Thursday, November 4, 2010

Sometimes rhetoric is just lying

In case you didn't know, Derek Jeter is eligible for free agency. He has played for the Yankees his entire sixteen-season career and has been generally overpaid for his level of statistical production. No doubt the Yankees are happy to pay for his intangible benefits to the team.

But things are getting tough for Jeet: he's thirty-six years old and he just posted his lowest ever BA, OBP and OPS numbers. But he's almost at 3,000 hits!

His agent, Casey Close, had this to say:

"Derek's impact on the sport's most valuable franchise cannot be overstated."

Let's give this a try:
1. Derek Jeter has had a more significant career impact on his franchise than Babe Ruth.
2. Derek Jeter had a more significant impact in 2009 on his franchise than Robinson Cano.

Looks like Derek's impact on the sport's most valuable franchise can indeed, in fact, be overstated.

An afterthought: isn't it surprising that the biggest clutch player of our times had the worst season of his career... in the walk year of his ten-year deal? Not very clutch for his bottom line!

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll go ahead and disagree with overstatement #2. In 2009, Jeter's OPS+ was 125 and Cano's was 121. Jeter played shortstop and Cano played second base. I think Jeter had a more significant impact in 2009 on his franchise than Robinson Cano.

Chris W said...

Jeter 2009 WAR: 6.5
Cano 2009 WAR: 4.2

Verdict: Anonymous is probably right!!!

Maybe Dan meant 2010?

Anonymous said...

He obviously meant 2010 -- I was just having a little fun with it. We who live in glass houses and all . . .

Chris W said...

firedanbob.blogspot.com

SOB in CA said...

Mr Close wants Mr Jeter to be paid in 2011 for his past value? According to fangraphs, he's the 16th best defensive SS in the league, out of 21 that meet eligible stat criteria. Might be nice for Mr Jeter to work on his glove every off-season, and not just 2009.

Chris W said...

I wonder if Jeter's fielding success in 2009 is just a function of the random fluctuation of fielding statistics rather than some mythical "hard working 2008 offseason". Then again a lot of people said he LOOKED better in 2009 too. Since I don't watch baseball and only look at spreadsheets I really don't know WHAT to think.

Anonymous said...

Wait, you can "watch" baseball????

Chris W said...

I mean, when I say "watch baseball" I mean watching a computer vs. computer game of MLB 2010 The Show

Tonus said...

I don't think that Babe Ruth ever made a play where he caught a throw from the outfield that was going to be off line, grabbed it, spun, flipped it backhand-style (while doing a slo-mo somersault) to the catcher who tagged the runner out. Besides, if Ruth was so good, why didn't he make $19 mil a year?

Yeah, thought so.

Chris W said...

QED.

Point: Tonus

Jack M said...

Yeah, if Ruth was so important, why aren't his stats listed on the scoreboard during Jeff Francoeur's at bats?

Larry B said...

No one comments on my posts anymore

:(

Jack M said...

Larry,

I think you need to make it more obvious that you're jealous of Bill Simmons and more flagrantly flaunt the fact that you stole the idea for this site from someone.

That'll have the angry commenters rolling into your posts.

First Name Last Initial said...

Your jealous of Bill Simmons and you stole this idea from someone.

/needed bad guy?

First Name Last Initial said...

Sorry, meant to say: You're

/invalidates everything I've ever said and will ever say.

/Full disclosure: fucking hate it when people do what I just did.

/Hated here so bring the hate, earned it.

dan-bob said...

It seems your self-hatred is sufficient, First Name Last Initial.

Come back again soon for punch and cookies.

Jack M said...

/Incorrectly uses the backslash.

First Name Last Initial said...

Jack M: YOU'RE a douche? Let's discuss: