In 1995, Jerry Seinfeld did a bit that went like this:
“Loyalty to any one sports team is pretty hard to justify. Because the players are always changing, the team can move to another city, you’re actually rooting for the clothes when you get right down to it. You know what I mean, you are standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city. Fans will be so in love with a player but if he goes to another team, they boo him. This is the same human being in another shirt, they ‘hate’ him now. Boo! Different shirt!! Boo.” [click here to see the video]
Seinfeld’s routine has taken on other derivations, sometimes referred to as “rooting for laundry” or “rooting for uniforms.” And the message is mostly true. As it should be. Players come and go, especially in these times of free agency. The team uniforms may change design or colors on occasion, but the team names and logos stay in place. Well, not Chief Wahoo for the Indians this coming year. And some teams do relocate, like the A’s from Kansas City to Oakland, and then we root for new laundry.
One of the best examples of fan appreciation for the jersey over the player comes from the NBA. Cleveland fans loved LeBron James during his first seven seasons as a Cavalier. When he bolted to Miami as a free agent, all Cleveland love was lost. Quite bitter in most cases.
After four years with the Heat, LeBron returned to Cleveland. The sun came out in Cleveland and LeBron was a hero again. All because he was wearing new clothes.
ESPN writer Sam Miller has concluded (favorably) that this is the natural order of sporting fandom. He analyzed the Los Angeles Dodgers who were in the World Series in 2017. Less than 10 of the players on the postseason roster were with the Dodgers at the beginning of 2015. Take it back to 2014, the number drops to 6. To 2013, it is 4. Some of this is caused by minor leaguers moving up, but movement of players is still rather dramatic. Miller found that a third of all major leaguers change teams between the start and one season and the conclusion of the next, about half over the course of two winters, and nearly 70% of steady major leaguers changed teams between April of 2013 and September 2017.
Royals Laundry News: With respect to Hosmer, Cain and Moustakas, I won’t be booing them, and I feel certain that Royals fans will give nice ovations when they return to the K wearing foreign laundry. I even hope they do well for their new teams, BUT, not when they are playing against the Royals – in that situation, I’m rooting for our laundry in Royal Blue (or, if applicable, the Powder Blue).
Now, with an assist from Paul Simon and Joe DiMaggio, let’s take a look at the new laundry for some former Royals.
Where Have You Gone Lorenzo Cain: Lorenzo’s free agent move to Milwaukee was discussed in Hot Stove #67. The money: Five years for $80 million. His new laundry colors: White, Metallic Gold and Navy Blue. There is already a baseball card with Cain as a Brewer – his 2010 Topps rookie card (RC, below). After that rookie season with the Brewers, Cain moved to the Royals in the Zack Greinke trade.
Where Have You Gone Jarrod Dyson? The player who gave us “That’s what speed do” was with the Seattle Mariners in 2017. He recently signed a 2-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $7.5 million. Dyson’s new laundry will be colorful: Sedona Red, Sonoran Sand, Teal, Black and White.
Although Dyson was not with the Royals last year, I have included him because of an interesting chart sent out last week by Shaun Newkirk of the “Royals Review” website. Shaun assembled stats for certain players during the Royals “contention period” (2013-2016). The surprise is where Dyson gets ranked – significantly above Hosmer and Moustakas. Newkirk concludes that Dyson hits like Perez, fields like Cain and runs the bases like Carlos Beltran and Amos Otis. Since 2012, Dyson is second in the majors in stolen base percentage (84%) and fifth in steals (184). Only three players stole 20 or more bases the last six seasons: Jose Altuve, Elvis Andrus and Jarrod Dyson.
This chart does not include Hosmer’s big 2017 season nor the 38 homers hit by Moose last year. But it still makes me think that Dyson is underpaid.
Where Have You Gone Eric Hosmer? Hosmer just signed an eight-year deal with San Diego for $144 million. Dyson got $7.5 million for two years. What’s up?
In the calculation of WAR, Hosmer gets hammered for his fielding. By this metric, he is considered a negative, mostly for his perceived lack of range. But he has won four Gold Gloves in the last five years. This means the managers and coaches think he is pretty good. So do the infielders who bounce throws that Hosmer reliably scoops for outs. And obviously the Padres are satisfied. The Gold Gloves plus Hosmer’s leadership and hitting talent added up to a $144 million payday,
A couple of days ago, Joe Posnanski took a deep dive into the defensive metrics calculated by the analysts and how those numbers compare to the “eye” test as rated by fans. His primary examples were Eric Hosmer and Mike Trout who got high marks from the fans, but suffer when tested by the metrics. If you want to get further into the numbers, click here for Joe’s column. Joe also notes how fans tend to favorably rank their own players – again, loyalty to the laundry.
Joe explains, “…people simply (and wildly) overrate Hosmer’s defense…Royals fans tend to see the group of young players that finally brought a World Series to Kansas City dreamily…they probably overrate Escobar defensively…also catcher Salvador Perez…Hosmer was the most beloved player on one of the most beloved teams in baseball in this decade…And then there is Hosmer’s style. He just looks like a first baseman – he’s big, rangy, throws left-handed. When you picture a first baseman, you picture Hosmer.”
As for Hosmer’s new laundry, the Padres colors are Navy Blue, White and Silver. Eric’s uniform number is also very significant. With the Royals, he was #35, but that number has been retired by the Padres in recognition of one of their early stars, pitcher Randy Jones. Hosmer thoughtfully wanted to honor his old teammate, the late Yordano “Ace” Ventura, and so he asked for #30. That number had been assigned to third base coach Glenn Hoffman who was happy to accommodate Hosmer. So a nostalgic part of the Royals will continue with Hosmer in San Diego.
The Padres released a cool video showing Hosmer sewing his name and number to his jersey. Click here to see the half-minute video of Hosmer the tailor.
Where Have You Gone Mike Moustakas? Into the dugout suite in this photo, but that dates from Game 3 of the 2014 ALCS. As of today, to quote Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Moose “Ain’t Got No Home.”
Moose hit 38 homers last year to break the Royals season record. Homers are cheaper than ever in the majors, and when combined with his other metrics (like he almost never walks), he only had a 1.7 WAR in 2017. The result: not a lot of buzz about his free agency status. But never underestimate his agent, Scott Boras, who pulled off the deal for Hosmer.
Where Have You Gone Jason Vargas? Vargas had 18 wins last year, tying three other pitchers for most in the majors. He and Salvy Perez represented the Royals in the 2017 All-Star Game. The 35-year old free agent recently signed a two-year deal with the New York Mets for $16 million. He did not pitch for the Royals against the Mets in the 2015 World Series because he was sidelined with Tommy John surgery. His new laundry colors: White, Blue and Orange.
Where Have You Gone Raul Mondesi? Trick question. There are three baseball players with this name: a Dominican father and his two Dominican-American sons (Raul Jr. and Raul A.). The father played 13 years in the majors and was NL Rookie of the Year in 1994. After baseball, he took up politics and was mayor of San Cristobal from 2010 to 2016. Where has he gone? Jail. In 2017, he was sentenced to eight years for corruption.
Raul Jr. played three years in the minors for Milwaukee – don’t know where he has gone. The Raul Mondesi known to Royals fans has not gone elsewhere, but his first name has left. He is now officially going by his middle name, so get used to saying Adalberto Mondesi (or maybe just “Mondi”). His laundry colors remain the same. [Trivia: The Royals have a catcher in the minor leagues named Paul Mondesi. Don’t call him Raul.]
Driving Time to MLB Parks: Somewhat aligned with rooting for laundry is drive time to the closest MLB stadium. Interesting chart…
Lonnie’s Jukebox: When I was a sophomore in high school (1956-1957), this novelty hit was released by Clarence “Frogman” Henry. Hopefully, the title will not apply to Mike Moustakas in 2018. “Ain’t Got No Home” can be heard by clicking here.
