Jim Scibilia
Feature Presentation Columnist
July 17, 2006
Welcome to PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: home of the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star game. Expecting to see old favorites like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and John Smoltz suit up? Think again. Whether you know it or not, Major League Baseball is experiencing a youth movement, and these young, emerging stars may hold the key to who holds the trophy come October.
Veteran leadership cannot be discounted. Having a grizzled veteran in the locker room that has been there before and fought the good fight is invaluable to a team. He can provide his teammates with first-hand experiences, hoping they’ll learn from the lessons he learned the hard way. Who else can tell you to stay away from the wife come playoff time or that the strip clubs and bars are not a good place to be the night before a playoff game? You want a guy like Schilling, someone who has been there before, on the mound for a game seven. You want someone who won’t be fazed by the pressure of the bright lights and the television cameras. All of this is true, but sometimes maybe it’s just better to not know any better and to let your natural skills take hold and carry you to the promise land.
Think back to the 1996 World Series when the Atlanta Braves put a young Andruw Jones in centerfield for Game 1. The 19-year-old Jones responded with two home runs that game, becoming the youngest player to ever hit a home run in a World Series game, breaking the great Mickey Mantle’s record. The Braves went on to win the title… times were a-changing.
Fast-forward to the 2003 World Series between the Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees. While the Evil Empire trotted out such veterans as 41-year-old Roger Clemens, 40-year-old David Wells, 38-year-old Ruben Sierra and 46-YEAR-OLD JESSE OROSCO, the Marlins countered with 23-year-old Josh Beckett and a 20-year-old Miguel Cabrera. You know the story from there: Cabrera hit .333 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI for the series and Beckett, the 2003 World Series MVP, outpitched Clemens in the final game as the Marlins won the Series. Youth was served yet again.
More and more, young stars are counted upon to lead their teams to victory, and the youngsters are taking the challenge to heart and succeeding. Take a look at this year’s all-star game: over 25% of the players in the game were 26-years old or younger, including such young stars as Scott Kazmir, Cabrera, Grady Sizemore and Albert Pujols.. It’s those kind of sobering stats that makes you look in the mirror at your 23-year-old reflection and wonder, “…I haven’t won a World Series yet, what have I done with my life?” (not that I’ve ever done that).
Even trivial events like the Home Run Derby are wake-up calls for the veterans who once dominated the game. Gone are the days where guys like Ken Griffey Jr. (once thought to be the greatest young player to ever come along), Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmiero dominate the scene. The spotlight belongs to guys like the 23-year-old David Wrights and the 26-year-old Ryan Howards, as was shown at the 2006 derby.
As this year progresses, these young phenoms will ultimately decide the fate of the 2006 baseball season. 25-year-old Jon Papelbon and 22-year-olds Craig Hansen and Jon Lester ultimately hold the key to the AL East race. Will 22-year-old keep up his historic pace and team with 27-year-old Johan Santana on a historic comeback trail in the AL Central? Can the White Sox hold off the Twins and Tigers with 25-year-old Bobby Jenks closing games? Only time will tell.
General managers across the country will tell you that their farm systems are the key to long-term success. Some feel it is the only way to trade for that one missing piece to the puzzle that will put their team over the top, whether it mortgages the future or not. Others feel developing this young talent will lead to a contending franchise for years to come. Regardless of the thought processes in the front office, the time is now for these young stars. The fate of several cities is in their hands, and if they can block out urges to act like a frat boy and party with the ladies at the “Copa Cabana,” they just might be hoisting the trophy come October.
You can reach Jim Scibilia @ jscibilia@featurepresentationonline.com.
