I Think Jayson Stark Is Overrated

Jayson Stark is out with his list of the ten most overrated active players (for that matter, he also lists his ten most underrated active players, but I'm going to focus on the former) in an effort to promote his new book, which, after reading his columns, I won't be purchasing. Here's why.

In his overrated piece, he lists players like Barry Zito, JD Drew, Juan Pierre, Bobby Abreu, and Alfonso Soriano...no big arguments there, even though it's not Zito's fault the Giants were willing to pay as much as they did for him. He's still 38 games over .500 for his career, guys are hitting .235 against him, he has a 3.60 ERA, and he's 232 for 232 in making scheduled starts. He's just a rich guy having a bad year, and thus, an easy target for JS.

I do, however, take issue with some of the other guys on his list, like Andruw Jones. Again, another superstar off to a pretty slow start. But when you say you're out to list the most overrated, active players, I don't see how a guy who's won 9 straight gold gloves in the outfield, has 348 career homers, 315 doubles, 1600 hits, and just turned 30, qualifies for that list. Stark mentions his strikeout totals. May I ask, who the hell cares? AJ has never pretended to be a high average, low strikeout guy. In fact, his typical season looks something like this: .265, 34, 103, and a gold glove (and he's played in at least 150 games for 10 straight seasons). To me, that's consistently solid, not overrated.

Another one on his list is Brian Giles. Stark busts his chops for not being a power hitter any more. Well Jayson, that sometimes happens when you turn 35 and move from a very hitter friendly home park, to a very pitcher friendly home park. This is a guy who's still had 30+ doubles for 8 straight years, more walks than strikeouts for 8 straight years, finishes up right around 100 runs scored (on some pretty light hitting teams I might add) and owns a career on base percentage above .400. Is he in the twilight of a good career? Yes. Is he overrated? No.

Next on his list is Richie Sexson. Who, besides Stark, thinks Sexson is overrated? Does anyone really think this is the year Sexson wins a batting title? Yes, he makes a lot of money and yes, he's off to a bad start (which seems to be Stark's formula for this, even though he swears several times, it's not). But he's had two years of 40+, 120+, and he's had 5 years of 30+, 100+. He's a prototypical, modern day power hitter. Lots of extra base hits, lots of RBI, lots of strikeouts, a few injury problems, and a sub .275 batting average.

And the last two players on his list are simply baffling- Bob Wickman and Jeff Suppan. When was the last time you saw a kid at the ballpark with a "Wickman 28" jersey on? When was the last time either of these guys made the cover of Sports Illustrated? When was the last time a casual baseball fan even knew who these guys were? In my mind, you earn the title of "overrated" when you are perceived to be much better than you are. Wickman is 38, he's appeared in nearly 800 games, and he has more than 250 career saves (which Stark says is baseball's most overrated stat, even though since 1982, only one World Series winner failed to have at least one pitcher record 20 games- the '01 Diamondbacks...you can't tell me having a lights-out stopper in the 9th isn't critical). Wickman shoved for the Braves last year, and he has average stuff at best, making his longevity all teh more impressive. He belongs on the all overachiever list, not most overrated. As for Suppan, Stark uses the overpaid logic (again), saying he used his good postseason to cash in (like he's the first player ever to do that). I don't think anyone would call him a #1, or #2 starter. He's a solid, middle-to-back-of-the-rotation guy, who's helped solidify an already good Milwaukee staff this year. Stark, mix in a clue.

While he was busy naming those guys, he left out perfectly good active, overrated players like...

Javier Vazquez - 5 games below .500 for career, 4.34 career ERA, never won 17 games in season, makes $13M

Jason Kendall - can't hit for power, can't hit for average, doesn't throw anybody out, makes $13M

Shawn Green - hasn't hit 30 homers, or driven in 100 since 2002, finished above .300 once, yet a starting corner outfielder

Kelvim Escobar - been waiting for his breakout year for 10 years, never won 15 in a season, lots of arm problems

Adrian Beltre - had one good season ('04), hadn't sniffed 30 or 100 before, and hasn't since

I'm sure there are others. I'm also sure I've made my point.