Baseball Daily Dose: Do Pitchers Belong in the Derby?
Baseball is an immensely popular sport in this country and probably always will be. But it’s not without its detractors. The Steroid Era may be in the rearview mirror but there’s still a perception that baseball is behind the times. The games last forever, show-boaters like Jose Bautista are still punished for violating baseball’s “unwritten rules” and the National League still doesn’t use a DH.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been progress: instant replay has mostly eliminated human error (though it’s slowed down the game) while players seem to be taking the All-Star Game more seriously now that it determines home-field advantage for the World Series. Pitch counts and infield shifts have also transformed the game.
But maybe sweeping changes aren’t what baseball needs. Maybe we just need a cause, one revolutionary idea to bring attention to the sport that once ruled our consciousness but is now far behind football as America’s sport of choice.
The good news is we may have already stumbled upon it. Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard and Jake Arrieta have all championed the idea of including pitchers in the Home Run Derby. The proposal has picked up steam over the last month and now according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the league is giving serious thought to a pitchers-only Home Run Derby.
I have mixed feelings on the subject. It feels a bit gimmicky doesn’t it? Would adding a pitcher element to the Derby really enhance the experience or would it just be a novelty, a new wrinkle created just to attract attention?
I would argue that the Home Run Derby is already the highlight of All-Star Week. Compared to the increasingly stale Slam Dunk Contest (except for this year, which was awesome) and the meaningless Pro Bowl, MLB’s All-Star festivities have always been among the most watchable. With that in mind, why would MLB change anything?
But as much as I like the Home Run Derby now, there’s a definite part of me that wants to see how Bumgarner and others stack up against the league’s best. I’ve always been fascinated to see players step outside their comfort zone. Remember when Ichiro pitched last season? Or when Shelby Miller played left field earlier this year? True fans live for these baseball Easter eggs. In a sport that’s been around for over 100 years, there isn’t much ground left to cover. A Home Run Derby with pitchers would at least be something we haven’t seen before.
My question is whether it would actually succeed. We’ve seen some of the game’s best power hitters struggle in the Derby, sometimes hitting only one or two balls out of the park. Would pitchers really be able to do the Derby justice? We’ve all heard about the show Bumgarner puts on at batting practice, but what does that amount to—maybe two or three homers? After seeing Josh Hamilton blast 28 homers in a single round, the bar for amazing has been set pretty high. Three or four jacks, even from a pitcher, won’t move the needle much.
If pitchers do compete, they’ll probably be on a short leash. According to Olney, it’s unlikely pitchers will be part of the regular Derby “because teams have so much concern over guys going through multiple rounds.” The reluctance is understandable. Pitchers are creatures of habit and subjecting them to a seemingly unnecessary home-run hitting contest is a risky proposition.
Olney said that if pitchers do participate in the Derby, it would likely be in a watered-down 2-3 minute format that equates to a glorified batting practice. I can’t see that being a big hit with fans. Having pitchers compete in the Derby, though excellent for water cooler banter, just isn’t practical. Stick to pitching, Madison. You’re pretty good at it.
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Cleveland Heating Up
If the Indians aren’t a juggernaut yet, they’re well on their way. Tuesday’s shutout victory over Tampa Bay wasn’t a surprising result, particularly with ace Corey Kluber throwing for the Tribe. But Cleveland’s position in the standings might turn a few heads. Through 70 games, the Indians hold a two-game advantage over Kansas City. It’s not a commanding or even comfortable lead but it’s a testament to how far the Indians have come since last year’s disappointing third-place finish.
We knew the Indians had strong pitching, but none of us expected this level of dominance. Cleveland owns the American League’s lowest ERA at 3.70 and the second-lowest BAA at .239. It’s been a balanced effort for the Tribe. Cleveland’s starters carry the AL’s third-lowest ERA at 3.89 while the bullpen ranks fifth at 3.35. Danny Salazar is second in ERA (2.23) behind Boston’s Steven Wright (2.01) while Kluber is second in strikeouts (103) behind David Price (109). All five of the team’s starters carry sub-four ERAs including Josh Tomlin, who is tied with Salazar for the team-lead with eight victories.
Cleveland’s lineup doesn’t offer much in the way of star power. Veteran first baseman Mike Napoli leads the team in both home runs (15) and RBI (49). But the Indians have done well to manufacture runs by stealing bases (54, third-most in MLB) and crushing the ball at home (.291 AVG, third-highest in MLB). Manager Terry Francona has employed a rather unusual approach by using Carlos Santana out of the leadoff spot. It’s rare to see a DH bat first but Santana makes sense in that role because of his high on base percentage (.362 for his career). Former top prospect Francisco Lindor has made a seamless transition to the major leagues, hitting .312 with 20 HR and 24 steals since his call-up last year. Even journeyman Juan Uribe has found new life at the plate, homering in each of his last four contests.
What’s scary is the Indians aren’t even at full strength. All-Star left fielder Michael Brantley has been slow to recover from offseason shoulder surgery and has only appeared in 11 games this year. Brantley has been a key cog in Cleveland’s lineup the past few seasons but the team seems to be doing just fine without him. Tuesday was Cleveland’s fifth straight victory. If you’re looking for an AL dark horse, the Indians are probably your best bet.
Quick Hits: Jon Jay wasn’t in the Padres’ lineup Tuesday against Baltimore. Jay bruised his forearm in Sunday’s win over Washington and will be reevaluated on Wednesday. Travis Jankowski drew the start in center field … Jose Bautista has been diagnosed with turf toe and will have to wear a walking boot for the next two weeks. He’s been on the disabled list since Friday … Albert Pujols got the night off Tuesday against Houston. He’s battling hamstring and ankle injuries. Jefry Marte filled in at DH … Jacoby Ellsbury missed Tuesday’s game against Colorado because of the flu. With Ellsbury under the weather, Aaron Hicks got the nod in center field … Taijuan Walker’s MRI revealed tendinitis in the arch of his right foot. Walker has left his last two starts early and is doubtful to throw against the Cardinals on Friday. It could be a bullpen game for Seattle … It’s been a rough injury month for the Rays. Steven Souza (strained hip) was placed on the disabled list last week and now his replacement Mikie Mahtook (broken left hand) is headed there as well. On top of that, Steve Pearce is also facing an extended absence after straining his hamstring Monday against Cleveland. He was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday … Michael Brantley recently received a cortisone shot to combat biceps tendinitis. Brantley was already on the shelf with shoulder fatigue. He’s out indefinitely … Travis d’Arnaud returned from the disabled list on Tuesday. He missed about two months with a strained rotator cuff. Backup catcher Kevin Plawecki was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in the corresponding roster move … Zack Wheeler’s recovery from Tommy John surgery has hit another snag. The simulated game he was supposed to throw this week has been scrapped because of elbow discomfort. He was expected to return to the Mets’ rotation shortly after the All-Star break but that timetable has obviously been pushed back … Bartolo Colon exited Tuesday’s start after getting struck by a comebacker off the bat of Royals second baseman Whitt Merrifield. Colon’s X-rays came back clean and he’s been diagnosed with a bruised right thumb. He had his start moved up to Tuesday to give Noah Syndergaard an extra day of rest … Raisel Iglesias is back after missing two months with a shoulder impingement. The Reds will limit his workload by using him out of the bullpen … Joey Votto was absent from Tuesday’s game against Texas because of a stomach bug. Adam Duvall subbed in at first base … Matt Duffy was sent to the disabled list with a strained Achilles. The Giants called up Mac Williamson from Triple-A Sacramento to take Duffy’s place on the active roster … The Braves placed Mallex Smith on the disabled list Tuesday. A fractured thumb will sideline the rookie outfielder for 8-10 weeks … Juan Nicasio, who left the Pirates to deal with a family matter last week, will move to the bullpen upon his return. The right-hander holds a dismal 8.82 ERA over his last four outings … Sean Manaea will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Stockton on Friday. Last week he was diagnosed with a strained pronator in his left elbow … Including Wednesday’s start against Washington, Julio Urias will make two more starts for the Dodgers. After that, he’ll likely be moved to the bullpen to conserve innings … Stephen Strasburg is optimistic he’ll make his next start Sunday against Milwaukee. Strasburg, who is undefeated, was scratched Monday because of an upper back strain … Clay Buchholz returned to Boston’s starting rotation Tuesday after spending a couple weeks in the bullpen. It went about as well as expected … Red Sox fans are making their presence felt in this year’s All-Star balloting. If the voting ended today, the Sox would have four starters including David Ortiz, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. Four Royals were voted into last year’s All-Star Game (Salvador Perez, Alcides Escobar, Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain).
