I agree pitching has gotten better.bpj wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 5:04 amYou're looking at batters now as if they just suck compared to then, instead of looking at the reality that it's the pitching that has improved to alter the game.Seattle or Bust wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 4:32 pmI don't buy that.bpj wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 6:21 am
And, Ichiro's numbers would be down in 2024 offensively just like everyone else's.
That's exactly why they use stats like wRC+ and OPS+ to show how your numbers stack up relative to your peers.
Ichiro was only 7% better than his average peers from 2005-2011 with a 107 wRC+. He's not suddenly going to outperform his peers now that the avg fastball is up several mph.
He had a good first 4 years. Good for Ichiro.
From 2005-2011 (he played until 2019) he was most comparable to these world beaters, ranked right there with the great David DeJesus and Lyle Overbay...:
If Luis Arraez can hit .350 in this era Ichiro certainly would.
But sure, Ichiro hitting .312/.352/.463/.788 in 2003 for a 112 OPS+ is worse than Justin Turner's .248/.347/.376/.723 114 OPS+ for the Mariners. Yeah fuckin' right.
OPS+ was majorly deflated to the middle by a bevy of high-end power hitters in the early 2000's... in 2001 you had 79 hitters with an OPS over .800... in 2024 you have 39. If you weren't a power hitter in that era your OPS+ was going to to suffer.
In 2007 (first yr velo data was available) there were 4 qualified SP's in MLB with 100+ innings that had an average fastball velocity >95mph.
In 2024 there are 33 SP's in MLB with 100+ innings that have an average fastball velocity >95mph.
In 2007 there were 22 qualified RP's in MLB with an average fastball velocity >95mph.
In 2024 there are 89 qualified RP's in MLB with an average fastball velocity >95mph.
In 2007 there were 38 SP's with an avg fastball velocity >92mph.
In 2024 there are 98 SP's with an avg fastball velocity >92mph.
That's an average of 3 per team now compared to 1 per team in 2007.
You get the idea.
It's a different ballgame now and Ichiro wouldn't be doing any better than anyone else imo.
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major ... 7&qual=100
I don't agree that hitters have gotten better. Certainly not going to even consider that a 41 year old Justin Turner is a better hitter than a 28 year old Ichiro.
Ichiro would be a star in today's game just like he was back then.