Every time the winter meetings come around it blows my mind how often an NL pitcher is either signed, traded for, or at least discussed by an American League team. For the life of me, I can't remember an NL pitcher who worked out in the AL. Can you?
I mean even look at recent memory:
Randy Johnson: Certainly not the production the Yankees thought they were getting
Carl Pavano: Complete disaster
AJ Burnett: Still can't stay healthy
Matt Clement: Disaster
Josh Beckett: Paltry first year, potential disaster when you factor in the trading of NL ROY Hanley Ramirez.
The list goes on and on. I think the only one who was any sort of success was Curt Schilling for the Red Sox, and even he has had one great season, one awful season (post-sutured ankle issues) and one good season. 2 out of 3 aint bad, I guess.
But nothing sums this phenomenon up more than Chris Carpenter. From 1997 to 2002 with the Toronto Blue Jays, Carpenter never posted an ERA better than 4.09 ('01) and his best K's year was '01 as well with 157.
Fast forward to Carpenter joining the National League and take a look at this:
2004: 3.46 ERA 152 k's
2005: 2.83 ERA 213 k's
2006: 3.09 ERA 184 k's
But what about 2003 you ask? HURT. ALL YEAR LONG. So let me get this straight, guy goes from #4 starter to an entire year off, comes back and becomes a Cy Young candidate??? Please. You can't compare the NL to the AL regarding its lineups, there's just no contest.
No thanks on signing Jason Schmidt, and no thanks on trading for Jake Peavey or Brad Penny.
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4 comments:
What about Schilling?
i wrote a paper about this in one of my sports management classes circa 2000. i got an A.
Pedro sucked when he came to the AL?
there's always exceptions. pedro was a god.
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