Did anyone tell AROD

[Sir]

that he's a shortstop? He's not supposed to put up offensive numbers like he does.

This guy is a machine. As of right now he has 34 dingers and 88 ribbies. Incredible.

It's also nice to see a Canadian boy (Larry Walker) leading the entire league in batting with a .361 average.

Anyone have any other interesting MLB observations?

[John]

What's truely amazing to me about Arod is that the guys batting in front of him are hitting about .150 and he still has all those RBI.

I heard last night that he has had one AB with runners in scoring position in his last 12 ABs, and he hit a grand slam . . .

[Brian H]

I ask you guys do you really think A Rod is worth all that money? I know hes putting up phenominal numbers but is he worth that much?

[John]

Nobody is worth that much money, to begin with.

It makes no sense to have the highest paid player in baseball on a last place team, either.

Should A Rod be the highest paid player in the game? You won't get an argument from me on that one.

[Player6600]

He's doing it on a crappy team who cares really. He is one of the top players but he isn't the best player in MLB this year. I would rather have Curt Shilling then A-Rod any day of the week.

[Player6600]

A-Rod is a great player but if you ask me I can list a bunch of players who I would rather have. Pedro, Randy Johnson, Clemons, Shilling,

Did you see Paul Byrd he has single-handidly won quite a few games for the Royals (4 complete games in a row), A-Rod can't do that.

[John]

Your comparing pictchers to position players, Player, which is fine but not what I had in mind when I made my statement.

If you are building a team, pitching is the key (see my previous comment about it making no sense to have the highest paid player on a last place team). But ruring the regular season, a pitcher will get 32 to 33 starts, while a position player will play 162 games.

In the playoffs or World Series, though, the value of that one pitcher zooms up, as we have seen time and time again.

[Player6600]

Originally posted by John

But ruring the regular season, a pitcher will get 32 to 33 starts, while a position player will play 162 games.

.

Yes but a pitcher can single-handidly win half of those games on his own. A-Rod can't do that he is 4-5 times a game. A pitchers worth is so much greater that a hitter worth. You look at the top teams in MLB and all of them have a great pitching staff. Angels are the best example, thehave crappy hitters, but great pitching

[Sir]

Pitchers get one start every 4 games or so. A guy like AROD can have an impact every game. It's not really a fair comparison. But, put two aces on a club, like the D-Backs or Braves or Yanks and that's where they have the most impact. Bottom line, an ace on a nothing club has the same limited impact as a position player does.

[Player6600]

A-Rod get up to the base only 4 times a game and if he hits well then he gets on base twice. How is that value more important then someone who can single-handidly win a game on his own.

[Sir]

It really is apples and oranges. Both have marked impact in different ways. Even with AROD in the line-up, Texas is going nowhere., The argumet would hold true if you replaced him with Schilling.

[Player6600]

If schilling were there their record would be better. Texas's hitting is still good without him and Schilling could get them some wins.

[Sir]

Schilling is first in wins with 18 but only 5th in ERA. I've always put more emphasis on era. Put him on the rangers and his wins go down, guaranteed. But on the D-Backs he has the best offensive backing in the NL. The D-Backs are first in almost every team offensive category. So, having said that, Randy Johnson's ERA is better than Schillings but has for fewer wins and one more loss. How's that work?

AROD on the other hand, is first in the league in BA, HR and RBI, while still being 4th among AL SS's with a .990 FD%.

It's a toss up. Day-in, day-out production in every aspect of the game vs. one game in 4 brilliance. Who's to say? I'd take them both. :D

[Sir]

This could go on for hours! I'll start a new thread in its honor. :D

[Player6600]

A hitters value in a game is minimal since he only bats 4 times a game. A pitcher pitching once every 4-5 starts has a much greater value then a hitter does. That is why the common thread between the top teams is that they have great pitching. Any team who overpays a hitter will face the consequence of having a losing record.

for example the best hitters in the game are A-Rod, Guerrero, Bonds, Sosa, Helton, Walker, Giambi, and Gonzalez.

Only 3 have a winning record and that is because they are part of a team with great pitching staff.

Look at the best pitchers Pedro, Shilling, Johnson, Maddux, Glavin, Zito, Clemons, Mussina.

They are all part of playoff teams.

[Sir]

Those are great teams though. Pedro will never win anything on his own. The other you mention are part of great staffs... great rotations. One-picther-deep rotations are limited, just as the Rangers are with only one surperstar.

[Player6600]

Baseball is the ultimate team game no player can win on his own but Pedro will have a much greater impact than A-Rod will.