As MLB’s 60-game emergency schedule ends, here is a long view on baseball life in the short run.
Central truths have been learned from this sprint schedule. This shortened season showed the difference between solid organizations and weak organizations even with a 16-team playoff cushion.
When Rob Manfred announced the 60-game season, I was one of the few writers who said they would definitely complete the season. It was clear to me that Manfred, for all his faults, was determined to get this season to the finish line so baseball could collect post-season TV money. And that is exactly what happened.
This game never changes: Follow the money.
Having said that, the team that showed us the most creativity, the most depth, the most consistency without having the kind of across the board talent as other teams and not having the same financial resources was the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay took everything that was thrown its way.
That includes a small army of pitchers on the injured list, and they not only survived a tough schedule but flourished, proving once again that a development-based organization – with a strong manager that wisely uses analytics – is a model for all franchises.
Frauds fall by the wayside under these conditions.
The Rays Way is the best way.
Their players are flexible.
They adjust to the system and play fundamentally sound baseball. The sum of the parts make up the team.
“What we are seeing so much of this year,’’ one scout told BallNIne, “is guys who have skills but don’t have the fundamentals of the game down yet. That is why there are so many upside-down games. How many double-digit games where nobody can stop the bleeding?’’
The Rays know how to stop the bleeding.
During the playoffs last year at Minute Maid Park before Game 5 of the Division Series between the Rays and Astros, I was speaking with one of the Rays’ owners and he assured me that even if the Red Sox raided his front office – which is like an annual occurrence with teams getting their next head of Baseball Ops from the Rays (ie: the Dodgers) – and took Chaim Bloom, that would be fine because “we can replace those guys.’’
HE WASN’T BEING ARROGANT. HE WAS BEING HONEST.
Rays owners have discovered what so many other teams can’t figure out. It’s not the analytics that create success. It’s the scouting and development side of the organization that breeds continued success. Numbers are merely a tool. If the system works, they can find people to be in charge of the system. That is what makes the Rays so successful.
For more about how the Rays do it year and year, click here.
I love this little nugget: My friend, Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy points out this little stolen fact: “Ty Cobb stole home 54 times. Babe Ruth stole home 10 times. But Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock and Maury Wills, the modern-day base burglars never stole home … not once, not any of them.’’
ReplyDeleteSpot on article in so many ways. Especially on the Mets - "The Mets, meanwhile, are first in average at .274, first in on-base percentage at .352 and sixth in slugging at .456 and third in OPS at .808. How come they didn’t win the NL East?
ReplyDeleteSimple. Because they do so many little things wrong."
Interesting that so many writers, including Reese this morning, point to analytics as the key to success, while Kernan here discounts analytics as a big factor.
ReplyDeleteAnd all us "regular folks" have to just guess who's right.
BTW: Is Kernan writing for Mack's Mets now, or is this just a one-off?
Bill,
ReplyDeleteWe are very blessed that Kevin has agreed to share his posts here. We have another coming tomorrow.
The Mets' overwhelming problem this year was dismal pitching. So many bad performances. Had Thor and Stro been pitching all year, we win 8 more games and sail into the playoffs.
ReplyDelete