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Two Baseball Writers Discuss the World Series

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from: Rany Jazayerli
to: Rob Neyer

Root for the Players, Not the Team 

Updated Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at 11:58 AM ET

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I agree with you that it’s hard to root for the Diamondbacks, and not only because there have been only two Game 7s in the last 14 years. I think the media makes way too big a deal about the concept of “buying” a World Series; the Yankee dynasty that we’re watching was built on a foundation of home-grown talent, with free agents sprinkled in to fill in the holes. But the Diamondbacks really do owe the preponderance of their success to the free-agent market.

Not a single member of the D-Backs’ regular lineup or rotation was developed in their farm system. Even the supposedly store-bought 1997 Florida Marlins had home-grown talents like Charles Johnson, Edgar Renteria, and Livan Hernandez. And yes, that does leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

But as much as I find the idea of the Diamondbacks winning it all loathsome, the idea of some of their players earning a championship ring is not nearly so disagreeable. I mean, this is a veteran team—the second-oldest in baseball—yet all of their veteran players have combined for one ring (Craig Counsell, on those ’97 Marlins).

Randy Johnson is one of the dominant pitchers of our generation, but he’s 38 years old, and this might be his last chance to win a championship. Curt Schilling is 34, in the playoffs for just the second time in his career, after almost single-handedly dragging the Phillies to the sixth game of the World Series in 1993. Matt Williams has 362 career homers, but no ring. Jay Bell was a Pirate from 1990 to 1992, when they lost in the NLCS in more excruciating fashion each year. Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez have combined for nearly 3,500 hits in their careers. Mark Grace spent the first 13 years of his career as a Chicago Cub. Mike Morgan’s been around so long, he began his career with the St. Louis Browns.

If the Yankees win again, they’re going to say all the right things about how much they appreciate yet another title, but let’s face it: Except for Mike Mussina and Alfonso Soriano, it’s old hat to them. If the Diamondbacks win, it’s going to be the most raucous party we’ve seen in a while.

That’s not a foregone conclusion yet. Of all the numbers that Fox threw out last night, the most frightening by far was this: This is the 10th time the Yankees have been down 2-0 in a seven-game series. In the previous nine, they came back to win the series five times.

Since no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit, it’s do-or-die time tomorrow night. Five years ago, the Yankees turned to a pitcher that had been through all the wars, David Cone, to win Game 3. This time, they can turn to Roger Clemens, and unless his groin becomes a problem—always a possibility with him—I think the result will be the same.

sports nut
entries
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
from: Rany Jazayerli
to: Rob Neyer

Root for the Players, Not the Team 

Updated Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at 11:58 AM ET
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Rob Neyer is a senior baseball writer with ESPN.com and his latest book is The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers. Rany Jazayerli is a writer for the Baseball Prospectus.
Photograph of Bob Brenly by Mike Blake/Reuters.
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