AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2005 > November > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGracious Andruw proves second to none
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Meeting come to order, y’all, whereupon we shall review the minutes of the past week while your veteran observer was dallying about with grandkids and soaking up the sunshine of the Lowcountry. Let’s see now:
Item A: I’d venture to say that Dave Braine has tied his future at Georgia Tech to Chan Gailey’s coattail. Renewing the coach’s contract as his team stalls at Virginia, with Miami and Georgia still on the menu, was a bold move, of which the athletics director was fully aware, I’m sure. Braine has been under fire by a colony of disgruntled but powerful alumni, but he has President Wayne Clough in his corner.
Item B: Andruw Jones was a gracious runner-up to Albert Pujols in the Most Valuable Player chase, accepting the judgment of the National League voting cast and saying all the right things. It seemed a logical judgment after all the subverted stats are fed into the grist mill. No player has ever won the MVP Award with a batting average as low as .263. “He had a little better season than I did,” Andruw said, and for that the Braves center fielder deserves a bow.
Item C: Oops, what’s this? The Braves are said to be considering a deal with Trevor Hoffman, the hot closer from San Diego? Have they forgotten the Dan Kolb experience? When they dealt with the Brewers for him, they were confident they had successfully filled the bullpen vacancy left by John Smoltz. Kolb’s career as a Brave never got off the ground, and now they’re willing to bite again? Wouldn’t it be a nice idea to develop closers in the farm system rather than dealing for pre-owned pitchers on the shady side of their career? My hunch is that eventually the closer of ‘06 will be Kyle Farnsworth. No guarantee comes with the opinion.
Item D: What an anti-steroid team! McCain, Bunning, Fehr and Selig, rated in the order of their influence. We’re all familiar with McCain, celebrated prisoner of war and senator from Arizona; Fehr, another lawyer, far as I know; Selig, a former car salesman, but none came from as far back as Bunning. He rose from a season of 5-12 as a Little Rock Traveler in the mid-’50s to the top in every field he challenged. Over 100-game winner in both major leagues, pitcher of a perfect game, Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, now senator from Kentucky. The steroid agreement never would have taken place had it not been for pressure from Congress, something that Fehr and his players union didn’t choose to resist. Now let’s see which player will be first to take a fall trying to beat the rap.
Item E: When has it come to pass that some judge assumes the power to determine the makeup of a college football team? This Reuben Houston case is enough to blow your mind. Surely no action should have been taken on his behalf until charges against him had been duly processed. The order to accept him on the Georgia Tech team is one of the most incongruous rulings I’ve ever heard coming down from the bench. Surely none of us has ever heard of such an action before, including the NCAA, which must be scratching its head. Seemingly nice young man, from out Starr’s Mill way, but was he suckered, or was it greed?
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: Furman Bisher, Other
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By Jimmy Hair
November 19, 2005 08:38 AM | Link to this
God bless modern technology! What a treat it is to still be able to read Mr.Bisher’s dead-on-right opinions, even though I live in Charlotte. Mr.Bisher’s observations establish a journalistic benchmark in excellence that all other sports reporters fall short of. Growing up in Atlanta with his wit, humor, and accurate characterizations of the sports world, one gets spoiled. Maybe there are writers more gifted in language (maybe), but let’s face it, it’s what you say, not how you say it that is most important (at least in sports journalism.) And on that score, Furman is the best by several car lengths. Thanks for your wisdom and graciousness!
By Brian
November 19, 2005 10:01 AM | Link to this
Jimmy,
Same here. Transplanted Atlantan in Charlotte. I agree with you.
By Carolyn Wilder
November 19, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this
Regardless of the vote, I know in my heart that Andruw is the best player in either league.
By Brian
November 19, 2005 12:04 PM | Link to this
I agree. It is the MVP award. Not a life time achievement award. Or the award to the player who would have won the last few years if Barry Bonds hadn’t won it.
The fact is no player was as valuable to his teamt this year than Andruw Jones.
By Rashid Z. Muhammad
November 19, 2005 01:36 PM | Link to this
Woah woah woah woah woah. Dude, there is ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON between Trevor Hoffman and Dan Kolb. Dan Kolb had two good years as a closer in Milwaulkee. Hoffman is one of, if not outright, the greatest closers of all time. He hasn’t had less than 37 saves in TEN YEARS.
While his numbers were not spectatular last year (43/46 save ops, 2.97 ERA, 54/57 K/IP), they would have been for just about anybody else in the league. Smoltz might have won the CY young with a closer like that not blowing saves and making him feel like he had to go 9 innings every start, thus wearing out his arm..
By Biff
November 19, 2005 04:23 PM | Link to this
Furman, always good to read your thoughts. I agree… Andruw handled the disappointment a lot better than a lot of bloggers did. Congrats to him on a great season and on showing a lot of class in coming in 2nd.
Can’t really agree on Hoffman; I think he’s a much more “known commodity” than Kolb was. I’m interested to hear that you think Farnsworth will be back. Hey, that would be okay with me too.
By Larry
November 20, 2005 09:35 AM | Link to this
Guys that hit .207 with runners in scoring position are not MVPs!
Andruw went to bat about 600 times and swung at about 2000 pitches. 51 times he hit the ball over the fence naturally resulting in more RBIs. Andruw changed his stance but not his approach. He tries to hit a homerun on every pitch and his new stance allowed him to hit about 15—out of 2000 swings—more balls over the wall.
When Andruw chooses to swing for the team, depending on the present team need, then you’ll see his hitting average, RISP average, and OBP% rise to the respectable levels to award him the MVP.
Many say that Andruw should have won the award because of his defensive ability. I say his defensive ability is the primary reason the voting was so close.
By daniel
November 21, 2005 04:50 PM | Link to this
Andru was was pathetic the first of the year.They stopped giving him sliders and changes.He willsee sliders,cut fastballs on outside corners,chamges andsp0litters
By Stew
November 21, 2005 07:34 PM | Link to this
Joey Devine for closer. He can only grow from this year’s tough experiences and he has the stuff. Let’s go for the kid without kidding around.