Wealth and immortality await a 'total save stat' contest winner

An article suggests a 1 inning pitcher who leads the major leagues in "save opportunities" could win a "save stat" contest by the All Star break. The BBWAA member even gleans a response from the now rarin' to go 1 inning pitcher looking to win a "total save stat" race. The 'regular season total save stat' in today's environment allows a newspaper writer to become the news themselves, initiating contests but retaining the unquestioned power to belittle the stat at other times. (On other occassions, BBWAA voters will say they hate the total save stat). Left out of the article about the "save stat" contest:

• The pitcher in the contest leads both leagues in "save opportunities," meaning it's not really a contest about the "save stat," but more an award for the team manager (and the team) for giving the pitcher so many opportunities that others weren't lucky enough to get (32 SVO's).

• 4 of Francisco Rodriguez' 36 appearances this year have been for only 1 or 2 outs, 3 of these less than 1 inning outings went to the "total save stat" contest tally.

• None of his appearances this year have been for more than 1 inning, allowing his use to be channeled into marketing of the total save stat alone. Perhaps the Los Angeles Angels will use any 'total save stat' results as a marketing vehicle to sell tickets as has been done in San Diego.

• The article doesn't mention ERA, K/BB, wild pitches, intentional walks, WHIP or other factors used to evaluate the actual pitching of a late inning reliever.

A SportingNews.com writer also jumps on board saying this contest would be 'historic.'

• The result of this media creation could mean millions in future contracts and/or endorsement deals for Francisco Rodriguez as well as the Los Angeles Angels. A 'media creation' because it uses the 'total save stat' to the exclusion of other relevant stats to discern the success of a pitcher. Millions of dollars in publicity have gone into selling this stat--in regular season only--as a vehicle for wealth and immortality. Solution? BBWAA members should be removed from baseball awards of any kind. Just report the game.

Curt Schilling's recent contract included $1 million for a single Cy Young vote. You can have just 1 media guy (a "conscience of the game") generating upwards of a million dollars for you, not that different from the cash register and immortality promised by the "total save stat by the All Star break contest."

• But you'll be ridiculed if you point this out, as baseball is "awash in money" according to the media and their benefactor, Bud Selig. How is this not like a Banana Republic, as Marvin Miller suggested where rules are made and broken without a peep from anyone?

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