By Chas
****Remember, try this without research. That is, make like James Joyce and release your inner Wally. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.
Even if I can’t make claim to being a great pitcher, you have to give me at least a little credit for longevity. I’m in the top ten among active pitchers in four cumulative statistical categories. Unfortunately, three of them are walks, wild pitches, and hit batters. The fourth is strikeouts, so I guess it’s not all bad.
I don’t think I’m known for being terribly wild, but considering I’m 75th in walk rate (4.1 per 9 IP) among 82 active pitchers with 1000 or more innings, I guess I’m not exactly known for my control either. Well, I’m no Rick Ankiel, at least. I mean, I’ve pitched well enough that my managers have trotted me out there for almost 2000 career innings. That has to count for something, right?
I definitely am known as a pitcher who had great potential, but in 17 seasons in the big leagues, only twice was my ERA+ above 120. That’s 20% above park-adjusted league average, for those of you not familiar with SABRmetrics. It turns out, both those seasons were with the same team, but they were eight years apart, with stints with three other teams separating them. The first was as a starter and the second as a reliever.
Oh yeah, you could call me a journeyman, I suppose. Not of the Mike Morgan variety, but I have played with seven different teams, playing in the postseason with three of them. In my only World Series, I pitched well enough–in a limited role–that my team’s opponent signed me in the off-season. That was pretty recently, by the way.
Other things I’m known for are being the first native of my country ever to play in the majors. I’m pretty proud of that one. The other thing I’m known for I’m not so proud of, though. That is, I signed one of those lucrative deals that they say wasn’t really worth the money. Not Mike Hampton or Barry Zito-esque, but considering I never even won 10 games or recorded a sub-5.00 ERA for my new team, it’s safe to say they were hoping for more.
Who am I?
The first pitcher that comes to mind is Contreras. But it can’t be him. He only LOOKS like he has been around to pitch for more than 1,000 innings.
Wally – who did the White Sox beat in ’05 to win the WS?
Wow … this is tough, Chas. Names popping into my head at the moment are: Jaimie Moyer, Javie Vasquez, Kerry Wood, Octavio Dotel, Miguel Batista, Ron Villone, Livan Hernandez, Chan Ho Park, Ted Lilly, Kevin Millwood, Derek Lowe. All these guys have had long, but rather pedestrian careers with a handful of teams and should be way up there on the active lists for career stats. Geez, there should be more. Toss out Moyer … he hasn’t played for 7 teams.
I’m gonna try for the path of least resistance on this one so my head doesn’t explode. First of all, I’m gonna have to assume it’s one of the 11 pitchers above. Second,let’s focus on the clue that should eliminate the most pitchers in the quickest manner: He’s the first of his country to ever play in the majors!
So toss out Moyer, Wood, Villone, Lilly, Millwood and Lowe. That leaves Vasquez, Dotel, Batista, Hernandez and Park. Okay … sing along … “Which one of these is not like the others???”. We’ve got 4 Latin Americans and one South Korean. Well … I don’t know which country the 4 Latin Americans are from, but it doesn’t matter because there’s probably no way they were the first MLB player from their country. That leaves South Korean Chan Ho Park … once the great hope when he signed with the Dodgers in the ’90s. He’s definitely a journeyman, I’m almost positive he was the very first from South Korea, and he fits the other clues … e.g. he threw for the Phillies last year.
So it’s got to be CHP, unless my cast of the net to capture the relevant “old active” pitchers failed to catch the golden fish.
Crap … it’s already 9:30. I’ll hit the send button and see if I’m first in. Good day.
Casey —
The ChiSox swept the Houston Astros in the ’05 Series. I’ve found it’s not wise for me to wear my Sox cap to Astros games down here … they’re still bitter.
HO-LEE CRAP! Wally, if you are right….
Chan Ho Park has been around for 17 years? So since 1994?
Casey —
Yes … it’s yet another sign for us 40-somethings that we’re aging quickly and time is flying by. But yea … it’s been at least 15 years since Park made his first and much bally-hooed appearance for the LADs. Think about it … the ageless Tommy Lasorda was their manager, Hershiser was still chuckin’ it, Piazza was still catchin’ it, Raul Mondesi was a feared hitter, and they had some pretty good teams … playoff contenders at least.
CHoP
Raul Mondesi was never a feared hitter. 🙂
He was … for a few months. How about Eric Karros then? 🙂