Ichiro to the Yankees
Trade Deadline Deals Part 1
Ichiros Suzuki's list of career achievements can go on and on:
10 time All Star
10 time Gold Glove winner
Fastest player to 1,000 career hits
Fastest player to 2,000 career hits
2 time Batting Champion
2001 AL MVP
2001 AL Rookie of the Year
AL consecutive stolen base record (45)
3 time Silver Slugger winner
MLB single season hit record (262)
And there's more. Don't forget he played 9 seasons in the NPB (Japans equivalent to MLB). Over there he accumulated 1,278 hits and a .353 career average. If you combine his stats from overseas to his numbers with the Mariners you are looking at 3,812 hits, 217 home runs and 637 stolen bases (MLB stats are current as of July 23rd, 2012). Ichiro is a legend and a sure fire Hall of Fame player... in two countries.
Now he's with the Yankees.
10 time All Star
10 time Gold Glove winner
Fastest player to 1,000 career hits
Fastest player to 2,000 career hits
2 time Batting Champion
2001 AL MVP
2001 AL Rookie of the Year
AL consecutive stolen base record (45)
3 time Silver Slugger winner
MLB single season hit record (262)
And there's more. Don't forget he played 9 seasons in the NPB (Japans equivalent to MLB). Over there he accumulated 1,278 hits and a .353 career average. If you combine his stats from overseas to his numbers with the Mariners you are looking at 3,812 hits, 217 home runs and 637 stolen bases (MLB stats are current as of July 23rd, 2012). Ichiro is a legend and a sure fire Hall of Fame player... in two countries.
Now he's with the Yankees.
Before I get into Ichiro's fantasy value, I want to give you my take on the trade and some of the concerns it brought me as a Yankee fan. When I first heard the move was made I immediately thought there must be something more to Brett Gardner's injury. Shortly thereafter the news came out that Gardner will miss the rest of the 2012 season. Nick Swisher is also dealing with an injury (hip) but all indications are that he will not hit the DL. Not sure if I believe that, if I'm a Swisher owner I have the mouse hovering over the drop button. |  Ichiro's fantasy value will depend greatly if he hits lead off or at the bottom of a Yankee lineup that is first in all of baseball in home runs and slugging |
To put things into perspective I'd rather own Lorenzo Cain, Brennan Boesch (more on him in a bit), Nick Markakis or Jayson Werth (may return in one week) over Swisher and Ichiro for the rest of the season.
Ichiro has seen a decline in numbers over the past few years in the Pacific Northwest but there is a silver lining. His .279 BABIP this year is a new career low despite his line drive rate of 25.6% being a career high. If Ichiro gets a little lucky he may end up being a .300 hitter from here on out. But before we go crazy and rank him top 100 in our hitter ranks, let's make sure we know what we're getting. Joe Girardi said Ichiro will more than likely sit against lefties. His .236 BAA lefties is sound reasoning, especially with Andrew Jones having 8 homers in 103 at bats versus South Paws and Jayson Nix hitting .275 against them in 51 at bats this year.
Ichiro will supply speed and a great outfield arm in New York but he is nothing more than a Good #5 Fantasy Outfielder or a respectable #4.
Back to Boesch
Since the All Star Break, Brennan Boesch is hitting .364 with 3 homers and 12 RBI through 33 at bats. Something to keep in mind if you go after Boesch, this year he is hitting exactly .300 on the road. Compare that to his .213 home average and you get a true Fantasy "platoon" player. Hey maybe snag Ichiro and Boesch and play Suzuki against righties and Boesch on the road. It could work.
Also if you were wondering, here is how I would rank the players I mentioned for the rest of the season:
Lorenzo Cain
Jayson Werth
Nick Markakis
Brennan Boesch
Ichiro Suzuki
*Subject to change by my next Hitter Rankings
Stay tuned for Part 2
July 25th, 2012
@Awies28
Alex Wiesner's Archives
Ichiro has seen a decline in numbers over the past few years in the Pacific Northwest but there is a silver lining. His .279 BABIP this year is a new career low despite his line drive rate of 25.6% being a career high. If Ichiro gets a little lucky he may end up being a .300 hitter from here on out. But before we go crazy and rank him top 100 in our hitter ranks, let's make sure we know what we're getting. Joe Girardi said Ichiro will more than likely sit against lefties. His .236 BAA lefties is sound reasoning, especially with Andrew Jones having 8 homers in 103 at bats versus South Paws and Jayson Nix hitting .275 against them in 51 at bats this year.
Ichiro will supply speed and a great outfield arm in New York but he is nothing more than a Good #5 Fantasy Outfielder or a respectable #4.
Back to Boesch
Since the All Star Break, Brennan Boesch is hitting .364 with 3 homers and 12 RBI through 33 at bats. Something to keep in mind if you go after Boesch, this year he is hitting exactly .300 on the road. Compare that to his .213 home average and you get a true Fantasy "platoon" player. Hey maybe snag Ichiro and Boesch and play Suzuki against righties and Boesch on the road. It could work.
Also if you were wondering, here is how I would rank the players I mentioned for the rest of the season:
Lorenzo Cain
Jayson Werth
Nick Markakis
Brennan Boesch
Ichiro Suzuki
*Subject to change by my next Hitter Rankings
Stay tuned for Part 2
July 25th, 2012
@Awies28
Alex Wiesner's Archives
RSS Feed