Interview With Len Kasper, Part Two
By Mike J.
Yesterday we talked about broadcasting and touched on stats a bit. Today is more stats and on the Cubs and their competition.
OSC: During any baseball broadcast, batter vs. pitcher splits come up very often. As a broadcaster, how many at-bats are necessary for these splits to become useful to you? LK: I think probably 12-15 ABs is a good place to start. But if a guy is 6-8 vs. a pitcher, it's at least interesting to throw out there. I sometimes will mention that stat even with just a few ABs just as a reference point.
OSC: I would argue that the Runners In Scoring Position (RISP) stat is the trendiest stat in baseball right now because it appears to approximate a player's ability to perform in the clutch. Do you think this stat actually helps to separate clutch players from the rest of the pack or is it not as simple as that?
LK: I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "clutch" hitter. I prefer to say "good" hitter. Is Derek Jeter clutch or just a really good hitter? I don't know, I guess it's possible you could have a guy who is simply BETTER in big spots than others, but how many .235 hitters hit .320 in the clutch? I believe if you look at league averages, the overall average is usually pretty close to the RISP average. I think as a team stat, it works because it's telling you how good the team is at getting guys home. But also remember that if a runner is at 2B and a guy singles him to 3B, that average with RISP will go up even though a run didn't score. I think batters come up with clutch hits...I'm just not sure there are clutch hitters per se. Derrek Lee has been clutch, but then again, he's just been great all around, right? What's the difference?
On the Cubs and baseball in general:
OSC: What's your relationship with the players and coaching staff like? After last year's, uh, incidents, has anyone opened up to you or Bob yet?
LK: I've gotten along great with everyone. I've been treated so well I can't tell how easy it has been to do my job. I'm grateful to the organization for making me feel at home from day one. I also benefitted in spring training from having a previous working relationship with guys like Derrek Lee, Chad Fox, Todd Hollandsworth and Jeromy Burnitz. And all the guys I didn't know have been great about giving me info I need for the broadcasts.
OSC: The bullpen has struggled mightily this season, but it appears that things are starting to settle down. Which relievers do you see emerging as go-to guys?
LK: The one guy lately who has really caught our eye is Will Ohman. He really has a presence on the mound that not a ton of guys have. He's aggressive and when he's throwing strikes, he's a great late-game option. I think he's been a nice surprise in particular lately.
OSC: Do you see Nomar as a Cub next year?
LK: I can't answer that because right now the question is, will he be an ACTIVE Cub again this year? I think he will because he's confident he will play again this year, but that's an injury that will take some time to recover from. Hopefully he'll be back at some point in the second half.
OSC: What player - besides Derrek Lee - has surprised you the most so far this season and why?
LK: I mentioned Ohman earlier...and I would also say in a sense, the way Mark Prior dominated from his first start was a bit of a surprise simply because he barely had a spring training. He's looked great and after being shutdown in March, he hasn't missed a beat. I never questioned his ability, but his quick comeback from the elbow issue has been extremely impressive.
OSC: If the Cardinals keep rolling, the Cubs could find themselves fighting for the Wild Card once again. Given how competitive the NL West and East are this year, name 4 or 5 teams that the Cubs could be fighting with for the fourth playoff spot come September.
LK: Braves/Marlins/Mets/Padres/Dodgers/D-Backs/Giants would be the top teams in those other divisions at this point.
OSC: At the trade deadline or next year, who would you like to see become a Cub?
LK: Johan Santana and Manny Ramirez would look good in Cubs pinstripes, don't you think?
OSC: The Cubs enter a 20-day, 20-game stretch with the beginning of the White Sox series. What will be the toughest part of the trip? What's a reasonable expectation for the results of the trip?
LK: I said this recently--a modest goal at this point would be to be at .500 going into June. The first two months have been about survival with all the injuries and the pen's struggles. If you're at break even at the end of May, you're within striking distance in the division and wildcard and then you can hopefully make a run. This homestand is big because after the Sox, two teams who have REALLY struggled on the road--Houston and Colorado--come to town.
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