(no subject)
Well, obviously Aramis Ramirez reads my blog. There's simply no other conceivable explanation.
No, really. ;)
Clearly, my posts lambasting Monsieur Ramirez for his less-than-stellar performance in the early going of the 2011 campaign got to him. This professional baseballer, as we call them, felt his pride called into question, and subsequently -- thanks to the challenge thus presented by my powerful words -- he's turned his season around.
Actually, that's putting it way too mildly. I am personally responsible for Aramis Ramirez now being in the discussion for "best hitting major league 3rd baseman" for 2011. It's all me, baby.
Seriously: Aramis has 9 homeruns in his last 14 games. 16 RBI. And his "line" of batting average / on-base percentage / slugging percentage for those 14 games (admittedly a tiny data set) is .400 / .443 / .945, numbers that are insanely good, even beyond Pujolsian.
If he could keep this kind of tear up for the whole year, he'll walk away with the seasonal MVP honors uncontested, no matter how the Cubs end up this season.
I really want to congratulate myself for driving Mr. Ramirez to the peak of his skills. It's entirely on me, obviously, that he felt the fire under his feet, the hunger in his belly, and came out swinging, swinging hard, and swinging well. However. I can't do that. I can't congratulate myself, because Aramis isn't actually doing what I think he should be doing.
What's that you ask? What more could be asked of someone who's on a Hall-of-Fame streak right now, especially if he's not a Hall-of-Fame-to-be... uh, -er?
Win games.
That's all I ask. In the last 14 games, Aramis has ridiculous hitting stats, sure. That's nice, but it doesn't negate what I've been saying -- he's not a clutch hitter. I haven't said he's a bad hitter. On the contrary, he's quite good... when it doesn't matter. But in the last 14 games, while the third baseman has been racking up the hits and such, his team is just 5-9. That's four games under .500. That's still crappy baseball.
What?? you say. How can a single player on a baseball team be expected to guarantee wins? It's a true team sport! you argue.
Well, I say. Be that as it may. I just want the Cubbies to win. LOL.
In all true seriousness, congrats to Aramis. Good on him. I'm sure his latest success -- which goes beyond the last two weeks, that was just the easiest set of stats I bumped into on a couple of websites -- I'm sure it will serve him well when it comes time for the team to decide how to handle his contract situation, or if he ends up going free agent at the end of the year. (Not likely -- that $16 million option for next year is awfully juicy for a player his age, no matter how good a year he has this year, IMHO.)
Most of all, if he sticks around in Chicago, I hope these weeks are indicative that he's "hitting" his stride, and has one last stellar year in him for 2012 and a serious run for the playoffs.
Go Cubs!
No, really. ;)
Clearly, my posts lambasting Monsieur Ramirez for his less-than-stellar performance in the early going of the 2011 campaign got to him. This professional baseballer, as we call them, felt his pride called into question, and subsequently -- thanks to the challenge thus presented by my powerful words -- he's turned his season around.
Actually, that's putting it way too mildly. I am personally responsible for Aramis Ramirez now being in the discussion for "best hitting major league 3rd baseman" for 2011. It's all me, baby.
Seriously: Aramis has 9 homeruns in his last 14 games. 16 RBI. And his "line" of batting average / on-base percentage / slugging percentage for those 14 games (admittedly a tiny data set) is .400 / .443 / .945, numbers that are insanely good, even beyond Pujolsian.
If he could keep this kind of tear up for the whole year, he'll walk away with the seasonal MVP honors uncontested, no matter how the Cubs end up this season.
I really want to congratulate myself for driving Mr. Ramirez to the peak of his skills. It's entirely on me, obviously, that he felt the fire under his feet, the hunger in his belly, and came out swinging, swinging hard, and swinging well. However. I can't do that. I can't congratulate myself, because Aramis isn't actually doing what I think he should be doing.
What's that you ask? What more could be asked of someone who's on a Hall-of-Fame streak right now, especially if he's not a Hall-of-Fame-to-be... uh, -er?
Win games.
That's all I ask. In the last 14 games, Aramis has ridiculous hitting stats, sure. That's nice, but it doesn't negate what I've been saying -- he's not a clutch hitter. I haven't said he's a bad hitter. On the contrary, he's quite good... when it doesn't matter. But in the last 14 games, while the third baseman has been racking up the hits and such, his team is just 5-9. That's four games under .500. That's still crappy baseball.
What?? you say. How can a single player on a baseball team be expected to guarantee wins? It's a true team sport! you argue.
Well, I say. Be that as it may. I just want the Cubbies to win. LOL.
In all true seriousness, congrats to Aramis. Good on him. I'm sure his latest success -- which goes beyond the last two weeks, that was just the easiest set of stats I bumped into on a couple of websites -- I'm sure it will serve him well when it comes time for the team to decide how to handle his contract situation, or if he ends up going free agent at the end of the year. (Not likely -- that $16 million option for next year is awfully juicy for a player his age, no matter how good a year he has this year, IMHO.)
Most of all, if he sticks around in Chicago, I hope these weeks are indicative that he's "hitting" his stride, and has one last stellar year in him for 2012 and a serious run for the playoffs.
Go Cubs!