Mike Trout vs. Babe Ruth: Who's Better? 4/14/19

Hey baseball fans!

I recently read an article discussing Mike Trout's hot start and whenever any article brings up this topic, the "Trout versus Babe Ruth" comparison is always insinuated. Now, as some of you might remember, I called Ruth the best hitter of all time in my "Top 50 Hall of Fame Hitters" series I did over the summer. So of course, I have to defend the Bambino and will be doing so in this post.

The main point of comparison between these two amazing hitters is always wins above replacement, a controversial, yet definitely important statistic to value a player's skills in proportion to his overall team's play. For example, Mike Trout's WAR as of Monday, according to FanGraphs, was 1.2, meaning that because Trout is in the lineup, the Angels had won 1.2 games more games than they would've if he wasn't in the lineup. Trout is famous for having insane WAR seasons, but there's something that is worth bringing up about this new-age stat: wins above replacement is a good indicator of who is deserving of the MVP award, but doesn't always designate who is the best at hitting.

Call my opinions out-dated, but hear me out. Baseball Hall of Fame legitimacy relies on three core statistical percentages, among other stats, which are batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. These numbers are incredibly important, specifically in that order. My explanation for this ranking is as follows. If I, Matt Nadel, a 5-foot-6, 135lb 20-year-old, were to have 100 Major League plate appearances and was not allowed to swing at all, I would still probably have a fine OBP. Of course patience is important when it comes to batting, but comparably, slugging percentage and batting average are much more important in determining a hitter's skill. These two stats are where Ruth really stands out compared to Trout. Babe Ruth is the all-time leader in career slugging percentage at .690. Mike Trout's slugging percentage at the moment is a "measly" .576. It's really not a bad slugging percentage, but this comparison really just means that no one, and I mean no one, could hit the ball as hard or as far as Babe Ruth. Sure, he was hitting at Yankee Stadium, where right field is notoriously short, but that's where batting average comes into play.

Babe Ruth batted .342 for his career. Hank Aaron batted .305. Barry Bonds batted .298. Mike Trout's career batting average is currently .307. I am well-aware that baseball was quite different back when Ruth played, but you do not win the MVP award if you have a bad batting average. Seriously, look at the MVP winners of the past. Almost every single MVP has a good batting average or has a better batting average than their lifetime one. This may be an extreme coincidence, but especially during a time when batting averages are down across baseball, batting average has been, is, and will always be king. Aaron, Bonds, and Trout can almost go toe-to-toe with Ruth on OBP and slugging, but it's the batting average that makes Ruth stand out.

Oh, and did I mention that Babe Ruth is the all-time WAR leader at 182.4? Yeah, stop with the "Trout vs. Ruth" comparison. Of course Trout's the best hitter in baseball at the moment, but your arguments have been moot for almost 100 years, because without Ruth's revolutionary hitting, there would be no Mike Trout. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

The Case for Nick Markakis 4/6/19

Hey baseball fans!

I've been very into these "The Case For" blogposts recently, so I'm pumping out another one! Nick Markakis has always been a prolific hitter and is set on a path that's headed straight for Cooperstown, despite only making his first All Star Game last year. Why is he so worthy of the Hall of Fame, you ask? Let me answer that question with some classic Baseball with Matt Hall of Fame precedence.

All Star Games do and don't matter for Hall of Fame consideration. Joe DiMaggio made an All Star Game every single year he played in the MLB, which, due to him only playing for 13 years, arguably pushed him over the edge for Hall of Fame consideration. Jim Thome, on the other hand, only made five All Star Games in 22 years, but is in the Hall of Fame for his 612 career home runs. Markakis definitely falls more under the Thome category rather than DiMaggio's at this current moment for being a player who excels at hitting without the deserving midsummer recognition.

But is Markakis's consistent hitting really comparable to Jim Thome's power? Realistically, probably not, considering 612 home runs is, to put it plainly, insane. However, Markakis's stats are nothing to insult. In just 13 years (excluding 2019), Markakis has 2,237 hits and a .288 batting average. Those averages equal to 172 hits per season, which puts him on track for 3,000 hits towards the middle of his 17th season. As long as he can keep up that pace to reach 3,000, he will be a Hall of Famer. I'm aware that you're tired of hearing this from me, but remember: 3,000 hits is an automatic ticket to Cooperstown.

But here's where things get interesting. Will Markakis's lifetime batting average affect his ability to get into the Hall on his first try? The best comparison for this question would have to be Craig Biggio, who totaled 3,060 career hits (and only seven All Star Games in 20 years), but it took him three years on the BBWAA ballots to get in. Biggio's delayed induction could've been due to steroid skeptics, but it was most likely due to his .281 batting average, the third-lowest batting average out of the members of the 3,000 hit club. However, the hitters who are number one and two, Cal Ripken Jr. and Rickey Henderson, both had other reasons for their Hall of Fame legitimacy and both received voting percentages of over 90% on their first time on the ballot.

Whether it takes one year or ten, Nick Markakis is a Hall of Famer if he reaches 3,000 hits. If he gets more All Star Game appearances under his belt and raises his batting average before he retires, though, the 3,000 hits might not be as necessary for him to see his plaque in Cooperstown. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

BwM's Five Bold Predictions for the 2019 Regular Season 3/28/19

Hey baseball fans!

The 2019 MLB regular season starts today, so it's only fitting I give you five of my boldest predictions for the upcoming campaign. Remember: these predictions are bold.

Prediction #1: No National League team tops 95 wins
Generally speaking, 85 wins means a team is good, while 95 wins guarantees a division championship. Well, I'm predicting that over half of the National League finishes in between these two benchmarks. Right now, I have the Braves, Phillies, Nationals, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers and Rockies fighting for Wild Card spots and division crowns, but there are way too many "what-if" scenarios in the National League that would allow me to truly predict a playoff picture. Sure, I have my rough estimates, but the NL is going to be extremely tight this year no matter what.

Prediction #2: The American League 2018 playoff teams repeat as postseason contestants in 2019
While teams moved up and down the power rankings of the NL during this past offseason, the giants of the American League just got better and increased their chances of recreating the 2018 postseason in 2019. The only difference I have is that the Yankees win the AL East, while the Red Sox get the first AL Wild Card. Otherwise, the Astros cruise to another AL West championship, the Indians again destroy a really bad division, and the A's sneak away with the second Wild Card spot for the second consecutive year. I also have the Rays and Angels giving the Wild Card teams at least a little bit of trouble.

Prediction #3: Nolan Arenado wins NL MVP
I made this prediction last year, but I'm making it again! Fresh off a new contract extension and inspired by a strong season by the Rockies last year, Arenado's time to shine is now. The modern reincarnation of Mike Schmidt will most definitely be up there amongst the leaders for home runs and RBIs, but his defensive metrics will carry him to one of baseball's most coveted awards.

Prediction #4: A big trade shakes up the postseason picture
Sure, Machado getting traded to LA last July was big, but I'm talking about "Yoenis Cespedes to the Mets in 2015" big with this prediction. This hypothetical trade will probably aid a National League team and set that team apart from the others in some capacity, whether it be on the mound or at the dish. Either way, though, it's bound to happen, seeing as how slow free agency has been the last couple of years, so players might be more inclined to request a trade.

Prediction #5: The World Series matchup: Yankees vs. Cubs
Call me a homer, but the Yankees have one of the most formidable lineups and bullpens in baseball. The starting pitching needs to prove itself, but I'm seeing a trip to the Fall Classic for the Yanks in 2019. The Cubs, meanwhile, got unlucky in last year's postseason and underachieved consequently. They're out for blood in 2019 and, ultimately, one team has to win the NL pennant, as tight as its going to be.

What do you think of my predictions? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

The Case for Ichiro Suzuki 3/23/19

Hey baseball fans!

Ichiro Suzuki is finally hanging up his cleats, ending a legendary baseball career which spanned almost three decades. To commemorate his career and to officially get the Ichiro Hall of Fame Hype Train started, let's talk about all of the reasons that Ichiro will end up in Cooperstown.

NPB Greatness
There's plenty of Hall of Fame precedence working for Ichiro, but let's start with the very beginning. Obviously, it's no secret that Suzuki didn't start his professional baseball career in the United States. It actually started with the Orix Blue Wave (now called the Buffaloes) of the Nippon Professional Baseball league, the Japanese equivalent of the MLB. Besides his first two seasons, which were spent in and out of the farm system of the Blue Wave, Ichiro never batted under .342 during his nine-year career in Japan, won seven Gold Gloves, and three MVP awards. Even without his Major League success, Ichiro deserves Hall of Fame consideration, as hitters such as Josh Gibson currently reside in the Hall of Fame without taking a single qualified swing for an MLB team.

The First Seattle Years
Ichiro's twelve-year stint with the Mariners from 2001-2012 was historic. He won Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2001, which had only happened once before (by Fred Lynn), set the hits record in 2004 with 262 single-season hits, and had ten 200-hit seasons, along with seven years in which he led the league in hits! The bottom line is that he was a hitting machine and had 2,244 hits in his first ten years on the Mariners, all of which were years he made the All Star Game. In addition, he was a tremendous fielder, winning ten Gold Gloves in Seattle!!

When he was traded to the Yankees in the middle of the 2012 season, Suzuki was 38 years old. Had he retired right then and there, he would've still been a Hall of Famer. Why? Well, besides the acclaim he received as a literal baseball god, Ichiro's per season averages were well above par for Hall of Fame standards. A prime example of this sort of career is Ralph Kiner, who started off his career by winning seven straight home run titles as a member of the Pirates during the late '40s and early '50s, but had to retire earlier than expected due to back problems. It took the full 15 years, but Kiner eventually got into Cooperstown via the BBWAA ballot. This is not me comparing Ichiro Suzuki to Ralph Kiner, but I do just want to show how Ichiro is a deserving Hall of Famer on so many different levels, particularly using the "per-year" discipline in this case.

3,000 Hits
Ichiro didn't need that many more Ichiro-like seasons to get to 3,000 hits after his time in Seattle, but with the Yankees and Marlins for about six years, he was more of a role player. Nonetheless, Suzuki managed to make it to 3,000 hits, which is an automatic bid into the Hall of Fame. Sure, it would be nice to not see his stats tarnished by years in which he batted south of .300, but 3,000 hits is 3,000 hits, no matter if you manage to do it in ten years or 30 years.

So, what have we learned from Ichrio Suzuki's magnificent career? The answer is simple: he's amazing. Thank you, Ichiro, for everything that you gave to the game of baseball in the US, Japan, and the world. Now, only one question remains: will he join the 100% Club? I'm sure Mo could use some company. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

Dandy, the Short-Lived Yankees Mascot 3/15/19

Hey baseball fans!

Here's a fun fact: all but three teams in Major League Baseball have mascots! Those teams are the Dodgers, Angels, and Yankees. For the sake of this post, however, because of my allegiance to the Bronx Bombers, let's talk about the only former official Yankees mascot ever, Dandy!

Dandy was essentially a skinnier, pinstriped, mustachioed, and Yankee-colored version of the Phillie Phanatic. Not surprisingly, the designer for Dandy was actually the same company that designed the Phanatic, Acme Mascots. Dandy debuted in late-July of 1979, but was quickly put on hiatus due to All Star catcher Thurman Munson dying in a plane crash. Munson was a huge inspiration for Dandy's look, particularly regarding Dandy's mustache, so the suspension made sense. In the end, because of the lost momentum from the suspension and owner George Steinbrenner's eternal hatred of mascots, Dandy was discontinued in 1981.

Honestly, bringing back Dandy now would not only be a wonderful homage to the arguable Hall of Famer Munson, but would also be a great next step for the Yankees in attracting a younger audience. Maybe someday, the poor man's Phillie Phanatic will once again grace the concrete jungle in helping the Yankees win. But what about some alternative mascots?

Idea #1: Pigeon
Birds have been synonymous with sports team names and mascots for decades, so the bird that symbolizes New York City the best would be a perfect mascot for the Yanks.

Idea #2: Anthropomorphized Bat
This may be piggy-backing, but Mr. Met is an anthropomorphized ball, so maybe he could use a compatriot of sorts.

Idea #3: Another Muppet
Gritty, the mascot for the Flyers, is one of the most popular mascots in sports right now, so maybe the Muppet look is the way to go. If that's the case, there are tons of ways to customize a muppet, meaning that the Yanks could go in any direction they want with this idea.

What do you guys think? Should the Yankees revive Dandy? If not, should they add another mascot or none at all? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

Five Potential 2019 World Series Rematches/Regular Season Matchups 3/6/19

Hey baseball fans!

Yes, the title of this post is a little confusing, I know. Basically, in this post, let's discuss some 2019 interleague matchups that could reappear in the '19 World Series as World Series rematches. Quick note: the following matchups will feature non-natural rivals, so the Yankees vs. Mets matchup will not be in this post. For reference, the interleague divisional matchups for 2019 are the AL East vs. NL West, AL Central vs. NL East, and AL West vs. NL Central. Still confused? Great!

Matchup 1: Red Sox vs. Dodgers
Regular Season Series: July 12-14
World Series Matchups: 1916, 2018
The Sox and Dodgers are coming off two amazing seasons, facing off against each other in the 2018 World Series. But could they both do it all again? The only question is how the Dodgers will fare in a new NL West with Manny Machado now a member of their interstate rivals, the San Diego Padres. Speaking of which...

Matchup 2: Yankees vs. Padres
Regular Season Series: May 27-29
World Series Matchup: 1998
The 1998 World Series saw the 114-win Yankees sweep the upstart Padres for New York's 24th championship. The 2019 Yankees hope to break that win total and will most likely once again be in the 2019 postseason. The Padres, meanwhile, have the best farm system in baseball and the newly-acquired Machado. If all goes according to plan for the Friars, we could see them in the NL postseason bracket as an underdog Wild Card team.

Matchup 3: Indians vs. Braves
Regular Season Series: April 19-21
World Series Matchups: 1948, 1995
The Baby Braves and the rest of the Atlanta squad are in an extremely competitive division, thanks to the Phillies signing Bryce Harper, while the Indians have almost a 100% chance of winning the AL Central for the fourth year in a row. The two teams would most likely have very different paths to the World Series, but could both make it, nonetheless.

Matchup 4: Twins vs. Braves
Regular Season Series: August 5-7
World Series Matchups: 1991
I'm including the Braves once more because, first of all, the AL Central doesn't have many World Series contenders and, second of all, the 1991 World Series was one of the best to ever be played. It went a full seven games and featured what is, at least in my opinion, the greatest pitching performance in baseball history by Twins pitcher and Hall of Famer Jack Morris. If this World Series matchup has a pitching performance of that awesomeness again, all of baseball is going to be quite happy.

Matchup 5: A's vs. Cardinals
Regular Season Series: June 25-26 and August 3-4
World Series Matchups: 1930, 1931
The "Mark McGwire Series" hasn't happened in October since the A's played in Philadelphia, but this would still be a meaningful series, for sure. The A's and Cards both have the potential to be Wild Card teams this year at the minimum and would combine to make a memorable Fall Classic.

I am well-aware that most of these World Series matchups will not happen, but any World Series matchup that has history (and revisited history in the form of a regular season matchup) is an infinitely better matchup, plain and simple. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

February 25th in Baseball History 2/25/19

Hey baseball fans!

February 25 may not take place during the regular season, but surprisingly, some very important events happened for Major League Baseball on its administrative side on this date, so let's talk about those events!

1957: The NFL waged war with its fellow football leagues for many years and even became involved in a big antitrust lawsuit that went all the way up to the Supreme Court in 1957. The Supreme Court ended up ruling that the NFL was in fact subject to antitrust laws, meaning that they couldn't monopolize organized football. This ruling, which was made on February 25, 1957, made it official that the MLB is exclusively exempt from antitrust laws. Pretty interesting!

1981: On February 25, 1981, the Players' Association voted unanimously to strike on May 29th if free agent compensation wasn't changed. The strike actually started on June 12th, but still erased more than a third of the MLB's scheduled games that season. This is so significant because it was Major League Baseball's first major strike and wouldn't be its last.

February 25 certainly changed baseball in a multitude of ways. It just goes to show you how even during the offseason, make sure you read those article headlines, because you could miss some league-shattering news.

Bonus Event (1972): This event isn't related to baseball's behind-the-scenes endeavors, but still impacted baseball in a major way. On February 25, 1972, the Cardinals traded Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton to the Phillies. Carlton would go on to win four Cy Young Awards with Philadelphia and even helped them win their first World Series in franchise history in 1980. If Carlton played for better teams throughout his career, he might've gotten close to 400 career wins!

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."