by John Scanlan
One has to wonder if the local media hacks that couldn’t stop lambasting then-GM Paul Depodesta in 2004 for making a major trade, will be all over current GM Ned Colletti if he does the same by Friday. Depodesta was skewered for “messing with the chemistry” of a team that was doing well anyway. A certain writer with the initials BP (should be BS) spent his entire column on Sunday imploring the team to acquire an “ace”. This was the same guy who cried for years after Paul Loduca got traded in ’04 when Depodesta did just that in acquiring Brad Penny.
Speaking of “aces”, how many of them truly exist? Dan Haren, Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, Chris Carpenter, Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, Felix Hernandez…right now that’s about it. You have a few that are right below that level, but aren’t considered true aces because of down years, injuries or inconsistency. Those include Brandon Webb, Jake Peavy, Cole Hamels, Josh Johnson, Roy Oswalt, Justin Verlander and Josh Beckett. Then there’s another class of guys who could be aces within a year or two provided they keep doing what they’re doing (i.e. the Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley Cliff Lee, Zack Greinke).
The point is, there are very few true aces in the majors. This notion that a team can’t win without one is absurd. BS wanted to point to Hamels as an ace, but he didn’t truly blossom until the postseason and he has been pretty average this year. You may have pitchers who have “ace-like” seasons, but in looking at guys like Haren, Lincecum, Halladay, Santana, Sabathia, Hernandez…how many of them have been on teams that made deep postseason runs?
So if the Dodgers or Angels don’t get Halladay, don’t go running for the basement. History bears out that having an ace isn’t all that necessary to post-season success. Remember, Les Straker started 2 World Series games in ’87 and the Twins still won it all.
It’s been 15 years since Hoop Dreams came out and if you’ve never seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it. It’s a documentary that follows two 14-year old prep basketball players, Arthur Agee and William Gates, who have dreams of playing in the NBA some day. The film touches on issues like race, education, values and the whole industry of college recruitment. It is almost 3 hours long, so you’ll have to invest some time, but it’s definitely worth it.
Quick Scans invokes the spirit of guys like Les Straker every Monday-Thursday at midvalleysports.com
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