From: tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer)
Subject: Re: Expos Clinch! Wallach to Dodgers
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 19:14:05 GMT

In article <1992Dec26.041708.1@ulkyvx.louisville.edu> djcoll04@ulkyvx.louisville.edu writes:
>Hey,, I'm not saying that Wallach will necessarily rise from the ashes. While
>he had a worse OBP than Deshields in teir off years, he didn't approach 
>Deshields league leading strikeout total.

That's mostly a difference in style.  Last year, Boggs didn't strike
out as much as Sheffield.  Does that mean that Boggs had a better
year?  DeShields strikes out a lot and will always strike out a lot.
But that's only a small negative.  And he comes with a *lot* of
positives; youth, speed, power, WALKS...  Of course he *should* be
batting leadoff where those K's hurt even less.  (Grissom would be a
better #2 batter, DeShields would be a better #1 batter.)  But that's
Alou's fault, not his.  (And it's only a minor matter anyways.)

>Remember, Expos fans, that they told us that Tim Raines was washed up.  He 
>has played consistent ball since the trade while Calderon was on the bench
>and Barry Jones was a wash.

If you were around back then, you will remember that I panned the
trade.  I wasn't sure why anybody would trade Raines for a
not-particularly-good outfielder and a never-was-never-will-be
reliever.  In particular, I slammed Barry "Vulture" Jones.

>Doesn't anyone out there believe in the importance of a good defense and a
>veteran, experienced presence in that defense?  

Yes, I do believe in a good defense.  The difference between a good
defense and a bad defense might be worth as much as 100 runs a year (a
good defense will prevent earned runs as well as cutting back on the
unearned runs).  But how much does any individual position player
contribute to that defense?  The most important positions are C, SS,
2B, and CF.  3B is less than a tenth of the total defense.  *Assuming*
that Wallach is still a great defensive player (which I don't
believe...  it seems to me that he has lost a step), his glove might
save a dozen runs a year.  But we *know* his bat costs many more runs
than that.

Not to mention his salary.  How much is he getting?  $3 million/year?
That money will be needed to pay the young stars like Walker and
DeShields and Grissom.  It would be awful to lose one of them because
Wallach was still on the payroll...  Or perhaps the Expos want to buy
a solid 1B man...  Like the Calderon trade, the Wallach trade is
primarily a salary dump.  The players gotten in return are irrelevant.

Veteran influence on the defense?  It would certainly be *nice* to
have a veteran or two out there.  But when you are paying 50 runs to
keep the veteran bat in the lineup?  I don't think it is worth it.
These players aren't *that* young.  They are already in their
mid-20's.  It's not like they are teenagers.  And they've all been
playing pro ball for four or five years.  I think they'll manage.

Berry/Cordero/DeShields/?????/Spehr.  I'd say that's pretty good for a
team which was putting Wallach/Owen/Foley/Gallaraga out there only a
few years ago.  They seriously needed to rebuild, and I think they
have done so successfully.

-Valentine