, long discussion about which Cardinal we’d rather see injured, DK or Big Mac. It wasn’t easy, but after many minutes spent wistfully dreaming of tendonitis and sore shoulders, buckling knees and things of that nature, we agreed that a season-ending injury to McGwire would fit nicely into our plans. Somehow, I know that Dave Campbell and his hordes of well-wishing “baseball people” wouldn’t approve.