tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post8464390195987192499..comments2024-02-29T03:29:52.934-05:00Comments on A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago: Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02113168955236758821noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-86853728427143695112012-07-24T15:25:19.000-04:002012-07-24T15:25:19.000-04:00Douglass Wallop, please pick up the white courtesy...Douglass Wallop, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Douglass Wallop please.Watchmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-65181121222285312572012-07-24T12:53:57.000-04:002012-07-24T12:53:57.000-04:00Awesome. Thanks. As someone who grew up idolizin...Awesome. Thanks. As someone who grew up idolizing Willie "ET" McGee, I never totally understood the "doesn't look like a ballplayer" -- of course, that doesn't mean i still don't have a small man-crush on Josh Hamilton.Mr. Cosmonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-14234504784631507072012-07-24T12:01:20.000-04:002012-07-24T12:01:20.000-04:00Also, I do not disagree with the position that Ich...Also, I do not disagree with the position that Ichiro should not have won the MVP in 2001. Giambi and Rodgriguez definitely were better (that was one of the two years where A-Rod was robbed). There also were two other Mariners (Boone and Edgar) who had better years that year. I actually think Boone was the MVP that year -- he was both the best offensive and the best defensive 2B in the majors. isaac_spacemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-9062568622865391332012-07-24T11:53:39.000-04:002012-07-24T11:53:39.000-04:00Maybe "purists" was the wrong word. The...Maybe "purists" was the wrong word. There were always sportswriters (mostly, not entirely, of the old-crusty variety) who thought that Ichiro's hits were less meaningful and more lucky because they were IF singles or weak slaps through the gaps, instead of line drives. That he did it again and again and again seemed to harden them in their positions rather than convincing them that they were wrong. Also, he is pretty much the exact opposite of the old-scout position that Michael Lewis reductively described in Moneyball, the "looks great in his uniform" guy. Ichiro looks like a kid in his uniform, and sometimes people just want to see big sluggers with giant forearms in right field, guys who will strike out a lot and muscle the ball down the power alleys. <br /><br />As Jim says below, there also were also a lot of people, including a lot of Mariners fans, who thought that Ichiro should have been a more vocal leader, should have been quicker off the bench in fights, should have been less concerned with his own performance and more of a team player. I confess that I do not even understand the logic behind this position. We know, from statistics, that Ichiro's performance was basically the same both over his career and in particular years no matter what the situation (up, down, tied; my recollection is that he actually was a little better with men on, at least before his decline phase began a couple of years ago), so I guess he should have gotten worse when they were way ahead or way behind? Or he should have showed up at camp grossly out of shape and really sucked (like his most persistent critic, vocal clubhouse leader Carlos Silva) instead of following his usual stretching routine and being one of the best-performing players on the team year in and year out? isaac_spacemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-20979526479513269572012-07-24T11:45:30.000-04:002012-07-24T11:45:30.000-04:00That was beautiful -- just a beautiful piece of ba...That was beautiful -- just a beautiful piece of baseball writing. <br /><br />As a Yankee fan since the craptacular early 90s, i welcome Ichiro with open arms (as weird as it was to see him in the uniform yesterday ... whoa). I've always liked him, even when I hated him in the moment. Y'all know what I mean. <br /><br />And on another note, <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/yankees-ensure-2003-pennant-by-signing-every-playe,32/" rel="nofollow">remember this</a>? hahahalolololomg!!!11Gleemonexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-63147530641630503032012-07-24T06:19:58.000-04:002012-07-24T06:19:58.000-04:00What will happen to Ichiroll, the sushi place at S...What will happen to Ichiroll, the sushi place at Safeco Field?Robinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-77360022242064457162012-07-24T02:07:24.000-04:002012-07-24T02:07:24.000-04:00I join you in your sadness, Isaac. My brain knows...I join you in your sadness, Isaac. My brain knows this is the right move for the Mariners and Ichiro, but it really hurts.laurinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-14351309361739794772012-07-24T00:06:08.000-04:002012-07-24T00:06:08.000-04:00Great post, Isaac - thanks. While my mom would nev...Great post, Isaac - thanks. While my mom would never forgive me if I rooted for the Yankees, I will be very happy for Ichiro if he finally wins a World Series.Slicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-50939923026845210692012-07-24T00:05:06.000-04:002012-07-24T00:05:06.000-04:00A few hours later, I am getting more sad. Wow, WAY...A few hours later, I am getting more sad. Wow, WAY more sad.Isaac spaceman mobilenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-13447422876404795392012-07-23T23:37:50.000-04:002012-07-23T23:37:50.000-04:00There has been a vocal portion of Mariner fandom t...There has been a vocal portion of Mariner fandom that questioned Ichiro's commitment to the team. He often seemed to care more for his individual accomplishments than the success of the team as a whole. By requesting this trade, he solved what could have been an impossible dilemma. The Mariners desperately needed his spot in the lineup to evaluate talent and would have a horrible time letting him go at the end of the season. This way, the way is cleared for the team to move forward and he gets another opportunity to play in the playoffs. Although it might kill me to see the Yankees win again, I wish him all the success in the world. Thank you Ichiro...Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-23154133305837615532012-07-23T23:08:50.000-04:002012-07-23T23:08:50.000-04:00OK, now I can actually like Ichiro a little more t...OK, now I can actually like Ichiro a little more that he's no longer a Mariner. (Why yes, I'm still bitter over 2000 ALDS. Oh, and get this; that series had just about the world's worst announcing slate over the series: Skip Caray, Joe Morgan, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Thom Brenneman and Bob Brenly. It's like a display case of pallid pablum and just plain wrongess in announcing.)Joseph J. Finnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-26014896736046422482012-07-23T22:50:29.000-04:002012-07-23T22:50:29.000-04:00I thought of you immediately after I heard the new...I thought of you immediately after I heard the news.Sean McDonellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-56670841317858437292012-07-23T21:43:02.000-04:002012-07-23T21:43:02.000-04:00The Terrance Long throw is still a top-5 defensive...The Terrance Long throw is still a top-5 defensive play ever.<br />I'm intrigued by Isaac's comment that Ichiro drove purists insane. Say a little more, please.<br />Also -- serious question -- in today's advanced-stat-conscious world, does Ichiro win the MVP his first year? Not that one stat is the be-all, but Giambi (who he narrowly beat) had an OPS 300 points higher, and Alex R. hit 52 HRs, had a higher OBP, and played gold glove-caliber SS.Mr. Cosmonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-29856308666410235102012-07-23T21:34:43.000-04:002012-07-23T21:34:43.000-04:00There are times that I will send an email to a co-...There are times that I will send an email to a co-blogger and make a request on some topic, and times I know I don't have to. Thanks. This is great.<br /><br /><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16865121" rel="nofollow">And I found the Terrence Long video.</a>Adamnoreply@blogger.com