Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Hail to the King

I know he's not a Jay anymore, and he's unlikely to ever be one again, but how fucking awesome is Carlos Delgado? I've stated before they should straight up retire his number, none of that Level of Excellence shit. He's awesome to watch, swings a slick stick when the weather is nice, and he keeps his head much farther from his ass than most ballplayers.

His awesomeness rich but pitching poor Puerto Rican team's ouster from the WBC is a real shame, specifically because it was Carlos's team. He asked to wear Roberto Clemente's number 21 in 2006, some PR suits said no. This time around they asked him to wear it! Awesome.

Carlos Delgado's offensive projections for 2009 are pretty consistent, offering between 28 and 36 home runs, wOBA's from .343 to .372, and offensive wins above average from 0.5 to 2.5. Aside from wrist injury hampered 2007 (Overgado!), Carlos has provided about 3 wins a season since 2004. Depending on the economic climate next winter, he could make any team needing a classy motherfucker to DH happy.

Alex Rios in his element


Not content to let Delgado steal all my love, Alex Rios did all the Riosian things we should expect of him in 2009. Stolen base, massive home run, strong (but hopelessly late) throw to the plate, and my favorite: the incredulous look he shot Carlos Betran after the Met stole a home run from Brian McCann. It's as if Rios didn't know to react, like he wasn't allowed to be happy that they were in a good position to win the game. Oh Alex, you're my sketchpad.

Korean Baseball - Small but Powerful


I love American broadcasters using "Asian" interchangeably with "girly-armed sissyball", but the Koreans have pop. They've hit more home runs at Petco than the cartoonishly flashy Cubans. I don't know what it is, but I don't want Cuba to succeed. Must be the skinny baseball pants and the indentured servitude. One of the two.

Bleed Maple Syrup


I don't see many Canadian movies, but seeing One Week today more than made up for that. It is easily THE MOST CANADIAN MOVIE OF ALL TIME. Not that it wasn't enjoyable, despite being a saccharine hybrid cancer/road movie. If Joel Plaskett busking and Gord Downie puffing are your thing, check it out soon. You know you love Pacey, don't try and deny it.

5 comments:

  1. Even Tom Verducci wrote a glowing article about Carlos Delgado in SI.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tom_verducci/02/24/carlos.delgado/index.html

    Hall of Famer? Why the fuck not.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I loved that Verducci piece. The lost slugger, for real.

    Delgado is sick. I went to his final game in Toronto. Was on my feet in applause when he came to the plate for what we knew was the final time. I appreciated him. I'll never forget watching on TV the game where he hit four home runs.

    He's going to the Hall of Fame. And he's going in as a Blue Jay. What a rudey. King Carlos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't consider it impossible that we might bring him back for a last hurrah in 2010, if Overbay continues to suck and we ditch him somewhere. I imagine we might be better served defensively with Lind at 1B, given the choice between the two.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I forgot to say: You're right Lloyd, I do love Pacey.

    I am going to have to watch that blasted movie.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Re: Canadian movies, I'm torn between "Marion Bridge" for its outstanding Molly Parker performance and artful meditations on unspoken family conflict, and "Porky's II: The Next Day" for similar reasons.

    ReplyDelete

Send forth the witticisms from on high