MONDAY MUSINGS

by Holly Horning

Throughout the week, there are so many smaller stories hitting the media.  They may be bite-size, but often they are just as important as the headline-grabbing news.  Sometimes, even more.

And that’s what brings me to today.  A way to bring them out in the open and invite conversation about some of these subjects.

It’s the plan for Mondays.  Keeping track of these mighty little bits that hit my radar throughout the week and sharing them with you today because I know one or more will also resonate with you. So, let’s kick off this week’s musings…

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It’s rather ironic that given this trade deadline week, we are hearing once again about 2 former Tigers – and 2 different experiences.

The first is Max Scherzer who is now on his 4^th team since leaving the Tigers.  He barely pitched for 2 of those teams.

One of those was the Mets.  And it shouldn’t be a surprise he was traded.  But not for the reasons you think.

The trade to the Rangers was very quick.  Right after he publicly came out and said he planned on having a conversation with the Mets’ Front Office about their intentions.  Oh, and then publicly sharing confidential information about the Mets’ timeline for rebuilding and spending on new players.  Immediately followed by the Mets having a press conference to “clarify” his comments.

Last I looked, Max was a player.  But here he is questioning his bosses in front of the media, earning the reputation of being “outspoken.”

Max ended up quickly waiving his no-trade clause when he found out that no new free agents were coming on board to help and that owner Steve Cohen wasn’t going to be adding any more payroll to the already record-breaking amount he’s spent.

Scherzer should be happy he wasn’t traded to Oakland given his rather pompous and rude behavior.  However, it was reported at the time (until he got traded last Tuesday) that Justin Verlander would be happy to see his former/current teammate gone.  There was no love lost between the two dating back to Detroit.

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Speaking of JV, he also said “adios” to NY as well.  Back to his former haunt in Houston.  Despite the Astros GM’s statement that he “wouldn’t give up the farm” because owner Jim Crane brought him on board to specifically rebuild a depleted farm system and create a new one that supported “sustained winning”, his boss interceded in order to get JV back.

The Astros gave up their #1 and #2 prospects.  For a 40-year old pitcher.

Crane, btw, is the one who fired his last 2 GMs and took over the role temporarily last year.

But it’s his relationship with JV that has me worried.  The two of them are very tight.  They spend a lot of time together off the field and routinely pair up at celebrity golf tournaments.

You’ve got to wonder how much influence Crane will have with Verlander when the Hall comes calling.

Under new(ish) rules, the Hall of Fame determines which cap a player will wear.  The player has a little input.

Most of the determination is based upon the number of years with each team and where the best years were played.  Believe it or not, team awards, such as the World Series, count for much less.  It’s the individual accomplishments that weight the heaviest.

JV played for the Tigers for 13 years.  If he finishes his stint with the Astros, it will be 7.

He won 2 Cy Youngs with the Astros, 1 with the Tigers.  But there were 2 years in Detroit where controversial votes put him 2^nd and it was widely believed that he was the true winner.   

Also in Detroit, he set strikeout records and won Rookie of the Year and MVP (in the same year when he won the CY which is tremendously notable).  He also won the pitcher’s version of the Triple Crown.

Technically, the hat for Cooperstown should have an Olde English D on it.  But being besties with the Astros owner and having Houston as his last team can often diminish the warm ties with a previous team.

I just don’t want this decision to be close at all.

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Remember how we’ve always been told that it was Al Avila who scouted Miguel Cabrera?

Well, it wasn’t.  And Al hasn’t corrected the press nor given credit to those who really did the work.

At the time, Avila was the Marlin’s Director of Amateur and International Scouting.  But he was based in Miami.

The credit should really go to 2 men, Miguel Garcia and Louis Eljaua.

Garcia was the Marlins’ Director of Venezuela Operations and Eljaua was his supervisor of Latin American Scouting.

It was Eljaua who found Miggy and told Garcia.  After confirming what Eljaua saw, both he and Garcia got on the phone and pushed Avila to come down to see for himself. They both pushed Avila to sign him.

But it wasn’t as simple as pushing a contract across the table. Eljaua and Garcia developed a relationship with Miggy and his family for months.  Money alone was not going to get the Marlins the signing.  It was primarily about the relationships to the Cabrera family.

And obviously, these 2 were successful in their jobs.

Eljuana went to a long productive career where he is currently a VP with the Cubs and has won a number of awards for his work. 

Let’s give credit where credit is due.

Which one of these stories resonated the most with you?

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