Last year we created the Hands on Runs formula to determine how much weight an individual player carries in his line-up. Through the first part of May, which players have been most valuable?
The Royals have been major players in the free agent market, making a big run at Andruw Jones while signing Jose Guillen, but they did lose David Riske to the Brewers.
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As manager, would you like your chances if you were able to send out an ace starter sixty percent of the time? Ask Jack McKeon of the Florida Marlins. If anyone should know right now, it would be him. Of course, he may have to answer between his giggles.
The trio of A.J Burnett, Josh Beckett, and Dontrelle Willis evokes comparisons to other dynamic threesomes from recent years. Coming quickly to mind: Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine of the Braves; Hudson, Mulder, and Zito of the A’s.
With his seventh straight victory, an eight-inning blanking of the Dodgers, Burnett became the all-time Marlins franchise victory leader with 49. And this was the guy whose name came up in various trade talks? Get real.
With Beckett due to become a free agent after 2007, Willis a year later, and Burnett after this season, it would behoove the Marlins to do whatever it takes to keep these men around a long time. Each week that passes hikes their value. Time is money, some say.
Unfortunately, Florida may not have the means to retain all three, and Burnett may be the odd man out. Big-spending teams will be eager to court and throw a ton of green his way. Lucky him.
During his streak, A.J. has given up a paltry 7 earned runs in 52 innings, a spectacularly scrawny 1.21 ERA. For the season he is 12-6, with an ERA of 2.90. You could say he’s doing his thing.
“I'm learning how to pitch,” said Burnett. “I'm watching other guys on our staff pitch.”
Why? Maybe those other guys should be watching him.
“It's a good roll,” remarked Burnett, referring to the recent surge by the Marlins. They are now just 4 games behind the Braves. “It's a good ride. I hope other teams know we're coming. We're all in our own little world right now,” he said of the starters. “I know that I'm pitching like I've never pitched.”
“Things are starting to fall in place,” McKeon added, grossly understating the obvious.
Also at 12-6, but with a slightly higher ERA (3.15) is Josh Beckett. With his recent 2-0 effort over Jake Peavy and San Diego, Beckett has not lost since July 5, going 4-0 during his last seven starts. He is 6-1 against the putrid NL West this year.
“You go into a game against Peavy just hoping to get a no-decision,” Beckett said. “I had good stuff, we scored a couple of runs early, and I got a nice cushion.”
And then there is that other guy. Dontrelle Willis will be going for his 17th win against 8 losses. The Cy Young candidate, with an ERA of just 2.64, is coming off a 6-0 dusting of the Padres. His two-run double aided the cause, and hiked his average to .239.
The shutout was his fifth of the season, which leads the majors. He also has 6 complete games. He has allowed only 2 earned runs in 37 innings over his past five starts, an ERA of 0.49. Tremendous.
“He's as good as anybody,” San Diego manager Bruce Bochy said. “We aren't the first team he has shut out this year.”
The Marlins pitching staff had only allowed a total of 7 runs over the past seven games prior to getting bombed 11-6 by the Dodgers on Saturday. They were working on a scoreless-innings string of 28.
Todd Jones (27 saves, 1.15 ERA) has resurrected his career in Marlin land. He was on the Boston team that lost to the Yankees in 2003 -- you know, the same year Florida won it all. Apparently Jones could have sampled the fishy bubbly, and he’s still not happy about it.
The Marlins tried to sign him for 2003. “I said, ‘Nah, I’d rather go to Boston,’” Jones joked. “That's a little-known tidbit I am not proud of.”
Not so little known now. We try and do our part.
With a sputtering offense, the Florida pitching had better be good. Very good. Juan Pierre and Mike Lowell seem to be stuck in the muck, and injuries to Juan Encarnacion, Luis Castillo, Alex Gonzalez, and Paul LoDuca have added to the hitting confusion.
That leaves it up to the pitchers.
Not a problem -- they lead baseball with 15 shutouts. “They are more relaxed pitch to pitch,” said pitching coach Mark Wiley. “Physically, this is the most talented staff I've had. Stuff-wise, this staff is really special.”
Particularly the Big Three.
And with less than a full season in the Minor Leagues, lefty Jason Vargas has jumped quickly to the Majors, and now possibly into the Marlins’ mix for good. His 6-hit, 7-1 complete game win Sunday over the Dodgers will open even more eyes. The 22-year old rookie is now 4-1 this year with an ERA of 2.43, leading to another question:
