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I was watching that colosseum fight between Colt and Tang Lung the other day.  My son walked in just as Norris started loosening up.  He was like, "What!  Chuck Norris used to be hard core?!"

....

For sure we have our Bruce Lee fans here, and don't get Dr. D wrong - he has all but memorized "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do."  Bruce Lee was really, REALLY fast.  The pro's who worked out with him were quick to acknowledge his amazing speed.  But still.  Asking who would win a real fight between Lee and Norris, even forgetting the weight classes, is a lot like saying, "I saw this dude in Bed-Stuy who would have no problem with Kevin Durant."

Get INTO the NBA hero, get you your ring, then talk best in the world.

/heresy

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MLBTR sez,

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Reflecting on his six-year tenure with the Rangers, impending free agent right-hander Yu Darvish told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News via text (through an interpreter) that he “listened and paid too much attention to any criticism I heard inside and outside the clubhouse” when he was a member of the team.

Darvish also revealed that his relationship with his Rangers teammates “wasn’t great” at times. Those issues sapped Darvish of some of his joy for baseball, though he noted that he began regaining it after the Rangers traded him to the Dodgers on July 31. Darvish explained that his loss of enthusiasm wasn’t the fault of his previous club, however, as he came to realize “how much the Rangers and the fans cared about me” while in LA over the final three months of the season.

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I'll take that as one more NPB player who would appreciate being appreciated.  The numbers are coming in heavily on this one.

Ichiro, of course, had a relationship with his Mariners teammates that "wasn't great" at times, and by "not great" we mean "consumed by jealousy by lesser American talents who felt MLB(TM) entitled."  Kenji Johjima's stay here was ruined by the same petty clubhouse Thorn Birds style drama.

However!  Johjima was well received by the fans, whereas Daimajin to the was a hero and Ichiro was/is beloved times three.  Everybody thought/thinks Ichiro was fantabulous, except the 12 other Mariner position players trying to play as well as he did and train with the discipline he did.   

.....

In terms of the clubhouse ... pitchers have a much easier go, in general, and self-effacing smiley NPB players such as Hasegawa and Iwakuma do very well.  The key of course is "knowing your place," seeing it as your job to fit in, which to be fair is what Americans seem to get in NPB clubhouses also.  At least that's what Dr. D saw on Mr. Basebaru :- )

Ohtani seems more the Sasaki type than the Godzilla/Ichiro type, but that's just my impression.

......

Where were we?  That Darvish was actually underperforming in Texas, because exactly nobody plays their best when they're unhappy.  That's any sport.  And you also heard Darvish say that LA by comparison made Tejas seem like paradise.

Leaving us where?  Hey.  An NPB player can't do better than Seattle, at least in terms of fans and area.

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YEAH BUT IS COLT GOOD.

IS Colt GOOD?  :: eyes heavenward ::

He came into the league in 2012 and since then, he's #8 in the league in xFIP, he's by far the first in number of strikeout pitches at what, seven-eight or so, and he's easily #1 in strikeouts/9 at 11.1.  I don't care whatcha say, I like starters who can strike out 11 people a game.

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UND TAKE ZIS MIT YOU, Dept.

MLB Trade Rumors, in the article linked above, quotes the Seattle Times thusly:

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The Mariners would like to retain impending free agent center fielder Jarrod Dyson, but his age (33) might stand in the way of them giving him a multiyear deal and lead to his exit, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times writes.

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Dr. D was all-but-certain that Jarrod Dyson was expecting to hit triple-7's on the free agent market and -- because of his tight legs and DL time -- Dr. D has always thought him wrong.  Mayhaps his agent will get the message quickly and Dyson will come back toward Zoom's prediction of 2/$21M.  Would love to see it.