Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Interesting baseball facts

My goal is to have Jen salivating for baseball by the World Series. :)

1. Players who are able to make a full career out of baseball, meaning 20 or more years in the big leagues: 1%

2. Average major league career. 5 1/2 years.

3. Players who make it out of the minor league/farm systems into the major league: 8%.

These numbers are statistics gathered from 6,000 players between 1902 and 1993.

Moral of the story: Keep your day job. In fact, most minor leaguers do have day jobs.

OBTW, the Mariners did lose their double header, but I think the Angels lost also, so they didn't take advantage and move up any games over the Mariners. Boo!

7 comments:

Mom and Dad said...

We'll get 'em next time! Hope your week is going well. When do return to S.G.?

silleeg said...

Lewis, have you always enjoyed baseball or is this a new interest for you?

silleeg said...

It is pretty interesting that the major league career is so short. Do they make enough money in the major leagues to not work once they are done, or do they then have to go get a job? All I know of baseball is from watching The Rookie with Denis Quaid. Good movie.

Lewis said...

1. I return to St. G on Friday night. The plane is SUPPOSED to leave from Ontario at 935pm. If so, that gets me into St. G around 145a on Saturday, and I usually stay up another hour to enjoy being home and get my computer set up and ready for work later in the day.

2. I have gradually come to enjoy baseball over the years. I got hooked on it several years ago during the World Series the Florida Marlins won. That was back when we lived in Hacienda Heights on Fairbury street. For the last two years, I hang on every game and count the days between the Series and Spring training. This weekend should be very interesting: the player trading deadline is the 31st.

3. There is a base salary for all major leaguers, thanks to the players association (read union) that approaches $200k. If they're able to get more, they will. There are a few minor league prospects who signed for over $1 million, and then there are the Alex Rodgriquez's and Ichiro Suzuki's that make tens of millions over the life of a contract. This second fellow, who plays for the Mariners (boo!) will be getting paid by them till 2032. If he gets traded to another team, because of his contract, the new team will have to match his salary or else the Mariner's will have to pay the difference. Believe it or not, that sometimes happens.

alwayshot said...

I didn't know you like baseball either. I am not so much a fan of it, but I don't know much about it either. I told Jen the goal of getting her hooked on baseball by the World Series and she seemed to indicate that the chances were slim to none of that happening. ;)

Lewis said...

Oh well. What was it that Jane Austen said? "Half the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." That's from Emma.

Mom and Dad said...

That is a very profound observation.