Each day, "Piss and Wynegar" will present Yankees "player previews" for the coming 2008 season. In what can only be referred to as a "revelatory" strategy, we will use statistics, as well as opinion, to further our analysis.Dear LaTroy:
Truth be told, I've never liked you as a pitcher. That is to say, in all of your previous "flame throwing" incarnations, whether it be as a starter, or a closer, or a middle reliever, I've giggled gleefully to see you enter games against the Yankees. Why? Because, by and large, I felt confident that you would choke.
Now you're one of us, and I will have to pretend to root for you approximately 80 times this year. I will have to pretend to root for you despite your 4.68 career ERA (101 ERA +) and your tendency to throw wild pitches at inappropriate times. I will have to pretend to root for you with every soul-sucking blown save, many of which -- I have no doubt -- will occur despite being one out away from getting the ball to Joba and/or Mariano. And I will have to pretend to root for you despite the fact that a Baseball-Reference.com search for "similar pitchers" compares you to Byung-Hyung Kim, and I think we all know how well things turned out for him.
Unfortunately, LaTroy, I fear that the best thing that we'll utter about you as the season progresses is, "At least he's gone after this year."
Edit (4/4/08): Thank you for getting back to me so soon, LaTroy! You're line through 4 games and 2 appearances: 2 IP, 7 ER, 8 hits, 0 K.
To read previous "Hi! My Name Is" entries, click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment