Jayson Stark has written a new book, which I won’t link to here for reasons I’ll state in a minute. In a nutshell, it’s about over-rated and under-rated players in the Major Leagues.
He has a column, basically designed to use the dotcom prowess of ESPN.com to promote his new book, which I will link to, here. Read the column, and if you want to buy the book, you had a much different reaction to the column than I did.
Anyway, in the column, Stark lists the top 10 over-rated players in the league. Here’s his list:
My problem with his list, even though I agree with several of the selections (Drew, Pierre and Sexson to name a few) is that he’s all over the place in his method for choosing them. Zito, he’s basically added to this list because he’s off to a bad start. Ditto Soriano, Jones, Abreu and to an extent, Drew. He goes a step further into irrelevancy with Drew, saying he’s over-rated because he’s never made an All Star Game. Uh, if a guy has amazing career numbers, and never makes an All Star Game, wouldn’t that make him under-rated?
I’m not sure who, besides Theo Epstein, actually rates J.D. Drew highly, but I guess that wasn’t included in the equation. Abreu was great for the Yanks last year, this year, he’s struggling. The criteria Stark uses for including him is a missing “Derek Jeter” gene. Soriano hasn’t lived up to his contract in the first two months of the season, so now he’s over-rated.
I can’t think of anyone who thinks Wickman is good. He was a cheap alternative for the Braves to fill a need, and he is what he is. He gets saves, but does it very ugly. Suppan is an innings-eater, again, I don’t think anyone considers him great. I don’t think there are any great illusions about what Andruw Jones is either: Great defense, good power, lots of Ks.
Pierre is definitely over-rated (Erin over at Blue Thoughts, is keeping track of Juan’s inneptitude, check it out). A lot of “speed” guys are, Pierre more than most because he had a couple of really good years. Sexson hasn’t lived up to the expectations, but again, this isn’t news to anyone. He’s a bust in Seattle, everyone knows it. Who’s rating him highly?
Giles doesn’t hit for power anymore. He doesn’t hit for power anymore because he’s playing in the most pitcher-friendly stadium in the league.
I was hoping for some deep statistical analysis when I saw the tease for this column on the front page of ESPN.com, not a quick hatchet job designed to get me to buy his book. The column had the opposite effect on me.
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I do think Barry Zito is overpaid but I don't know that I'd rank him the most overrated. I'd reserve that dubious #1 honor for J.D. Drew because of his attitude, agent, and constant trips to the injury list.
All three Drew boys use evil uber-agent Scott Boras and have been holdouts to start their careers. Contract negotiations with their teams have often become bitter and every team that he's played on wouldn't have him back because you can't count on him to stay healthy. Tony LaRussa said it best when he said the kid had all the tools to succeed but the heart nand that he wouldn't want him back in St. Louis.
Everything came too quickly and too easily for this guy and he was coddled. His constant whining and injuries make him nearly as big a malingerer as Carl Pavano. If anyone hasn't earned his millions, it's J.D. Drew.
JJ,
I hate Drew, I think he could care less about playing, and sees every minor injury as an excuse to take some time off. But I'm not sure he qualifies as overrated anymore, basically because everyone thinks he sucks now anyway.
That's why I was surprised to see the Sox basically tamper to get him in the off season. It's fun watching him flail for Boston now.
When I think of overrated players, I think of guys whose production doesn't match their reputation. Off the top of my head, I always thought Garret Anderson was one of these guys, mainly because his on-base percentage hovered around .320.
I'm surprised Theo Epstein, who I'd normally consider an astute judge of talent, rated Drew highly. I thought Epstein was a guy who used the system of assessing talent described in the book 'Moneyball.' Epstein had a serious lapse of judgement with Drew.
I agree that Stark's method of choosing who's overrated sounds very subjective. It's easy to attack a guy with a big contract who is struggling as he'd be an obvious target. And in terms of 'a missing Derek Jeter gene,'
wouldn't an overwhelming majority of players fit into that category?
Yeah, the Jeter gene is pretty rare, if it exists.
Drew is technically a good moneyball guy, when he actually plays, high on-base percentage.
I'm just happy to see him choking in Boston. They'll regret that signing.