CALLING YOU OUT! - SOME BRAINLESS MLB SCOUT AND OTHERS OF HIS ILK

by WCT, The Ship of Fools

“Calling You Out!” is a periodic segment where WCT takes people to task for irresponsible journalism, foolhardy activities, or just general douchebaggery. Nothing is sacred, no one is spared, watch your ass mister! You could be next!

Today, we examine the latest evidence of a growing epidemic of stupidity

Tip of the hat to firejoemorgan.com for directing our attention to this little nugget of nonsense, which includes the following quote:

[Ichiro]could hit 50 home runs if he wanted to, but he'd rather get his 220 hits and bat .330

This is actually a widely perceived notion, as I have heard ESPN's Tim Kurkjian proclaim, on several occasions, that Ichiro can "hit home runs at will, but that is not his game."

There are no words to describe how utterly ridiculous that idea is, or how mad it makes me when I hear someone say something to that effect.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the rules of baseball, let me fill you in: A home run is, unequivocally, the best thing that any batter can do in any one at-bat, no matter the circumstances, or game situation. There exists no scenario in the game of modern baseball, where any baseball club would prefer any outcome to any at-bat, by any batter, rather than a home run. Therefore, if any batter were to ever possess the ability to hit home runs "at will," the entire system by which baseball players were paid for their services would collapse like a house of cards, and the entire sport as we know it would cease to exist.

Let's assume for a second that maybe I'm wrong. Hell, I watch baseball for free from my couch, or from a bar stool. These guys are paid to watch and analyze games and players every day of their lives. So there is a chance Ichiro can hit dingers whenever he wants to, but chooses not to, because that isn't his game. Kinda makes you wonder why Ichiro only "chose" to hit six home runs in 678 ABs in 2007, doesn't it?

Why don't we examine a game from this season's first week chosen at random. Let's go with this past Saturday, April 5, at Baltimore:

1st AB - Leads off the game with a strikeout swinging

Apparently, not only did Ichiro not feel like hitting a HR, but he didn't even feel like he was in the mood to put the ball in play. But lead off homers are overrated. he was just settling into the game.

2nd AB - Ends the 2nd inning with a flyout to left with a runner on 1st

Hmm... runner on base, 2 outs in the inning, in a scoreless game. The M's kinda could have used a HR there. But I guess he didn't feel like it.

3rd AB - Flyout to center with a runner on 1st

Okay, still not in the mood to break a tie game with a two-run homer, huh? No problem.

4th AB - Single to left

Hot damn! Now THAT is Ichiro's game. Line drive single to left, that's what I'm talkin' about! Never mind the fact that the Mariners were down by a run, late in the game, and therefore could have really used a solo shot to tie it up. But that's not his game, his game is getting on base to set the table for the others (Ichiro was stranded at 1st and did not have another plate appearance. The M's lost by 2 runs).

Please don't get me wrong, I think Ichiro is a fantastic baseball player, who's game actually is hitting singles and playing spectacular defense. I just get irritated when people insult our collective intelligence by telling us that this guy could hit 50 homers in a season (he has never hit more than 15 here in the States) or could hit dingers at will, or anything else like that. He can't. Because if he could, by golly he would.