Posted by AlCheez on 9/20/2013 8:37:00 PM (view original):
Major league scouts? Like the ones who saw Balentien play for a couple years in MLB and were so impressed that he wound up in Japan after spending all of 2010 in the minors?
The fact that a handful of Japanese stars have found real success in MLB doesn't mean there isn't a cavernous gulf in the overall talent level between the two leagues.
no. the gap that i am referring to, once baseball-reference.com finalizes this latest japanese season, is going to show up in the overall median league averages such as hitting, slugging, etc.
if sadaharu oh hits .355 in a season where the league-wide batting average is .235, then u surely can grasp the significance of it, as far as a more detailed comparison of his batting successes. if sadaharu oh hits .355, and chuck klein hits .386 in 1930, then i tend to cut to the chase. the league wide batting average in 1930 was .300+. chuck kleins .386 is not the same, compared to sadaharu ohs .355.
again, my comment should also reflect that sluggers in general are not all the same. arod, bonds, and mcgwire, all bolster my comment, as none of these players have stood out above one another. so sad.
those scouts responsible for bringing attention to wladamir balentien a few years ago? those scouts don't look very good today, for letting him get away. he is coming back to the major leagues, here in north america. he worked hard and impressed the right people. he stands out, no doubt.
appreciate your comments. taking a different path, other than the arod, bonds, mcgwire path to the asterisk. bring on any roger maris type. it works.
9/20/2013 9:29 PM (edited)