For people who say that Ichiro is overrated and that he's only good for singles?

Question

7th game of the world series..with the game tied in the bottom of the 9th and 2 outs...bases are loaded so you can't intentionally walk anyone...who would you rather have at the plate for your team...Ichiro or McGwire? Ichiro is a career .333 .379 .436 and McGwire .262 .394 .588...now remember walking McGwire is out of the question because bases are loaded...and all your team needs is a hit. Would you rather have a guy at the plate with a dismal .262 batting average with a high slugging percentage...or a guy with a higher probability of getting a hit and driving in the winning run?

Answer 1

Ichiro may be the most disruptive player in baseball when he's on base. He is a great baserunner and deceptively fast.Seattle was smart to lock him up. He could have gotten much more in free agency. He doesn't need to hit homeruns. He's like Jose Reyes... when he's on, he'll give you ulcers!!
Ichiro's a sure Hall of Famer!!!

Answer 2

It's frankly a lousy hypothetical.

What if your man on 3rd is very slow? Then Ichiro slapping a ground ball won't help if he beats it out by there is a force on any of the other bases.

Since a walk truly is as good of a hit here, your own reported numbers have McGwire better at 394 OBP to 379. That's not a huge difference, but it is far more important than the "advantage" in batting average for Ichiro. OBP in this situation is more likely to get you the winning run than mere batting average.

Third, why use a retired player like McGwire?

Finally, anyone who knows baseball knows that Ichiro is a great player. But here's some of this year's players in the AL with a better OBP and better SLG: Ortiz, Ordonez, Posada, Rodriguez, Thome. All of them give you even better odds at that moment than Ichiro.

But if you're suggesting that Ichiro is the best player in baseball, that's simply foolish.

Answer 3

In this scenario, all your team needs is one man on base, by any means whatsoever, and the championship-winning run scores. Therefore looking at AVG is pointless; we consult OBP. And McGwire's got the edge; he really did have tremendous patience.

This doesn't need the drama of a grand slam; it needs to get the guy from third home without making an out. Drawing a walk, which McGwire was decidedly superior to than Ichiro, will do the job. I tell Mac to grab a bat.

Answer 4

Obviously, Ichiro. But of course, you set it up so that power doesn't matter.

EDIT: Maybe not Ichiro anyway. McGwire draws walks often, Ichiro rarely does. I forgot that.

And here, he has less of an advantage that it would seem, because he's a pronounced groundball hitter, and there's a force at any base. His ability to beat out infield hits won't help so much. Plus the infield will be playing back.

He's way overrated by anyone who thinks he's the best player.

This year he's got 1.23 TB per hit. That's pitcher territory.

Answer 5

Ichiro

Answer 6

Ichiro, he has a better chance of putting the ball in play. Also, the man is fast. Even if he hits a ground ball in the infield, he has a chance of beating the throw to first base.

Answer 7

McGwire Ichiro has no big game capabilities! How many playoffs has Ichiro been in? A big fat 0! What kind of leadership quality is that? None what so ever! Give me Mcwire over that piece of crap player named Ichiro! How many playoffs did McGwire go too? How many world series rings does he have? Until Ichiro can lead his team maybe you should try asking this garbage question later.

Answer 8

Hey, I 'd rather get singles than be put out on long fly balls to the deepest part of center field.The home run hitters get all the glory, but it is hits that win games most of the time, the singles, the doubles, and the ocassional triple.

Answer 9

well put, i agree with steven