Many years ago, I told my father, “Steve Carlton is the greatest lefthander of all-time.” My father replied, “No, that distinction belongs to Sandy Koufax.” I countered, “But Carlton already has more career wins than Koufax and has years yet to pitch.” My father wasn’t satisfied with what I alleged was flawless logic, and told me, “Statistics only tell part of the story. You had to have seen Sandy Koufax pitch to believe it.”
The good old “eye test.” Doubtless, it’s a reliable barometer when measuring greatness, but I was five years old when Sandy Koufax retired in 1966. Steve Carlton was a rookie I would one day grow to admire. So, what’s the point of drawing comparisons to baseball legends of different generations? There are a few objective truths in the universe, the rest is up for interpretation. We’re told a narrative. We live a story. Each of us began as wide-eyed children around a campfire. We took the campfire to school, the school to the community, the community into the country, and the country into the world. Each of us has their own interpretation of ultimate truth. It’s an irony we should learn to embrace.
Everyone, have a lovely weekend!
Michael's Corner 
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