A Pinstripe Predicament

Bringing the House illustration

Imagine that you are the owner of a Fortune 500 media company. You are interested in taking your company to the next level, so you decide to look for a young, talented person that you can groom into a star ad exec. On a recruiting trip to Harvard Business School, you encounter the prized jewel of the graduating class--a second-year MBA student who is nationally recognized as the "next big thing" in the industry. You immediately offer him a job upon his graduation, complete with an insane salary, a gigantic signing bonus, and a luxurious office. He accepts your offer, he graduates, and the marriage officially begins. Over the course of the next several decades, your star ad exec catapults to not only the top of his division, but the top of the company. In addition to closing the most and the largest accounts on a yearly basis, the ad exec has become the face of your company, which has now become the leading media organization in the country. When a person thinks of your company, he/she immediately thinks of the ad exec. They are one.

However, lately, the ad exec's individual performance has slipped to levels not only below his typical output, but below the average for exec's that earn similar salaries. Fortunately, the time has come to restructure his employment contract. What should you do? 

• Should you continue to pay him big money for a level of production that you could get from someone else for a lot less money? 

• Should you try to offer him less money and hope that he understands the offer as strictly a business decision with no hard feelings?

• Or should you simply let him go to another company and start a new chapter in your organization? 

• How will your millions of shareholders react to your decision? 

• Is your public relations department prepared to deal with the implications of your choice?

In essence, the New York Yankees are experiencing a similar predicament right now with its future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter. The beloved team captain's contract (10-year, $189 million) has officially ended, and it is now time for Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman and his crew to work with Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, on a new deal. Earlier today, November 23, sources confirmed that the Yankees offered Jeter a three-year, $45 million contract. Jeter has yet to publicly deny the offer, but Jeter and his agent have made it clear that the Yankees star wants a long-term deal (at least four years, preferably fix or six). As a result, it appears that the two sides remain at a nightmarish impasse.

For starters, I empathize with each side. If I were Jeter, I, too, would look for a long-term deal to secure my employment. As athletes get older, job security decreases significantly for various reasons, including lower production, higher risk of injury, and the appeal of younger talent. Athletes have only a small window of opportunity to earn money for their athletic ability; the great athletes are usually done by their mid-thirties. Thus, I understand the reasoning behind Jeter's demands. On the flip side, the New York Yankees, like every other baseball organization, is first and foremost a business. The aim of their business is to win championships and make money in the process. All decisions regarding player personnel must be made with this goal in mind. As a result, I can also see where the Yankees are coming from.

But let's be real here:  Derek Jeter and his ego are holding the New York Yankees hostage in this contract negotiation saga. Regardless of what you think about Jeter (I happen to think very highly of him), it is obvious that he is abusing his status as an all-time Yankees legend to milk as much money and as many years as he can out of this deal. Jeter and his agent can make all the arguments that they want to about Jeter's intangibles and non-quantifiable effects on the franchise. Jeter is the face of the franchise--we get it. But how can anyone justify paying top-of-the-line money for mediocre on-field talent? If advertising, branding, and image are worth so much, why not just divert some of the money that you would pay Jeter over to a group of elite marketing executives instead?

Baseball is, and always has been, a game of numbers. Frankly speaking, Jeter's numbers do not warrant the contract that he desires. Jeter is 36 years old and he just turned in the worst statistical season of his career. He was arguably the Yankees' weakest offensive starter, and his defense, despite a highly-questionable Gold Glove award, clearly deteriorated. Last season, Jeter had the third-highest salary among all players in baseball. Earning $22.6 million, Jeter out-earned teammate Mark Teixeira ($20.625M), Detroit Tigers triple crown threat Miguel Cabrera ($20M), Phillies slugger Ryan Howard ($19M), and the list goes on. Furthermore, when you compare Jeter to other shortstops in the league, it becomes even more clear that Jeter is overpaid; Phillies star shortstop, Jimmy Rollins, 32, will make $8.5M in 2011; Dodgers shortstop, Rafael Furcal, 32, will make $12M next season; and 26-year old Florida Marlins shortstop, Hanley Ramirez, widely regarded as the most complete player in baseball, will earn only $11M, half of what Jeter made last season.

The bottom line is that this is an extremely delicate situation for both parties. Derek Jeter has a lot of leverage, and it is clear to me that he is really trying to use that to his advantage. The Yankees, meanwhile, really want Derek Jeter back, but they don't need him back. And that may be the one piece of knowledge that guides them throughout this entire process. No one can predict exactly how this scenario will play out, but I am convinced that, when all is said and done, Jeter will be the one who compromises his wishes the most. While a player and an organization may appear to be one and to be equal (like an ad exec and his media company), a player is never bigger than the team, the organization, or the brand.

ALCS Preview: Yankees vs. Rangers

The New York Yankees are one series away from having the opportunity to defend their crown. Tomorrow evening, the American League Championship series between said Yankees and the Texas Rangers begins in Arlington. While the ALCS does not have as much hype as the NLCS in terms of pitching matchups, the offensive star power in this series is second to none. Let's take a look at how the hitting, pitching, and managing of the two squads compare.

Schedule

Game 1 - October 15, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. ET
CC Sabathia vs. C.J. Wilson

Game 2 - October 16, 2010 @ 4:00 p.m. ET
Phil Hughes vs. Colby Lewis

Game 3 - October 18, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. ET
Cliff Lee vs. Andy Pettitte

Game 4 - October 19, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. ET
Tommy Hunter vs. A.J. Burnett

Game 5 - October 20, 2010 @ 4:00 p.m. ET*
Game 6 - October 22, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. ET*
Game 7 - October 23, 2010 @ 8:00 p.m. ET*

*If necessary, pitching probables to be determined

Starting Pitching

Much has been made about Cliff Lee not starting in Game 1 as a result of having pitched in the fifth and final game of the Rangers' first-round series against the Rays. Basically, what this means is that the Rangers will not have the luxury of matching ace against ace (Lee vs. Sabathia) in games one and five (assuming Sabathia pitches game five). However, this gives them the opportunity to throw Lee in Game 7, if they are fortunate enough to make it that far.

That being said, it all sets up some interesting pitching matchups at least through the first four games. Game 1 pits two left-handers against each other. Sabathia's name obviously garners much more attention, but do not sleep on C.J. Wilson. The reliever-turned-starter has been absolutely terrific all season long (.217 opponents batting average, 7.50 K/9, 3.35 ERA). And in his first career postseason start last week against Tampa Bay, Wilson gave the Rangers 6.1 strong innings, allowed no runs, scattered two hits, and struck out seven. I think Game 1 is absolutely pivotal for both teams, but more so for the Rangers in order to give themselves some confidence. My head says CC pulls it out, but my gut says Wilson and the Rangers find a way to steal Game 1.

Hughes versus Lewis is another solid pitching matchup, and Lewis is another pitcher that had a surprising year that many people outside of Texas simply do not know about. Despite Hughes' struggles late in the year, he was able to right the ship and fire seven scoreless innings last Saturday against the Twins; you could hear Yankees fans collectively sigh each time Hughes put another zero up on the scoreboard. I think Lewis has been the more consistent pitcher, but Hughes has more talent. It will be a good battle of wills.

Game 3 might present the best matchup of the series. Cliff Lee's playoff domination is well-documented. The guy is lights out in the postseason. He has killed the Yankees before, and based on his performances in the ALDS, he is poised to do it again. Pettitte was a complete wild card going into the Yankees' series versus the Twins, but a strong 7-inning, 1-run performance put any doubt to rest. I think Girardi made a very interesting decision by switching Pettitte and Hughes in the second and third games. I actually believe it will turn out to be a bad move; Pettitte is one of the best postseason pitchers in baseball history and I would rather win or lose with him than win or lose with Hughes.

Game 4 is a complete toss-up, but I give a slight edge to the Rangers with Tommy Hunter simply because Burnett is a 4-inning roller coaster every time he goes out to the mound. The knock on Burnett all season long was that, although he has great stuff, he does not have enough mental fortitude to pitch well each start. How do the Yankees expect him to remain mentally strong and focused on the biggest stage? I just don't see it happening.

I think the starting pitching edge has to go to the Yankees for two reasons. First, I think the fact that CC will pitch sooner and possibly more than Lee is a big deal. If the Yankees get up, say, three games to one, then CC will have the chance to pitch in a deciding Game 5, while Lee would have only pitched once to that point. And if CC closes that game out, obviously Lee would not get another start after that. Second, Pettitte is the third best pitcher in this series, and he will be a tremendous asset for the Yankees because of his experience and postseason success. Not only does he give the Yankees a good chance of beating Cliff Lee in New York, but he, like CC, could get two starts in this series, and that is a good thing for the Bronx Bombers; anytime you can get can pitch the all-time postseason wins leader two times in a series, you have to be confident.

Edge:  Yankees

Relief Pitching

I give the advantage in the bullpen to the Yankees for three reasons. First, they have momentum. The Yankees bullpen had a great finish to the regular season and performed well in the ALDS versus Minnesota. Yankees relievers pitched seven total innings and allowed only one earned run. Meanwhile, the Rangers' bullpen was roughed up a bit versus the Rays; they pitched 14 total innings and gave up 8 earned runs, including one by heralded young closer Neftali Feliz. But the aforementioned stats lead me to my next point…

The Yankees bullpen is rested and fresh. Not only have they pitched half of the innings that the Rangers' pen has pitched, but two of their relievers, Joba Chamberlain and Sergio Mitre, have not even gotten any work! Sure, you could say that they may be rusty, but let's be honest, it simply means that the starters have gotten deep into ball games and that they have fully energized arms at their disposal.

And finally, I give the relief pitching advantage to the Yanks because they have Mariano Rivera and the Rangers do not. Rivera's presence will tilt the bullpen war in favor of New York in any series against any team simply because he is the best postseason relief pitcher in history. The numbers speak for themselves.

Edge:  Yankees

Offense

Most of the Yankees hitters so far this postseason are seeing the ball well and getting nice hits as a result. Guys like Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeira, who produced all season long, are producing now when it counts (combined 12-for-25). However, there have been two big surprises to this point in the playoffs. First, the lack of production from Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod proved last postseason that he can be a big-time performer, and although 3-for-11 is not horrendous, it is not a line fit for an MVP, either. That being said, I think the Yankees have enough pop in their lineup to survive a subpar series or two by A-Rod. But perhaps even bigger of a surprise has been Curtis Granderson. The new Yankee turned up the heat late in the season and his hot-hitting has parlayed into the postseason. Grandy went 5-for-11 against Minnesota with a key triple in Game 1 to start a rally against Francisco Liriano. Granderson, after making some modifications to his swing, has suddenly found a sweet stroke against lefties, who historically have given him trouble. Well, Texas has two great lefties in Lee and Wilson, so Granderson's new swing and hot streak will be put to the test.

For the Rangers, two hitters have stood out thus far:  Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz. The irony is that Kinsler and Cruz have been, for the most part, disappoints this season. Kinsler was injured for part of the season and even when healthy lost all power and speed in his game. Cruz sped out of the gate quickly but then plateaued and fell back to mediocrity. In the ALDS versus Tampa, the two combined to hit 16-for-38 with 3 home runs and 9 RBI. But the rest of the lineup has been pretty quiet. Most notably, the Rangers are not getting production from two of their most important hitters, Michael Young and MVP-candidate Josh Hamilton. Young is only 3-for-20 and has struck out six times; Hamilton, still trying to find his groove after missing one month due to injuries, has been even worse at 2-for-18 with six strikeouts.

Again, I have to give the edge to the Yanks. They have a deeper lineup and only one of their hitters is slumping (A-Rod), and he is barely slumping. The Rangers offense relies too much on Young and Hamilton for them to endure another series of their struggles and still make it out alive. Finally, the Yankees hitters have more playoff experience, and that goes a long way. They know how to work the counts and they know how to disrupt a pitcher's rhythm. Ultimately, they are just more complete and have a better chance of surviving minor hitting blips.

Edge:  Yankees

Managing

I really have not seen Ron Washington manage much this season. He had the controversial moment before the season when he admitted to his cocaine use. But beyond that, I just don't know much about him and his managing style. I have seen Girardi manage plenty this year; I have doubted many of his decisions and have lauded many others. The bottom line is, he won a championship last season, and he has put his squad in a position to repeat. It is tough to argue against that. But I will reserve my judgment in this regard because of my lack of information. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of Ron Washington can shed some light on this matchup.

Edge:  N/A

Series Outlook

While I can imagine the Rangers pulling off the upset, I do not think it will happen. The Yankees are too deep on offense, too deep in the bullpen, and have considerable advantages with starting pitching experience and matchups.

Yankees win in 5 games and advance to the World Series to face the Phillies.

ALDS Preview: Yankees vs. Twins

Schedule

Game 1:  C.C. Sabathia (NYY) vs. Francisco Liriano (MINN)
October 6, 2010 @ 8:37 P.M. ET

Game 2:  Andy Pettitte (NYY) vs. Carl Pavano (MINN)
October 7, 2010 @ 6:07 P.M. ET

Game 3:  Phil Hughes (NYY) vs. Brian Duensing (MINN)
October 9, 2010 @ 8:37 P.M. ET

Game 4: TBD (NYY) vs. Nick Blackburn (MINN)
October 10, 2010 @ TBD

Game 5:  TBD

Offense

Everyone knows that the Yankees have a stacked lineup. Every spot in the order represents a tough out for opposing pitchers. But for whatever reason, the team has sometimes fallen asleep for stretches during the season. I think the key to the Yankees offense will be none other than Alex Rodriguez, who had a memorable postseason last year. A-Rod was recently named AL Player of the Month for September after he helped the Yankees secure their Wild Card berth by supplying enough power to get them through some lackluster games. But A-Rod is the key not only because of his ability to change games with one swing of his bat, but also because of his position in the lineup; if he performs well and puts fear in the Minnesota pitchers, Mark Teixeira will get better pitches to hit. And if A-Rod can manage to get on base at a consistent rate, MVP-candidate Robinson Cano will have plenty of opportunities to drive in Rodriguez, as Cano has done all season.

If the Yankees do fall in a rut with their power hitting, Brett Gardner gives them the option of playing "small ball" and manufacturing runs. Gardner has an impressive on-base percentage and, if he reaches, can cause havoc on the base paths--he ranked 3rd in the AL with 47 stolen bases this season. Gardner can also use his speed to leg out triples on balls hit to the gaps, or use his bat control to lay down nice sacrifice bunts. He gives the Yankees an element that they have not had in previous seasons, which is a luxury that could pay dividends.

As for the Twinkies, Joe Mauer is the obvious key to their offensive success. Mauer's power has regressed since last season, but his average remains unbelievably high and his at-bats are truly special to watch. But because former-AL MVP Justin Morneau has been officially ruled out of the first series, the Twins need people to step up and protect Mauer in the lineup. Left-fielder Delmon Young did the job all season on his way to career bests in batting average (.298), home runs (21), and runs batted in (112). But can Young continue his success in the postseason? As we all know, the playoffs are a completely different animal, and not all players are cut out for the spotlight. If it isn't Young, it will be up to a combination of the rejuvenated Jim Thome, Michael Cuddyer, and Jason Kubel. The Twins have found ways to win games all season, so although the lineup does not look intimidating on paper, you would be foolish to count them out.

Edge:  Yankees

Starting Pitching

It is difficult to figure out this aspect of the series. Obviously, the Yankees have the best pitcher on either team in C.C. Sabathia. The Cy Young candidate has postseason experience and is a legitimate workhorse at the top of the rotation. You can rest assured that manager Joe Girardi will pitch Sabathia in two games this series, most likely the in first and the fourth games (if necessary). Sabathia gets a clear edge over Liriano not only because Sabathia is one of the best in the league, but also because we don't know what Liriano will bring to the table. Although he was recently named Comeback Player of the Year, Liriano still has not been as consistent as the Twins had hoped this year. If he's firing on all cylinders, Liriano has the stuff capable of shutting down the Yankees lineup, but that's a big "if."

Once you move past the two staff's aces, it begins to get interesting. The Yankees have no idea what they are going to get Pettitte or Hughes. The veteran left-hander is coming off a long disabled-list stint and has only had three starts to work himself back into form. In those three outings, Pettitte only pitched well in the first one, going six innings at Baltimore and only surrendering one run. In his next two starts, both against the Red Sox, Pettitte gave up a combined nine earned runs in only 7.1 innings. On the other hand, Hughes really sputtered after the All-Star break. The young righty posted earned run averages of 5.17, 5.52, 4.22, and 4.85 in the months of June, July, August, and September, respectively. If the Yankees plan to make it past the Twins, they desperately need one of these two guys to step up and give them a solid performance. If that doesn't happen, the Yankees can kiss their title hopes goodbye.

For Minnesota, starting pitching is not as much of a mystery as the arms have been consistent throughout the season. Pavano, perhaps powered by his trademark facial hair, has had a resurgent year. But rookie left-hander Brian Duensing has been even more of a surprise. I think Duensing has a legitimate shot at winning American League Rookie of the Year, although the Rangers' Neftali Feliz will probably walk away with the award. The key for Duensing will be his ability, or inability, to get rid of the inevitable jitters that accompany a pitcher's first postseason appearance. If he can do that and give the Twins six or more strong innings, the Twins will be in good shape.

Edge:  Tie

Relief Pitching

The Yankees relief pitching was suspect during the majority of the season, but came on very strong as the season came to an end. Midseason acquisition Kerry Wood gives the Yanks a powerful arm to bridge the team over to legendary closer Mariano Rivera. The Yankees bullpen performed so well, in fact, that it was pretty difficult for Girardi to make his bullpen cuts. In the end, he decided to leave off Ivan Nova in favor of Sergio Mitre and Dustin Moseley. The two young arms will have the responsibility of entering the game for long relief in the event that one of New York's starters gets shelled early.

For the Twins, depth is the name of the game. They have three pitchers who can legitimately be starting closers on major league squads:  Jon Rauch, Brian Fuentes, and Matt Capps. The Twins will need consistently strong performances from those three, as well as from middle relievers Jose Mijares and Matt Guerrier, to finish games late against an experienced Yankees lineup. My only concern with the Twins' back-end arms is that they are all relatively inexperienced in the postseason and I think they have yet to show their true colors (translation:  I think they are overrated).

Edge:  Yankees (because of Rivera)

Managing

Although Girardi has made some very questionable decisions with regard to personnel in the past month, the man led his team to a championship last season, and that cannot be forgotten. Rod Gardenhire, on the other hand, has had very minimal success in the postseason, especially against the Yankees. That being said, this year may be a different story; Gardenhire is my pick for AL Manager of the Year based on what he has done with a Twins team that was forced to play through injuries to key players like Morneau, pitcher Nick Blackburn, and star closer Joe Nathan.

Edge:  Yankees (barely)

Series Outlook

I think the Twins have the potential do knock the Yankees out in the first round. But I don't think it will happen. I think Sabathia will give the Yankees two dominant starts and one of Pettitte or Hughes will supply a third victory, which will send the Twins home. Ultimately, I think the Yankees are just too experienced and too talented to have a let down this early in the postseason. Do I think the Yanks will win it all? That remains to be seen based on what matchups are presented. But for now, I think the Yankees will escape on to the championship series. I predict Yankees in 4 games.

Looking in the Mirror: How King Felix and C.C. Sabathia Have Forced Us to Reexamine Pitching Greatness

Lately, baseball analysts, writers and bloggers, and even current players and managers have engaged in a heated discussion concerning this season's American League Cy Young Award race. While everyone agrees that the award should be given to the league's "best" pitcher, nobody can agree on exactly how to define "best." What criteria, or stats, should be considered when evaluating a pitcher's season? And how much does each metric weigh in relation to one another? Perhaps no Cy Young discussion has called upon these questions more than the one in our midst today. Although you could arguably make a case for a handful of pitchers, two of those guys, Seattle's Felix Hernandez and New York's C.C. Sabathia, have received the brunt of the attention.

By now, everyone knows the story. King Felix dominated hitters all season long en route to leading the league in a plethora of pitching statistics. However, despite the gaudy numbers, Hernandez only won 13 games. Sabathia, on the other hand, collected 21 victories while posting strong, but not dominant, numbers. Regardless of which side of the argument you fall on, one thing is clear:  the discussion requires us to examine how we define success for starting pitchers. In other words, how much weight should we assign to wins and losses, and how much weight do we give to other statistics, such as innings pitched, strikeouts, earned run average, etc.?

Historically, the baseball world has judged starting pitchers based on wins. In terms of individual career accomplishments for pitchers, the 300-win club is second to none. Of the thousands of pitchers who have ever toed the rubber, only 24 of them have reached the 300-win milestone. Of those 24, twenty (20) have been eligible for Hall of Fame induction, and all 20 have been enshrined. For the record, the four to be determined are Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and Tom Glavine; three of those four guys are no-brainer first-ballot dudes, and the fourth is a juice-head. But for a variety of reasons, we may never see another 300-game winner, and because of that, voters and fans from this day forward must alter the way they judge pitching careers.

Well, the same adjustment must be made when we examine individual season accomplishments. The Cy Young, the pinnacle of single-season success for pitchers, has long trended toward pitchers with high win totals; from 1967 through 1990, only six (6) starting pitchers won the Cy Young Award after winning less than 20 games that season. From 1991 through the present day, that number skyrocketed to 17 starting pitchers who have won the award after winning less than 20 games. In recent years, the trend has been strongest, with eight of the past ten winners across both leagues winning the prestigious award with less than 20 wins. I do not believe that voters are purposely devaluing win totals, but instead they are placing less weight on win totals because they understand that, in the new era of innings limits and pitch counts, wins are simply tougher to secure.

Not only are wins tougher to come by, but the sabermetric movement has convinced many that wins are a misleading statistic. Anyone that watches baseball can tell you that wins depend on a variety of factors:  the starting pitcher must pitch deep enough into the ball game to qualify for a decision, the pitcher must exit the game while his team is ahead, and the bullpen must keep that lead and win the game, to name a few. But, to prove a point, the difficulty in obtaining a win can be illustrated using a recent example. Only July 1, 1990, Andy Hawkins of the New York Yankees pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox but lost the game. A baserunner reached on an error, and after Hawkins walked the next two batters to load the bases, a fielder committed another error that allowed all three runs to score. The guy did not allow a single hit over the course of eight innings (he was the visiting pitcher), and not only did he not win, but he lost. This tells us that a perfect storm is required to win a game; there are dozens of factors outside of his control that can increase or decrease his chances on a given night. Thus, wins are products of opportunity, much like saves. Granted, pitchers have more control over wins than closers do over saves, but you get the picture.

Sabermetric stats have tried and succeeded, as much as possible, to separate those outside factors from a starting pitcher's performance. Complete isolation is never possible, but with stats such as fielding independent pitching, wins above replacement, and batting average on balls in play, we can more accurately gauge a pitcher's performance minus the "other stuff." I urge you to explore sabermetric stats on your own on the internet at various websites, such as this one.

Ultimately, any award must involve a holistic examination of the candidates. You cannot simply look at wins just as you cannot simply look at earned run average or any more intense isolated stat. Having said that, I believe Felix Hernandez deserves the Cy Young more than C.C. Sabathia. I think the decision is not as hard as it seems and can be concluded simply by having watched the two pitch all year. But if you want the numbers, then search around because you will find breakdowns and analyses everywhere. I'll leave it up to you to research, but for now I just wanted to hone in on why we're arguing over the merits of the two great pitchers; that is, because we're transitioning from old to new perspectives on pitching greatness.

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Finally...Number 600

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

It took him awhile, but Alex Rodriguez finally belted the 600th home run of his fine career earlier today in New York versus the Toronto Blue Jays. A-Rod had not homered since July 22nd, and the milestone blast ended a 9-for-46 slump. I am sure the homer lifted a King Kong-sized monkey off of his back. As he pursued the mark, every at-bat of his was aired live by ESPN; each plate appearance that I saw (and there were many) was painful. Rodriguez never seemed comfortable and with each ground out or third strike you could see the frustration in his body language. That all changed today on a 2-0 pitch from Shaun Marcum that caught too much of the plate. A-Rod drove it deep to right center field and gave the Yanks an early 2-0 lead.

Hours later I visited ESPN.com and saw articles and comments from writers, analysts, and fans trying to put the historic milestone into perspective. Every article and snippet made some mention of steroids and tainted records. The lead article even went so far as to imply that the day would have been more special had A-Rod been clean. And perhaps it might have. But I think there was too much focus on PEDs and A-Rod's past.

Let's remember that only seven players in the history of Major League Baseball have reached the 600 home run mark. Seven. That's not even enough players to fill in a lineup card. That's less than 0.1% of players in the history of the sport. And he did it faster than any of the other six players (35 years, 8 days old).

I doubt you will find many A-Rod fans outside of New York. I consider myself a fan of his, but it pains me to say that after he spurned my Seattle Mariners for the biggest payday in sports history. But personal feelings and moral issues aside, how can you not appreciate the achievement? 600 is 600. Mark McGwire, as juiced up as he was, couldn't reach that mark (583). It isn't easy, clean or unclean. So let's put the steroid issue aside (until his Hall of Fame date) and enjoy the spectacle.  Congrats, A-Rod.

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MLB Trade Deadline Review: Help or Hurt?

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At this time every season, the contenders indirectly separate themselves from the pretenders.  The top teams deal to strengthen their weaknesses; the teams with the playoffs in their reach make a move to find the missing piece that will put them over the top; and teams in the cellar unload high-priced veterans in hopes of bringing in young talent for the future.  While baseball fans and analysts across the country endlessly debate which teams "won" and "lost," I think it's too early to make such conclusions.  Instead, I put teams into one of two categories:  "Help" or "Hurt."  In the following paragraphs, I will evaluate the moves made by several teams.

Texas Rangers:  Big Help

Of all teams involved in the mid-season bartering, the Rangers helped themselves the most. Nobody believed that the Rangers would be in first place at this point in the season, and the team made big trades that would give them the best chance to remain in first the rest of the way. The first move, and by far the biggest, was trading for star pitcher Cliff Lee from the Mariners.  Lee is arguably the best pitcher in the game. His strikeout to walk ratio is absurd. He dominates in big games that matter (ask the Yankees).  And he's been dealt at this point before in the season, so he can make the appropriate adjustments to joining a postseason race and playing with new teammates and coaches.  Anytime you land someone of this caliber, it would come as no shock to think that you instantly upgraded your team. But why is Lee such a valuable addition? Because the Rangers need pitching more than any other first place team. The Rangers are in first for two reasons.  First, they have a juggernaut offense led by Josh Hamilton, Vlad Guerrero, and Michael Young. And second, they have gotten surprising pitching contributions from C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis.  But to win down the stretch, or at least have the confidence to win, you need proven players. The veteran arms on the Rangers staff--Harden, Feldman, and Holland--have either been hurt or simply underachieved.  So Lee not only gives you a dominant Game 1 starter, but he gives you presence, confidence, leadership, and experience. This will take pressure off of Wilson, Lewis, and Tommy Hunter down the stretch, not to mention the bullpen (Lee is among the league-leaders in complete games).

In addition to Lee, the Rangers went after veteran contributors on offense and in the field. Bengie Molina is a seasoned veteran behind the plate who has shown some life with his bat as of late.  Jorge Cantu is a guy who can play first or third and drive in runs.  And Cristian Guzman is a good defender who plays both positions in the middle of the infield, makes contact at the plate, and has some speed on the base paths.  Ultimately, the Rangers shored up their biggest weakness in the best possible way and gave themselves more flexibility at the plate and in the field with proven veterans.

New York Yankees:  Enough Help

Anyone who has followed the pinstripes this season knows that their biggest hole is in the bullpen. Joba has been a disappointment, Chan Ho Park has been relatively worthless, and whenever you have to rely on Chad Gaudin to bridge you over to the 9th, you have to be concerned.  Well the Yankees took a gamble on a back-end guy and brought in Kerry Wood. Although Wood has struggled a bit so far this season as a closer in Cleveland, the potential is there. I think the Yankees should have gone after someone like Matt Capps (went to the Twins) instead, but Wood was what they got.

The Yanks don't really have any weaknesses in their lineup, unless you count a disappointing Curtis Granderson, who is finally showing signs of life. They passed on big prizes like Adam Dunn and Jayson Werth and instead traded for Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns.  Berkman is a proven offensive monster who may benefit from a change of scenery and the chance to win it all. Kearns will likely spell Granderson when the Yanks face lefties. Ultimately, this just gives the Yanks some extra depth, which can never hurt.

Minnesota Twins:  Needed More Help

Each of these three teams are in the thick of division races and had obvious missing pieces/holes to fill. The Twins needed a starting pitcher, the Rays needed a bat, and the Giants needed offensive help as well.

Supposedly the Twins could have gotten Cliff Lee for highly touted prospect Wilson Ramos. They declined. Then they turned around and traded Ramos for Matt Capps. I understand how important the bullpen is, an Capps has had a solid year closing in Washington. But the Twins already have Jon Rauch, who has stepped in nicely for the injured Joe Nathan.  And the Twins had a chance to put together a starting rotation that could lead them to the World Series. Imagine throwing Lee, Pavano, and Lirano for the first three games in a series. With the Twins' potent offense, that would be a recipe for success. But instead, they will have to settle with Scott Baker or Kevin Slowly instead of Lee.

San Francisco Giants/Tampa Bay Rays:  Helpless

Finally, both the Giants and Rays needed a bat in the middle of their lineups. Both teams were rumored to be pursuing Adam Dunn, but Dunn didn't move because the asking price of was too high. The Rays pursued Jayson Werth as well, but Werth was taken off the market after Victorino went down in Philly.  The Giants were supposedly going after the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista, but nothing came of that.  I just cannot fathom why neither team brought in a bat.  The Giants made the most of things by bringing in a mediocre relief pitcher from the Pirates. But I wouldn't be so easily fooled if I were a Giants fan. That team, along with the Rays, blew their opportunity.

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