TRUTH About Trout and Ruth. So, Mike Trout signed a 400-plus million deal to stay with the Angels. I have VERY mixed reactions!! Part of me is "proud" that a "local" New Jersey boy signed the biggest professional sports contract in history. Part of me says IT'S RIDICULOUS TO PAY ANYONE THAT TYPE OF MONEY TO PLAY A GAME. Part of me is happy to know that the arrogant Manny Muchado must be bitter because HIS deal of "only" 300 mil was so quickly eclipsed (Lol). And, part of me wishes my YANKEES had signed Trout (though I understand we have to save money to resign JUDGE one day soon.)
But the BIGGEST part of me resents the premature comparisons between Trout and BABE RUTH.
Trout has what, 240 home runs after 8 seasons?? It's a joke...the TRUTH about Trout and Ruth is that Mike Trout can't hold a candle to The Babe. If Ruth were playing today, he'd demand a BILLION dollars for a 12 year deal, and he'd get it!! People forget that Ruth was a PITCHER for his first few seasons, which is the ONLY reason Trout has more homers at this point in his career than RUTH had at that same point. (That, and the fact that when Babe played there were fewer games per season than now, which ALSO contributed to less at bats per season, for Babe.)
I think Mike Trout is a GREAT player, don't misunderstand me....but to say he could be the greatest player ever, that he's better than RUTH or MAYS, well, at THIS point that's going WAY too far. He might, EVENTUALLY be the greatest player ever but he has to prove it....and THE JUDGE (Aaron Judge) may issue a different ruling, as HIS career progresses.
I believe sports writers are pumping up Trout BECAUSE of the contract he got.
Ichiro and Rose. ICHIRO SUZUKI retired in Japan the other day, at age 45. He was a GREAT player here in America and deserves entry into our Baseball Hall of Fame on the very first ballot. But those who say that HE is baseball's all-time hits leader by adding up his JAPAN hits and his AMERICAN ones are simply wrong. PETE ROSE is the all-time hits leader, based on what he did entirely in THIS country. Period.
It's about time that ROSE was let into the Hall, maybe then there wouldn't be this lust to declare ICHIRO the all-time hits leader!! The Baseball Hall of Fame is NOT about character, it's about achievements. (If it were about character, why, Ruth wouldn't be in there!!) Ichiro was squeaky-clean regarding character, but we shouldn't try to spin it that HE's the all-time hits leader simply so that we can one day have one (hits leader) in the Hall. Put Rose AND Ichiro in....on the same day, even!! 30 years of being banned is ENOUGH for Rose. Identify Rose as the AMERICAN all-time hits leader and Ichiro as the INTERNATIONAL one, if you want, but put BOTH in there. Just let's not spin ICHIRO as the all-time hits leader because ROSE is not in The Hall. It's as silly as saying Trout is better than Ruth!!
Finally, Tom Seaver Update. On March 8th, I wrote about how New York Mets Hall of Fame pitcher TOM SEAVER has Dementia. I'm glad to hear that they are going to erect a statue, and name a street after him!! The Mets seem to be very lax (as least as compared to my YANKEES) regarding honoring their past stars, but THIS is a step in the right direction, for sure!! He deserves this honor.
OPENING DAY NEXT WEEK!!
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