Ken Davidoff touched on something in today's Baseball Insider column that I need to put out there for all to see.
I've been defending the sometimes-douche pictured above since Day 1. He let me down at times, and then he really let me down when he admitted he was a juicer.
I still stuck with him because that's what we do as sports fans, and he's finally paying me back for the support.
That's all well and good, but I need more vindication.
Everybody has made a huge deal about how A-Rod hit in the playoffs from 2004-2007. There's no doubt that he struggled. From Davidoff's column:
Look at it this way: From 2004 ALCS Game 5 through 2007 ALDS Game 4, A-Rod put up a .314 on-base percentage and .214 slugging percentage. Pretty difficult to win when your best hitter hits like that, right? You betcha.
Couldn't agree more.
Here's where it gets a bit foggy for me:
But how did the Yankees' starting pitchers perform in the same period? In 16 starts, the Yankees' starters allowed 54 earned runs in 75.1 innings pitched, for a 6.45 ERA. It's awfully difficult to get much done when your starters are routinely putting you in such big holes.
54 runs in 75 innings? That's not just a "big hole," that's failure on a monumental level. But were there any graphics from TBS/FOX about it every time a Yankee pitcher started an inning?
No.
Were there boos raining down from the Yankee Stadium crowds?
No.
Newspaper back covers devoted?
Sometimes, but not nearly as much.
Up until recently, A-Rod struggled in the playoffs. There's no way around it.
Just don't tell me he was the only one.
More soon.
JS
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