These are not exact quotes, but here are just a few of the dumbass things I’ve heard today while MLB Network has been on.
If Josh Johnson is healthy over 162 games, he makes every other starting pitcher better.
Yeah, a guy pitching one day makes the guy pitching two days later better. That makes perfect sense. Personally, I think if Josh Johnson is healthy for 162 games that all of the Cubs starting pitchers will be better. That’s how good Josh Johnson is.
Pujols makes every person in the lineup around him five times better.
The Cubs should go all out here. Think about it for a minute. Darwin Barney, last year, he’d have been worth 11 fWAR with Pujols in the lineup or 5 rWAR. Koyie Hill would still be worth 0 WAR. I’m thinking the Marlins might win 180 games if they sign Pujols and they get a healthy season from Johnson. I think they’ll clinch the NL East on April 15th.
Everybody knows pitching is the most important thing.
Who is this everybody crap? Baseball is about scoring and preventing runs. Those are the only ways you can win games. You score more than you prevent and you win. Position players are responsible for 100% of half of the game (runs scored). Pitchers are worth a portion of the other 50% while the defense is worth the remainder. Roughly one-third of the innings pitched are thrown by relievers. So let’s say defense is worth 10%, pitching worth 40% (run prevention 50%) and offense is 50%. The rotation is worth 66% of 40%. That’s about 26.4%. The bullpen is worth 13.6% and the offense is worth 50%. By the way, if defense is 10% that means that position players are worth 60% and pitching (bullpen and rotation) is worth 40%.