Deep Perspective on Papelbon lands in shallow end of the pool on Yankee radio

The NY Daily News has a showcased appearance on every Yankee radio game. Personnel from the newspaper are generously introduced into the close, friendly environment by John Sterling for the purpose of lending exclusive, inside information for avid Yankee listeners, I think. I'm not sure if the appearance is sponsored (paid for) by the News, as that's not mentioned.

• Today, John asked the NY Daily News reporter what he thought about the Yankee-Red Sox game last night (8-7 Yankee win). First, his answer was the kind I'm accustomed to hearing across ESPN/MLB platforms and internet. A stab at the Yankee listeners as well as the player mentioned. Beyond that, it offered nothing that his privileged insider status supposedly brings with it. Instead of answering with any specifics about Papelbon (which we had earlier received from Suzyn Waldman, thanks Suzyn), he opened his showcased expert interview by putting down Mariano Rivera. Apparently, the Daily News knows neither the Yankees nor Rivera's agent will complain, so not to worry. He's gone this route before.He says:

"You may be seeing with Papelbon what you've seen with Mariano Rivera," that is, "the players are getting used to seeing him," as the "Red Sox have done well against Rivera."

• He's told us nothing about Papelbon, but has put down Rivera (who did very well against the Red Sox Friday night). There's no comparison whatsoever between the 2 situations he cites. Papelbon has scant plate appearances v the Yankees. In addition to regular seasons going back to 1995, Rivera has faced the Red Sox in 2003 and 2004 post seasons. Last night Mariano struck out Jason Varitek. That doesn't mesh with the Daily News reporter's point.

Going into last night's strike-out, Varitek had faced Mariano 37 times, according to Baseball-Reference, regular season and post season (2003 and 2004) .

• Going into last night, Papelbon had faced Jeter 9 times, Abreu 7 times, and Arod 5 times.

This evaluation was not something the reporter "simply saw or heard," as might be claimed. This was taking up very finite moments on Yankee radio. It was not something said on a blog. And it was quite specific. The comparison served no purpose for the program's audience.

• I wrote down another statement the Daily News reporter made. I'm not concerned about the topic of Youkilis in general, and won't waste time on it. But in this very focused--sponsored or not, I don't know--high profile appearance, he said Youkilis was "hit by Proctor and then by Chamberlain." Neither John nor Suzyn corrected him. With all the reports on the Joba-Youkilis incident, I've never read that Chamberlain "hit" Youkilis. He was suspended for throwing dangerously but he did not "hit" him.

This is what was said on my Yankee radio broadcast. It's on tape and a matter of public record. I don't have the time to "rip" people, have posted several articles about the excess of negativity and general rudeness on the internet and don't intend to contribute to it. Nor am I a nit-picker.

• One more thing--I'm pretty sure there's a difference in the value of showcased interviews in a high-profile, highly emotional, world wide organization's broadcast--such as the Yankees--and a person's "blog." One's appearance in this venue naturally confers importance, validity and a sense of history to one's words. Not to mention the graciousness and professionalism provided by John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

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West Coast only wants "better" East Coast "coverage" if it's Positive

It turns out it's not "coverage" they want. Coverage can be good or bad. The MLB.com article says west coast players don't get enough coverage, with the main subject being JJ Putz:

• "Putz had flown under the baseball radar for some time, partly because most of America is asleep by the time he even enters the game on the West Coast." (from the article).

The article discusses Putz' appearance at the All Star game. He wouldn't have been in the All Star game if no one knew about him. He's at the big time, the bright lights Patrick Brown says they don't usually have, so let's have the coverage! But Brown doesn't deliver. He says everyone was impressed with Putz at the All Star game but fails to mention Putz' actual performance in the game which was not good.

• "As one of two players representing the Mariners in this season's All-Star Game, Putz had the opportunity to wow coaches and fellow players, including Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who managed the AL squad this year.

When the Detroit coaching staff returned from the Midsummer Classic in San Francisco, bullpen coach Jeff Jones told his pitchers that Putz had the best split-finger he had ever seen, according to Tigers closer Todd Jones....

• Jones, Detroit's all-time saves leader, was impressed with what he saw out of the Mariners closer, especially considering a hitter's ninth-inning mentality.

"It takes so much for him to give up a run because he's got such great stuff, and any hitter can walk up there and look for a fastball and hit it out," Jones said. "He's been able to prevent that. It just goes to show you what kind of tremendous stuff he's got, and what kind of competitor he is." (from the article).

• "Hit it out" is just what happened to Putz at the All Star Game. Why use this as your point here, adding Todd Jones saying Putz has been able to "prevent that." Yes, in terms of his regular season performance, but not at the All Star game. I'm not saying Putz isn't a great pitcher or that he might not go on to have a successful 10-15 year career. But the writer says "coverage" is lacking, gets the big stage handed to his subject, then specifically fails to "cover" or report Putz' performance at the event.

• Patrick Brown proves it's only GOOD coverage he refers to--not ACTUAL coverage. Claiming "east coast bias" while his subject is getting world-wide coverage is still the talking point guaranteed to advance a writer's career---maybe that's his reasoning. From 7/19/07 MLB.com article, "Putz Re-defining Dominence in 'Pen," by Patrick Brown.
• (I bring this matter up as it happens frequently and no one else points it out).

• The internet, MLB.com, ESPN, etc. make all the news available instantly.

• Many use MLB Extra Innings to watch out of market games, as well as MLB TV.

• Millions involved in Fantasy Baseball know who JJ Putz is and may have learned about him without ever watching him play.

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Players who are "single stat compilers" need not apply to Yankees

Tyler Kepner in the NY Times noticing the Yankees aren't keeping a toteboard countdown for Arod's upcoming homerun milestone, a response from Arod:

• "“Being in the middle of a pennant race and being in the middle of team goals keeps you away from that,” Rodriguez said."

Kepner mentions this type of thing is common with other teams.

• (It also gets lots of publicity for the "stat compilers" as the TV cameras promote it). sm

From Tyler Kepner's NY Times article, 7/18/07, "Vizcaino Says He'll Pitch Where Torre Wants Him."

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Some closers get little or no press when they blow it--the angry mob saves their bile for weeks' long romps against only 1

Here are 2 different headlines about the same Red Sox story tonight: First, the AP story on The Sporting News website:

• "A's RALLY AS PAPELBON BLOWS SAVE" here

Next, the same AP story appearing on Newsday's AP wire website:

• "JOHNSON, A's, STOP SURGING RED SOX IN 10" here

The story itself does not mention Papelbon giving up the 2 run homer until the 3rd paragraph. Interesting how differently the baseball media reports closers' performances. If you're one of the luckier closers, your bad performances are kept out of the headlines, as you see above. The story itself was written by my guy Howard Ulman. I don't know who wrote the headlines.

• ***At 12:30 AM, 5/02/07, neither the story nor the headline about Papelbon, nor any mention of the Red Sox game--appears in the NY Times' listing of AP Sports Headlines going back 18 hours. Some people are lucky, I guess.

Then, the Boston Herald just writes it off to "the back end of the bullpen." Meaning, when their closer succeeds, he alone is responsible and a star. When he fails, he's just one of a group, not enough for separate headline or billing.

• "Sox Bullpen Lets One Slip: Papelbon, Donnelly Imperfect," by Jeff Horrigan

"Over the first month of the season, nothing was as dependable for the Red Sox [team stats] as the back end of their bullpen. Closer Jonathan Papelbon [stats] and set-up men Hideki Okajima [stats] and Brendan Donnelly combined to allow only one run on eight hits in 28 innings for a 0.32 ERA, while striking out 37. Last night, however, two of the three faltered for the first time this season, sending the Sox to a disappointing, 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park [map]. Papelbon, perfect in April save opportunities during his two seasons as Red Sox closer (18-for-18, including 8-for-9 last month), blew Curt Schilling [stats]’s 4-2 lead in the ninth inning by allowing a two-run home run to Travis Buck. Donnelly (0-1) then saw his personal, nine-game winning streak come to an end in the 10th. (He) gave up a leadoff double to the left-center field gap to Mike Piazza. Dan Johnson knocked in Piazza by punching a double down the right field line." (etc.)

• (To further diffuse the situation, the photo at the top of the article is of Curt Schilling after one of his pitches was called a ball. Must be nice to have an empathetic press).

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