Ichiro or Randy Johnson

[Guest GreatOne]

I'm really tempted to split here, since you can basically take both guys off their current teams and they're challenging the '62 Mets for suck kings.

 

But I'll let it get going before I chime in

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

As long as you're talking about Unit and Ichiro, here's another question: they both wear/wore 51 for the Mariners... when the number gets retired, who's name goes on it?

[Guest GreatOne]

Maybe they retire BOTH.

 

Ichiro has all these records this year and will have another in quickest to 1,000.

 

Johnson set the bar high enough that no pitcher has even come close to reaching it--save for maybe Garcia in 2001 and Meche, now that the Tacoma demotion apparently's straightened him out.

[Guest Contentious C]

IF it gets retired, it'll probably be Johnson. Ichiro is going to be a free agent next year; if he stays in the U.S. at all, it may not be with Seattle.

[Guest GreatOne]

Ichiro signed a four-year, $55 mil or so deal last offseason, so he's in the fold through '07 at the least.

[the max 0]

I'm torn.

 

Unit K'd 15 last night and fucking LOST, but Ichiro is top three offensive players in the league.

 

I can't pick between them.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ichiro is overrated slightly as an offensive player. He's good, he'll be on my MVP ballot, but he's not top 3. He is FUN to watch however.

 

For now, its Johnson. But if I were building a team, I'd take Ichiro, because he sells merchandise, plays every day, and is more likely to play well 4-5 years from now.

[The Czech Republic 0]

As long as you're talking about Unit and Ichiro, here's another question: they both wear/wore 51 for the Mariners... when the number gets retired, who's name goes on it?

Randy Johnson, no question. In fact, the number shouldn't have even been in circulation for Ichiro to pick up.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I vote for Randy Johnson, Ichiro has a good case though. The fact that Johnson leads the majors in strikeouts and ERA, probably the two most important stats for a pitcher puts him over. It's amazing that he's only .500 for the year.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Of the 50 NL pitchers who have qualified for the ERA title, Johnson is 47th in Run Support. Only Brad Penny, Odalis Perez, and Ben Sheets get less runs to work with.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Ichiro is overrated slightly as an offensive player. He's good, he'll be on my MVP ballot, but he's not top 3. He is FUN to watch however.

How so? He's contending and within reach of breaking the single season hits record...

[Guest Staravenger]

Is anyone on the Mets good enough to be considered for this title?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ichiro is overrated slightly as an offensive player.  He's good, he'll be on my MVP ballot, but he's not top 3.  He is FUN to watch however.

How so? He's contending and within reach of breaking the single season hits record...

Because he draws few walks which limits his OBP, and he doesn't hit for power. This is less true this season than in previous seasons. Since he's 2nd in the AL in OBP, he's more valuable this season. I honestly didn't know he was that high in OBP before I looked it up. But a player with the hitting skills of Vlad Guerrero or Gary Sheffield is more valuable.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Is anyone on the Mets good enough to be considered for this title?

In order to qualify for the ERA title, you simply need to meet the innings pitched requirement, which is 1 IP per game (162 IP over a season). At this point, a pitcher needs 131 IP to qualify.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

hell one of the Mets old guys will probably win the ERA title

 

Like Al said, Ichiro! can't match guys like Manny, Vlad or Sheffield, but he's still awesome. Good defender too.

[Krankor 0]

Ichiro hands down.

 

The man is having a brilliant year. Ichiro is 45 hits from having the most hits in a season. The record has stood since 1920. He needs 1.5 hits/game in his last 31 games to get the record. This will be a phenomenal lifetime achievement if he breaks it.

 

Johnson has a 2.71 ERA. That's a very good ERA and all but it isn't the best he's had in his career. In 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 Johnson ended the season with lower ERA's then he currently has. I will give him credit for his WHIP being ridiculously low at 0.87 though.

 

Ichiro is the clear-cut choice.

[Guest Staravenger]

Is anyone on the Mets good enough to be considered for this title?

In order to qualify for the ERA title, you simply need to meet the innings pitched requirement, which is 1 IP per game (162 IP over a season). At this point, a pitcher needs 131 IP to qualify.

Oops, I worded my post wrong. I meant someone being the best player (or one of) and being on one of the worst teams.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I picked Ichiro -- don't know why. Guess I like saying "Ichiro..."

[Dr. Tom 0]

It's tough, but I'll have to go with Ichiro. Johnson's had better years than he's having this year (ignoring the win total, which is depressed because of his awful run support); Ichiro is putting together one of the best offensive seasons in quite a while. If he hadn't had such a shitty April, he'd be looking to blow away the single-season hits record, not just skim by it.

[The Man in Blak 0]

This year goes to Ichiro I think, just because he's having a stupid year. The fact that he's got a .413 OBP and 31 steals and only 84 runs to show for it should be a fair indictment of how awful Seattle has been this year.

 

In the context of an entire career, though, it's Randy Johnson by a country mile.

[Brett Favre 0]

On base percentage shouldn't matter much if you're batting like .360.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

On base percentage shouldn't matter much if you're batting like .360.

It matters no matter how high your batting average is. Of course, your batting average pushes your OBP higher, so OBP doesn't ignore the effects of batting average by any stretch. Ichiro is the best leadoff hitter in baseball this season.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Got to be Ichiro. He's challenging a 84 year old record, and giving some much deserved recognition to George Sisler.