Jeter vs. Nomar
Last night after the game a couple of us had a friendly and mild natured debate about who is better, <a href="http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bos/team/bos_player_bio.jsp?frame=mlb&playerid=114596" TARGET=_blank>Nomar</a> or <a href="http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nyy/team/nyy_player_bio.jsp?frame=mlb&playerid=116539" TARGET=_blank>Jeter</a>, so I looked at some side by side comparisons (I have a spreadsheet if anyone wants it).
Totals are hard to read because Nomar, despite being older, has played fewer years in the majors. So I took averages per year and they pretty much are the same as the totals for major categories. My average per year is faulty because the first year of each career was only a few games, and this year is about two thirds done with Jeter only playing in 66 games with the shoulder injury. So I basically took the totals and for Jeter dived by 9 and Nomar by 8 (the total years each has been in the big leagues respectivelly). It is probably a few percentage points less than if you divided by total number of games played and came up with per game numbers.
If you like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393057658/qid=1059500616/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-1255945-8157618?v=glance&s=books&n=507846" TARGET=_blank>Moneyball</a>, you'll like my comparison based on pure stats of the two players for major categories. This is simply my objective comparison. Numbers are as of today, July 29, 2003.
(total/per year).
<u><b>Games and at bats</b></u>. As you can image, Jeter has the advantage for totals as well as per year. No big deal, Nomar is a girl and gets hurt alot.
<u><b>Runs scored and total hits</b></u>. Jeter has more, total and per year. He is faster than the girl. Runs 889/99 for Jeter, 648/81 for Nomar. This is probably due to the fact that the rest of the Red Sox players stink. Jeter had three consecutive years of 200+ hits per year, Nomar has had one.
<u><b>Doubles and triples</b></u>. Nomar has more for each, total and per year. Doubles, its 265/33 vs 230/26. Triples, its 46/6 for Nomar, 40/4 for Jeter. Nomar's job is to hit doubles and triples, Jeter's job is to win champsionships.
<u><b>Home Runs</b></u>. Nomar has it here since he hits in a hitters park and his job in the line up is to hit bombs. Yankee stadium for right handed hitters is terrible for home runs. Nomar has 161/20 and Jeter has 123/14.
<u><b>RBIs</b></u>. Nomar has more. 634/79 to 593/66. He hits from an RBI producing spot (years in the 4 spot) in the lineup while Jeter hits in the number 2 spot.
<u><b>Walks</b></u>. As you can image, Jeter has more. He doesn't swing at pitches in the dirt or flying over the umpires head. 496/55 vs. 258/32. Pretty big difference. Nomar is an idiot.
<u><b>Strike Outs</b></u>. Jeter has more. 838/93 against Nomar's 365/46. Not a surprise either. Nomar makes contact all the time.
<u><b>Stolen Bases</b></u>. This is simply because the Sox are not a running team. In all seriousness, he would not have the numbers as Jeter but would be close if he were on a running team. 173/19 for Jeter, 76/10 for Nomar.
<u><b>On Base Percentage</b></u>. For anyone who is or has read Moneyball, or knows Billy Beane's approach to baseball, this is a huge number. Many feel this is an extremely important stat in baseball. Since Jeter has better numbers than Nomar, I agree. Jeters is .389 and Nomar's is .374.
<u><b>Slugging Percentage</b></u>. Who cares. Really. Total bases. We know the outcome of this since Nomar hits more home runs. Nomar is .561 and Jeter is .463.
<u><b>Batting Average</b></u>.This was closer than I thought. With Nomar winning a few batting titles, I thought it was much higher. He edges out Jeter with .327 verse .317.
<u><b>Fielding. </b></u>This might be off too because an error is a judgement call. If one fielder never gets close to a play, no error. But another fielder who has great range and gets to it, but makes a mistake, is penalized with an error. It's off but Jeter is slightly better with .973 versus .969 for Nomar. But from an arm point of view, Jeter has a much better arm than Nomar.
So that's based on pure stats. I have included additional 'intangible' categories.
<u><b>Hardware</b></u>. Jeter has four World Series Championship rings, Nomar has his High School class ring.
<u><b>Media</b></u>. Jeter is great with the media, talks to reporters, and is personable. Nomar is about as surly and grumpy as Kevin Arnold's father in the Wonder Years. While Jeter has been named the team captain, Nomar says this to reporters: ''I can't answer that question. It doesn't matter how I answer it. Somebody's going to perceive something. I don't wish to answer it. Whatever. 'Cuz it doesn't matter how I answer it, somebody's going to go out and write that he's not this or that. They're going to interpret anything they want." Well said Nomar, well said.
<u><b>Looks</b></u>. Professional baseball scouts look at a player to see if they have the 'look' or build of a baseball player. Jeter is 6' 3'' and is build like a ball player. Nomar looks like he should be walking out of the Little Peach with a handfull of scratch-off tickets and a pack of cigarettes.
<u><b>Fans</b></u>. People in Boston LOVE Nomar, but there is an undercurrent of doubt whether he wants to play here long term or go home. Jeter is a New Yorker through and through. I guess its hard to compare playing for the Yankees, whose goal every year is to win a championship, versus the Red Sox, whose goal every year is to not screw up (I originally had a different word in there ) too bad.
But that's just me.