Comments on: Best Ichiro Quote Yet

By: joser

joser — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:49:32 +0000

Cincinnati is a city of tight-asses. Cleveland inducts the Clash and Sex Pistols into the R&R HOF; Cincinnati gets its panties in a twist over some mapplethorpe photos. Cleveland is Drew Carey, Cincinnati is the Church Lady (except they’re not joking).

By: Brandon

Brandon — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:13:36 +0000

Oops wrong post lol.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:12:20 +0000

+UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUs!!

By: David J. Corcoran I

David J. Corcoran I — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:53:58 +0000

Cleveland is cool. Columbus is better. Cincinnati is best.

By: B_Con

B_Con — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:57:19 +0000

Those “beyond the baselines” factoids they show on the jumbotron at M’s games indicated that Cleveland was Jose Lopez’s FAVORITE baseball city to visit, after Miami. Everyone was confused as to why anyone would want to visit Cleveland. The explanation we settled on was that he enjoyed playing in the snow earlier in the season. If I was from Anzoategui, Venezuela I’d enjoy snow too.

By: Frank B.

Frank B. — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:38:13 +0000

I like it. I’m sure I can use it in lots of situations here at work. I’m making it my new favorite Cleveland quote too. In Ball Four didn’t Jim Bouton say that the Pilots decided, “If you had to crash in Cleveland, it’d be better if it was an inbound flight.”?

By: eponymous coward

eponymous coward — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:16:09 +0000

Oooh, even better, their ranking formula.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2897967

Batting bases accumulated 20%
Runs produced 15%
OBP 15%
BA 10%
HRs 10%
RBIs 5%
Runs 5%
Hits 5%
Net steals 5%
Team win percentage, defensive position 5% each

So, just eyeballing this, it’s going to overrate:

Guys who pinch-run and steal bases (Helllooooo, WFB!)
Empty batting averages (since walks are only accounted for twice, in OBP and batting bases accumulated, whereas singles get counted in FOUR places: batting bases, OBP, batting average and hits)
Players in particular roles (since RBI come in through Runs Produced AND RBIs)
Oh, and “OF” is counted as ONE position. Yeah, that’s right, a leadfooted LF is JUST THE SAME defensive value as a speedy Gold Glove CF.

Gah, this is terrible.

By: eponymous coward

eponymous coward — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:07:54 +0000

That player rating system is so worthless, it’s not even funny. Click on the AL West ratings. The worst player in the AL West is Jarrod Washburn, right behind Sean White and Jason Davis.

Or better yet, Raul Ibanez (.287/2/36, .341 OBP, .397 SLG) is ranked over Adrian Beltre (.267/9 HR /27 RBI, .312 OBP,.471 SLG)- who is TIED with Willie Bloomquist (.259 and the usual useless .600 OPS bullcrap).

So, the short version is that this is an “interesting” ranking system that’s essentially useless.

By: derubino

derubino — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:42:53 +0000

I’m proud to say I saw that quote on the Times’ webpage and put it on my facebook profile before I ever saw it on here. Glad to see that other people loved it as much as I did.

By: Jim Thomsen

Jim Thomsen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:22:02 +0000

Ichiro is the funniest guy in the solar system.

And I agree that a) Cleveland is a fine city; and b) Jacobs Field is a first-rate park.

Then again, I’d hate to have to fly to Kobe for one game and be back home the next day ….