From: zuhars@madrone.eecs.ucdavis.edu (Gary Avenue Of Shattered Skulls Huckabay)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Rickey Henderson v Nolan Ryan -- Stat-head call to arms!
Keywords: Lundy.  *Joe* Lundy.
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:52:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: ucdavis.12266
Organization: People Rooting For Ron Darling, Inc.

(Kevin Lund'y') writes:
>> you'd capture the opinion of a lot of anti-Rickey, pro-Ryan people...not
>> that I'm accusing anyone on the net of being racist, but you bet there
>> were a lot of racist Americans who just loved it when the press deified
>> Ryan and vilified Rickey.
>
>I really can't believe this!  If this is a RELATED NOTE and you aren't  
>accusing anyone on the net of being racist -- Why the hell do you mention  
>it when comparing Rickey and Ryan as players?!?  Do you really have to  
>bring up race?  Don't try to mess with the issue and bring unrelated  
>topics in.

Sorry, Kevin, but the issue of race, like it or not, is DEFINITELY an
issue when it comes to Ryan vs. Henderson.

Nolan Ryan is a white hero.  A true TWG.  He's humble, he's friendly
and skillful with the media, and his exploits have been portrayed,
over the past five years or so, in an extremely favorable light.

Why?

Part of the answer is because he's WHITE, whether you like it or not.
His face will sell more razors than Rickey's will.  Nolan's public
persona is that of a humble, hard-working, good-ole-boy white man.

Rickey is portrayed as a malingerer, a whiner, and cocky.  Part of the
reason for this is his background is different than Ryan's.  He
learned to communicate in a black inner city, rather than white farm
country.  Like or not, the communication patterns are different in
those two areas, and to white bread America, Rickey's is more
intimidating, and more accusatory.

No one like the be called racist.  But racism is built into the
system.

As for the comparison - IMHO, there's no comparison.  Rickey's the guy
I want on my team.  Lifetime .404 OBP, and .440 SLG, while playing in
tough hitter's parks.  In a neutral park, probably .415 and .460.  Oh
yeah, and he steals a base or 1300.  For probably the equivalent of
200 extra runs over his career when its over.  And he plays good
defense - probably worth 130 runs over league average when his career
is over.

Rickey has been the best offensive player of the past ten years.

Ryan has been at his peak late in his career.  But face it - the guys
has never been as good as you'd like to think.  5500 Ks are cute.
But 2600+ walks are ugly.  His ERA is about 10% better than league
average over his career.

Rickey in a walk.  Get it?  A WALK?  Hee Hee Hee...
(You see, Rickey walks a lot, and Nolan gives up a lot of walks...)

Hey, it was funny when Tate said I had to include it!  Thank David
Tate for that joke.


Rickey in a walk.  Get it?  Get it?  A walk...  (
-- 
*   Gary Huckabay   * "You spent 5409 points out of 30,000 on ONE player?" *
* "Plays 'Over My   * "On Frank Thomas."  "No one's worth THAT much."      *
* Head' better than * "This from someone who spent 3028 on Jay Buhner?     *
*  Bubbles Lundy."  *  Blow me a kiss, sweetheart.  Eat my dust." - GH & BL*
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