The Big Mac plan sure looks smart now
by TRACY RINGOLSBY, Special to FOXSports.com
McGwire has taken the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach, and it has worked.
MLB roundup
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Monday's action
- Carmona blanks Blue Jays
- Jays take Game 2 in 10th
- Braves salvage split with Bucs
- Bucs take 1st of doubleheader
- Reds cool off streaking Marlins
- Twins take another from Sox
- Rays make quick work of Yanks
- Nats win laugher over Mets
- Braun leads Brewers to win
- Padres no match for Big Z
- Rangers edge M's in shootout
- Guerrero powers Angels past ChiSox
- Zito gets ND but Giants fall to Astros
More on MLB:
- Rosenthal: Percival looking recharged
- Rosenthal: Struggles won't last long
- Ringolsby: McGwire played it right
- Gallen: Early pleasant surprises
Photo gallery:
Then there was Rafael Palmeiro, who provided the sanctimonious approach to his testimony only to be outed as a legitimate hypocrite.
And more recently we have Roger Clemens, who has spent his athletic life bullying his way to success, suddenly finding out that he can't push everybody around and the more he tries to "clean'' up his name, the dirtier things get.
Remember that old adage, better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and prove it?
Series question
If Alex Rodriguez really is the "franchise player'' that should have the richest contract in baseball history, can someone explain why he has never played in a World Series game? He won't turn 33 until July 27 and has finished among the top 10 in MVP voting in nine of his 12 full seasons, but he ranks third among active players in terms of games played without a World Series appearance.
His one-time Seattle teammate, Ken Griffey, Jr., is at the top of the active chart, and Frank Thomas ranks second.
Not to say that a player has to be in a World Series to be considered one of the game's most talented, but the bottom line for history isn't the bottom line in a checking account but rather the success of a team. Team success is tied to championships.
It's interesting to note that among Hall of Fame eligible players, four of the five players who played the most games without playing in a World Series are enshrined in Cooperstown. Andre Dawson, who at 2,627 games ranks No. 1 among Hall of Fame eligibles, is on the outside looking in, but Ernie Banks (2,528), Billy Williams (2,488), Rod Carew (2,469) and Luke Appling (2,422) have been inducted.
The all-time leader is Rafael Palmeiro (2,831), whose eligibility will be a major debate issue for not only his performance-enhancement drug history, but also the debate over whether being able to pile up numbers without ever being a dominating player is reason enough to be elected.
Zito and Hampton don't compare
With Barry Zito's fast fade in San Francisco — in only the second year of his seven-year, $126 million contract he's been sent to the bullpen to work things out — there are comparisons being made to the hard times that Mike Hampton hit on after signing the previously biggest guarantee ever given a pitcher — seven years, $121 million with Colorado back in 2001.
Not so quick.
The key for the Rockies being able to trade Hampton was general manager Dan O'Dowd, who had two teams he could involve in the talks. There was Florida, which had contracts it wanted to move for players who played positions where the Rockies needed help — center fielder Preston Wilson and catcher Charles Johnson. So for the Marlins, the idea of obtaining center fielder Juan Pierre and eating $23.5 million of Hampton's contract wasn't so bad because he could be shipped to Atlanta and $51 million would be saved on the contracts of Johnson and Wilson.
Atlanta, meanwhile, was paying $48.5 million for six years of Hampton's services — and only $5.5 million of that in the first three years — while figuring that getting Hampton out of altitude would get him back on track. Unfortunately for the Braves, injuries have kept him from pitching in the majors for nearly three years now.
The Rockies saved $21 million, had the services of Wilson and Johnson while they were regrouping and were able to move Hampton, who after starting out 9-2 with Colorado, won only 12 of his final 38 decisions.
Tulowitzki's not the issue
While the Rockies will miss the presence of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who's expected to be out until the All-Star break with a torn tendon in his upper left hip, don't blame the Rockies' struggles on the injury. The team was in trouble long before Tulowitzki was hurt. The defending NL champions haven't been above .500 since they beat the Cardinals on opening night.
But then the encores haven't been pretty for recent NL pennant winners.
The NL hasn't had a team win back-to-back pennants since Atlanta in 1995-96. Ten different NL teams have won pennants in the last 11 years, with St. Louis (2004, 2006) and Florida (1997, 2003) the only NL teams with multiple World Series appearances in that stretch. The Rockies (2007), Houston (2005), San Francisco (2002), Arizona (2001), Mets (2000), Atlanta (1999) and San Diego (1998) have each been on the stage once.
The AL, meanwhile, has had only six different teams make it to the World Series in the last 11 seasons — the Yankees five times, Boston twice and once each for Cleveland, Detroit, Anaheim and the White Sox.
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