Would You Jump Off The Brooklyn Bridge Too?

I'm bradley and it's my job to keep you from being the sucker at the table.

Momma bradley did NOT raise any addle-brained children (Of course, you may challenge that assertion if you wish).

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, my mother would find out I did something completely stupid, like cutting school to play milk carton hockey on the roof of the apartment house garage across the street from our elementary school.

When she would confront me with this incredible act of stupidity, I would be forced to tell her, in a trembling voice hoping it would keep me from getting my butt beat,  that "Alan Eckman did it too.."

To which my mother, always two steps ahead of me at any time, answered, "if Alan Eckman jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you do it too..?"

I actually had to think a minute before answering because at seven or eight years old, the answer wasn't crystal clear. But the question always struck with me because it so simply and clearly said, "If the crowd is doing something stupid, why are you joining in? Think for yourself, dammit."

Now let's align that thinking to baseball.

Baseball analytics show managers and management that, the third time a pitcher goes through a lineup, the opposing batters averages rise a considerable amount. So - baseball logic follows - why not bring in a fresh arm and let the bullpen finish off the game? That means your starter goes roughly six innings and your relief staff has to mop up with nine to twelve outs to seal the game.

One inning per pitcher. Three outs. Surely, relief pitchers can consistently come in and get three outs without getting blown up, right? Right?

Wrong.

The state of baseball is such that the athletes who make it to the majors are inferior to the ones who did the same 60, 70 years ago. For one thing, the best athletes in the 50's and 60's chose baseball. The best athletes today don't.

But expansion also plays a part in all of this. Today, the majors sport 30 teams in the two leagues. In the 50's, there were 16. By 1969, there were 24. More teams, thus fewer quality athletes to choose from. And today, well, by the time you get into the bullpen of some of these teams, you're talking double 'A' talent masquerading as major leaguers.

So what you get is a lot of guys who can't get three outs without something bad happening.  And yet, major leagues teams continue, like lemmings, to stick with the same formula  over and over. Why?

'...Alan Eckman did it.'

Schmucks. They've all been sold on a theory, and that theory is taking many decent teams down the drain. Who's going to have the coconuts to say, 'the hell with analytics' and go back to having their pitcher actually pitch? You know, complete games, work your way out of jams. Sure, starters can get blown up because a manager stays with them a bit too long - but hey, I'll bet that's a smaller percentage than the multiple whole relief pitcher theory.

'If Alan Eckman jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you do it too?' Sorry mom, right now, in today's game, the answer is yes. And that would seem to me to mean most baseball 'experts' have the mental abilities of a seven or eight year old. 

I guess if you're going to go stupid, go big. 

I'm bradley and it's my job to keep you from being the sucker at the table.