I regularly follow a blog called U.S.S. Mariner, which is about the Seattle Mariners baseball team. I don't read because I'm a big baseball fan, but because I am intrigued with their approach at judging success in baseball, which is solely to use statistics.
Ichiro, who came off the disabled list today, hit a grand slam late in the game. He had a good day, with 2-3 hits total. After the game I went to the site and they had a new thread up titled "That's why he gets the exclamation point folks". Sometimes the writers use nicknames for players, but they always follow Ichiro's name with an exclamation point because they really like him.
I decided to be clever and post Ichiro's name the way he spells it: イチロ！ I checked up later and there were some references to my post, most notably one from a guy who wrote "okinawadave, Ditto, and I don't even know what you posted."
I felt really cool for this. I'm somewhat conscious of how bad my Japanese is, but it's awfully nice to be reminded that I do know something. I remember going to a Mariners' game with my parents just before leaving for Japan and thinking that I would love to return to America able to ask Ichiro for his autograph in Japanese and make small talk while he's signing. I know I can do that now.
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5 comments:
Hey Dave, Mike here (Melody's Husband)
I am catching up on your blogging this evening and read this post on the U.S.S Mariner. Very Cool! I visit that site almost daily but for different reasons (I like baseball). Anyway if you like the way they discuss baseball using statistics you should check out http://www.fangraphs.com/. Dave Cameron also writes there but has only been there for like 8 months or so. Good chatting with ya.
Hey Mike, I do actually also really like baseball. When I wrote that, it came out wrong.. but yeah, I have been reading fangraphs alongside USS Mariner, though with slightly less frequency. It's fascinating business, really, that baseball can (and should?) be broken down using logic. I'm curious if you adopt such a strategy for your fantasy teams and how it works for you?
Well when I play Fantasy Baseball (which I am not this year)I do use statistics on some level. These guys at U.S.S Mariner go way deeper than I could even think of. With FBB you are usually graded on Average, Hr's, walks, hits, On Base Percentage, Strike outs, etc...Usually you have to give one to get another in these stats. If you have a homerun hitter odds are good he will have lot of strike outs, but he may also have a lot of walks. Generally I will watch the stats on individual players on individual nights in other words matchups or just how they have done in the past whether they are a hitter or a pitcher or what park they are playing in. Another thing I really like to watch for is if it is a contract year for the player (they do play differently). I have found that fantasy baseball takes up way too much time and so I have taken at least this year off.
Apparently, I'm too busy to even notice that Mike isn't playing fantasy baseball this year.. :)
Melody, I'm glad to know Mike is using his extra time for communication. :)
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