Rays win streak or Jordan Walker’s hit streak?

The most effective workforce in baseball has one of many hottest hitters of this younger season, however there’s a younger scorching hitter additionally on his personal 12-game streak, so I assumed it’d be enjoyable to debate over whose accomplishment is extra spectacular: The Tampa Bay Rays’ 12-game successful streak, or St. Louis Cardinals rookie Jordan Walker’s 12-game hitting streak?

The 2023 MLB season has featured a couple of constants, and whereas shortened video games are absolutely right here to remain, we’ll quickly get a recreation wherein the Rays lose or Walker goes hitless. This seems like a query the announcer would serve as much as Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon on PTI, so I’ll argue it as such. (My apologies in the event that they’ve already finished this. I haven’t watched a lot of that program prior to now decade, and final I noticed was when Wilbon went full fanboy over Patrick Kane’s departure from his beloved Blackhawks.)

OK, let’s start, and permit me to apologize now if this sucks, nevertheless it feels prefer it could possibly be humorous.

Right here’s the way it might play out on PTI

MW: Tony, this isn’t even a query. It’s Tampa. I hate the Cardinals, so I used to be by no means going to choose Jordan Walker within the first place. Nevertheless, we’re 12 video games into the season, and the Rays have a run differential of +65.

That’s higher than 4 playoff groups from a yr in the past, together with the Phillies, who went to the World Collection. I do know that has no bearing on what we’re arguing, nevertheless it sounds spectacular after I yell it. TAMPA IS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR’S WORLD SERIES RUNNER-UP!

TK: First, I applaud you for acknowledging your bias regardless that final time you went to Wrigley you had been met with chants of “Akron hates you.” Second, you failed to say that we’ve seen groups get off to scorching begins like this with our personal eyes. We’re now decrepit, however we had been nonetheless thought of previous when Milwaukee and Atlanta began 13-0 in 1987 and ’82, respectively.

Neither of us was alive — properly possibly you had been — the final time a rookie recorded a success within the first 12 video games of a season-slash-his huge league profession. *Places on glasses to learn stat* The final participant to do it was Eddie Murphy of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1912.

Mike, that tells me it’s an especially tough factor to do, and positively more durable than beating the groups Tampa has performed.

MW: OK, let me learn you two stat strains, and also you inform me which is healthier: .340/.377/.720 with 17 hits, 4 residence runs, and 12 RBI, or .319/.360/.489 together with 15 hits, two homers, and eight RBI. The second is Walker. The primary is Wander Franco. So not solely does Tampa have the higher file — St. Louis is 5-7 and Walker is likely one of the few gamers hitting for that workforce — in addition they have the warmer bat.

TK: We’re not evaluating groups, however when you’d like to match competitors we will. Tampa has swept Detroit (2-9), Washington (4-9), Oakland (3-9), and Boston (5-7). That’s a complete file of 14-34. They’re crushing minor league groups and pitching that Walker was crushing a yr in the past.

The Cardinals’ proper fielder has confronted Atlanta, Milwaukee, Toronto, and Colorado. They’re 30-20 mixed, and three of these golf equipment are projected to be playoff groups. I simply don’t know if I can sound any extra aggravated, so I’ll kick it to you and await the following matter to complain about.

MW: Umm, I’m out of factors. Can we get the bell? Stat boy, err, Reali? Are you there? How about you, narrator? No, simply an web author answerable for my capabilities. Oh my god, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than he makes me say one thing dum—

“Hello, I’m Michael Wilbon, and I like the Cubs and Northwestern, and every thing from Chicago, together with Patrick Kane. My favourite participant ever. I’m not going to say his off-ice issues or how problematic that franchise is. I simply need to discuss Stanley Cups and parades.”

Annndddddd, I feel I’ve taken this so far as I need to.