The Power of Veteran Players

by brokenland on Jul 6, 2007 10:20 AM CDT Comment 19 comments

(or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Crunch Numbers....well, and still worry)

Going into the Nats series, Lou said that he was afraid that this could be a trap series. Meaning, the Cubs won two out of three at home from the league leader and were riding high, then they would go into the cavernous RFK stadium against one of the worst teams in the league and could very well choke.

They did not.

However, the Brewers went into fun PNC Park in Pittsburgh and they lost three out of four. And I started wondering why. My immediate answer was that the Cubs have a really good squad of vets. And then I started trying to figure out who are the vets on the Brewers. Sheets. Jenkins. That's all I could think of. And you know what? Neither of those guys has ever been to the postseason.
It is said that veteran players help. But more so it's the veteran players who have postseason experience that help the most. They've been there. They know the road and can help the kids who do not.

So, without further ado - some numbers.

(Note: these numbers are from the current 25-man rosters for the Cubs and Brewers)

Number of players to have been to the post-season
Brewers: 4 (Johnny Estrada, Damien Miller, Craig Counsel, Tony Graffanino)

Cubs: 14 (Eyre, Howry, Lilly, Marquis, Zambrano, Bowen(!), DeRosa, Izturis, Lee, Aram, DWard, Floyd, Jacque Jones, Soriano)

Number of total post-season games played by the current rosters:

Brewers: 86
Cubs: 147

Number of World Series won by players on current rosters:

Brewers: 3 (Miller with DBacks in 2001, Counsel with '97 Marlins and '01 DBacks)

Cubs: 2 (Lee with...well you know. Floyd with '97 Marlins)

It is not just the fact that the Cubs have 61 more games of experience in the post-season, but it is that so many of their players have been there.

Oh, and even our kids have been there. Theriot and Fontenot won the College World Series.

Okay, I do not like to be overexcited -- okay, maybe I do, but I think this is all very telling. And it could make for a very interesting second-half.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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with Kerry Wood possibly coming back in July

you could add his name up there. Plus Prior and Wood are most likely in the dugouts giving tips.

Bring Back Matt Murton!!

by Chanman25 on Jul 6, 2007 10:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Prior giving tips...

...about what???

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 6, 2007 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wood

What is the status on Wood? How did his bullpen session go a couple weeks ago?

by MissouriKev on Jul 6, 2007 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

But Prior will not be back this season, and with Wood, well you never know.

The Cubs lost the 1984 pennant on my 9th Birthday. Top That!

by brokenland on Jul 6, 2007 10:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

rotoworld reports that Wood

could return before the end of the month..I highly doubt that, but hey! you never know!

Bring Back Matt Murton!!

by Chanman25 on Jul 6, 2007 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cub Fans!

Stop yourselves! Let's not go down the pin-hope-on-Prior-and-Wood path again. Who cares. If they add something, fine, but I expect nothing from Wood in his return, should that happen at all. Let it go. Even if wood comes back, he will not be the guy we remember from 2001-2003. That Kerry is gone.

"One thing you learn as a Cubs fan: When you bought your ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth." - Joe Garagiola

by gary varsho on Jul 6, 2007 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And!

Every pro team that Felix Pie has been on has made it to the playoffs, and possibly the championship series if I recall correctly.

by JohnM on Jul 6, 2007 10:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You are correct!

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 6, 2007 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Having a good mix

of veterans and youngsters is key. The Cubs seem to have a good mix of the two and I think in the long run that wil help this team. They have a lot of young guys who bring a lot of energy to the park and they have some older veterans who have been through this that can set a good example.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike on Jul 6, 2007 10:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

jason marquis???

if im not mistaken he was on the cards last year, right?

PIE!!!

by LilLPLancer23 on Jul 6, 2007 12:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Also Braves

For a few years. I believe last year he was left off the postseason roster for the Cards

The Cubs lost the 1984 pennant on my 9th Birthday. Top That!

by brokenland on Jul 6, 2007 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but

he was left off of the playoff roster.

by Mr Snrub on Jul 6, 2007 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

oops

by Mr Snrub on Jul 6, 2007 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Proof or just conjecture?

The "power" of veteran players may sound great, but what proof do these numbers give us?

In what way is this "very telling"? I mean, all you've proven is that the Cubs field a team with older players, and since they've been playing the game longer they happen to have post-season experience.

By your logic, the Giants should be kicking ass. They have Barry Zito, Bengie Molina, Rich Aurilia, Pedro Feliz, Omar Vizquel, Barry Bonds, Dave Roberts, Ray Durham, Ryan Klesko, Mark Sweeney, and Matt Morris...ALL with postseason experience!

Currently their record stands at a whopping 36-47.

Just because you collect a bunch of players that are older doesn't make them more successful.

by FukudomeAtLarge on Jul 6, 2007 2:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Talent wins games. Otherwise you'd find rosters littered with guys like Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock, Ernie Banks, Bruce Sutter, Nolan Ryan...no matter how old they are. Players teaching other players is accurate to a point, but not nearly as important as you might think....or the media seems to imply. Makes for good print and good stories even if most of it is pure fiction.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Jul 6, 2007 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

By that logic...

the Tigers should have never made the World Series last year over the Yankees. And the 2001 Diamondbacks. Same with the 2002 Angels. And the 2003 Marlins DEFINITELY shouldn't have beaten the Braves or Yankees.

Playoff experience can be helpful, but I think talent ultimately decides these things. Hopefully, our talent outperforms the Brewers talent down the stretch.

by SouthernCub on Jul 6, 2007 4:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Vets...

I would agree that vets help when it comes to "trap series" and the upcoming dog days, more than when the playoffs start and adrenaline kicks in for everyone.

PERRY!!!!

by Goat Whisperer on Jul 6, 2007 4:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs