The Toms River Twins

Crash Course · 12-01-2004, 01:29 PM

With the news of late that the Yankees are about to sign Al Leiter, I decided to look closer at Al's career - and then realized how much it has been, to date, like another Tom's River N.J., and former Yankees', career - - that of Andy Messersmith.

Both had their real first full taste of the bigs at age 22.

Andy went on to throw 2229.2 IP in his carrer. To date, Al has 2248.2.
Messersmith had 145 RSAA in his career. Leiter has 143, as this is being penned.

Andy's lifetime winning percentage was .568. To date, Al's is .564.
Messersmith pitched for 4 franchises in his career. If Leiter signs with the Yankees, he will have pitched with only 4 franchises as well.

More - Messersmith's ERA in his career was .70 better than league average and Leiter's ERA to date is .72 better than league average.

Want more? Messersmith had 15+ wins in a season 4 times - the same as Leiter.

Of course, Messersmith last pitched in 1979 and Leiter is still going. Look for him to break the Toms River tie this season and become the best pitcher ever born in N.J.

Maybe they should consider renaming it to Al's River?

Crash Course · 12-03-2004, 08:20 AM

Looks like now that Leiter to the Yankees is not as close as first reported: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1937015

KCBOOMER · 12-03-2004, 10:24 AM

I guess Messersmith technically qualifies as a "former Yankee" but he only pitched in six games for them. I did the "Similarity Score" calculation these two guys and it came out to be .842 (subject to the error inherent in me doing it). So despite, pitching in different eras, and one being a lefty they do have a measure of similarity. Of course this calculation is by no means a perfect indicator of "similarity" but nobody has proposed a better one.

12-01-2004, 01:29 PM	#1
Crash Course NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 10,070	The Toms River Twins With the news of late that the Yankees are about to sign Al Leiter, I decided to look closer at Al's career - and then realized how much it has been, to date, like another Tom's River N.J., and former Yankees', career - - that of Andy Messersmith. Both had their real first full taste of the bigs at age 22. Andy went on to throw 2229.2 IP in his carrer. To date, Al has 2248.2. Messersmith had 145 RSAA in his career. Leiter has 143, as this is being penned. Andy's lifetime winning percentage was .568. To date, Al's is .564. Messersmith pitched for 4 franchises in his career. If Leiter signs with the Yankees, he will have pitched with only 4 franchises as well. More - Messersmith's ERA in his career was .70 better than league average and Leiter's ERA to date is .72 better than league average. Want more? Messersmith had 15+ wins in a season 4 times - the same as Leiter. Of course, Messersmith last pitched in 1979 and Leiter is still going. Look for him to break the Toms River tie this season and become the best pitcher ever born in N.J. Maybe they should consider renaming it to Al's River? __________________ Steve, Forum Admin Hit Grass, Win Salad Man, this is baseball. You gotta stop thinking. Just have fun. - Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, in The Sandlot I've been going to games since August 8, 1973....and on August 22, 2004, finally, a foul ball came my way. I had to reach for it, and it deflected off the tip of my right index finger. Shoot, if I was only 4 inches taller! Have you read The Baseball Same Game?

12-03-2004, 08:20 AM	#2
Crash Course NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 10,070	Looks like now that Leiter to the Yankees is not as close as first reported: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1937015 __________________ Steve, Forum Admin Hit Grass, Win Salad Man, this is baseball. You gotta stop thinking. Just have fun. - Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, in The Sandlot I've been going to games since August 8, 1973....and on August 22, 2004, finally, a foul ball came my way. I had to reach for it, and it deflected off the tip of my right index finger. Shoot, if I was only 4 inches taller! Have you read The Baseball Same Game?

12-03-2004, 10:24 AM	#3
KCBOOMER NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Home of the T-Bones Posts: 11,116	I guess Messersmith technically qualifies as a "former Yankee" but he only pitched in six games for them. I did the "Similarity Score" calculation these two guys and it came out to be .842 (subject to the error inherent in me doing it). So despite, pitching in different eras, and one being a lefty they do have a measure of similarity. Of course this calculation is by no means a perfect indicator of "similarity" but nobody has proposed a better one. __________________ KCBOOMER *Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of Baseball*

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