Wisdom and Links: Ichiro Please, Links and The Best Baseball Players from Every Team in The College Football Playoff

I begin today by asking the 30 teams of Major League Baseball to do something: sign Ichiro Suzuki.

Yes, I know he’s old and, yes, I know he is only a shadow of his old self. But, guess what, I think he’d still make a great addition to a contender. And yet, nobody seems to be talking about him. It is like he retired, or went back to Japan.

But, no, Ichiro is still an active member of Major League Baseball, a free agent and he needs a team. Ichiro Suzuki needs a team. And I’m going to tell you why it should your team!

• He’s still an above-replacement outfielder. He hit .284/.324/.340 in his 385 PAs last season, hardly setting the world on fire but still enough to be above replacement-level at the plate. There are far, far worse people you could have in your order.
• He’s only like a year or two away from 3,000 career hits in the Majors, which means you’ve got an excellent chance to sell tickets and t-shirts to history.
• He can make an excellent emergency pitcher!
• He’s able to bend time and space to reach home plate.
• He once said this.

Basically, baseball is a better place with Ichiro in it, so make sure it happens, teams of Major League Baseball.

We’re counting on you.

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LINKS!

Jorge Arangure continues to kill it over at Vice Sports, this time looking at the bizarre tale of the defection of Yoan Moncada.

Tim Keown talks to Hunter Pence.

Why are the home teams listed last? Well, nobody is 100% sure, but it seems like it’s partly because of baseball.

Dale Scott’s coming-out, which occurred in the quietest way possible.

Jesse Lund on his conflicted feelings about Torii Hunter.

SELF-PROMOTION OF THE WEEK: A double-header this week! There’s a Bizarre Baseball Culture on a classic comic tale involving invisible baseball players from outer space and a revelation about what will happen at this year’s winter meetings.

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Finally, the best Major Leaguers (past and present) from each team in the College Football Playoffs:

• University of Alabama – Dave Magadan
• University of Oregon – Dave Roberts
• Florida State University – J.D. Drew (but Buster Posey is well on his way)
• The Ohio State University – Nick Swisher

So, based on the best baseball alums, the teams that will be meeting in the National Championship will be FSU and Ohio State. It’s science.

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As always, you can see more of my work over at Baseball Continuum.