Reflections on Ichiro Suzuki

Change, it is one thing that we can count on happening.  Time passes and things change.  This occurs in sports as it does every other realm of life.  Yesterday evening, the news broke that Ichiro Suzuki, long time Seattle Mariner, had been traded to the New York Yankees.

I was shocked in a lot of ways to hear this news.  I knew that Ichiro was in the last year of his deal but I didn't expect him to get traded, let alone to the New York Yankees for two minor league pitching prospects.  Along with being shocked, I was also sad.  Sad because he left the Mariners and also going to the Yankees.  Everyone who knows me knows that I don't like the Yankees.  I made reference to this in a post I made here several years ago.  So it'll be weird and sad to see Ichiro put on pinstripes the rest of the season.

It's also sad because it's another reminder that players don't stick with teams like they used to.  It makes what Chipper Jones is doing a rarity, playing with one team your whole career and retiring with them.  Yes I know Ichiro played in Japan before coming to the U.S. but the M's were his one MLB team.  He became synonymous with the M's like Ken Griffey Jr. & Edgar Martinez before him.  In my three years in Seattle, I loved watching Ichiro play in the outfield.

I'm sure when he retires, he will go into the Hall of Fame.  And when he does, he will go in as a Mariner which will be good.  In the meantime, seeing him not in a Mariners uniform and not wearing #51 will be another reminder that things change and time moves forward.

Random Sports Reflections

Reflections during the middle of summer...

*Didn't write about it last week but briefly wanted to address the Robinson Cano/Home Run Derby event.  (Full disclosure, I'm a Royals fan).  A lot was made of the booing (especially by the national media) for Cano and personally I think it was okay.  Ultimately, Cano should understand that words matter.  When he said a month before that he would pick a hometown guy for the Home Run derby, that people held him to that.  If he had never said that, I don't believe that he would've been booed as loud or even at all.  Words are important and what you say matters.

*Speaking of words and actions, Dwight Howard.  I don't think I've seen an athlete go from being so well liked to being so disliked over the course of a year like him.  I'm kind of dumbfounded how a seemingly bright and talented young man has made that transition to being a guy that people want on their team to a guy that they don't.  The way he has conducted himself the past year in Orlando is a great example of how not to act.  I definitely think he needs a good, mature mentor to speak into his life.  I believe that he's a talented player and can be a part of a championship team.  But his attitude definitely needs working on for sure.

*The Linsanity is gone in New York.  Jeremy Lin is going back to Houston.  Couple of things on this development.  One, it is interesting that Tebow comes to NY and then Lin leaves (just a funny coincidence).  Second, I think this was a bad play for the Knicks.  They could've had Lin back if they wanted him.  And to be honest, they should've.  He's a young, up and coming player who energized a city like no Knicks player in a decade or more.  I think they will be hard pressed to capture that magic again with this squad.  As for the Rockets, it'll be interesting how they will go.  But if he can energize that team and fan base, it will make for an interesting situation in the Lone Star State.

Random Sports Reflections

*It seems that even with the NFL in the off-season, it is still dominiating headlines.  The main thing being Peyton Manning going to Denver.  After a couple of weeks of meetings with different teams, Peyton decided to go with Denver.  In some ways it wasn't surprising but in some ways it was given that the other two teams in the running was San Francisco (which was in the NFC Title game last year) and Tennessee (the state where he went to college).  The domino effect was that Tim Tebow was then traded from Denver to the New York Jets, which in and of itself was kind of a shocker given they already have a starting QB in Mark Sanchez & there was a team in Jacksonville which seemed like a great fit (not far from where Tebow went to college, could step right in and be the starter).  It will be interesting how Tebow will fit in with the Jets.  I know he'll want to be the starter but it'll be hard to supplant Sanchez unless he gets hurt or plays really really bad.  It'll also be interesting how the faith aspect will come into play given the Jeremy Lin phenomenon that took place for a few months before dying out.  Will Tebow garner as much or more than Lin did?  Will it be for a sustained period?  It's only March but there's enough stories that'll probably last until training camps start.

*I've been keeping up with March Madness and my brackets have been decent to poor.  One of these days I'll have a bracket that's like top notch.  The final four is Kentucky, Louisville, Kansas & Ohio State (out of which I consensusly picked 3, missed out with Louisville).  I do get the feeling this is shaping up to be another 2008.  That year of course Kansas beat UNC on it's way to the title game.  Kansas also faced off against a team coached by John Calipari.  Kansas wasn't thought of to win the title.  John Calipari's team had the best player in the country.  See what I mean?  Don't be surprised come Tuesday morning if it's Rock Chalk Jayhawk being bantered about.  What would be even more eerie is if Calipari then decided to take the NY Knicks job and then it's found out that Anthony Davis had some kind of academic issues and then Kentucky was put on probation like Memphis was with Derrick Rose.  Food for thought...

*The MLB regular season started today in Japan with the Mariners and the A's.  I caught the game from about the 6th inning on.  A couple of things:  1) I love watching live sports in the morning.  It's nice to be able to tune in and see sports live while eating breakfast or getting ready for work.  2.) I am getting old.  There was a statistic given during the game that Ichiro was the first M's player to get 4 hits in an opening day game since Ken Griffey Jr. did it in 1990.  1990 as in 22 years ago.  Yes I am getting old.  3.) For what it's worth, the M's are in 1st place.  161 games to go but it's a good start.

A Lesson on Selflessness With a Baseball: Derek Jeter's 3000th Hit

There are moments in sports that are special and historic.  There are moments that happen spontaneously and others that build up to the moment.  They are those "where were you?" moments.  One of those happened over the weekend.  Derek Jeter, shortstop and captain of the New York Yankees (a team which I cannot stand but I respect him), had his 3,000 hit.  Going into Saturday's game, he had 2,998 hits so it was only a matter of time before he got to 3,000.

Going against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and starting pitcher David Price (who's originally from Middle Tennessee), Jeter got hit 2,999 in the first inning to set up his next at-bat and a shot at 3,000.  I caught wind of it via Twitter and turned on my PS3 to watch it happen live on MLB.tv  I somehow expected a hit.  What I did not expect was a home run.  Sure enough, Jeter hits a home run into left center field for his 3,000 hit.  That was only the 2nd time out of 28 men to reach the milestone that it was done via home run (the other was Wade Boggs).  Jeter ended up going 5 for 5 and winning the game.

To me, the cool part of the story came out later.  Christian Lopez, a 23 year old cell phone salesman, was the one who ended up with the ball.  He got the tickets for his birthday from his girlfriend.  As soon as he got the ball, he was whisked away by security to the Steinbrenner's suite.  When asked what he wanted in return for the ball, Lopez said nothing and was willing to give the ball to Jeter for free.  Lopez did end up getting stuff, including season tickets in the Legends section (which is some big time stuff) for the rest of the season including playoffs, a couple of signed bats and jerseys from Jeter, spent some time in the YES Network booth and got to meet Jeter in person.

It's a cool act that Lopez did.  There are a lot of people who have said he should have held onto the ball and sold it.  There have been some who have even called him a moron for doing this because he doesn't make a lot of money at his job and has a lot of debt from school.

Personally, I definitely don't think he's a moron.  I think what he did was a pretty stand up act.  He looked out for someone else's interest ahead of his.  It's a good reminder that those of us who follow Jesus should put others' interest ahead of ours.  Lopez was rewarded anyway for his selfless act.  For followers of Jesus, our ultimate reward is in heaven but we also get to enjoy benefits of serving Him now.

Hat's off to you Mr. Lopez.  You made this anti-Yankee fan stand up and salute you.

Yes, God Does Love (fill in the blank city)

This post has been sitting in my head for a while but I finally feel like I've got the momentum to actually write it.  Bill Simmons, columnist for ESPN.com and nicknamed "The Sports Guy", in the past several months has talked about different cities who have suffered losing teams and championships by saying that "God hates" that city.  An example would be Cleveland.  In an September 9th article in essence previewing the NFL season he said "The Browns finished 2009 strong and reek of sleeper potential, but we're eliminating them because God hates Cleveland."  He has also mentioned this about Seattle, (a city near and dear to my heart).

Now granted I know he is a columnist and sometimes columnists say things for show or to get reactions from readers.  But it does get one to think.  Does God really hate a city?  Because a city hasn't won a championship in 20, 30 or 50 or more years, does that mean God doesn't care about that city?

People who know me know I love sports.  I love the competition and I love to win.  I root on teams and hope they win.  But I also understand it's not the end of the world if my team loses.  I understand in perspective that it is just a game and there are bigger things out there.

But back to the question at hand, does God hate Cleveland or does God hate Seattle?  My answer is no.  God does not hate Cleveland or Seattle or New York or any city.  In fact God loves those cities.  I lived in Seattle for three years and I can attest that God loves that city.  You can see God's creation as you travel around the city.  It is simply awe inspiring.  But more importantly, God loves the people in the city.  How do I know this?  Because he sent Jesus his son to die for the people of Cleveland, Seattle, Boston, Kansas City and around the world.

I'm reminded of the story in the book of Jonah.  God tells Jonah to travel to the city of Nineveh to warn the people.  Why?  Because God wanted the people to repent.  Even though they were not Israelites, God loved them and wanted them to turn to Him.  And guess what?  Jonah went (reluctantly) and they did repent.  God loved the city of Nineveh and the people in it.

So yes, God loves (fill in the blank city).  And what's more amazing?  He loves you and me.