Josh Q. Public:The tip’s get clocked, baby. The bond’s get stocked. My style gets rocked. Just like doors get knocked. With legendary status, like my name’s Lou Brock. -Everlast
Public Service Announcement: OK here we go! Here it comes. Here comes baseball. Like my main man Joey D always says: “You look forward to it like a birthday party when you’re a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.” I’m looking forward to it. I think something wonderful is going to happen. I live for this. What’s crack-a-lacking sports fans? I loved Lou Brock. Put you in shock. Stealing bases around the clock. A virtuoso like my main man Johann Sebastian Bach. I loved Tommy Harper. I loved Rock Raines. I loved Willie Wilson. Looking good in those baby blues. Faster than Deja Vu. Quicker than any cheetah in a zoo. I loved Firecracker Vince Coleman. I loved Willie Mays Hayes. The American Express Card. Don’t steal home without it. I loved Rickey Henderson. Probably the best lead-off hitter I’ve ever seen. The best base stealer there’s ever been. These are the cats with steals. These are the cats with the wheels. These are the cats as fast as Ferrari automobiles. Joe Morgan once said: “A good base stealer should make the whole infield jumpy.” So that’s what we want to know. Who in 2007 makes the whole infield jumpy?
Jose Reyes makes infields jumpy. Maybe the best in baseball. Reigning two-time National League champ. Fresh off his first All-Star season. The first player in baseball history to have more than 63 steals, 120 runs, 192 hits and 19 homers in a single season. The first player since Marquis Grissom to exceed sixty steals in consecutive seasons. In his short time with the New York Mets, he already ranks fifth all time. Jose Reyes: the hand shaking, base taking, record breaking, stolen base king.
Hanley Ramirez makes guys jumpy. Why can’t we get guys like that? Guys quick as a cat. Stealing second just like that. Getting down those base paths in no time flat. Rookie of the Year last year. Leading all rookies last year with fifty-one stolen bases. The first NL rookie to post 110-plus runs and 50-plus stolen bases in a season. The fifth big-league ball player since 1900 to hit 45-plus doubles and have 50-plus stolen bases. His future’s so bright, the fans call him Shadez.
Carl Crawford makes folks jumpy. Former two-time American League champ. Get the papers, get the papers. Second leading base stealer over the last five years. Last year, he had three stolen bases in two straight games. Prior to Crawford, the last three players to steal at least three bases in consecutive games were Luis Castillo in 2000, Rickey Henderson in 1983, 1988 and 1993 and Amos Otis in 1975. Crawford became only the eighth player in history to get 200 stolen bases before his 25th birthday. On that same day, he also stole home. Jackie Robinson style. Last year, Carl Crawford became the first player to collect five hits and four stolen bases in a game since Rickey Henderson did it for the Yankees on April 11, 1988. Carl Crawford giving folks a reason to believe down in Tampa.
Juan Pierre makes infields jumpy. Another two-time National League champ. Get the papers, get the papers. The leading base stealer in the 2000’s with 210. The leading base stealer over the last five years. Stole at least 45 bases each year from 2001 to 2006. With the Portland Rockies of the Northwest League, Juan won the stolen base title in his first professional season. Give him a reason. Say he won’t, and I’ll call it treason. Stealing his way through the baseball season.
Ichiro make cats jumpy. Yes, the hitting machine. Making infielders as jumpy as a Mexican jumping bean. Stealing bases is part of his routine. Last year, Ichiro’s 33 consecutive stolen bases surpassed the American League record set by Willie Wilson in 1980. Last year, Ichiro stole 45 bases. Good enough for 3rd in the AL. Good enough for 7th in the Majors. Ichiro, good enough for me.
josh q. public. For the public, by The Public. Irreverent sports opinion from a Bostonian in New York. The one blog to read, when you’re reading more than one. Good to the last drop!
Jose Reyes makes infields jumpy. Maybe the best in baseball. Reigning two-time National League champ. Fresh off his first All-Star season. The first player in baseball history to have more than 63 steals, 120 runs, 192 hits and 19 homers in a single season. The first player since Marquis Grissom to exceed sixty steals in consecutive seasons. In his short time with the New York Mets, he already ranks fifth all time. Jose Reyes: the hand shaking, base taking, record breaking, stolen base king.
quick as a cat. Stealing second just like that. Getting down those base paths in no time flat. Rookie of the Year last year. Leading all rookies last year with fifty-one stolen bases. The first NL rookie to post 110-plus runs and 50-plus stolen bases in a season. The fifth big-league ball player since 1900 to hit 45-plus doubles and have 50-plus stolen bases. His future’s so bright, the fans call him Shadez. 
Carl Crawford makes folks jumpy. Former two-time American League champ. Get the papers, get the papers. Second leading base stealer over the last five years. Last year, he had three stolen bases in two straight games. Prior to Crawford, the last three players to steal at least three bases in consecutive games were Luis Castillo in 2000, Rickey Henderson in 1983, 1988 and 1993 and Amos Otis in 1975. Crawford became only the eighth player in history to get 200 stolen bases before his 25th birthday. On that same day, he also stole home. Jackie Robinson style. Last year, Carl Crawford became the first player to collect five hits and four stolen bases in a game since Rickey Henderson did it for the Yankees on April 11, 1988. Carl Crawford giving folks a reason to believe down in Tampa.
Ichiro make cats jumpy. Yes, the hitting machine. Making infielders as jumpy as a Mexican jumping bean. Stealing bases is part of his routine. Last year, Ichiro’s 33 consecutive stolen bases surpassed the American League record set by Willie Wilson in 1980. Last year, Ichiro stole 45 bases. Good enough for 3rd in the AL. Good enough for 7th in the Majors. Ichiro, good enough for me.
