Rob Manfred thinks baseball could be doing better than it is. He us looking for ways to make the sport stronger. He thinks the answer is to find more way for young people to play the game.
Once again, someone in baseball whose organization is floundering decides the answer is a youth movement. I guess it’s hard to blame them. That used to be my automatic reaction, too. And when young teams like the Astros suddenly blossom where a few months before there had been nothing but weedy scrubland, it reinforces this default reaction.
But for some reason lately I’ve not been as ready to assume that going young is always all that smart.
EFL | ||||||
TEAM | WINS | LOSSES | PCT. | GB | RS | RA |
Old Detroit Wolverines | 46 | 22 | .673 | — | 355.9 | 247.9 |
Haviland Dragons | 42 | 26 | .620 | 3.6 | 331.2 | 260.1 |
Cottage Cheese | 38 | 28 | .581 | 6.5 | 303.6 | 251.4 |
Peshastin Pears | 36 | 31 | .544 | 8.9 | 284.0 | 259.3 |
Pittsburgh Alleghenys | 34 | 29 | .542 | 9.2 | 301.8 | 277.3 |
Flint Hill Tornadoes | 35 | 33 | .514 | 10.8 | 320.2 | 312.3 |
Kaline Drive | 31 | 37 | .460 | 14.5 | 267.9 | 291.3 |
Canberra Kangaroos | 31 | 37 | .454 | 14.9 | 353.7 | 387.5 |
Portland Rosebuds | 24 | 43 | .364 | 20.9 | 267.8 | 355.7 |
Old Detroit: “W”, 2- 4. .140, .170, .279; 0 ip 0 er. I know, it’s odd to see me — well below the median age in our league — urging caution about the virtues of youth. But I can no longer avoid the data right in front of me here. For example, thirteen Wolverines batted yesterday, ranging in age from 22 to 29 (average age: 25). Four of them batted .500 (altogether 6 for 12, .500, .538, 1.000) , ages 22, 25, 27, and 28 for an average of 25.5 years old. The other nine batted .000, 0.028, .000. Their average age: 25.0 exactly. See? What good is youth?
Haviland: “L”, 6 – 5. .324, .361, .559; 14.7 ip, 6 er. The Dragons hit far better than the W’s. The Dragons’ lineup average age: 28. And the Dragons actually had pitchers yesterday. The oldest pitcher (Samardzija, age 30) pitched well: 7 ip, 2 er, 2.57 ERA). The youngest Dragon pitcher (Kela, age 22) had an era of 13.50 (1 run in 2/3 of an inning).
Cottage: DNP, 4 – (-4). .323, .364, .848; 16.3 ip, 2 er. Clay Buchholz is 3o. He went 7 innings with no earned runs. Kendall Graveman is only 24: 7 ip, 2 er. And look at the Cottage hitting industry: of those who played a full game, the youngest (21-year-old Dilson Herrera) batted only .000, .333, .000. The oldest (32-year old Yunel Escobar) did the best (5 for 5 with a double).
Peshastin: L, 1 – 5. .222, .282, .278; 4.7 ip, 2 er. Max Scherzer is the Pears’ ace, who almost threw a no-hitter the last time out. He’s 30. The average Pear pitcher is 27.
Pittsburgh: W, 8 – 3. .444, .433, .621; 6.7 ip. 1 er. Nobody epitomizes the advantages of age better than the Chief Allegheny — not just in his person, but also in his team. He has the entire EFL trophy collection in his office. And then last spring he drafted zero rookies last spring, and now look where the A’s are: back up atop the… uh, the bottom half of the league.
Flint Hill: L, (-1) – 3. .162, .184, .324. 15.7 ip, 4 er. Tornado hitters (average age 26) sucked, hitting at about half of a replacement level. The Tornado hurlers (average age 28) pitched like all-stars: 15.7 ip, 4 er.
Kaline: L, 2- 3. .162, .244, .189; 6.7 ip, 2 er. Some have alleged that the Wizard of Whidbey is the oldest member of the EFL. Perhaps it’s true. Notice that none of the younger members of the league is ever called the “wizard” of anything.
Canberra: L, 6 – 7. .290, .395, .419; 0 ip, 0 er. Mean-spirited (or perhaps envious) younger people sometimes tell themselves that older people are frailer, not as hardy, would only injure themselves if they tried to do what younger people do. OK, well, if that’s so why was it that last night the only Kangaroo to sustain an injury was their youngest player (only 22 years old): Bryce Harper. AJ Pierzynski plays older (38) and a harder position (catcher) and he got through the game fine. I bet Kangaroo fans everywhere are relieved that at least there’s one experienced hand among the ‘Roos.
Portland: L, 3- 7. .239, .286, .348; 10.3 ip, 8 er. What got me thinking about this wasn’t just Manfred’s announced new strategy to save baseball. It was studying the star-crossed Rosebud pitching staff. The two youngest members of that staff (Yordano Ventura and Mike Wright) have accounted for 15 innings in June and 16 earned runs, for an ERA of 9.60. The two oldest members — and I do mean old; Wandy Rodriguez and Chris Young’s ages add up to the Wizard’s age — have accounted for 37.3 ip and 11 earned runs, for a joint era of 2.65.
Looking beyond the Rosebud roster, consider Flint Hill’s Aaron Harang (3.24 ERA this year at age 37).
And look at the entire league. Every team in the top half of the standings is owned by someone at least 58 years old. Of the four teams in the bottom half of the standings, only one is over 40, and I suspect he’s only down there to babysit the others.
So, Mr. Manfred, there’s nothing wrong with youth movements. But don’t count on young people to save baseball.
What about the Cheese Wiz?
Thanks, Tom, I was hoping somebody would remember us. We’re too shy to speak up for ourselves.