Roundtable Part 2

 

Part two of the Mop Up Duty roundtable. Featuring the usual suspects, Kman, Callum, and Early.  

 

 

Who is the top GM in baseball right now?

Kman: 

Terry Ryan, Minnesota Twins

Year in and year out, Ryan puts the Twins in position to contend. Yeah, some people are going to cite David Ortiz, but the consistency of the Twins cannot be ignored. They draft superstars, something which is difficult to do and their not afraid to lock up existing stars when the time comes. And let’s not forget some memorable trades such as the Liriano/Nathan/Boof deal and the under publicized Johan Santana for Jared Camp deal back in 1999.

Callum:  

Terry Ryan

The Pierzynski trade was a touch of genius and he keeps this club competitive every year on a shoestring budget. Sure, he makes mistakes but he isn’t afraid to try to correct them (releasing Batista) unlike some GM’s we know who stubbornly stick by their players because they are “his” guy…..

 

Early: 

 

Top GM? I don’t know really, the guys in Atlanta seem to get the job done.

 

If Barry Bonds hits HR 756 this year what sort of reception will he garner?

 

Kman:  

I think the in-game reception will be based upon whether he hits the HR at home or on the road. The media? They’ll hate him. Sure, steroids will be the #1 issue but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think race plays a factor, even in 2007. The most complete positional player of all-time will certainly not be given his due respect, steroids or not. Bonds was a hall of famer pre-steroids, a fact that most forget all too easily.

 

Callum:

Kman pretty much has summed this one up, I can’t think of anything else to add. Fans will not accept the record for what it is, a truly amazing feat, and gloss over it because it was done by Bonds.

 

Early:

 

I figure when Bonds is on the verge he will sit until he plays in SF.  I hope he doesn’t do it just because i am sickened at al lthe talk about steroid use and if he beats Aaron’s record everything will be magnified.

Who will have a bigger year Zito or Matsuzaka?

 

 

Kman: Barry Zito

I think Zito will have a better year. The recent study by Alan Schwarz highlights the 13% factor. That is, on average, pitchers jumping from the AL to the NL experience a 13% decline in ERA their next season. Here are a couple of quotes from his study (2000 – 2005):

“Combined E.R.A.s for the new National Leaguers decreased to 3.94 from 4.79, or 0.85 of a run, while their counterparts’ increased to 4.64 from 3.94, a move of 0.70.”

“Of the 29 pitchers moving to the N.L. from the A.L., their E.R.A.+ figures increased to 110 (10 percent above league average) from 97 (just below average). [average=100]…Pitchers found moving to the A.L. from the N.L. correspondingly unpleasant — the E.R.A.+ scores of the 28 pitchers decreased to 100 from 113…”

I’m not all that sold on Matsuzaka to begin with.

 

Callum:

 

Zito

He will have a better year if not solely for the fact that he is moving from the AL to the NL. As well, the parks in the NL West are so pitcher friendly that some scouts have said it is easier to pitch in that division than it is to pitch in the Pacific Coast League. Matt Cain can attest to that.

Matsuzaka or Zito?

Tough question because there is so many intangibles involved. Can Dice-K deal with the culture shock as well as playing under the intense spotlight of the AL East? How will he deal with that green monster? Will his arsenal of pitches translate to the majors or will he get pounded? I am going to have to go with the proven pitcher going to a pitcher’s division in this case and say Zito has the better year.

 

Early: