A Stolen Base Is Worth More Than A Home Run

n your 5x5 strategy column, you say, "a stolen base is worth more than a home run." Stolen bases might be more rare, but their importance is not higher. Were Joe Player to steal a base, he would be adding one point to my stolen base totals. If he hit a homer, he would improve his average, get at least one RBI, score a run, and add a point to my home run total. Obviously, an act that helps four categories is better than something that helps only one.

***Peter: You raise a good point. I didn't mean to downplay home runs. Instead, I was making it clear that 35 home runs are not as valuable as 35 stolen bases. Using last year's averages for the 30 major league teams, when Joe Player steals a base, he gets one of 103 steals. When John Player hits a bases-empty homer, he raises his team's average .00009, scores one of his team's 773 runs, one of its 738 RBIs and one of its 182 homers. As I said earlier, drafting a team of speedsters doesn't make much sense, but why not grab a 40-steal guy who can single-handedly jack you up five roto points? Besides, few basestealers are one-category guys anyway. Most are power-speed threats (30-30 guys) or score well in batting average, steals and runs.

There I was, stumbling watery-eyed through Minneapolis' whipping sub-zero winds. I'd lost feeling in my lower extremities. Frosted saliva dotted my cheeks as I gasped for air.

But somehow it didn't matter -- I was going to watch baseball. I recently caught the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Metrodome and quickly remembered what we all love about baseball. The strategy and skill. Shake-offs from the man on the hill. Oh, and drinks later at the Green Mill (all right, that was a bonus.)