I suppose this goes here and this isnt the whole article so Im sure its good.
On ARod's escalator clause.
OK, relax. It's still a moot point for two reasons: (1) The small print says A-Rod would have to be passed by another "position player." And (2) the only thing that would happen if he ever were passed is that, if he didn't get a raise, he would get to opt out of the contract. And he'll be opting out anyway, now won't he?The next time you hear someone say Clemens can't possibly be as good in the American League as he was in the National League, toss these numbers into the discussion: It's true Clemens feasted on the bottom of those NL lineups. No. 8 and No. 9 hitters batted a combined .162 against him last year, with one home run. But wait. Those No. 3 and No. 4 hitters were actually worse (.143, with no homers, against him in 98 at-bats, with 31 strikeouts and only 14 hits). So what does that tell us?
"He didn't lead the NL in ERA for no reason," his old catcher in Houston, Brad Ausmus, told Rumblings. "The difference is that the quality of the NL 3- and 4-hole hitters is comparable to the 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-hole hitters in many AL lineups. So, facing two very good hitters every time through the lineup is tougher than facing four. And it is certainly tougher to pitch around four tough hitters than two tough hitters." All good points. But we need to remember, Ausmus said, that this applies "to all pitchers, not just Rocket."And this might have been right a couple of weeks ago, but......Here's the take of one AL exec, who hadn't seen a lot of Bobby Abreu in the NL, on the half-dozen games he has seen Abreu play this year: "Last year, after he came to the Yankees, he really looked energized. But this year, he's a very passive guy. To see him come up there twice in big situations (against the Red Sox) and try to bunt, I thought, 'That's amazing.' Even in RBI situations, he's just very content to take his ball four and go to first. Look, I believe in the value of walks as much as anybody. But these were passive walks. They weren't active walks, if you know what I mean. I think I'm starting to understand why the Phillies traded him." Digest this fascinating stat: Abreu's OPS leading off an inning is .912. But with runners in scoring position, it's only .600
Some interesting quotes that are half true and half irritate me.• Finally, before we assume the addition of Clemens automatically elevates the Yankees back into the race, remember that until he shows up, the only benefit the Yankees will get out of this signing for the next three weeks is all psychological. Which may explain why, in the words of one baseball man, "I've never seen a team so collectively happy to pay anybody so much money." But in the meantime, says one scout, "they still have to survive and hang with Boston till Roger arrives. And whether they can do that will be up to the bullpen. The way they've been going, Joe may kill the 'pen before Roger ever gets there."
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Originally Posted by just-blaze
