Caroline Kennedy Wants To Pitch For The Yankees
Posted in: Congress, Contests, Democrats, Senate, Sports
This probably was not the best choice of metaphor…
A close friend of Caroline Kennedy says the U.S. Senate hopeful is "unfazed and going forward" despite a wave of recent criticism.
"She understands that when you go straight to playing for the New York Yankees without playing ball in college or in the minors, you are going to get beaten up the first few times you step on to the field," said the friend, who has spoken directly with her.
Maybe this isn’t so bad if you’re a casual or non-fan, but those of us who follow baseball closely can tell you that if you go straight to the majors without playing college or minor-league ball, you get beat up more than just a few times. The three pitchers who have done so since the free-agent draft began in 1965 have combined for 177 wins and 251 losses. The lone position player who did so batted an impressive .444… in nine career at-bats.
The record shows that making the jump to the big leagues without any experience is not a recipe for prolonged success. Mike Morgan, the only one of those four players who sustained any kind of career, did spend two years in the minors after a terrible start. There is value to seasoning and experience, especially when it comes to high-pressure jobs like United States Senator or, yes, major-league pitcher.
Perhaps Caroline has the raw natural talent to make the jump successfully, but without any kind of track record comparable to college or minor-league performance, it’s almost impossible to guess. New York is a complex and demanding state – is it willing to take a chance on an untried rookie?
(Photo is a statue of Joe Nuxhall, who made his Reds debut at age 15 during World War II. He got tagged for 5 runs in two-thirds of an inning, but went back to the minors and became a successful, popular pitcher and broadcaster.)
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