One of the discussion points during the championship game of the World Baseball Classic was whether Jim Leyland‘s Hall of Fame case should be boosted by winning the event.
Now, it will be interesting to see in the future whether the World Baseball Classic will have any impact on anyone’s Hall of Fame case. It is doubtful as you are putting weight on a 8 – 10 game sample size. It’s also doubtful because in reality the real prize in baseball is the World Series. With that said, maybe it’ll have some impact with managers as USA keeps selecting retired managers to man their squad. The selection of these managers brings them back to the limelight, and the attention usually serves as an opportunity to wax poetic about a person’s career.
With that caveat, it is possible Leyland may prove to be a test case for the WBC’s impact on bolstering a person’s Hall of Fame candidacy. Then again, it seems strange that’s the case when Leyland is about the only person with any knowledge of baseball that thinks Eric Hosmer is a better player than Paul Goldschmidt. For that matter, Leyland also thinks Hosmer is a better hitter than Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton, Jonathan Lucroy, Buster Posey, and Daniel Murphy.
Still, this does seem an opportune time to discuss Leyland’s Hall of Fame case. In a 22 year Hall of Fame career, Leyland amassed a 1,769 – 1,728 record (.506 winning percentage). He won the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997, and he won American League Pennants with the Detroit Tigers in 2006 and 2012. He won six division titles (Pirates 1990 – 1992; Tigers 2011 – 2013), and his teams captured two Wild Cards (1997 & 2006). Leyland is one of 17 managers all-time to bring two different teams to the World Series.
Leyland has also won three Manager of the Year Awards. The first two were with the 1990 and 1992 Pirates, and the last one came in 2006 with the Tigers. With the award starting in 1983, he is one of seven managers to win in both leagues. He is one of seven managers to win at least three Manager of the Year Awards with Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa having the most awards with four.
Looking at the above information, it is fair to say he was a respected and well decorated manager during his career. The question is whether he has done enough to merit Hall of Fame induction. He hasn’t.
According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, there have been 23 managers inducted into the Hall of Fame. With Rube Foster being inducted as a Negro League manager, there have been 22 Major League managers inducted in the Hall of Fame. Considering the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, suited up to play 148 years ago, the bar has been set extraordinarily high to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a manager.
The average Major League Hall of Fame Manager has 1,916 wins with a .540 winning percentage. Again, on average, these managers have won five pennants and two World Series titles. Now, Frank Selee and Ned Hanlon managed a majority of their careeers prior to the inception of the World Series possibly making their stats too remote in time to judge the average Hall of Famer. It should be noted, that their having won no World Series titles are incorporated in the average World Series titles won so that number is inaccurate as well.
Taking Selee and Hanlon out of the equation, the average Hall of Famer has won 1,978 games with a .539 winning percentage. Additionally, these managers have won six pennants and three World Series titles.
Now, if you want to consider Connie Mack an outlier as well because he was an owner who was never going to be fired, the numbers change again. Without Selee, Hanlon, or Mack, the average Hall of Famer won 1,886 games with a .545 winning percentage. These managers have won five pennants and two World Series titles.
Looking at that, Leyland falls well short of the averages again no matter how much you try to manipulate it lower the standards to make him appear to be a Hall of Famer.
Now, it is true that there are managers in the Hall of Fame already who fall short of each of these averages. Still, Leyland would fall short of each of these “lesser” managers as well.
Let’s start with the managers, like Leyland, who have only won one World Series title. There have been four such managers in the proverbial World Series era. They are Bobby Cox, Leo Durocher, Whitey Herzog, and Earl Weaver. Each one of these managers have a winning percentage of .532 and higher. This group has averaged 1,818 wins. Moreover, this group has averaged a .552 winning percentage. Looking at it from that perspective, Leyland falls short.
Now, with 1,769 wins, Leyland does have more wins than 10Hall of Fame managers, eight if you once again eliminate Selee and Hanlon. Eliminating Selee and Hanlon, these managers have an average winning percentage of .546 and, on average, have won four pennants and one World Series. That puts Leyland well short in terms of winning percentage and just short in terms of pennants.
In reality, the only thing you can look at to justify Leyland’s Hall of Fame case is the induction of Wilbert Robinson. Robinson was 1,399 – 1,398 with no pennants or World Series titles. It should be noted Robinson was also a catcher who won three straight titles with the Baltimore Orioles in the dead ball era, and he was the catcher recognized as revolutionizing the position by being the first to play directly behind the batter for an entire at-bat. When he retired from managing, he had the third most wins all-time, and in his day, he was widely respected as manager and pitching coach who could get the most out of his pitching staffs.
Overall, Leyland doesn’t have the numbers for the Hall of Fame. And that is before you consider Leyland quit on his team on three different occasions.
He quit on the Pirates after they lost Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla so he could take the Marlins job and get a chance to win the World Series. After he got his World Series and the subsequent Marlins firesale, Leyland quit on them to join the Rockies. When the Rockies weren’t as good as he expected they would be, he quit on them.
It’s one thing to make a case for a manager who doesn’t have the numbers, it’s a whole other thing to support the candidacy of a manager who quit on three different teams.
Certainly, when you have a managers with a low winning percentage that quits on his teams, it begs the question why anyone would think he was Hall of Fame worthy?
With the USA beating a Puerto Rico team with deep Mets ties, a thrilling World Baseball Classic has come to an end. Now, we look forward to Opening Day with the hope that the Mets could make a great run just like the USA and win the World Series this year. IF that were to happen, the Mets will need contributions from the Mets players who played in the World Baseball Classic.
Looking over the players, it is clear some of these players are ready for Opening Day while others may need some more time to get ready for the season.
COLOMBIA
RHP Nabil Crismatt G, 3.0 IP,
Despite never having pitched above A ball, or having one full season as a starter, Colombia turned to Crismatt to beat a Dominican Republic team with a lineup featuring Manny Machado, Robinson Cano, Jose Bautista, Carlos Santana, Nelson Cruz, and Gregory Polanco. The 22 year old hurler more than held his own relying on locating his fastball and using his terrific change to keep Colombia in the game. He kept the Colombian hopes alive while giving the Mets real hope he could be a major leaguer one day.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
RHP Jeurys Familia 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 G, 2 SV, 3.1 IP, 5 K, 0.60 WHIP
Familia was primed and ready for the WBC throwing fastballs up to 100 MPH. After the Wild Card Game, he reminded everyone why he is a dominant MLB closer. The only issue for him in the WBC was the Mets complaining about how he was used, which was a surprise to everyone including Dominican Republic manager Tony Pena.
RHP Hansel Robles 0-0, 2.45 ERA, 4 G, 3.2 IP, 4 K, 0.82 WHIP
Like Familia, Robles showed he’s ready to go for Opening Day with the lone run scored against him coming in the opener against Canada. Robles had all of his pitches working, and he showed better command of the strike zone than he has typically shown in his Mets career.
SS Jose Reyes 4 G, 18 AB, 2 R, 5 H, 2 2B, SB, .278/.316/.389
Reyes split time at shortstop with Machado and Jean Segura, but ultimately Reyes was the country’s top choice for both shortstop and a lead off hitter. Reyes was that spark plug at the time of the lineup that helped power the Dominican Republic team to an undefeated record in Pool C play and had the Dominicans ever so close to advancing to the semis. The only issues with Reyes were the same ones he has shown over the past few years. He is no longer suited to being an everyday shortstop, and he doesn’t get on base as much as he did in his prime. With that said, Reyes seems ready for Opening Day.
ISRAEL
UTIL Ty Kelly 6 G, 24 AB, 6 R, 5 H, 2B, .208/.321/.250
Kelly served as the number two hitter and third baseman for an Israeli team that was the biggest surprise of the WBC. Kelly said of the team’s upset of the Netherlands, “Definitely the most stressful game I’ve been a part of. But it was worth it.” That was surprising considering Kelly had a pinch hitting appearance in what was then a scoreless Wild Card Game against Madison Bumgarner. Kelly’s statements only go to show how important the WBC was to the players. As for Kelly, he did not have as strong as he would have liked, but he certainly did his heritage proud.
ITALY
SS Gavin Cecchini 4 G, 15 AB, 2 H, 2B, RBI, .133/.333/.200
The highlight for Cecchini in the World Baseball Classic was a game tying single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth sending the game against Venezuela into extra innings. Aside from that single, the WBC was a mixed bag for Cecchini. He showed discipline at the plate, and he showed his extra base power. He also struggled defensively at short, which will only further justify the Mets decision to transition him to second base.
CF Brandon Nimmo 3 G, 11 AB, 3 R, 2 H, HR, 2 RBI, .182/.308/.455
Nimmo had a good WBC as the leadoff hitter for Italy. He had an RBI single off left-handed reliever Oliver Perez to help Italy’s furious five run ninth inning to shock Mexico. In the surprising effort against Venezuela, Nimmo hit a home run off Tigers reliever Bruce Rondon. Unfortunately, Nimmo also injured his hamstring which could have effected Italy’s chances of advancing in the WBC, and it also might have impacted his chances of making the Opening Day roster.
MEXICO
C Xorge Carrillo 2 G, 8 AB, R, 2 H, .250/.333/.250
While he did not start the opener, which was a shocking loss to Italy, Carrillo got the start in Mexico’s final two games. The minor league defensive specialist was fine behind the plate. In an upset over Venezuela, he had a base hit and a run scored. Unfortunately for him and his countrymen, the win was for naught as they were eliminated from the WBC due to tiebreakers. He should be better from this experience as he looks to continue to improve in the minor league next year.
RHP Fernando Salas 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2 G, 1.0 IP, K, 3.00 WHIP
Due to visa issues, Salas was not able to report to Mets camp prior to the WBC. In Salas’ two games in the WBC, he showed that rust. As Salas continued to have visa issues after the WBC, it was good he was even able to participate in the tournament because it provided him some opportunity to face living pitching.
PUERTO RICO
SP Seth Lugo 2-1, 4.20 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 15.0 IP, 12 K, 1.07 WHIP
Lugo was the ace of the Puerto Rican staff, and he pitched like it. His three games were against the vaunted Venezuelan and United States lineups. Lugo not only held his own, but in his first two starts he was dominant pitching to a 2.45 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP. In the championship game, he was getting his fastball up to 95 MPH, and he recorded five strikeouts. Unfortunately, the walks caught up to him, and he left the game down 3-0. Overall, Lugo made a good case for him making the Opening Day roster whether as the fifth starter or as a member of the bullpen.
IF T.J. Rivera, 7 G, 24 AB, 3 R, 4 H, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .167/.192/.458
In six of the seven games in the WBC, Rivera played first base, and he played a good defensive first base. For a player that is trying to market himself as a versatile infielder for the Mets, Rivera certainly proved he can handle a position he rarely played in the minor leauges. At the plate, he didn’t hit much, but when he did get a hit it counted. His home run in the semi-final gave Puerto Rico a brief 3-2 lead in a tightly fought game that went into extra innings.
C Rene Rivera 2 G, 8 AB, R, 3 H, 2 2B, RBI, .375/.375/.625
Surprisingly, Rivera got into two games in the WBC, and he did not catch in either of them. In Pool D, he entered the game as a DH against Italy. In a meaningless game against Venezuela, Rivera got the start at first base. At the plate, he was as good as can be expected. However, with respect to the 2017 season, it would have been better if he got in some play behind the plate to get ready for the season.
And because everyone is obviously interested, Yoenis Cespedes‘ younger brother Yoelqui had a strong WBC. In five games, the 19 year old Cespedes hit .250/.250/.313 with two runs, a double, and an RBI. He also showed good range and a strong throwing arm in right field. Perhaps, there may come a time in the future when the younger Cespedes gets the opportunity to play in the major leagues like his older brother.
Well, the Americans finally did the impossible. They won the WBC cementing the USA as the best country in the sport it invented. It was really no small feat considering the team had to go through Seth Lugo, Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran, T.J. Rivera, Rene Rivera, Carlos Correa et al. Yet, somehow, someway, the USA did it.
Time will tell what the lasting impact of this victory will be, but with that said each player should be held is some esteem by all American baseball fans. Can you name the players who were on the USA WBC roster? Good luck!
Chris Archer Tyler Clippard Danny Duffy Sam Dyson Mychal Givens Luke Gregerson Nate Jones Jake McGee Mark Melancon Andrew Miller Pat Neshek Tanner Roark David Robertson Drew Smyly Marcus Stroman Jonathan Lucroy Buster Posey Nolan Arenado Alex Bregman Brandon Crawford Paul Goldschmidt Josh Harrison Eric Hosmer Ian Kinsler Daniel Murphy Adam Jones Andrew McCutchen Giancarlo Stanton Christian Yelich Brett Cecil J.A. Happ Jake Odorizzi Jeff Samardzija Alex Wilson David Wright
Well, it surprisingly took until the fourth World Baseball Classic for the Americans to finally win won. It was well worth the wait, and it was great watching a group of likeable players win this thing. For the most part, I developed a deeper appreciation for a lot of these players.
For starters, Adam Jones may now be my favorite non-Met. He had some truly clutch hits, and his robbery of Manny Machado is a play that will live on forever. More important than that, he was a player who had a lot of pride representing his country.
Marcus Stroman was absolutely dominant in the World Baseball Classic. For a pitcher who has pitched in big games for most of his young career, Stroman took his game to a higher level last night carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. It was great to see a fellow Long Islander there is one of the biggest moments in USA baseball history.
It was a delight to see Brandon Crawford play shortstop. With him playing on the West Coast, and my being a Mets fan, I really only get to see him a handful of games a year. You really appreciate how good he is watching him play on a prolonged basis. I also wasn’t aware of just how much he’s improved as a hitter.
Ian Kinsler went out there, and even he had to show a little enthusiasm on the field. He’s really about as good a second baseman as there is in baseball.
Tanner Roark, Drew Smyly, and Danny Duffy really stepped up and pitched better than really anyone could have reasonably expected them to pitch.
While they didn’t play as large a role as they did in 2015, it was nice seeing Tyler Clippard and Daniel Murphy win something. They certainly deserved it . . . even if Murphy didn’t deserve being frozen out.
Certainly, Paul Goldschmidt showed he was a bigger man than anyone could have expected. We did not hear one word from either him or Murphy about being benched in favor of lesser players. Speaks a lot about their character and their dedication to winning. Same goes for Jake McGee, who certainly could have been tabbed by his manager to get some of the bigger left-handed hitters out in the WBC.
In one game, Alex Bregman showed us why he’s going to be the next young star in this league. That Astros infield is going to be terrific next year and for the next decade.
Nate Jones, Sam Dyson, and Mychal Givens are much better relievers than anyone might’ve known prior to the tournament. They certainly showed that during the WBC. For that matter, Luke Gregerson showed everyone he’s a closer in this game.
I certainly was able to appreciate the skill Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton bring to the table on a game-in and game-out basis. They play the game hard, and they play it the right way. It was easy rooting for them in the WBC. Still, that won’t prevent me from rooting against them during the regular season.
Andrew McCutchen is really just a great player no matter what position you play him in the outfield. The Pirates are going to be happy they held onto him.
No, still not going to say anything nice about Eric Hosmer.
I still can’t believe Pat Neshek got out of that jam against Japan.
We all know Andrew Miller was better than he was in the WBC, but it is a testament to him that he was still willing to go out there and give whatever he could give the team despite him not being ready to be Andrew Miller yet. Same goes for David Robertson.
Buster Posey and Jonathan Lucroy showed everyone that despite the fawning over Yadier Molina, they are the two best catchers in the game. USA was able to share time between them and not miss and beat. Also, Lucroy had the best chest protector I’ve ever seen on a baseball field.
Nolan Arenado just went out there and played hard. Again, you have to admire someone who goes out there and just fights through it.
I appreciate what Chris Archer and Mark Melancon did. I wish their teams would’ve permitted them to participate more, but you have to admire anyone who is willing to go out there and contribute whatever they can. Certainly, Archer’s impact was lasting because he went out there the first game and dominated. He set the tone for this entire starting staff.
Finally, it was great seeing Willie Randolph out there coaching. He is a great baseball person that has not gotten the second chance to manage he so rightfully earned. He is class personified. There is no greater example of this than his wearing Jackie Robinson‘s 42 with permission from Robinson’s family. Throughout his entire career, he has deserved better from baseball, and I am hoping he finally gets that chance he so richly deserves.
Overall, it was great watching a group of Americans who were easy to root for. Top to bottom these were classy players that played hard, and they were players who had pride in representing their countries. I can thing of no finer collection of players to go out there and not only capture the title, but to also raise the interest in the WBC.
Well done.
After the 2013 season, Curtis Granderson was really a free agent for the first time in his career. While Granderson was always durable, he was coming off an injury plagued season that was the result of getting hit by two pitches. In the prior to season for the Yankees, Granderson was coming off consecutive 40 home run seasons. In fact over that two year stretch, Granderson led the majors with 84 homers. With that in mind, Granderson was one of the most coveted free agents on the free agent market.
To that end, it is surprising that a player like Granderson who had mostly played for good teams in his career would opt to go a Mets team coming who never had a winning record since moving to Citi Field. Moreover, it was surprising that a power hitter like Granderson was so willing to move to the cavernous dimensions of Citi Field.
And yet, Granderson signed a four year deal to become the Mets right fielder. Why?
Well as Granderson told MLB Network during their 30 Clubs 30 Days feature on the Mets, “I was optimistic it was going to happen. Sandy Alderson and the Mets organization told me about the young guys – the Matz’s, the Syndergaard’s, I had see Harvey, the deGrom’s – and all of a sudden here they are. Not only are they here but they’re here to stay. They all piggyback off of each other and do an amazing job.”
Either Sandy did a great job selling, or Granderson just has an eye for talent because heading into the 2014 season things were not that optimistic.
Matt Harvey‘s incredible 2013 season was cut short with him needing Tommy John surgery. Noah Syndergaard was not yet dominating in the minor leagues despite having terrific stuff. Steven Matz was just coming back from pitching after what had been an arduous Tommy John rehabilitation.
Now, Zack Wheeler was coming off a promising season, and Rafael Montero promised to be the next big thing. While Granderson mentioned Jacob deGrom, if we are being honest, no one knew what he was yet. Certainly, not the Mets as they had deGrom lower on the depth chart than Montero.
Despite all of that, Granderson was right, it has all worked out. Even better, the Mets have pitchers like Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo who have developed into good pitchers while Granderson has been a Met. Behind them are pitchers like Thomas Szapucki and Justin Dunn.
Back in 2013, this was the image of the Mets Alderson presented to Granderson. To his credit, Granderson bought in and signed with the Mets. To Alderson’s credit, he not only delivered, but he keeps delivering.
As Granderson enters the last year of his four year contract, it is important to remember he was the first free agent that believed the Mets could one day be World Series contenders. Not only did he sign with the Mets based upon that belief, but he has also been an important contributor to this Mets team both on the field and in the clubhouse. In many ways, the Granderson signing was a pivotal moment. It was the time that the Mets starting the process of going from a rebuilding team to a World Series contender. It was also the time when someone started believing in this team.
During Spring Training, Paul Sewald and Ben Rowen have emerged as real possibilities for the Opening Day bullpen. The issue with adding either player to the Opening Day roster is neither reliever is on the 40 man roster. Moreover, there is currently no room on the 40 man roster. Therefore, if the Mets want to carry either Sewald or Rowen on the Opening Day roster, the team is going to have to make a roster move.
The first possibility is putting David Wright on the 60 day disabled list. At this point in time, Wright is still not throwing, and there is no known timetable as to when he will be able to throw. Accordingly, it is eminently possible he will need an extended stay on the disabled list. If so, putting Wright on the 60 day disabled list would open up one spot.
The issue arises if Wright does not need a stay on the 60 day disabled list or if the Mets were going to look to add both Sewald and Rowen to the roster. To that end, there are some players who could be moved off the roster.
Normally, this is where most Mets fans would point to Rafael Montero. However, Montero has pitched quite well this Spring. It’s more than the 2.70 ERA. Montero has been trusting his stuff more, and he has been pounding the strike zone. As a result, we are finally starting to see what the Mets have seen with their decision to keep Montero on the 40 man roster all these years. Now, if you are keeping Montero, this means someone else is going to need to be removed from the roster.
The most likely candidate is Josh Edgin. Prior to his Tommy John surgery, Edgin could throw 95 MPH. With his fastball, he dominated left-handed batters, and he could hold his own against right-handed batters. Post-surgery, Edgin is throwing in the high 80s to the low 90s. He has not been the same pitchers since, and the results are no longer there. He’s also struggling this Spring. With him being out of options, it’s hard to justify having him block someone else’s path.
Erik Goeddel is another Mets reliever who struggled in 2016 that is also struggling in 2017. Last year, Goeddel pitched through bone spurs, and he had a 4.54 ERA. Unfortunately, things have not been better after the surgery. Goeddel does not seem to have his command or velocity, and as a result, he has posted a 9.95 ERA in seven appearances.
Another pitcher who struggled last year and is struggling in Spring Training is Sean Gilmartin. Gilmartin was a terrific long man in 2015 to a pitcher without a role last year. He bounced back-and-forth between Triple A starter and major leauge reliever. He did not handle the transition well. Now, he is struggling yet again posting a 6;75 ERA.
Certainly, the Mets could hope that Edgin, Goeddel, or Gilmartin rebound in 2017. However, those hopes are not going to stand in the way of the team putting together the best possible bullpen they can put together on Opening Day.
If there is anything you can say about this Mets organization is that they like their tall hard throwing right-handed pitchers. Overall, you’d be hard pressed to find a pitcher as tall and as hard throwing as the Mets 2016 sixth round draft pick Chris Viall. This 6’9″ pitcher out of Stanford has pitched out of both the bullpen and the starting rotation, and he has been known to throw his fastball up to 101 MPH.
After being drafted, Viall was assigned to Kingsport where he showed the ability to rack up a high number of strikeouts. While Viall is preparing for his first full professional season, he was kind enough to answer some questions about how he is progressing as a professional pitcher.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, and congratulations on finishing your first season as a professional pitcher. In your experience, what has been the biggest adjustment from pitching in Stanford to pitching in the minor leagues?
I would have to say the largest adjustment between collegiate and professional baseball is which roles I am filling. At the college level, I had to come in at different times in the game; sometimes in relief, sometimes starting. Now at the professional level, the Mets organization stresses having a set routine and a specific throwing schedule. I enjoy being able to have that set routine in order to most effectively prepare for my outings and improve my skills.
Do you feel the Mets program is more conducive to success than the program you had at Stanford?
I don’t think I can really comment as to which was more successful as the two systems had slightly different aims. College baseball programs have to be primarily focused on winning with player development coming in second. So far in the Mets organization, I have been working primarily to improve as a player. Currently, I am very happy to work towards focusing on improvement.
What specific things have you worked on in the past year with the Mets that would help you become a more effective pitcher?
I have been working on simplifying my delivery in order to make sure I’m always in control and linear towards home plate.
You mentioned you have both started and relieved. Which role do you personally prefer?
I enjoy starting. While I have relieved in games and am comfortable with that role, I enjoy being able to have a specific routine in the rotation and knowing exactly what my plan is every day. Being able to see batters more than one time in a game is also a plus as I am able to adapt and improve my gameplan with multiple innings of work.
For those that have never seen you pitch before, what type of pitcher should they expect to see?
They should expect to see a tall, hard throwing right handed pitcher with a good mix of fastballs, change-ups, and curveballs.
Tall indeed. Baseball Reference has you listed at 6’9″. Is that accurate, or are you a little taller than that?
As of the last time I checked 6’9″ in bare feet is accurate, although I haven’t really challenged that number for awhile, most doctors’ height measurement devices max out around 6’6″.
I’m sure someone has asked you this before with how tall you are, but I’ll ask it to you anyway. At your height, why baseball instead of basketball?
In high school I originally played both sports, but in my junior year I decided to focus only on baseball. It was around that time that my velocity increased and my secondary pitches became more solid, so it was the correct decision at that time.
What are the advantages and disadvantages your height presents to a pitcher?
I think the main advantages I have are the ability to easily throw faster and the steep angle that I throw the ball to the plate. The only disadvantage I have experienced is that being taller introduces some coordination issues (such as repeating the same motions), but I mostly overcame this shortcoming when I got used to my height and increased my strength training load.
One of the things that stood out when you were drafted was your velocity. How fast is your fastball?
My velocity varies. Last season in starts I was generally 93-97, but in relief appearances my fastball touched as high as 101.
Overall, who has had the biggest impact on your career?
Mark Eichorn. He was my pitching coach through high school and helped me tremendously on both the physical and mental side of the game.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received how to succeed as a pitcher and make it to the major leagues?
That would be to trust the process and set a goal to improve every day.
What are your goals for the 2017 season?
Increase strike percentage and increase pitch diversity. I’m moving away from just trying to overpower batters, as though that may work now there will be a point where I won’t be able to rely so heavily on my fastball to get batters out.
What has been your favorite memory as a baseball player?
My favorite memory was when I threw at the Stanford summer baseball camp going into my senior year of high school. I had always wanted to attend Stanford as it was about an hour away from my house and a great university, and walking off the field talking to Coach Stotz about my future at Stanford was an amazing moment for me.
Who was your favorite player growing up?
Growing up my favorite player was Matt Cain.
Do you try to model your game after his?
I don’t try to emulate his mechanics, but I do try to pick up on the way he goes about his outing. Cain seems to have a controlled bulldog mentality that toughens under adversity, and I try to bring that into my game as well.
Last year, former Mets minor leaguer Nicco Blank made a name for himself for leaving tickets for Taylor Swift to see him pitch. What famous person would you like to come see you pitch?
I guess I’ll keep the trend going and stick with Taylor Swift.
Are you inviting Taylor Swift because you’re a fan of her music?
To be honest I don’t really know many of her songs. I just want to keep the streak alive.
Do you know where you will be assigned next year?
I am not yet sure where I will be assigned.
I appreciate Viall taking the time to answer my questions while he is preparing for what should be a promising 2017 season. Given his arm and his ability to strike people out, he has a real future in the Mets organization, and I believe I speak for all Mets fans when I say we wish him well.
Paw Patrol is the worst, and I mean the absolute worst, children’s show I have been subjected to by my son. Having watched it over and over again, the show gets worse and worse. Then I noticed some serious issues with the show. They mostly surround Ryder.
For those uninitiated, Paw Patrol, is a show where a boy named Ryder leads a bunch of pups to solve the problems that arise in Adventure Bay. The issues usually arise over something wrong with Mayor Goodway, who is the most incompetent cartoon mayor this side of Diamond Joe Quimby, or Cap’n Turbot, who is a sea captain that I’m surprised hasn’t drowned while taking a bath.
Whenever an issue arises, these adults contact a young boy named, Ryder. Yup, a person who is supposed to be in charge of an entire city has to contact a little boy to help her solve her problems. Those problems usually involve her pet chicken because what other issue would the mayor have than handling her pet chicken?
Ryder accepts the call on his pup-pad, says he will offer assistance, and offers the reassuring motto of “No job is too big, no pup is too small.” Ryder, then using the same pup pad summons his pups. The pups receive the alert straight through their collar, which presumably means Ryder equips each of his pups with a shock collar so they can be summoned at his will.
The pups then run to this tower called the Lookout. Somehow, someway midway up the elevator to the top of the Lookout, the pups are zapped into clothing with their preordained jobs from Ryder. Mind you, this counts the second time the pups are zapped.
Once there, the pups have to go through Ryder’s artist rendition of the current situation. Keep in mind, there is an emergency, but Ryder thought there was time for him to make a fun little cartoon first to show everyone before they go and solve the problem. Ryder then selects two or sometimes three pups to join him. The rest just sit there until everyone returns.
There is so much wrong here. First, this boy has the technology to build a technologically superior tower that would make Elon Musk blush, and he has the ability to not only communicate with dogs, but the ability to have them bend to his will. Do we seriously believe he does not have the capability to summoning the exact number of pups he needs? Does he not do that because he’s too busy with his arts and crafts project? Or perhaps, this is a just the work of a twisted little boy, who fits pups with shock collars, who loves having these pups bend to his every will and demand.
His team of pups is as follows:
- Chase – a police pup who mostly is there to throw a net to catch someone when Ryder’s instructions go horribly wrong
- Marshall – a clumsy fire dog who really is mostly there to provide a ladder
- Rubble – a construction dog who pushes stuff around with a bulldozer
- Rocky – a recycling pup who in reality is just a few years away from being on one of those hoarding reality shows
- Skye – the lone female who flies in the sky and really does most of the work
- Zuma – a water rescue dog, whatever that means, who is basically told to get deep sea diving to fetch something underwater
Oh, on top of that there are two other dogs named Everest and Tracker. It is not of much importance that they don’t belong to Ryder. What really matters is that for some reason, Ryder gets to fit them with a shock collar as well so he can summon them too at his beck and call. Considering how he abuses these dogs, I’m almost afraid to ask where Ryder’s parents are or what happened to them. Although part of me does wonder if he made them “yelp for help.”
Anyway once Ryder chooses the pups that get to come with him, they got down a slide into their dog house which turns into the corresponding vehicle. Basically, these dog houses are a rip-off of Transformers.
Now, for the bigger jobs, Ryder will use more dogs, but that means he’s going to have to take them all in his not so cleverly named Paw Patroller. Everything is able to fit in there, and it is driven by his robotic dog. That’s right, in addition to building a state of the art tower, and vehicles, Ryder has built a mechanical dog capable of driving something larger than a semi.
And all of this is basically to save a chicken getting stuck on a roof, or repairing something using the garbage Rocky found on the side of the road.
If this child is really the genius the show purports him to be, why is he using his talents in this manner? Shouldn’t he be off making inventions for the betterment of man kind? A person this brilliant should be discovering how to cure cancer or how to end world hunger. No, he decides to become the de facto lord of Adventure Bay.
In the process, he has completely eliminated the need for Adventure Bay to have a police force, fire department, construction workers, or any other of a series of union jobs. Ryder has used his technology to force people out of jobs and presumably move out of an expensive area like Adventure Bay. It’s of little doubt why there’s only like 10 people left who live in the entire town. Presumably, most moved away due to jobs or to escape this unpredictable sociopath. Seriously, why else wouldn’t people want to live in a town that is clean, has terrific weather, and has talking dogs?
So, in the end, Paw Patrol is a show about a disturbed little boy who intimidates both man and animals alike. At its core, this is a very dark and disturbing show that no one should be subjected to.
There are three great things about March. The first is St. Patrick’s Day. The second is we are ever closer to the beginning of the baseball season. The last, but certainly not the least, is the NCAA Tournament. Each year everyone, and I mean everyone, fills out their brackets hoping to win their pools. For some die hards, they desperately want their alma mater and/or favorite team to win the NCAA Championship [Onward Setonia!].
Looking over the years the Mets have made the postseason, there is no real harbinger from the NCAA Tournament. Certainly, there is nothing akin to the Yankees-Kentucky championship link. In fact, the Mets fate isn’t even tied to one conference or another. This is good because you can watch this tournament without that thought in the back of your mind that if Texas Southern loses today, the Mets have no chance of winning the World Series.
Now, we know Texas Southern won’t go to the Final Four this year, and they have never even won a game in NCAA Tournament history. As such, they never would have been in the Final Four the years the Mets made the postseason. Can you name the teams that have been in the Final Four the years the Mets made the postseason? Good luck!