Public League: 3rd place out of 12
My Player of the Week: Jordan Zimmermann (Starting Pitcher, Nationals) with 1 win, 13 strikeouts, an 0.64 ERA and an 0.79 WHIP
Photo via Mr. Irrelevant
Zimmermann had two starts this past week, totaling 14 innings, during which he only allowed one earned run, nine hits and one walk. He is the first pitcher to be my player of the week this season. Playing for an ever stronger, yet still mediocre squad, his 4-6 win-loss record for the season is less than impressive. The 3.10 ERA is more admirable.
The biggest development for me this week was a mega-trade: a 4-for-4 deal in the public league. I got:
Troy Tulowitzki (SS, Rockies)
Ryan Howard (1B, Phillies)
Clayton Kershaw (SP, Dodgers)
Brandon Morrow (SP, Blue Jays)
I gave:
Ryan Braun (OF, Brewers)
Adrian Gonzalez (1B, Red Sox)
Andrew McCutchen (OF, Pirates)
Asdrubal Cabrera (SS, Indians)
For me, it was a pretty straight-forward sell high, buy low, deal from strength for need arrangement. My offensive stats in the public league are rock solid whereas the pitching needs some work. Hopefully, this will help.
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Follow Up: Baseball's Quirks
Mock commented on my last post that he enjoys the obvious differences between the leagues in baseball and I would have to agree that in order to truly love the sport, one must embrace its many idiosyncrasies. However, I would argue that some are easier to swallow than others. To me, the most baffling baseball inconsistency is ballpark dimensions. How can a game in Yankee Stadium really compare to one at Fenway?
Yankee Stadium's dimensions:
Left Field Line - 318 feet (97 m)
Left Field - 379 feet (116 m)
Left-Center - 399 feet (122 m)
Center Field - 408 feet (124 m)
Right-Center - 385 feet (117 m)
Right Field - 353 feet (108 m)
Right Field Line - 314 feet (96 m)
Backstop - 52 feet (16 m)
Fenway's:
Left Field: 310 ft (94.5 m)
Deep Left-Center: 379 ft (115.5 m)
Center Field: 389 ft 9 in (118.8 m)
Deep Right-Center: 420 ft (128 m)
Right Center: 380 ft (115.8 m)
Right Field: 302 ft (92 m)
Backstop: 60 ft (18.3 m)
And, of course, that's that massive green wall in Fenway's left field off of which one can't help but smack doubles.
Compare this state of affairs to basketball. The scene in Hoosiers when Coach Dale takes his Hickory Huskers to Hinkle Fieldhouse and demonstrates to them that the dimensions of the court are the same as those of the gym back home is very powerful. The world beyond the lines may be very different but the world within them is one you know well. Even across eras, while other aspects of basketball have changed - the widening of the lane, the addition of the three-point lines, the shot clock, etc. - the measurements from floor to rim ("10 feet") and from backboard to foul line ("15 feet") are exactly the same now as they were in 1954.
In baseball, you've got hitters' parks and pitchers' parks. A home run in one stadium is a fly out in another. Never mind the fact that most Little League fields, including the one behind my daughter's school, don't even have outfield fences.
Don't get me wrong. I'll take our breathtaking view of Mt. Mansfield over the Green Monster anytime.
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I hope you'll join us for the "30 Songs in 30 Days" challenge, inspired by the tumblr list. My friends Mock (Stay on target...) and Marc (Marc Whitman's Blog) have also taken up the challenge. We're kicking off on Friday. Let me know if you'd like to join us and I'll post your link as well.
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