By
Steve Kallas (posted by Rick Morris)
As
the 2014 baseball season starts, it sure seems like Ichiro is the odd man out
in that overloaded Yankee outfield. With
the winter additions of Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran, as well as the
four-year extension given to Brett Gardner and the amazing production of
Alfonso Soriano, everybody seems to have written Ichiro off.
Well,
it says here that, not only is he a key component in the Yankee outfield this
year, they might want to hold on to him for a year or two after this. All this talk, at least by the Yankee TV
announcers, of possibly trading Ichiro, should stop immediately.
WHY
SHOULD ICHIRO STAY AND PLAY?
Well,
all you had to do was watch Ichiro’s first 2014 appearance (in the Yankees’
third game of the year) to understand his value. Subbing for Ellsbury, Ichiro went two for
four with a single and a double and actually scored from second on a two-out,
40 foot pop up to just in front of the pitcher’s mound. It gave the Yankees an insurance run in what
would become their first win of the year, 4-2 over the Astros.
What
could you see in just one game and four at bats? Well, Ichiro got the start against a lefty
(how many left-handed hitters get their once-in-a-while start against a lefty)
and proceeded to go 1-2 against a lefty and 1-2 against a righty. Equally important, if you understand (many now do) the importance of being able to
extend at bats in todays pitch-count world, Ichiro was tremendous yesterday
against the Astros.
His
first at bat was a six-pitch gem, culminating in a single to left (on a 3-2
pitch) in that classic Ichiro way – hitting a ground ball between short and
third. His second at bat also lasted six
pitches (including two foul balls with two strikes) before grounding out to
first.
His
third at bat was a slashing double to left center on the fifth pitch of the at
bat. He would later bust it from second
base with two out to score on a 40-foot pop up near the pitcher’s mound. In today’s game, where running hard often
seems optional, how many guys would have scored on such a play? Answer, not very many. His fourth at bat also was six pitches where,
after fouling off two 1-2 pitches, Ichiro was called out on strikes.
To
recap, that’s 2-4 with two runs scored and a total of 23 pitches seen in four
at bats with three foul balls with two strikes (obviously extending the at
bats) and a wonderful (in today’s game) hustle play to score an important
insurance run.
SO,
WHAT IS THIS TRADE TALK ABOUT?
Well,
in an exhibition game against the Phillies late in the pre-season, the Yankee
TV announcers discussed the fact that Ichiro was being showcased cause the
Phillies needed a centerfielder. Last
night, during an Ichiro at bat, it was discussed on air that Ichiro could
eventually be traded.
WHY
DO THAT?
The
Yankees starting outfield seems to be Gardner in left, Ellsbury in center and
Beltran in right. And that is an
excellent major league outfield.
Soriano, who may or may not be considered the fourth outfielder (he
certainly doesn’t compare favorably (defensively) with any of the starting
outfielders or Ichiro), seems like the main designated hitter.
But
let’s take a look at these guys.
Ellsbury played 134 games last year and 74 in 2012. Gardner played 145 games last year and 16 in
2012. Beltran, who will be 37 this
month, played in 145 games last year and 151 in 2012. Soriano, who has played in a solid 151 games
in each of the last two seasons, is much better off as a designated hitter and
is 38.
Ichiro? Well, don’t let the fact that he is 40 fool
you. He played in 150 games last year
and, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, he missed a total of one game in those three
seasons. His regimen is legendary. His ability to stretch and stay in shape is
unlike that of any other player.
It
says here that Ellsbury and Gardner are fragile and that Beltran (at 37) and
Soriano (at 38) are “older” than Ichiro (at 40).
Make
sense?
YES,
ICHIRO ISN’T WHAT HE USED TO BE
That’s
true. Ichiro doesn’t throw as he once
did, but he still has a very good arm.
He’s not doing the “Spiderman” thing by climbing walls anymore, but he’s
still a vey good fielder. He’s not a
.325+ hitter anymore, but just watch his approach (like last night). He will be fine as a hitter if given a real
opportunity. He can still run (20-24 in
stolen bases last year).
And,
once in a while, he can still, in the right situation, jerk one out of the
park, particularly at Yankee Stadium.
So,
on balance, he’s not the superstar he once was, but it says here that Ichiro is
still a very good major league baseball player who can certainly help the New
York Yankees.
To
drastically reduce his playing time or to trade him (absent something
incredible coming back the Yankees way, which is unlikely) would be a big
mistake.
And,
frankly, one of these fragile and/or old outfielders will probably have some
kind of serious injury during the season.
The
Yankees should not trade this first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s probably still better than even they
think; all he needs is a chance to prove it.
@
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY STEVE KALLAS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
