As Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale makes the All-Star team, teammate Jesse Crain was selected too, you have to wonder if win-loss records for a pitcher are still relevant. It’s kind of a really dumb stat. I know it was gospel for the longest time, and 300 wins is this gold standard for pitchers to reach Cooperstown, but that doesn’t matter as much anymore.
No one in MLB will reach 300 wins again anytime soon. And no pitchers really last long enough these days to even come close. And for Chris Sale, well the Sox just don’t hit for him, so the ol’ W-L record sucks.
Since May 17th, the White Sox have scored a meager nine runs for Chris Sale.
Jesse Crain earned his first bid to the All-Star Game while Chris Sale will appear in his second Midsummer Classic later this month at Citi Field in New York. Crain is on the DL and will make the trip. He just won’t pitch.
Chris Sale (5-7, 2.79) faced just 43 batters in the minor leagues. The former first round draft pick out of Florida Gulf Coast was fast tracked to the parent club. At the 2012 All-Star game, none of the other 26 pitchers had faced fewer than 100 batters. If Sale came out and just ripped the Sox offense for being terrible, I don’t think anyone would hold it against him. He’s just an example of how winning percentage and wins and losses don’t matter for a pitcher. They only matter for the team.
By the way, Sale needs to freaking eat something once in awhile. He’s like the Mike Tisdale of MLB. Since 1950, only four Major League pitchers have stood 6’6″ or taller and weighed 180 or less: Jim Pearce, Dave Pavlas, Jerry Blevins … and Chris Sale.
Here he is recently with NHRA drag racer and offspring of the Patron tequila empire Alexis De Joria.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. (“Quasi-endorsed” by Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly) He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
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