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Saturday, May 03, 2008

SF Gate: Jenkins: In Search Of Zito

Bruce Jenkins, blaming Zito’s decline on Barry Bonds. Surprise, surprise

Having seen Barry Zito in two of his favorite comfort zones - jamming on guitar and gazing at a pristine surf break - I can’t help but lament his choice of teams. There’s a lot to like about the revitalized Giants, but last year, in the cauldron of Barry Bonds-related gloom, took the fun out of the game for Zito. He did his best to worship at the Bonds shrine, but he knew he was kidding himself.

On the other hand, Jenkins does have good things to say about National League baseball:

More than ever, the National League is making a mockery of the DH rule. Pitchers are getting key hits, laying down bunts, going deep (Carlos Zambrano now has 13 career homers) or, in the case of Arizona’s Micah Owings, simply blowing minds. Owings (.421 average) came up as a pinch-hitter the other night, and the Astros actually changed pitchers - right before Owings crushed a two-run, opposite-field homer.

The Most Interesting Man In The World Posted: May 03, 2008 at 01:00 AM | 17 comment(s)
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1. Greg Schuler Posted: May 03, 2008 at 11:27 AM (#2767746)

Where's your breath?

It's in my mouth.

2. EddieA Posted: May 03, 2008 at 07:59 PM (#2768097)

That's hilarious. I guess Bonds' evil affected Bruce Jenkins in about 1993 and he's been on the decline since. That explains the horror that is Bruce Jenkins.

3. Danny Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:07 PM (#2768101)

More than ever, the National League is making a mockery of the DH rule.

OPS+ of NL pitchers:

2005: 1
2006: -9
2007: -3
2008: -3

Travashamockery, indeed.

I know that doesn't include Owings or Zambrano pinch hitting, but c'mon.

4. AJM Misses Brodeur Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:28 PM (#2768112)

(Carlos Zambrano now has 13 career homers

Carlos Zambrano also has a career OPS+ of 48.

5. AJM Misses Brodeur Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:31 PM (#2768119)

There was a good trivia question in the Mets/D'Backs game last night. Who are the 6 active pitchers with more career homers than Owings (5)? I was able to get 4.

6. rLr Did Your Mother 'Cause She's Hot As A Baker Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:34 PM (#2768122)

Who are the 6 active pitchers with more career homers than Owings (5)? I was able to get 4.

Does Ankiel qualify as a pitcher?

7. Dr Love Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:34 PM (#2768123)

Carlos Zambrano also has a career OPS+ of 48.

So he could DH for the Mariners.

8. AJM Misses Brodeur Posted: May 03, 2008 at 08:38 PM (#2768127)

Does Ankiel qualify as a pitcher?

Nice try.

9. Jeff K. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 12:41 AM (#2768277)

Well, Z and Willis are givens, but I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head.

10. Robert S. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 12:49 AM (#2768278)

Does Hampton count as active? I bet Wood's popped off more than five, too.

11. Rich Rifkin Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:32 AM (#2768295)

Owings, in his 79 career at bats, looks like the second coming of Babe Ruth. And maybe he is. If so, he'll likely become an everday hitter.* His pitching has been good enough (106 ERA+ after 189 IP), but nothing brilliant. My guess is that he will be one of the best hitting pitchers for the next few years, which isn't saying much. By the time he has 600 at bats, I expect (assuming he is still a pitcher) his OPS+ will be in the Carlos Zambrano range (48), not in the Jimmie Foxx range (163) that it is now.

* Too bad Owings is not playing in the superior major league: He could start every five days on the mound and hit for himself, and then DH for other pitchers on his off-days.

12. Jeff K. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:43 AM (#2768299)

Does Hampton count as active? I bet Wood's popped off more than five, too.

I'd bet against that.

And....I'd be wrong. 7. Nice pick.

Kerry Wood has more HRs than other XBH, 7 to 6. That's interesting.

13. dahlian Kirby, children's author extraordinaire. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:45 AM (#2768300)

* Too bad Owings is not playing in the superior major league: He could start every five days on the mound and hit for himself, and then DH for other pitchers on his off-days.

Had Owings been playing in the AL, once he signed his contract he never would have taken another swing in a professional baseball game. Same thing that probably would have happened to Babe Ruth had there been a DH.

Okay, that's a tad hyperbolic. Owings might have had the opportunity to hit for himself in an inter-league game.

14. Bicycle RepairMan Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:52 AM (#2768304)

Hampton, Wood, Zambrano done huh.

Does Woody Williams count as active? Jason Jennings maybe. Matt Cain? Jorge Sosa? Backe?

15. Jeff K. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 01:55 AM (#2768306)

Hampton, Wood, Zambrano done huh.

Ahem. Willis, as well.

(EDIT) Willis has 5 triples? That, I would never have guessed. That's got to be way up there in pitcher triples in the last 20 years, especially weighted for ABs.

(DOUBLE EDIT) That's a triple every 70 ABs. How many active ML hitters, 350 AB minimum (Willis has 351) average that?

16. Jeff K. Posted: May 04, 2008 at 02:07 AM (#2768309)

Jennings has 2. Backe has 2. Sosa hit 3 in a year (his only 3 hits in 24 ABs), and that's it.

17. AJM Misses Brodeur Posted: May 04, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2768611)

The other 2 guys are Livan Hernandez (who I got) and Jason Schmidt (who I never would've guessed).

Schmidt's career OPS+ is -23! That's almost Al Leiter territory.

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SF Gate: Jenkins: In Search Of Zito

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