Grumpy Old Men

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s humanity’s unfortunate propensity to diminish the accomplishment of others. Case in point: Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

Rollins, as you no doubt are aware, ended last season with a 36-game hitting streak, the longest since Paul Molitor’s streak back in the day. Naturally, as we do when any hitting streak reaches such lofty heights, thoughts of 56 start to dance in our heads.

Alas, there seems to be a sizeable group of people who can’t bear the thought of one of these new-fangled players eclipsing the great DiMaggio. Especially when that new-fangled player has the audacity to actually think he can hit in 56 straight games.

During the off season, there were plenty of reminders that, even if by some miracle Rollins did hit in 21 games to start the year, he still wouldn’t have the record because Joltin’ Joe’s streak was all in one season, and thus (by definition) is a more impressive accomplishment.

This is a minor quibble. But ESPN’s John Kruk took the “Rollins has it easy” argument to a new and ridiculous extreme on Monday.

During the pre-game Baseball Tonight, Kruk said that Rollins would have tough time extending his streak because all the pitchers would be well rested – not like the dog-tired, rag-armed staffs Rollins took advantage of last September.

Jeebus help us.

And just to prove that no fault is too small for retired players not to carp about, Ron Santo had to add his two cents during Monday’s Cubs broadcast.

When informed that Rollins extended his streak by hitting 3-0 pitch for a double, Ronnie expressed shock that anyone would swing at a 3-0 pitch with his team down by a ton of runs.

I hate to disagree with the old third baseman, but I’m pretty sure the Phillies don’t consider Rollins a selfish jerk for swinging away like that.

Is this merely a symptom of a larger problem? Comparing today’s players unfavorably to the heroes of yesteryear is a pastime in itself. Are fans so wedded to the idea of a Perfect Past that we can’t accept any threat (real or perceived) to our icons or their hallowed records?

But the more things change, the more they stay the same. In 1941, the accepted script read that DiMaggio was unworthy of breaking the great Willie Keeler’s mark. Hard to believe, but the “things were better back in my day” crowd was alive and well 65 years ago...