Detroit Tigers Links: Victor Martinez is as bad a baserunner as we thought

Slow person might actually be the slowest.

You’ve thought it, I’ve thought it ... we have all thought it. Is Victor Martinez the slowest person on Earth? The answer, of course, is maybe. But with regards to baseball players, he may just be the worst base runner ever.

In what has to be the most expansive individual base running piece in the history of journalism, Sam Miller of ESPN brings a convincing argument. Using Baseball Reference’s extra bases taken percentage, Baseball Prospectus’ base running metric, and simple highlights, it’s pretty clear that Victor holds the crown. It’s well researched and well done, but I feel a little bad for Sam. This could have been a 25 word article, we all would have agreed.

The problem for the Tigers is, it’s not just a Victor Martinez issue. As Brandon linked yesterday, the whole team’s base running is a complete disaster.

And I’d be remiss to not mention the fact that the Tigers once had someone get thrown out from left field. So at least that hasn’t happened to Victor.

Other Tigers Links

Sports Illustrated provides you absolutely no new information in their off season recap, but it is my link collecting duty to supply all Tigers news. Fans prefer Rod Allen to Kirk Gibson. That includes the person writing this, don’t @ me. Drew VerHagen is back and healthy. Please be useful, please be useful, please be useful. Fangraphs has an article labeled “Daniel Norris is mid breakout.” I highly suggested you read it.

Miggy kicks

Jordan’s for days.

A fun trip down memory lane

I always find looking back at top prospect lists fascinating. Almost as much for the busts and for the success stories. 2007 is an especially fun one to look at.

There is a whole lot of talent, numerous former Tigers and only a few complete swings and misses. But if you can’t get past the first prospect, I don’t blame you. Emphasis, definitely mine.

1 DAISUKE MATSUZAKA, rhp, Red Sox

Who needs a gyroball? He has six pitches that grade out as plus or plus-plus at their best, and he'll be the best Japanese import ever. And no, we're not forgetting about Ichiro

More like Shohei NOtani

I guess I should preface this section with, if you do not know who Shohei Otani is, get familiar. He’s the best thing to come out of Japan in a long time (other than Dice-K of course.)

Anyway, after it was determined that Japanese wonder kid wasn’t going to be able to join the MLB until 2018 at the earliest, all eyes turned to the World Baseball Classic to scratch the proverbial itch of seeing him play. It turns out we may be deprived of that all together.

An ankle issue means that he will not do any pitching at the WBC, and while fans are clamoring for him to at least hit for team Japan, they may not risk it. This is basically the same situation that All Star managers face, and we know how that usually turns out. Don’t worry, I’ll post plenty of Otani links moving forward.

For your free time

Cardinals and Carlos Martinez agree upon a five-year 51 million extension. This will definitely work out because its the Cardinals. The Rangers have suddenly increased their pursuit of Jose Quitana, which I am all for. Lou Pinella was once thrown out at every base. I’m sure he was really happy and totally rational about it.

Baseball is awesome