The Orlando Hudson Signing Is a Knife

"Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates happiness from melancholy."
— Virginia Woolf (Orlando)

Hudson's signing turns the Twins' offseason from an incomplete one into a success. Obviously, Hudson is past his prime and is unlikely to become anything approximating a dominant offensive or defensive force. His highest WAR was last year at 3.7, but that’s probably an outlier. He probably adds 2-3 wins to the Twins this year over what the Twins’ could expect to get out of Alexi Casilla, Brendan Harris, Matt Tolbert, and Nick Punto.


Fig. 1 The afro would add 2 wins on its own.

The really terrific news lost in all of this is that Hudson’s signing pushes Punto to 3B and ends the Twins’ pursuit of a 3B upgrade. With Belte and Tejada safely tucked away in Boston and Baltimore respectively, there are no really good 3B left on the market, no one worth pursuing. Certainly, Joe Crede is a terrific defender (last year, his UZR/150 was 23.4) and can hit enough to contribute. The problem, as always with Crede, is that he cannot stay healthy (the Twins compounded this problem by not shuffling him to the DL, meaning they were burning a roster spot on a player who couldn’t play on any given day). This would leave the Twins with a half-season of production from Crede (good) and a half-season from some combination of Harris, Tolbert, and Casilla. That didn’t work last year, and it won’t work any better this time around.

Plus, putting Li'l Nicky Punto at 3B is a terrific idea. While Nick Punto has no power and has the frustrating ability to get lost at the plate for seasons at a time (and dive headfirst into 1B at every opportunity), he is typically a good line drive hitter with decent speed and average plate discipline. He is not a traditional 3B by any means, but he does have value as a league-average hitter because of his incredible defense at the hot corner. Punto has, remarkably, played between 1772 and 1788 defensive innings at 2B, 3B, and SS in his career. His defensive reputation has been well earned, but he particularly shines at 3B. According to FanGraphs, Punto’s career UZR/150 is 19.9. A 19.9 UZR would have made Punto the 3rd best 3B in the majors last year, just behind all-world defenders Adrian Beltre and Ryan Zimmerman. According to Fielding Runs Above Average data available on baseballreference.com, Punto contributes 18.2 runs per season at the hot corner. And while Crede was incredible last year too, he a) only could go half the time and b) had elevated his defense to a whole other level. Back when he was playing full seasons, Crede never had a UZR/150 above 13.6, suggesting that his incredible defensive performances in ’07 and ’09 were artificially high due to a low number of games played (46 and 84 respectively). So, despite Hudson’s decline, it’s hard to see this deal as anything but a major win for the Twins.

Another Forecast...Just as Accurate

Thursdays used to be random in The Common Man’s kingdom, and they will be again next week. But today, frankly, The Common Man needs to break form. As terrific as Tuesday was at TCM’s house, what with the Rob Neyer shout out and all, Wednesday sucked very hard. First, The Common Man got too little sleep the night before. Then he had to leave work early with the hackingest cough that ever did hack (which caused a splitting headache). Then The Boy was in perpetual revolt upon being picked up from daycare. He and The Common Man fought over everything last night, culminating in TCM trying to shout down a three-year old at bed time. It was not The Common Man’s finest moment as a father. Plus, The Uncommon Wife decided to play tag with a streetlight in the parking lot at work (she’s ok, and, on the bright side, she won). Thanks karma.

Anyway, the only thing that could cheer up The Common Man today is the futility and overall silliness of ‘70s and ‘80s Braves executive Al Thornwell. Thornwell was brought in by new Braves owner Ted Turner in 1976 on his Board of Directors. While Turner initially took a hands on approach to running the team (culminating in his 1977 decision to manage the team for a game), Thornwell eventually took the reins from his boss in 1980, not that Turner was ever too far away. A wire report in the Palm Beach Post, from Feb. 7, writes “saying he needed ‘someone to mind the store’ while he expanded his budding communications empire, yesterday [Turner] put his friend Al Thornwell in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Braves….’I needed somebody to tie things together…I have given this a lot of thought and became convinced that Al Thornwell is the right man for the job.’"

Thornwell’s experience in and around the game was almost nothing. His business background was described in the paper as “electrical equipment” and “refuse hauling” but he expressed a great deal of enthusiasm, “I’ve been interested in running a baseball team ever since I was a boy….I had a chance to work with a Class D team in Waycross (Ga.) when I first came out of school back in 1951, but the idea of traveling around the state in an unairconditioned bus and staying in $2 motel rooms didn’t appeal to me.” As you can see, he was very dedicated to the game.

Exactly how much power Thornwell ever had independent of Turner is unclear. Sports Illustrated describes him as Turner’s “vice-president for sycophancy” in April of 1981. But under Thornwell’s “management,” the Braves (despite their division title in ’82 and strong performance in ’83) were largely a mess. Their transaction history from 1980-1986 is a laundry list of terrible decisions:

Doyle Alexander (11-7, 2.89 in 1981) in for Craig Landis (never played in the majors) and John Montefusco (77 innings for the Braves before being granted free agency)

Jeff Burroughs (who would post a 116 OPS+ over the next five years) for Carlos Diaz (who pitched 19 games for the Braves)

Gary Matthews (who would post a 119 OPS+ for the next six seasons) for Bob Walk (who would 12-13, with a 4.85 ERA in three seasons, before being released in 1984).

Larry McWilliams (33-24, 3.09 in 587 IP from June ’82-84) for Pascual Perez (33-20, 3.50 in 506 IP from ’82-84, 1-13, one cocaine conviction, one game missed because he couldn’t find the ballpark, 6.14 ERA in ’85 leading to his release and more than a year out of the game).

Brett Butler (110 OPS+ from ’84-’87, 164 SB), Brook Jacoby (112 HR, 110 OPS+ from ’84-’90), Rick Behenna, and $150,000 for Len Barker (10-20, 4.63 from ’83-85).

Steve Bedrosian (22-22, 3.19, 120 Sv, from ’86-’89, 1987 NL Cy Young) and Milt Thompson (97 OPS+ and strong CF defense from ’86-’88) for Pete Smith (19-40, 4.37 from ’87-’91) and Ozzie Virgil (99 OPS+)

Two minor leaguers and Rick Cerone for the corpse of Ted Simmons (467 PAs in 3 seasons, 10 HR, 86 OPS+).

Claudell Washington (108 OPS+ from ’86-88, primarily a CF) and Paul Zuvella for Ken Griffey Sr. (111 OPS+ in ’87 as LF) and Andre Robertson (never played for Braves)

Duane Ward (31-34, 2.98, 121 Sv, 657 Ks in 634 IP from ’88-’93) and Joe Johnson for

Doyle Alexander (6-6, 3.98 for Braves in ’86-’87) and Jim Acker (7-26, 3.71 with Braves from ’86-’89)

Even though Alexander eventually begat Smoltz, by then Thornwell was (thankfully) long gone. His free agent pickups were scant and uninspiring. Claudell Washington did all right, but Gaylord Perry was disappointing in ’81 and Bruce Sutter was an utter failure in ’85. That history, and his complete and utter mistreatment of Bob Horner (which culminated in Horner being demoted to AAA in 1980 over his manager’s protests and his decision to test free agency after 1986 and being jobbed by collusion).

All of which is presented as a prelude to the thing that will set right The Common Man’s mood. Digging through the same magazine pile at TwinsFest last weekend that spawned this post, The Common Man found a 1980 copy of Braves Illustrated, the team’s annual yearbook. The yearbook itself will soon be sent to uber-Braves fan Craig Calcaterra as compensation for Kent Hrbek wrestling Ron Gant in ’91. But its first article asks several officials to predict what will happen to baseball in the 1980s. Thornwell is optimistic, leading to The Common Man’s “The decade of the Eighties will bring peace and tranquility on the labor front in baseball. Free agency will flourish and ballplayers will continue to prosper. But I look for no disruptions in future spring training or championship seasons.”

Given Thornwell’s history judging his players’ future performance, perhaps it’s not surprising to find several levels of fail in this statement. By 1981, the players were on strike, and MLB had to cancel a third of its schedule. What’s more, Thornwell was an active participant in the collusion that denied free agents the opportunity to “flourish” and “prosper.” His grasp on the economic realities of the game makes him look incompetent here at best, and potentially delusional. Thornwell continues to pile on the crazy ideas, suggesting “I foresee even more colorful uniforms, perhaps for umpires. An orange or yellow colored baseball is a possibility and the stadiums themselves will be more color-coded. I think that interleague play will come about and that both major leagues will be in conformity on the designated hitter rule.” Oops. The Common Man’s mind boggles at the idea that this man was allowed to run a baseball team.

Thanks to all, now read even more!

First of all, a huge thanks to ESPN's Rob Neyer and Baseball Think Factory for featuring The Common Man yesterday. The Common Man is truly honored and humbled. Thanks also to friends of the blog Bill at The Daily Something and Lar at Wezen-ball for starting the Twitter ball rolling that led to expanded exposure for The Common Man. There's a new post up at The Daily Something on one of the treasures discovered at TwinsFest, a preview of the 1981 season by The Sporting News.

Also, now you can follow The Common Man on Twitter.

The Manly Awesomeness of Frank Howard

As Bill pointed out today, The Common Man had the opportunity to meet the great Frank Howard, "The Capitol Punisher," this weekend, as he was signing autographs on behalf of the Bob Feller Museum. Howard is still one of the tallest position players of all time, at 6’7”, and one of its most effective. From 1958-1973, “Hondo” played for the Dodgers, the new Washington Senators, the Texas Rangers, and the Detroit Tigers, never posting an OPS+ below 107 after 1960. Despite a reputation as a low-average slugger in a terrible era for hitters, Howard managed to put together at .273/.352/.499 line across 16 seasons. His 142 OPS+ is tied for 61st all time, ahead of former teammate Duke Snider, and other Hall of Fame sluggers including Reggie Jackson, Chuck Klein, Al Simmons, Dave Winfield, Eddie Murray, Billy Williams, Carl Yastrezemski, and (of course) Jim Rice.

In fact, it might be helpful to think of Frank Howard as the player everyone thinks Jim Rice was. Like Rice, Howard was a defensively challenged corner outfielder. Both lasted 16 seasons, each playing from age 21 to 36, and both hit, believe it or not, 382 homers. Howard’s career OPS was .851, and Rice’s was .854. Rice had a higher batting average, more hits, and more doubles, but also had 1700 more plate appearances. While superficially similar, however, Howard’s performance actually towers over Rice when we account for the era and stadiums in which he played. While Rice spent his whole career taking aim at the Green Monster, Howard was mired hitters’ hells in Dodger Stadium and RFK Stadium for almost all his career. Howard had two full seasons in LA’s Memorial Coliseum in 1960 and 1961, and one full year at Tiger Stadium in his last season, but otherwise played in a scoring wasteland.

Their careers also differ in another essential way. While some writers have twisted themselves into knots to demonstrate that Jim Rice was The Most Feared Hitter In the American League, it’s Howard who was really frightening.

Fig. 1 Some writers.

Again, while getting just four times at bat to every five that Rice got, Howard was intentionally walked 75% more often (135 to 77), including 29 times in 1970 (when he also had 103 unintentional walks and still hit 44 homers). Rice, meanwhile, was never passed more than 10 times in any season (and maxed out at 62 walks for his career high). Howard scared opposing pitchers and teammates alike, not just for the terrific distances his hits traveled but the terrible speed with which the ball came off his bat. From a 1964 profile on Howard in Sports Illustrated, William Leggett writes that “the sight of Howard digging in at the plate causes third-base coach Leo Durocheer to shuffle six steps toward left field and a dozen steps back toward the stands, so that he looks more like a patron cheering from the field boxes than a man going about the business of being a baseline coach.”

And Durocher had good reason to be afraid. As Leggett recounted, Howard’s talent could quickly turn horrifying. In 1957, Howard was taking batting practice at his alma mater, Ohio State, and “a student manager, Melvin Lipton, was picking up balls in the infield behind the pitcher. Howard lined a ball that hit Lipton in the head ust as he looked up. It fractured Upton’s skull, and he was on the critical list for three days.” The next year, according to Los Angeles Times on September 17, “[Duke] Snider was on third base in the fifth inning of the Dodgers’ game at Cincinnati when he was struck by a line drive hit by his teammate, Frank Howard….”The ball ‘struck Snider’s right shoulder and then his right ear a glancing blow, dropping him as though he’d be [sic] shot with an elephant gun….’ ‘I saw the ball coming off Howard’s bat and I tried to duck into it so that I would take the blow off my plastic helmet,’ Snider said. ‘Boy, he really hit that one.’”

In Leggett’s article, Snider recounts that story, saying, “I had my protective helmet on just in case he hit one at me, and he did. I was in foul territory and didn't see the ball come off the bat too good. All I saw was a blur and I threw my left shoulder up a bit. The ball glanced off the shoulder and hit below the bottom of my helmet. I went down. I didn't know where I was, and blood started to flow out of my ear. They picked me up and I was dizzy for three, four, five days. Frank Howard has more raw power than anyone in baseball."

Howard’s incredible ability, however, did little to help his confidence. He told Leggett, “I think I am a realistic guy…. I have the God-given talents of strength and leverage. I realize that I can never be a great ballplayer because a great ballplayer must be able to do five things well: run, field, throw, hit and hit with power. I am mediocre in four of those—but I can hit with power. I have a chance to be a good ballplayer. I work on my fielding all the time, but in the last two years I feel that I have gotten worse as a fielder. My greatest fear was being on the bases, and I still worry about it. I'm afraid to get picked off. I'm afraid to make a mistake on the bases, and I have made them again and again, but here I feel myself getting better." In addition, Leggett describes him as “by no means the smartest man alive, and he knows it.” Already sensitive to criticism (being so tall probably didn’t help; ask Randy Johnson), and disappointed at a lack of playing time and a relative drop in performance didn’t help Hondo either. Late in 1963, he had to be talked into staying in baseball by Pete Reiser. That offseason, Howard reconsidered again, writing a letter to Dodgers’ GM Buzzie Bavasi saying “I have found that money is not the cure to all ills.” Again, Howard was talked into staying, but he struggled to a .226/.303/.432 line.

Howard’s struggles should resonate with men today. Despite his immense size, strength, and talent, the lack of confidence and confusion that plagued his early years are familiar to The Common Man. Talent, and the expectations that come with it can be a tremendous burden on a man, particularly if he slips out of the gate. And the greater the talent, the greater the disappointment when a man falls short. But as familiar as Frank Howard’s struggles seem, his recovery and ultimate triumph is more important. Traded to the new Senators the next offseason, Howard rediscovered his talent and confidence and became the toast of the nation’s capitol. Howard became a team leader and beloved figure, whose combination of size, gentleness, and humor endeared him to his fans.

Fig. 2 Perhaps the greatest photo of Frank Howard of all time.

And Howard, the player criticized as too dumb, too lazy, and too one-dimensional in Los Angeles became a big-league manager, credited with helping develop a young core of talent with both the San Diego Padres and New York Mets as they rebuilt their franchises. His experience provided the needed perspective to guide those young players through their struggles and crises of confidence. Looking at his evolution, it is clear that Frank Howard grew as a man as the 1960s progressed, and that he helped others with similar struggles after his career ended.

So while The Common Man enjoyed meeting Justin Morneau, Pat Neshek, Jack Morris, and others at TwinsFest, he’s happiest that he met Frank Howard, whose kindness and warmth met all expectations. Would that all former ballplayers were that excited to interact with fans and generous with their time and attention.

Fig. 3 One awesome dude.

Photos taken from here, here, and here

11 Simple Rules For Dating My TwinsFest

The Common Man spent his weekend making slow circles around the inside of the Metrodome in the land of his birth, enjoying another successful TwinsFest.


The Common Man managed to get in front of Justin Morneau (don’t drop the torch, Justin, please. Enough Minnesota athletes have had fumbling problems lately), Jack Morris, Tony Oliva, Jim Thome, Denard Span, Scott Baker, Michael Cuddyer, Kevin Slowey, Francisco Liriano, Jason Kubel, JJ Hardy, Jesse Crain, and Official Twins Reliever of the Blogosphere Pat Neshek. He got to meet polite and fresh-faced youngsters like Aaron Hicks (who the ladies will love), Kyle Gibson, and Carlos Gutierrez. (As an aside, The Common Man was really impressed with little-known Twins pitching prospect Cole DeVries. DeVries made a point to interact with every kid in the line and had a quick smile, good sense of humor, and a genuine warmth. DeVries had two good years in 2007 and 2008 before struggling at New Britain last year, and saw his BB/K drop for a third straight year. As a 25 year old at AA, Cole will be facing a make-or-break year in 2010, and The Common Man will be pulling for him.)

In addition, The Common Man, along with good friend of the blog Bill at TDS, were totally big-leagued by former Twins 3B Corey Koskie, so that was fun. Also, The Common Man shopped for baseball cards with Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer (ok, so maybe Bremer was just traveling a similar route) and managed to pick up this 1955 Topps Don Mossi card for $2.50:


Fig. 1 Because you can't turn down a face this ugly.

But while The Common Man's TwinsFest was a terrific experience, the day did not go as well for several others The Common Man met/overheard over the course of the weekend. As a public service, in order to help you out next year, The Common Man generously presents his 11 Rules for TwinsFest:

1) Don’t show up early on Saturday. The lines at the door quickly turn into mosh pits as a desperate group of souvenir dealers, housewives, young blondes in tight clothes, and small unhappy children with over-zealous fathers crowd the doors so they can race to get Joe Mauer’s autograph. You will just be cold, cranky, and trampled by the time you get inside the gate and weasels who showed up as the orderly line devolved into chaos will get in before you.

2) Always go with a buddy. Bill and The Common Man spent a lot of time in line together, allowing us to conduct two fantasy drafts of current and former Twins (25 man rosters, one squad based on value while a Twin, the other based on overall career value). Also, if you get in the Justin Morneau line at 9:00, and he doesn’t start signing until 11:00, each of you will have time to slip away and get Denard Span’s autograph in the meantime.

3) Mustard has perfected jeans-seeking technology. We are losing the arms race.

4) Bring money. Lots of money. If you want autographs, TwinsFest is expensive. Minor leaguers are free, but current and former Twins can run from $10/panel to $30 for a Hall of Famers (Carew, Molitor, Killebrew, etc.) Keep in mind that you may need to buy baseballs and other souvenirs for players to sign. An official MLB ball may cost $11-15 at the event. If you’re getting an unofficial ball, make sure it is made with real leather and not glossy. You can find these for around $5. If you have no intention of ever selling your autographs (The Common Man plans to pass his along to The Boy), this is a good strategy to keep the overall price down.


Fig. 2 A good start.

5) Keep your program. The Common Man knows this is hard to believe, but some players’ signatures are hard to read. Particularly if you plan to get the autographs of minor leaguers, it’s good to have the program so you can remember whose autographs you’re getting (or got last year) and can follow their career during the season.

6) Think carefully about bringing your small child to TwinsFest. Babies who can ride in backpacks or Bjorns are probably fine. Kids between 1-2 years old are ideal. They are cute, but relatively agreeable and quiet. And The Common Man says this next part as the father of a three-year old: your three-year old is not equipped to stand in line for 3 hours to get Joe Mauer’s autograph. There is a lot to do at the Dome, but it is not aimed at really young kids. Five or six years old is about when TwinsFest starts to get viable, but avoid longer lines (get the free autographs of the minor leaguers, or some of the current/former Twins down on the playing field). Also, please don’t put your kid on a leash; that’s just uncomfortable for all of us.

7) Do not expect to get a lot of face time with your favorite players. The lines need to be kept moving (because trampling could occur if Joe Mauer’s not signing at a steady clip). Also, you can’t ask players to pose in pictures with you. Get them while they’re signing your stuff, or signing someone else’s (no one will ever know). You may be able to double your time with a guy if you’re working in tandem with a less talkative partner (sorry about that, Bill), but you’ll still have 15-20 seconds, tops. So enjoy them while you can.

8) No matter how hopeful you are, unless you plan well in advance, you are unlikely to get Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau’s autograph. Actually, that goes triple for Mauer. With a half-hour to go for his hour-and-a-half session, The Common Man took an informal poll of people waiting. Almost all of them thought they were going to get Mauer’s autograph. These were people who were 500-750 spots away from the front of the line. It was sad.


Fig. 3 It can feel like this.

To get in to see Joe or Justin, you need to be there early and be willing to sacrifice other autographs you could be getting in the meantime.

9) Do not drink at TwinsFest. It’s just unnecessary. There are a ton of people, it’s morning or early afternoon, you’re going to get jostled, and your beer comes in a plastic cup. Either you or the Metrodome floor is going to get covered in Miller Genuine Draft. And nobody wants that.

10) Coats are a pain in the ass. The Twins have missed a golden opportunity by not working out some kind of coat check system. It’s January, so everyone is wearing their heavy jackets, particularly when they show up at 8:00 and the gates open at 9:00. But then you have to carry your jacket around with you the whole freaking day. The Common Man would have gladly payed $3-5 to have someone else mind his jacket while he walked around the stadium in comfort. As all the proceeds for the event go to charity, nobody should complain about this added expense. This is a great money-making proposition that The Common Man cannot believe has gone unaddressed. Twins, contact The Common Man. He has a detailed plan (with diagrams), and several other terrific promotional ideas (Why aren’t there batting cages for adults? Wouldn’t many of the 10,000 people in attendance, ALL OF WHOM ARE BASEBALL FANS, want a turn in the cage for $3? Also, why has no one ever thought to let the fans onto the field after a game and project a movie on the canvas of the dome???). Seriously Twins, you don’t know what you’re missing.

11) If you enjoy people-watching, TwinsFest is a must-see. In addition to grown men wearing jerseys with their nicknames written across the back (really, you’re the Iron Horse, 45-year old guy with a grey goatee, Zubaz, and a beer gut? OK, if you say so), you get to see the latest in Baseball Annie-wear (tight jerseys (particularly of the player whose line they are standing in) tied above the midriff, a lot of layering with lacy fringed tops, unrealistically long blonde extensions, Bump-Its, high heels (you do know you’re standing in line all day, right?), and charcoal-dark eyeshadow that cakes the eye-socket). My God, it’s like they’re a 16 year old Twilight fan auditioning for American Idol.

Fig. 4 What do you mean this show isn't classy?

Also, you get to enjoy the little kids decked out to the nines in Twins-related gear (always a highlight, especially if the kid isn’t ugly or crying). Plus, you get to enjoy the following categories of Twins-fan:
Guy-who-just-came-off-the-ice-because-he-caught-his-limit-for-the-day-and-might-as-well-come-to-TwinsFest-because-he-doesn’t-have-anything-else-going-today,
Woman-whose-t-shirt-is-not-quite-covering-her-belly-fat,
Possible-homeless-guy-who-is-just-trying-to-get-out-of-the-cold-by-finding-a-quiet-corner-of-the-Metrodome-to-conceal-himself-for-the-winter,
Loud-lady-who-complains-constantly-about-how-the-autograph-system-works-and-can’t-wait-to-get-down-to-Florida-in-three-weeks-because-it’s-way-too-cold,
Sad-man-child-hero-worshipper,
Cynical-souvenir-hunter-dragging-two-suitcases-stuffed-with-shit-with-several-bats-sticking-out-of-the-top-who-is-looking-forward-to-Ebaying-all-this-stuff-tomorrow,
Beleaguered-dad-who-didn’t-take-TCM’s-advice-at-#6,
Beleaguered-mom-who-can’t-believe-beleaguered-dad-didn’t-take-TCM’s-advice-at-#6-even-though-she-told-him-she-didn’t-think-this-was-a-good-idea-but-NOOOOO-he-just-wouldn’t-listen-and-kept-saying-“It’ll-be-fine,”

and, of course, The Whaaaaaaa? (Otherwise known as the Holy-shit-turn-around-slowly-do-you-see-that-guy-no-that-guy-the-guy-with-the-thing-what-is-that-oh-God-he’s-looking-at-us-turn-away-don’t-look-did-you-see-it-what-the-hell-was-that?)

The Common Man also saw an otherwise very attractive girl with the strangest eyebrows he had ever seen. Were they drawn on with a Sharpie? They sure as hell could have been. However, without touching them to be sure, The Common Man's guess is badger fur. Really, if Minka Kelly can't pull this off, what hope do you have?

The Common Man hopes this will be helpful as you plan your TwinsFest (or really, any fan fest) next year. Stay tuned to this blog for the rest of this week for more articles born out of TwinsFest. Seriously, there's good stuff on tap.

The Thome Effect

Yesterday, the Twins signed Jim Thome to a one-year deal for $1.5 million guaranteed, with the potential of earning up to $2.2 million. It’s a modest deal for a player who really is limited at this point to drawing walks and slugging the ball against RHP. A couple days ago, Friend of the Blog and The Common Man’s boyhood chum Bill at The Daily Something, expressed great reservation over a potential deal, writing “bringing a full-time DH…to get a Kubel/Young platoon that has to play in the field seems like an enormous waste in every possible way.” Last night, we discussed this further and, while The Common Man has reservations about the deal, he's conditionally optimistic.

First, provided his production doesn’t slip precipitously, Thome’s bat presents an upgrade for the Twins against RHP over what Delmon Young would provide. Young has hit .283/.317/.396 against RHP in his career, well below average for any position, let alone LF. What’s more, he’s shown no improvement in that ability in the last four years. Thome, meanwhile, crushes righties, hitting .262/.383/.498 against them last year as a 38-year old. Thome would have to utterly collapse to actually fare worse against RHP in 2010 than Young will.

What’s more, using Thome against RHP gets Young out of the field. Young roams LF like he’s wearing ice skates to run across hot coals. The numbers say he’s bad, but they really don’t give a strong enough indication of just how horrible he looks out there. Young plays LF is like watching a whale do ballet: at once fascinating, ugly, and utterly ineffective. It’s true that Young’s just going to be replaced by Jason Kubel, whose track record in the outfield (back when he used to play regularly) was not good. Kubel actually started 53 games in LF and RF last year, and acquitted himself relatively well, and perhaps has recovered enough from the devastating knee injury that debilitated him in 2005, 2006, and possibly 2007 to make him an acceptable defender in the corner. Or he might not have. Either way, he’s probably better than Young at this point, so that’s an upgrade as well.


Fig. 1 Somebody feels left out.

Bill may very well be right when he suggests that the Twins would have been better served by signing an Endy Chavez or Randy Winn and upgrading a very questionable OF defense. Denard Span is stretched as a CF and, again, Young and Kubel in LF is not ideal. Michael Cuddyer also has been pretty bad in RF since 2006. But it’s also undeniable that the Twins are better today than they were two days ago.

There is a big “but” however, in this scenario. If the Twins do not deploy Thome optimally, it’s hard to see this move as a win for them. It has been rumored that Thome will primarily serve as a backup DH and pinch-hitter, a role that he did not excel at for the Dodgers last year. Such a scenario would force Young back into the field and to the plate against RHP and would severely cripple the team offensively, defensively, and on the bench. If Thome is only viewed as a back-up, then in any given game, the Twins (as currently constructed) figure to go with Jose Morales as the backup C, Thome sitting out, Alexi Casilla or Matt Tolbert backing up at 2B (with Punto as the backup SS, presumably). They still need a backup CF (unless that’s Jason Pridie or Rene Tosoni, /shudder). Having Thome primarily as a bench player severely limits the team’s flexibility, especially if they’re committed to carrying 12 pitchers (as they have been these past few years). The Twins would be left with one backup IF, one OF, one C, and one PH. Such a roster construction would make shuffling players around to keep everyone fresh and reduce day-to-day injuries difficult.


Fig. 2 The Twins' new outfield/DH/bench solution.

Also, and this is something The Common Man didn’t think of until just now, the Thome signing may eliminate one of the Twins’ truly innovative lineup decisions from last year, DHing Joe Mauer when he’s not catching, a decision that likely allowed the Twins to eke out a win in their division. Late last season, when Mauer sat against RHP, Kubel typically moved into the outfield, while Morales caught, because Young was so hopeless. Now, however, with a legitimate DH on the roster, the usually unimaginative Ron Gardenhire might sit Mauer more often, reducing his superhuman contribution to the lineup. This too, would be disastrous, as Mauer is virtually guaranteed to out-produce Thome.

So count The Common Man as cautiously optimistic about Jim Thome, Minnesota Twin. He hopes to bump into the burly DH at Twinsfest this weekend. But that doesn’t eliminate the team’s need for additional help in the infield, or his desperate wish the team would carry just 11 pitchers.

Major League Papists

Aaron Gleeman of NBC.com’s invaluable Circling the Bases passes along a story today about Oakland A’s outfield prospect Grant Desme, who has decided to hang up his spikes and put on vestments. Desme, who mashed across two levels of A-ball this past season (.288/.365/.568) is 23 years old and won the Arizona Fall League MVP just a few short months ago. On it’s face, to most, it’s a baffling decision. Baseball America ranks Desme 8th among A’s prospects, and it seems like the young man had a legitimate shot at a productive baseball career. But, of course, matters of faith often don’t make sense to outsiders.


Last year, at Confirmation, our Bishop (who The Common Man philosophically disagrees with on a number of issues) told us an important truth about the decision to become a priest. If you don’t want to be something else, you probably wouldn’t make a great priest. To be a priest, our Bishop said, required sacrificing some of our hopes and dreams for the betterment of others. If you didn’t feel like you were giving up an important part of yourself to serve God more fully, the decision (and your commitment) would not be as meaningful. It motivates you to make your sacrifice worth it. And so, from The Common Man’s perspective, it’s wonderful to see a young man so dedicated to his faith and to improving the lives of others that he is willing to make such a sacrifice.

But the point of this post is not to get all weepy and gushy over one man’s decision to hear God’s call to his vocation. Rather, in light of what Catholicism has denied baseball today (a prospect), it’s important to remember some of what Catholicism has given back to the game:

For instance, baseball’s early years were dominated by Irish-Americans, often first or second generation immigrants, who popularized the early professional game. Baseball offered Catholic immigrants one of the few ways to earn a decent salary at a time when many businesses refused to hire Irish (in particular) employees. According to the Encyclopedia of Ethnicity in American Sports, from 1876 to 1884, forty-one percent of players entering into the new National League were Irish. The vast majority of these players were Catholics. While the percentage of Irish in the league fell toward the start of the 20th Century, many of the game’s major stars, including ther amazingly mustacheoed King Kelly, Dan McGann, Ed Delahanty, John McGraw, and Connie Mack (Cornelius McGillicuddy) continued to draw Eastern-America’s working-class, immigrant, and yes, overwhelmingly Catholic, fans to the ballpark. It’s not a stretch to suggest that professional baseball’s early survival in America’s cities was due to the support of its Catholic players and fans.

While 19th Century baseball may well owe its survival to us mackerel-snappers, baseball’s evolution from the Deadball Era to the Modern Era also owes Catholicism a debt of gratitude. In 1895, as most of you know, George Herman “Babe” Ruth was born in Baltimore. His father was a saloon keeper and his mother was often ill, and so little George became incorrigible, running the streets at the tender age of six and becoming a the poster child for juvenile delinquency. Unable to care properly for the boy, and under increasing pressure by the Baltimore court system, George’s father placed him in St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys in 1902, and signed over custody of his son to the Catholic missionaries who ran it. There, under the tutelage of Brother Matthias Boutlier, the head of discipline for the school, Ruth learned to read and write, played in the school band, was involved in drama club, learned shirt-making, and, oh yes, learned how to hit, field and pitch. In 1913, in a game against a local college, Ruth impressed scouts and was signed by the Baltimore Orioles. Then of course, Ruth went on to be the greatest player in the history of the game, excelling first as a left-handed pitcher for the Sox before becoming baseball’s home-run king and ushering in the Lively-Ball Era. You’re welcome. Appropriately, apparently all of baseball’s single-season home run kings, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, and all-time HR leader Barry Bonds were and are also Catholic. Perhaps the homerun itself is Catholic.

Italian-American Catholics, of course, became far more prevalent after the 1920s, as their waves of immigration mirrored that of the Irish in the 19th Century. Eager to adopt American customs and ideals, many Italian children migrated to baseball as a way to assimilate. Again, the large (and mostly Catholic) immigrant populations of New York and Philadelphia fed into the popularity of the new stars, and encouraged Catholics to support local teams. The next decades saw the rise of the DiMaggios, Phil Rizzuto, Tony Lazzeri, Yogi Berra, Dolph Camilli, Ernie Lombardi, and others who defined the ‘20s, ‘30s, and ‘40s (and particularly the budding dynasty of the New York Yankees). The growing Catholic sensibility of New York City was reflected in the construction of its teams, and indeed, as Lazzeri, Berra, Rizzuto, DiMaggio, Frank Crosetti, Billy Martin and others led the Yankees, the Bronx and Brooklyn were experiencing an influx of Catholic immigration, as middle-class industrial work fled Manhattan.

And, of course, it’s important to note the influx of Latin American talent that has become so steady into the Major Leagues. Most of these players, of course, are raised Catholic in their native countries, and bring their faith with them when they play here. Sammy Sosa (perhaps a bad example), Juan Marichal, Luis Tiant, the Alou brothers, Mariano Rivera, and Roberto Clemente serve as just a starting point of a laundry list of prominent Latino Catholics who played and still play in the game today. While there’s nothing to suggest this, The Common Man wonders if a common faith, in addition to common language and similar cultural backgrounds help these players identify with one another and support them during what is undoubtedly a very difficult transition.

Other prominent Catholics in baseball include: Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, Jeff Suppan, professional grit-manufacturer David Eckstein, Whitey Ford, Wally Pipp, Tommy Lasorda, Ivan Rodriguez, Joe Torre, Bowie Kuhn, Sean Casey, Leo Durocher. This list, of course, is nowhere near comprehensive. But very few websites or publications have such lists, for understandable reasons. For many people, their faith is private, and The Common Man respects that. This list just includes individuals who have been public about their faith in forums he could find.

But it’s not like baseball hasn’t given back to the church. For instance, at least two former major leaguers have preceded Desme into the priesthood. These include:

John Burke (NY Giants, 1902): Fr. Burke played in four games for the Giants that year, two on the mound and two in the outfield. Burke managed two hits in 13 ABs (both singles) and pitched 14 innings with an ERA of 5.79. He lost his only start that year, but did pitch a perfect game. His performance in 1905 is missing from his record, but Burke went 38-27 in the minors from 1903-1907, including 15-5 for the Lancaster Millionaires of the Tri-State League in ’07. Burke later became a priest (date unknown), and served as pastor of St. Joseph’s church in Keyport, NJ from 1929 until 1950, becoming a Monsignor before his death.

Al Travers (Detroit, 1912): Travers’ story is terrific. As many know, in May of ’12, Ty Cobb went into the stands and beat a no-armed man who had been heckling him with a bat. Cobb was immediately suspended indefinitely by Ban Johnson and Cobb’s teammates (for some reason) went on strike in support of the prickly Peach. American League President Ban Johnson ordered the Tigers to play, and so, on May 18, the team threw together a group of Philadelphia college players (and two coaches) to play against the World Champion Philadelphia A’s. Travers was the starting pitcher, and went the full 9 against the A’s, giving up 24 runs (14 earned) on 26 hits and 7 walks. He also went 0 for 3 at the plate. Travers ended his career with a 15.75 ERA and a .000 batting average, a combination of futility that’s hard to match. The next day, Johnson reduced Cobb’s suspension to 10 games, and the Tigers returned. Travers eventually graduated from St. Joseph’s University, entered the seminary, and became a Jesuit Priest.
Also, Tom Mulcahy, a former minor league player, and San Diego Padres scout and executive was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1968.

In all, as The Common Man said, this is in no way a comprehensive history of Catholicism and baseball, though The Common Man wishes one existed. So intertwined are the sport and the faith that it's hard to imagine baseball being the game we know today without it. Indeed, across all the immigrations and influxes into the game, Catholicism has been an ever-present part of the game's history, culture, and color. And The Common Man is very pleased and proud that, like Travers, Burke, and Mulcahy before him, Desme is helping baseball give something back.