If He Played in the 1990s, Would Richie Ashburn Still Be a Hall of Famer?

Richie Ashburn is the greatest outfielder in Philadelphia Phillies history.  He was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans' Committee in 1995.

Ashburn was an excellent defensive center fielder with outstanding speed. He was a fine base runner, and was one of the greatest of all lead off hitters.

Until Pete Rose and Rickey Henderson came along, a solid argument could be made that Ashburn was the greatest lead off hitter of all time.  He averaged 89 walks and only 42 strikeouts a season.

Once, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Ashburn fouled off 14 Corky Valentine pitches before getting his walk.

Today, walks are valued more than when Ashburn played, although astute managers realized they often were the difference between winning and losing.  Frankie Frisch knew what he was saying when he lamented, "Oh, those bases on balls."

Ashburn played from 1948-59 with the Phillies and was traded to the Chicago Cubs on Jan. 11, 1960 in exchange for pitcher John Buzhardt, shortstop Al Dark and third baseman Jim Woods. 

The New York Mets purchased Ashburn's contract from the Cubs on Dec. 8, 1961.

Ashburn played 15 seasons. If his career had started in 1992 instead of in 1948, he would not make the Hall of Fame because players are evaluated by different standards in the 21st century.

Ashburn won batting titles in 1955 (.338) and in 1958 (.350). he led the league in on base percentage four times, in walks four times, in triples twice, in hits three times and in games played twice. 

He led the National League in putouts nine times, despite the presence of Wilie Mays and Duke Snider.

The problem is that center field is considered a power position, and Ashburn didn't hit with power. He batted .308/.396/.382 with 29 career home runs.

A tremendous negative is that Ashburn's on-base percentage was 14 points better than his slugging average. Only 455 of his 2.574 hits went for extra bases. Although Ashburn didn't have a strong throwing arm, he made one of the most important throws in baseball history.

The Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers were tied for first place on the last day of the 1950 season. With the score 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn had the speedy Cal Abrams on second and Pee Wee Reese on first with no outs.

Duke Snider hit a line drive single to center field.

Ashburn was playing shallow because the situation called for a bunt to move the potential pennant winning run to third base with only one out. Yes, in 1950, managers sacrificed with players who batted third.

Ashburn picked up the ball as Cal Abrams raced for the plate. He was out by 15 feet, and the Phillies won the game in extra innings.

Nineteen sixty two was the Mets inaugural season. They lost the most games any team ever lost, but there were a few bright spots.

Ashburn appeared in 135 games, batted .306 with a .424 on-base percentage and managed to steal 12 bases. It was his final season.

There is no doubt that Richie Ashburn is a Hall of Famer, that Richie Ashburn was one of the greatest lead off batters in history and that Richie Ashburn was a wonderful broadcaster.

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Philadelphia Phillies Are an Aging Team with Major Problems

The Philadelphia Phillies are in a lot of trouble. They are an aging team that has seen better days. They'll make the playoffs again, but a lot has happened since 2008.

It is an old axiom that pitching wins championship. The Phillies' problem is that it applies more to the playoffs and World Series than to the regular season.

Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee give the Phillies three of baseball's top starting pitchers.

Halladay will be 35 years old in May and Lee will be 33 in August. Halladay is starting his 15th season while Lee will be in his 11th.  Barring injury, they should do at least as well as they did last season.

Vance Worley and Dontrelle Willis are the other starters, although general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. stated Joe Blanton, who has had elbow problems, would probably be the Phillies' fourth or fifth starter with Willis working out of the bullpen.

Antonio Bastardo was expected to be the closer until the signing of Jonathan Papelbon.  Bastardo wore down near the end of last season while Papelbon has had some major problems during his Boston Red Sox career.

The rest of the bullpen is no better than average.

Overall, the Phillies' pitching staff ranks among the league's best, but the drop off after Halladay, Hamels and Lee is significant.

 

Too many of the Phillies' regulars are old, injured or both.

Ryan Howard's offensive production has decreased steadily the last two years. He suffered a torn left Achilles tendon when he made the last out of the Phillies' 2011 season. His return for 2012 is unknown. Howard is still a top player, but he no longer is in the Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder class.

John Mayberry and Ty Wigginton are expected to fill in at first base until Howard returns. Wigginton, who batted .242/.315/.416 for Colorado, plays first, second, shortstop and the outfield, none of them very well. Wiggington is no Michael Cuddyer. 

Sadly, Chase Utley has seen better days. He is 32 years old, has lost range at second base and batted only .259 with 11 home runs upon returning from injuries.

Placido Polanco is underrated, but now, at the age of 36 and a player with little power at a power position, he is no longer an effective table setter for the sluggers.

Who is the shortstop? Jimmy Rollins will probably return, but he, like Howard, is no longer the great offensive threat he was a few seasons ago.

UPDATE: Rollins and Phillies agree to a three-year, $33 million deal.

Hunter Pence in right field is a star and Shane Victorino is Shane Victorino, but who is in left field?

John Mayberry may be adequate, but he might play a lot of first base. Ty Wigginton and Laynce Nix are jokes. Nix is with his fifth team and is no better than a reserve. Domonic Brown is the hope.

Finally, Carlos Ruiz is a winner that is terribly underrated. He has some fine seasons ahead of him. Backup Brian Schneider can catch, but hitting is another issue.

 

The Phillies are almost certain to make the playoffs. With Halladay, Hamels and Lee, they will win playoff games.

The problem is that the offense can be stopped, which, as in 2010 and 2011, puts too much pressure on the three aces.

The San Francisco Giants lead with Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner.

The Atlanta Braves start Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens and some highly prized youngsters.

The world champion St. Louis Cardinals have Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia and probably Adam Wainwright.

It doesn't matter if the Phillies' big three are better than their main rivals. The Giants, Braves and Cards starters can stay with them.

The answer is to improve the offense with some youth.  That's not easy to accomplish.

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Robin Roberts of the Philadelphia Phillies: 3 Starts in 5 Days in 1950

Let us go back to the thrilling baseball days when pitchers finished what they started. When pitchers weren'’t coddled and when the ace of the staff pitched when his team needed a win, regardless when he last pitched.

Let us go back to one of the most exciting of all pennant races, the one between the Philadelphia Philles and the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950.

At the close of play on Tuesday, September 26, the Phillies had a seemingly safe five-game lead over Brooklyn, but as experienced baseball fans never seem to learn, no lead is safe.

The Philadelphia Phillies were in New York to play a doubleheader against the Giants on Wednesday.

Now, “doubleheader” meant that fans paid one admission to see two regularly scheduled games. There was about a 20-minute break between games.

Today, “doubleheader” means that one game is played in the afternoon, fans leave the ballpark and then another game is played at night. Those who want to see the second game pay a second admission.

Sometimes, the home team requires fans who want to see both games to remove their cars from the parking lot and then re-park it before the second game. Of course, there is a second parking fee.

Robin Roberts started the opener against the Giants, yielding five runs in four innings. The Phillies lost, 8-7, with Jim Konstanty being charged with loss. Big Giants right-hander Jim Hearn shut out the Phillies in the nightcap, 5-0.

A few miles away, Brooklyn was splitting a twin bill against the Braves to shave a game off the Philadelphia lead, but the Dodgers' loss reduced the Phillies’ magic number to two games.

Any combination of Phillies wins and/or Brooklyn losses totaling two would give the Phillies their second pennant and first since the 1915 glory days of Grover Cleveland Alexander.

The next day, the same things happened. The Phillies lost another doubleheader to the Giants while Brooklyn split a doubleheader with the Braves, cutting the lead to three games. The Phillies were assured of no less than a tie for the pennant.

Who was the Phillies’ starting pitcher in the second game of the second twin bill? Robin Roberts, that’s who.

Phillies manager Eddie Sawyer reasoned that since Roberts had pitched only four innings the previous day and since Friday was an off day, Roberts should be able to pitch. He would have Friday and Saturday to rest.

Roberts pitched effectively, but a Whitey Lockman bloop hit did him in. He lost. What is fascinating is that newspaper accounts do not even mention that Roberts was starting with no days' rest.

Although the Phillies were not scheduled on Friday, September 29, Brooklyn had another doubleheader against Boston. It was the third consecutive doubleheader for the Dodgers and Braves.

Facing elimination with a loss, the Dodgers swept the doubleheader, cutting the Phillies' lead to a mere two games. The Phillies were coming to Brooklyn for the last two games of the season.

Bob Miller started for the Phillies against Brooklyn’s Erv Palica. The Dodgers won, 7-3, which meant that they could force a three-game playoff with a win on Sunday against Phillies’ starter Robin Roberts.

You read that right. Roberts started on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Roberts started the final regular season game. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the Dodgers’ sixth, PeeWee Reese hit a towering two out fly ball to right field that lodged in the screen. It was ruled a game-tying home run.

The game remained 1-1 until Dick Sisler hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning. Roberts retired the Dodgers in the bottom of the 10th.

Robin Roberts had his 20th win. The Phillies had their pennant.

 

References:

Sheehan, Joseph M. “Giants Turn Back Whiz Kids, 8-7, 5-0, Scoring the Winning Run for the Giants in the Tenth.” New York Times 28 September, 1950: p.52.

Effrat, Louis. “Giants Turn Back Whiz Kids, 3-1, 3-1; A Blow That Helped the Giants Beat Phillies Yesterday.” New York Times 59 September, 1950: p.35.

McGowen, Roscoe. “Palica Takes 13th; Snider and Campanella Drive Dodger Homers Against Konstanty; Timely Triple for Reese; Four-Run Fifth Defeats Phils and Catcher’s Four-Bagger in Eighth Adds Three; Dodgers Top Phils, 7-3; Need One to Tie.” New York Times 1 October, 1950: p.159.

McGowen, Roscoe. “Phils Beat Dodgers for Flag; Win 4-1 on Homer in Tenth.” New York Times 2 October 1950: p.1.

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Grover Cleveland Alexander Might Have Been a Greater Phillie Than Mike Schmidt

Mike Schmidt is the overwhelming choice as the greatest Philadelphia Phillies player of all time. Steve Carlton is considered the greatest Phillies' pitcher ever.

In a recent poll by a national newspaper, the players selected as the greatest Phillies were Richie Asburn, Steve Carlton, Ed Delahanty, Robin Roberts and Mike Schmidt. It was no contest as Schmidt received 64 percent of the votes. Carlton finished second with 22 percent.

A player who might have been the greatest of all Phillies was not even listed.

In 1911, 24-year-old Grover Cleveland Alexander joined the Phillies. He set a rookie record that will never be broken when he won 28 games. Alexander pitched 367 innings, had a 2.57 ERA and a 133 ERA+.

Alexander pitched for the Phillies from 1911-17. During those eight seasons, he was 190-88 with a 2.12 ERA and a 143 ERA+. He averaged 27 wins a season.

In 1915, "Pete" won 31 games as the Phillies won the pennant. He followed that by winning 33 games in 1916 and 30 in 1917.

During the offseason,  Phillies' owner William Baker sent Alexander to the Chicago Cubs. The excuse was that the Phillies thought that Alexander would be drafted to help the imperialistic goals of Great Britain and the United States, but Baker admitted that the deal was made because he needed the money.

Steve Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. He was 241-161 with a 3.04 ERA and a 123 ERA+.

A strong case can be made that Alexander, despite pitching for the Phillies for only eight seasons compared to Carlton's 15, was the greater Phillies' pitcher.

Alexander topped Carlton with respect to ERA, ERA+, games won, innings pitched, and wins per season. Carlton led the league in strikeouts five times. So did Alexander, but Alexander did it in five of his eight Phillies' seasons.

Mike Schmidt is another story. He was a great defensive third baseman who hit 548 home runs. Schmidt batted .267/.380/.527 over 18 seasons, 16 of which were full seasons.

It is impossible to credit any player with the victory when his team wins, even the pitcher.

When Mike Schmidt hit a "game-winning" home run, we tend to ignore the contributions his teammates made to put him in the position to hit the home run. When Carlton pitched one of his six one-hitters, he needed help from his teammates, without which he would have had no better than a tie game.

Whether Alexander was a greater Phillie than Schmidt is a matter of opinion.

Alexander averaged 40 starts a season, completing 31 of them. He pitched about 356 innings a season and was credited with an average of 27 wins.

Schmidt averaged about 134 games a season, with 30 home runs and 89 RBIs.

Schmidt's Phillies played approximately 1,450 innings a season. Schmidt played approximately 1,200 of those innings.

Alexander's Phillies played approximately 1,390 innings a season (154 game schedule). Alexander pitched 356 of those innings.

Now to use statistics to make a point. Remember, Mark Twain quoted Ben Disraeli when the latter pointed out there are "Lies, damned lies, and statistics."

Mike Schmidt played defense 1,200 innings a season, but he batted 678 times a season, which averages to four plate appearances a game. 

Taking 1980, which was Schmidt's best season (48 home runs and 121 RBIs), he made 652 of the Phillies 6,265 plate appearances. That is 10.4 percent of his team's plate appearances.

Taking 1915, which was Alexander's best season, he pitched 376 and one-third innings. He faced 1,435 of the 5,478 batters the Phillies faced. That is 26.2 percent of the batters his team faced.

The above points out that pitchers such as Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Mordecai Brown, Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson are involved as much as regular star players over the course of  season.

It is a baseball axiom that great pitchers stop great hitters more often than great hitters succeed against great pitchers. Or not.

Maybe Grover Cleveland Alexander really was the greatest Phillies' player of all time. Maybe not.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Struggles to Continue Despite Strong Pitching Staff?

With about one-fourth of the season over, Roy Halladay (5-3), Cliff Lee (2-4), Roy Oswalt (3-1) and Cole Hamels (4-2) have a combined record of 14-10, which is good but below preseason expectations.

It's not that the Philadelphia Phillies quartet has pitched badly. It is just the opposite. They have pitched pretty much as expected, but the Phillies have become an offensively challenged team.

In 2011, the Phils have averaged 4.10 runs a game, which ranks ninth among the 16 National League teams.

Last season, they averaged 4.77 runs a game, and in 2009, when they won the pennant, the offense averaged 5.06 runs a game.

Most teams are struggling to score runs this season. Pitching has dominated even more than it did last season, which is a key to why the Phillies are struggling and will continue to struggle.

When Cliff Lee joined a starting rotation that included Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels, comparisons were made with the greatest rotations of all time. The Phillies were the overwhelming pick to not only win the Eastern Division, but to win the pennant.

The problem is that the Phillies' perceived pitching advantage has not been as great as expected. Because of a league-wide lack of offense, the Phillies' pitching is brought back to the pack.

National League teams have averaged 4.17 runs a game in 2011, with a 3.79 ERA.

In 2010, teams averaged 4.35 runs a game with a 4.02 ERA.

In 2009, teams averaged 4.43 runs a game with a 4.19 ERA.

The number that stands out is that since 2009, the league earned run average has increased by 0.40 runs.

The last time the National League had an ERA below four was 1992.

This season, only five teams have an ERA above four.

It's not that the Big Four are pitching poorly, but that other teams are pitching nearly as well, and the Philly offense is not good enough to establish separation.

When Jason Werth went to Washington, the Phillies had a huge hole to fill in the outfield. Dominic Brown has been hurt, and the combination of Ben Francisco and John Mayberry is not the answer.

The loss of Chase Utley has hurt more than expected because nobody has picked up the slack. 

Catcher Carlos Ruiz, who had a career year in 2010, has been hurt and is batting .208 with two home runs. Ryan Howard is batting a .252 with nine home runs, and is on his usual pace to strike out 200 times.

Thirty-nine year old Raul Ibanez has three home runs to go along with a .223 average. Ben Francisco is down to .218.

The Phillies have lost four consecutive games, but the old baseball adage that "you're never as good as you look when you win and you're never as bad as you look when you lose," holds up.

Last night, Roy Oswalt pitched five solid innings. The bullpen was good, but all the Phillies could manage was one unearned run in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

The night before, an erratic Cliff Lee allowed three runs in six and one third innings, but the bullpen shut down the Cardinals the rest of the way. Usually, that should be enough to win, but the Phillies managed to score only one run in a 3-1 loss.

A team that doesn't score many runs puts tremendous pressure on its pitchers, who realize that one or two mistakes could cost them the game. They must bear down constantly and not allow even the so-called easier outs in the opposition's batting order to hurt them.

The Philly Four are experienced veterans who have been through it all. Each of them should win 15 or more games. They rise to the occasion, but it is too much to ask them to rise to the occasion every start.

Almost every team in the league has one, two or three pitchers who can often stay with the Phillies Big Four. The Phillies' problem is that most of the teams score more runs than they do.

The Phillies should win the division, but it will be a struggle to the end.

Reference:

Baseball Reference

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The Phillies, Marlins, Rockies and Cards: Only National Teams Above .500

There are 16 teams in the National League.

Only the Philadelphia Phillies (19-9), the Florida Marlins (18-10), the Colorado Rockies (17-10) and the St. Louis Cardinals (17-13) are above .500.

Seventy-five percent of National League teams have not won more than one-half of their games.

The 2011 National League may be one of the weakest leagues or it may be one of the most unbalanced leagues in history.

There were several seasons during the 1950s when only three of the eight National League teams finished above .500, but that could be explained by the fact that the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and Milwaukee Braves usually had powerful teams.

In 1969, the first season of divisional play as well as the year that New York's most beloved team, the New York Mets won the World Series. Only three of the 12 teams (the Philadelphia Phillies, the expansion Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres) were below the .500 mark.

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in the National League, but they are far from a team without major problems. The Phillies are averaging 4.46 runs a game, batting .260, have a .330 on base average and are slugging .386, which is 10th in the league.

Due to a severe injury to second base great Chase Utley, journey man Wilson Valdez is the regular second baseman. The departure of Jason Werth has forced manager Charlie Manuel to use Ben Francisco and John Mayberry in right field.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz, after a great 2010 season, is hitting only .226 and an aging Raul Ibanez is struggling to reach the .170 mark.

Closer Brad Lidge, who has had meteoric highs and lows in his checkered career, has yet to throw a pitch this season. Replacement Jose Contreras is also on the disabled list.

Still, the Phillies are the "class" of the Eastern Division and are a serious contender for the World Championship, thanks to four outstanding starters.

Roy Halladay may be as great as any pitcher in the last 40 years. Cliff Lee is more inconsistent than Halladay, but the left-hander is a major force. Roy Oswalt has been solid for years when he isn't hurt and Cole Hamels is back on track.

The Florida Marlins offense is worse than that of the Phillies, but the Marlins have a deep pitching staff that rivals any in the league. Starters Josh Johnson, Rickey Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez will keep the Marlins in the race until the very end. The bullpen appears decent.

The Marlins are averaging 4.61 runs a game, batting .254, have a .327 on base average, and are slugging .401.

Jorge de la Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin have been the Rockies' best pitchers, which is not good because Ubaldo Jiminez, who faltered near the end of last season, is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. The Rockies lack strong starting pitching, but the bullpen, led by Huston Street, is fairly solid.

The offense, led by Troy Tulowitski, who is this decade's Derek Jeter and a seemingly resurgent Todd Helton, averages 4.67 runs a game. The team is hitting an anemic .238, has a .324 on base average and is slugging .387.

Finally, we come to the Cardinals. They lead the league in scoring (5.37 runs a game) and are hitting .293. They have a great .363 on base average and are slugging .446.

Led by the greatest player in the game, Albert Pujols, and Matt Holliday, the Cardinals will continue to score.

Pujols is hitting only .231, while Holliday (.409) and Lance Berkman (.402) led the team in average. Both figure to cool off, but Pujols should pick up much of the slack.

The Cards' pitching is above average, allowing 4.10 runs a game with a 3.43 ERA. The Pythagorean indicates that the Cards should be 19-11 instead of 17-13.

Something is wrong when 75 percent of the league is below .500.

Of course, it is early in May and things will change.

The Atlanta Braves have split 28 games and the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and defending World Champion San Francisco Giants should win more games than they lose.

In 1973, the Mets won a mere 82 games and were National League Champions. In 2006, the Cardinals won 83 games and won the World Series.

A team with a similar number of wins in 2011 could win the World Series.

To paraphrase Chester A. Riley: "What a revoltin' development that would be."

Reference:

Baseball Reference

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The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies: Not One of the Greatest Phillies’ Teams

1964 had been an almost magical year for the Philadelphia Phillies.

They acquired Jim Bunning from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Don Demeter to complement lefty ace Chris Short. On Father's Day, Bunning hurled a perfect game against the New York Mets.

In the all-star game, Phillies' outfielder Johnny Callison hit a ninth inning, game-winning home run off Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Dick "the Monster" Radatz.

Rookie Richie Allen, along with Callison, provided clutch offense until the last 12 days of the season..

There have been many fine first place teams that had seemingly "safe" leads late in the season only to be overtaken, but almost nothing compares to what happened to the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies.

At the height of the pennant race, the Phillies lost 10 consecutive games before finally getting a win. Some blamed manager Gene Mauch for starting Bunning and Short several times on only two days' rest.

At the end of play on September 20, 1964, the Phillies led both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, who were tied for second place, by six and one-half games.

It only took seven days for things to change radically.

At the end of play on September 27, the Reds led the second place Phillies by a full game. The Phillies lost a six and one-half game lead and were never again in first place.

On September 28, the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Reds while the Cardinals beat the Phillies. The Cardinals and Reds were tied for the top spot with the reeling Phillies trailing each of them by one and one-half games.

The next day, the Pirates beat the Reds in sixteen innings, 1-0. Once the Reds reached first place, they didn't score again until they were out of first place.

The Phillies weren't the only team feeling the pressure.

The Cardinals beat the Phillies again, to take over first place from the Reds.

On October 1, the Cardinals weren't scheduled. The Reds finally scored as they beat the Pirates to pull within one half game of the Cardinals, who would be at home for the final three games of the season to face New York's most beloved team, the Mets, losers of 108 games.

The Phillies trailed the Cards by two and one-half games and were basically out of it.

Mets' broadcaster Lindsey Nelson often told his viewers that late in the season, teams that are out of the pennant race can be extremely dangerous since they have nothing to lose and are loose.

How right he was.

The Cardinals ace, Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, faced the Mets' little lefty, Al Jackson, in what seemed to be a mismatch. Jackson was 10-16. Gibson was 18-11.

The Mets scored a run in the third inning when Ed Kranepool singled home George Altman with two outs. That turned out to be the game's only run, as Jackson blanked the Cardinals on five hits.

The Phillies beat the Reds, so the Cardinals still led the Reds by one-half game and the Phillies by one and one-half games.

On the next to last day of the season, Cards 20 game winner Ray Sadecki faced Mets' 17 game loser Jack Fisher. It was no contest as the Mets scored four times in the first inning and slowly pulled away for a 15-5 victory.

The Reds, who were idle, were again tied with the Cards for first place. The Phillies, surprisingly, were still in it, trailing by a mere game going into the last day of the season.

The Phillies won again behind Bunning's shut out, 10-0, but they needed help they would never receive.

The Cardinals sent Curt Simmons to face the Mets' 18 game loser, Galen Cisco, in a game they had to win in order to avoid a three team tie for the pennant.

The Mets took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth, knocking out Simmons.

Manager Johnny Keane brought in Bob Gibson, who had pitched eight innings on Friday. The Cardinals scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and went on to an 11-5 win to become National League champions.

The Phillies, the Cardinals and the Reds all felt the pressure. It is often easier to withstand pressure when trying to get something than when trying to defend it.

When each of the three teams reached first place, they faltered. The Cardinals were fortunate that after they beat the Mets and the Phillies beat the Reds, the season ended.

The 1964 Phillies were an excellent team. Third baseman Richie Allen hit .318 with 29 home runs, outfielder Johnny Callison hit .274 with 31 home runs, Bunning won 19 games, and Short won 17.

The problem was that the team lacked pitching depth, which explains why Mauch started Bunning and Short on two days rest.

It is ironic, but the only way the 1964 Phillies could be ranked among the best Philies' teams would have been if they had not lost 10 consecutive games near the end of the season and had merely finished a consistent second or third.

References:

Retrosheet

Sports Illustrated

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Roy Halladay and Don Larsen: A World Series Game Is Not a Playoff Game

Enough is enough. There is no comparison between Roy Halladay and Don Larsen. The former is on his way to the Hall of Fame. The latter was a journeyman pitcher who caught lightning in a bottle.

Larsen faced the National League's defending World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. Brooklyn had won 98 games and lost 55 for a .641 winning percentage.

Roy Halladay faced the National League Central Division champion Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2010 playoffs. Cincinnati won 91 games while losing 71 for a .562 winning percentage.

Roy Halladay pitched a no-hitter against the Reds in the opening game of the playoff series, missing a perfect game when he walked Jay Bruce with one out in the fifth inning. Halladay was not facing the best team in the league. He was facing a division winner.

Don Larsen was facing the best team in the National League in the World Series. There were no playoffs in 1956, so how could Roy Halladay have pitched the second no-hitter in playoff history?

The playoffs started in 1969. Roy Halladay pitched the first no-hitter in playoff history. Don Larsen pitched the only no-hitter and perfect game in World Series history. They are not the same.

Until the playoffs were initiated, the term "postseason" was not used. Each league had a pennant winner, and they met to determine the World Champion. The first goal was to win the pennant, and the second goal was to win the World Series.

Today, most teams consider making the playoffs a successful season. The Reds made the 2010 playoffs, and despite not winning a single game once they got to the playoffs, players and fans consider it to have been a successful season.

Would the 1975 Cincinnati Reds of Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose and Tony Perez have considered it to have been a successful season if they had lost the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Pirates?

In 1954, the New York Yankees won 103 games, which was the most they won under Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel. The most games they won during their streak of five consecutive pennants and World Championships was 99 in 1953.

The Yankees problem that season was that the Cleveland Indians won an American League-record 111 games. The Yankees and their fans considered 1954 an unsuccessful season.

Under today's playoff system, mediocre teams often qualify for the playoffs. It is recognized that upsets occur, but it cannot be denied that in most cases, the better teams usually win.

Of course it is possible for a pitcher to pitch a no-hitter or even a perfect game in the first or second round of the playoffs and have faced the soon-to-be pennant winner, but it must be (and will not be) recognized that the playoffs and the World Series are not the same. Today, they are all considered playoff games. What a joke.

Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in the history of the World Series. Roy Halladay pitched the only no-hitter in the history of the playoffs. Both are great achievements, but they are not the same.

Reference: Retrosheet

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MLB Trade Rumors: Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt? Roy Oswalt

Who is the better pitcher, Roy Oswalt or Cliff Lee?

Based upon the opinions of the "experts," the answer is Cliff Lee, but based on career performance, that is not the right answer.

Lee has pitched most of his seasons in the American League, which means that he didn't have the luxury, at least in most instances, of facing the opposing pitcher.

Oswalt has spent his entire career in one of the few professional leagues that still plays the game the way it was meant to be played. The pitcher is part of the batting order.

Cliff Lee has had some outstanding seasons.

In 2008, he was a Preacher Roe-like 22-3, with a 2.54 ERA, a 168 ERA+, and a WHIP of 1.110.

In 2005, Lee went 18-5, with a 3.79 ERA, a 111 ERA+ and a WHIP of 1.218, which was not as good as his 2008 season, but it was still a very good year.

Cliff Lee has had some pretty bad seasons.

In his first full season, which was 2004, Cliff was 14-8, but as we all know, a pitcher's won-lost record often doesn't tell the rest of the story.

To go along with his 14 wins, Lee had a 5.43 ERA. His ERA+ was a minuscule 80, and his WHIP was 1.503.

In 2006, Lee again won 14 games, but he gave up 224 hits in just over 200 innings.

The following season was worse, in part due to injury. Cliff worked only 97 and one-third innings, won five, lost eight, and had a 6.29 ERA.

The point is that Cliff Lee has had some of the best seasons of any pitchers in the 21st century, but he has also had some terrible seasons, which is not befitting a pitcher who ranks behind only Roy Halladay in the "experts" estimation.

No pitcher has won more games since 2001 than Roy Oswalt, who has a total of 143 wins as a Houston Astro.

Oswalt has two 20-win seasons. Lee has won 20 once.

Oswalt has a lower lifetime ERA (3.24 to 3.81), a better ERA+ (134 to 113), which helps to statistically control the designated hitters Oswalt never faced, and a lower WHIP (1.196 to 1.258),

As a National Leaguer, Lee's ERA is 3.39, his ERA+ is 126, and his WHIP is 1.130.

Roy Oswalt has been much more consistent than Cliff Lee.

Even this season, pitching for a bad Houston Astros team, Oswalt has a 3.42 ERA, a 120 ERA+, and a 1.109 WHIP. His won-lost record should improve now that he works for the Philadelphia Phillies.

On any given day, or in any given playoff series, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt give their teams a tremendous advantage.

While it may be foolish and impossible to definitively conclude that one is a better pitcher than the other, Oswalt has been more consistent, but a disclaimer is necessary.

As New York's other team discovered (they probably already knew from his days with the Cleveland Indians) in the 2009 World Series, Cliff Lee can dominate a team as well as Sandy Koufax (seventh game of the 1965 World Series), Bob Gibson (first game of the 1968 World Series), and Christy Mathewson (entire 1905 World Series).

The Phillies traded Lee last December. He won the only two games the Phillies won against New York's other team. Now they have Roy Oswalt. Let's see what happens.

Do you really think the Texas Rangers will meet the Philadelphia Phillies in November?  As Mr. Spock used to say, "fascinating."

References:

Roy Oswalt at Baseball Reference

Cliff Lee at Baseball Reference

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Stealing Baseball Signs Is Not Cheating

Exactly what does "cheating" mean?

One dictionary definition is: "to act dishonestly; practice fraud." That sounds good .

A second definition is: "to violate rules deliberately, as in a game." That sounds good too.

In 1951, the New York Giants won the National League Pennant, overcoming the Brooklyn Dodgers' 13.5 game lead.

In January 2001, an article in the Wall Street Journal claimed that the Giants had an elaborate sign-stealing scheme that allegedly used a telescope in the scoreboard, and a system of bells and buzzers that allowed Giants' reserves Sal Yvars and Hank Schenz to tip off hitters.

No Rule Against Stealing Signs

If it is true, were the Giants cheating? Well, they were not acting dishonestly. They were acting surreptitiously.

Were they violating any rules? Absolutely not .

There was nothing in the baseball rulebook in 1951 that prohibited stealing signs by any methods a team choose to employ. There still isn't.

Baseball's Statement About Sign Stealing

When those in charge became aware of the allegations that besmirched the greatest miracle in sports history, they did what bureaucrats do. They made a statement.

On March 31, 2001, executive vice-president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson sent teams a memo that restricted the use of electronic equipment during a game.

Such equipment and technology "could not be used for communications or for the purpose of stealing signs or conveying information designed to give a club an advantage."

Does the Method Matter?

Alderson mentioned nothing about using eyes, limbs, head, or any other part of the anatomy to obtain signs—only electronic equipment.

A contradiction exists. Keeping things simple, there must be no cheating in baseball. That is the premise that those in the game must accept. We all know the chances of successfully enforcing such a position.

What difference does it make if signs are stolen by an individual located in the center field scoreboard, or by the runner on second who sees the catcher's signal to the pitcher?

Both are considered cheating, but some individuals refer to the latter as "gamesmanship."

Mick Billmeyer

Philadelphia Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was using binoculars in a game against the Colorado Rockies a few days ago, allegedly watching Rockies catcher Miguel Olivo.

Billmeyer claims he was watching Phillies backstop Carlos Ruiz set up, and that he was not stealing the Rockies' signs.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told reporters, "We were not trying to steal signs, Would we try to steal somebody's signs? Yeah, if we can. But we don't do that. We're not going to let a guy stand up there in the bullpen with binoculars looking in. We're smarter than that."

Two Choices

Stealing signs has been part of the game since the games began. It is not cheating because stealing signs does not violate any baseball rule. To allow stealing signs when technology is not involved is ridiculous.

If those who run the game are sincere, then they must either allow stealing signs by any methods sign-stealers choose, or they must add a rule not allowing it.

If stealing signs using technology is allowed, every baseball park will look like AT&T's secret wire-tapping room in San Francisco.

If a rule is added to prevent sign stealing, a rule that is impossible to enforce will make a farce of the game.

Everyone knows that the success of prohibition during the Al Capone-Elliot Ness has been surpassed only by the success of the War On Drugs .

References:

Major League Baseball Rules

Marazzi, Rich. "Baseball Rules Corner: How Baseball Teams Steal Signs From Each Other in the Past and Present." Baseball Digest . June 1, 2001.

Definition of Cheating

Phillies Deny Stealing Signs

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