=== I don't know what this has to do with anything, but I thought I'd bring it up Dept. ===

I watched a TV broadcast years-ago, in which three satellite feeds were on the screen -- one with Bill James' talking head, one with Kenny Lofton's, one with the sportswriter's.

James had the task of educating the writer in three minutes.  The guy asked James, "Why is Kenny Lofton the best leadoff hitter in the game?  Why not Craig Biggio?"

Bill said, "In order to be a great leadoff hitter, you have to do three things.  You have to hit .300.  You have to take a walk.  You have to steal bases."

Lofton beamed.  The writer argued for Biggio.  Bill said, "Oh yeah.  Biggio's a great player too."  (Biggio was his favorite player for a while.)

............

Figgins last year:  .298 AVG, 101 walks, 42 SB's.

.

=== vs Crawford Dept. ===

In this article, we comp'ed Carl Crawford to a number of impact leadoff men -- he's Damon -30 BB, +25 SB, +GG ... he's Jacoby Ellsbury plus power...

Going at a tangent, we comp'ed Figgins to Ellsbury:  Figgins - BB = Ellsbury.

So it's a three-point parking job to get from Crawford to Figgins: 

Carl Crawford

- 10 HR

- 5 2b (total of 50 SLG points)

+ 50 BB

+ infield

-------------------

= Chone Figgins (lifetime averages)

Figgins is a reallllly fast player.  Take away 15 wallbangers from Crawford, and add 50 walks, and you've still got a pretty good setup hitter.  The fact is, the last three years, Figgins' RC/27 is a little better than Crawford's, and Chone plays the infield.

.

=== Fo' Mo' Years Dept. ===

FOUR years?  You got me there.  

But if you want a quick little debrief, blip on over to this b-ref.com page and sort for "age 32 to end of career."  The comp list is based on factors designed by Bill James.

Brett Butler, obviously, played well until he was like 40, and right away it hits you that the M's saber guys are throwing Figgins into the ageless leadoff hitter category -- the Loftons, Butlers, Rickeys and them.

I love the Polonias, Mumphreys, and Mookie Wilsons, because that's how good Figgins is.  Not the Butlers and Rickeys and those guys.

The Mumphreys and Mookies played well at 32, 33, sometimes 34, but didn't play into their middle-late 30's. 

I'd like to hear the M's SABR guys respond to this specific point:   great leadoff hitters play till they're 40.  Fairly-good leadoff hitters play till they're 34 or so.

............

It's not a comprehensive post here.  Haven't even touched the idea of 4 years or any of that.  Just a little noodling, trying to get used to the idea of Chone.

Cheers,

jemanji